In California, Say Goodnight, GOP

Ahead of the curve

PoliticsNovember 2012 • Views: 27,824

I don’t know what’s keeping it awake in the rest of the country, but here in California the Republican Party is just about ready for a long, long nap: GOP Might Never Again Hold Power in California.

Let’s count the election day wounds:

Mitt Romney lost to President Obama by a landslide 21 percentage points in a state that used to consistently side with the Republican nominee.

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein drew only token Republican opposition and won by 23 points.

Democrats, at last count, were gaining four congressional seats in California.

The stunner was the state Assembly, where Democrats apparently achieved a historic supermajority to match the party’s similar feat in the Senate. This means there’s virtually nothing that Democrats can’t pass on their own in Sacramento, relegating Republicans to mathematical irrelevancy.

But it doesn’t stop there.

The Republican slice of registered voters in California slipped below 30%. Only eight years ago it was nearly 35%. Democrats are 44%.

And about that loud anti-tax mantra, the Republicans’ favorite rallying cry: Most voters aren’t listening.

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37 comments

darthstar Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:48:29pm

Goodnight, GOP.

Petero1818 Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:48:50pm

Well we knew California was bankrupt fiscally and morally, now its bankrupt politically too?////

wrenchwench Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:49:31pm

re: #1 darthstar

Goodnight, GOP.

I heard that in Gracie Allen's voice.

Charles Johnson Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:49:35pm

The GOP's not dead, it's just ... tired.

Velvet Elvis Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:50:25pm

Good. I hope the state can finally get turned around now.

BongCrodny Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:50:58pm

Reposted from the previous thread onto the live one:

WTF Department, Part II

So during Jeopardy, my mom got a call from a pollster. Mom doesn't like dealing with those people. Since I happened to be there, I decided to field the questions because I figure the folks on the other end are just trying to make a living.

At first, the questions seemed innocuous -- did you vote Democrat or Republican in this year's election, did you vote for Angus King (I), Cynthia Dill (D) or Charlie Summers (R) for Senator, etc.

Then the questions started getting a little more specific; they wanted to know whether I voted on Maine's Question 1 referendum, the vote to allow gay couples to marry.

Even the first few questions here were somewhat balanced: do you strongly or somewhat agree or disagree with Question 1; did you make up your mind the day of the election, the week before the election, the month before the election, or more than a month before the election.

Then it started becoming obvious where they were going with the "survey": do you feel religious people will have their rights infringed by gay marriage; do you think children will be adversely affected by gay marriage; do you feel matrimony should be between one man and one woman, etc.

In short, it appeared to be designed to elicit negative responses to their questions.

So, basically, I told the guy on the other end that and that I did not want to answer any more of his questions; I thanked *him* for his time, and hung up.

I could be wrong, but it sure seemed to me that the questions were from one of the groups that will almost certainly be looking to get the question back on the ballot in 2014, and the "strength" of their responses will more than likely determine whether they decide to do so.

I'd caution anyone that voted in favor of a similar amendment, whether here in Maine or anywhere else, that this is not over. We're going to need to keep fighting, fighting, fighting, because these people are definitely not going to go away quietly.

erik_t Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:51:49pm

re: #4 Charles Johnson

The GOP doesn't want to go on the cart!

Velvet Elvis Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:52:49pm

re: #4 Charles Johnson

The GOP's not dead, it's just ... tired.

Youtube Video

jaunte Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:52:54pm

The GOP is never coming back unless it moves away from the anti-science, anti-other-people-who-aren't-like-us, anti-reality positions that it's backed itself into. And then it will have been transformed into something else.

BongCrodny Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:52:58pm

re: #4 Charles Johnson

The GOP's not dead, it's just ... tired.

It's pining for the fjords!

moderatelyradicalliberal Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:53:32pm

And in my home state of Texas, it appears to be the opposite. Sigh.

EPR-radar Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:53:43pm

re: #5 Velvet Elvis

Good. I hope the state can finally get turned around now.

The Republicans here have generally been worse than useless. Let's hope the Dems are competent long enough for them to do some good.

Fortunately, Brown seems like a much more useful governor than the last Democratic governor (Gray Davis).

ProGunLiberal Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:54:52pm

Is CL here? I need to ask her a question.

Bubblehead II Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:56:11pm

Night Lizards. KT. I hope the MBF brings you pleasant dreams as well

Skip Intro Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:57:02pm

Here's hoping the Dems manage to control themselves and don't blow it. I'm counting on the Governor to keep that from happening.

It's funny that the most sensible politician in California now is Jerry Brown, a guy who had been demonized for decades with the "Governor Moonbeam" label.

Henchman 26 Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:57:11pm

re: #6 BongCrodny

Reposted from the previous thread onto the live one:

WTF Department, Part II

So during Jeopardy, my mom got a call from a pollster. Mom doesn't like dealing with those people. Since I happened to be there, I decided to field the questions because I figure the folks on the other end are just trying to make a living.

At first, the questions seemed innocuous -- did you vote Democrat or Republican in this year's election, did you vote for Angus King (I), Cynthia Dill (D) or Charlie Summers (R) for Senator, etc.

Then the questions started getting a little more specific; they wanted to know whether I voted on Maine's Question 1 referendum, the vote to allow gay couples to marry.

Even the first few questions here were somewhat balanced: do you strongly or somewhat agree or disagree with Question 1; did you make up your mind the day of the election, the week before the election, the month before the election, or more than a month before the election.

Then it started becoming obvious where they were going with the "survey": do you feel religious people will have their rights infringed by gay marriage; do you think children will be adversely affected by gay marriage; do you feel matrimony should be between one man and one woman, etc.

