Is Fox News Listening?

[Stinger]

The headlines just keep on rolling.

First, David Frum said the conservative base was "fleeced, exploited, and lied to" by the Conservative Entertainment Complex (which, we know, includes most of Fox News programs).

Then Colin Powell went on Meet the Press and explains how the Republican shift to the right has cost them two presidential elections.

Then Bobby Jindal, head of the Republican Governors Association, says:

"We must stop being the stupid party."
"We must stop looking backward."
"We must stop insulting the intelligence of voters."

All these Republicans telling the Republican party to get its head out of its ass.

What happens next?

Sarah Palin leaving Fox News after three years NY Daily News

Is Roger Ailes listening?

[rstrong]

This is looking more and more like a separate Tea Party for 2016, splitting the vote on the right.

[Boatrocker]

This is looking more and more like a separate Tea Party for 2016, splitting the vote on the right.

What, between dumb and dumber? I'd really like to see the return of honest, thinking conservatism, not the racist, religious kookoo teabagger right. They won't be happy until slavery is restored.

[Dryer Vent]

CNN is asking this morning for people to respond to the question: What is killing the tea party. I responded: Stupid White Men....which, actually, was a good book.

[O Really]

CNN is asking this morning for people to respond to the question: What is killing the tea party. I responded: Stupid White Men....which, actually, was a good book.

What is killing them - other than themselves? Assuming "killing" is metaphorical, I say who- or whatever it is, more power to them. I'd go for something like requiring all teapartiers to get a special voter ID card that can only be issued at midnight on the second night of the full moon by Voldemort personally, and must be renewed for each election. I'd also go for flexible re-districting so that if any teapartier got elected, his/her district could be gerrymandered away before s/he took office. Then, if any actually got into office, I'd send them a voting schedule