In short, it appeared to be designed to elicit negative responses to their questions.

So, basically, I told the guy on the other end that and that I did not want to answer any more of his questions; I thanked *him* for his time, and hung up.

I could be wrong, but it sure seemed to me that the questions were from one of the groups that will almost certainly be looking to get the question back on the ballot in 2014, and the "strength" of their responses will more than likely determine whether they decide to do so.

I'd caution anyone that voted in favor of a similar amendment, whether here in Maine or anywhere else, that this is not over. We're going to need to keep fighting, fighting, fighting, because these people are definitely not going to go away quietly.

You got hit by a stealth push-poll.

Lidane Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:58:37pm

re: #11 moderatelyradicalliberal

And in my home state of Texas, it appears to be the opposite. Sigh.

For now, but even that lunatic Ted Cruz admits that the GOP has an image problem and he worries that this state will flip sooner rather than later.

darthstar Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:58:50pm

re: #3 wrenchwench

I heard that in Gracie Allen's voice.

I wrote it in Gracie Allen's voice.

Targetpractice Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:59:13pm

And instead of recognizing that their policies and views are the reason why they've become politically irrelevant in California, the GOP will more than likely shrug their shoulders, declare that the state's falling apart anyway, and they can't win because "the 'takers' control the state."

freetoken Mon, Nov 12, 2012 5:59:39pm

There is no doubt that the GOP is withering away out here.

But, the flip side could be said about Indiana and Kentucky (or is it Tennessee?), where the GOP now holds control of quorums in both state legislative bodies.

Ideological purification continues in the GOP in the US Senate, with moderate Republicans Collins, Lugar, and Brown now out.

Ideological purification - is that our future?

ProGunLiberal Mon, Nov 12, 2012 6:00:56pm

There was something that happened a few years ago that I realized the implications to.

Need CL to confirm them.

jaunte Mon, Nov 12, 2012 6:01:34pm

re: #20 freetoken

Ideological purification - is that our future?

The Tenthers have a money problem:
[Link: www.politifact.com...]

darthstar Mon, Nov 12, 2012 6:01:44pm

This is my cartoon of the week! twitter.com/UKProgressive/...
— DenisCampbell (@UKProgressive) November 11, 2012

freetoken Mon, Nov 12, 2012 6:02:02pm

re: #9 jaunte

As long as the GOP out here clings to the Californication mindset it will be sidelined.

celticdragon Mon, Nov 12, 2012 6:02:44pm

re: #4 Charles Johnson

The GOP's not dead, it's just ... tired.

Poor thing got all tuckered out. Needs a nap, bless its' heart...

celticdragon Mon, Nov 12, 2012 6:04:52pm

re: #7 erik_t

The GOP doesn't want to go on the cart!

I feel happy! I feel happy...oof!

freetoken Mon, Nov 12, 2012 6:04:54pm

I'm not a big champion of the necessity to have a two party system, as I think that is artificial and somewhat related to the MBF mode of thinking.

If one is concerned about ideologies being represented accurately, it will take more than two parties to accurately represent the diversity in the US.

prairiefire Mon, Nov 12, 2012 6:08:40pm

Sonny Bono's ding a ling of a widow lost her seat, Mary Bono Mack.

efuseakay Mon, Nov 12, 2012 6:13:01pm

Question is: What can the Dems do to improve California?

Honest question... I'm hopeful, but...

Skip Intro Mon, Nov 12, 2012 6:14:19pm

re: #28 prairiefire

Sonny Bono's ding a ling of a widow lost her seat, Mary Bono Mack.

So did Mr. Mary Bono Mack.

jamesfirecat Mon, Nov 12, 2012 6:30:00pm

re: #4 Charles Johnson

The GOP's not dead, it's just ... tired.

Pinning for the fjords...

Ben G. Hazi Mon, Nov 12, 2012 7:41:31pm

re: #23 darthstar

[Embedded content]

It's a landslide...but only if it's a Republican that does it, right RWNJs?

lostlakehiker Mon, Nov 12, 2012 8:21:11pm

re: #2 Petero1818

Well we knew California was bankrupt fiscally and morally, now its bankrupt politically too?////

You say that as though of course, obviously, goes without saying----California is not in any way bankrupt, nor will it get there.

But several cities in CA are in fact in bankruptcy. This is not reassuring.

po8crg Tue, Nov 13, 2012 5:01:49am

re: #29 efuseakay

Raise taxes and lower spending until they meet in the middle.

Since they should be able to get enough GOP support for their spending cuts to defeat the extreme liberals, and the tax increases will go through on a party line vote, the moderate Dems - led by the Governor, of course - will actually have the ability to transform the finances of the state.

Daniel Ballard Tue, Nov 13, 2012 6:38:51am

Almost a dead thread. But as a warning to the Dems who have had the legislative majority here for a very, very long time...

You own it. You don't have checks and balances. You have the super majority. Your population has every right to expect your performance to match. You have no one else to blame. Scapegoating Prop 13 will just elicit pointing and laughter. Localities passed offsetting taxes long ago, and per capita revenues paid to the state are well above the national average.

Show me you have the answers, and listen to your fiscal conservative executive Governor Jerry Brown. Do that and enjoy support from surprising quarters.

JEA62 Tue, Nov 13, 2012 3:52:55pm

And in 2006 the conservative movement was proclaimed officially dead. NEVER say "never"...

sneezey Thu, Nov 15, 2012 6:56:35am

However, like in many places with one party rule California is a fiscal mess.

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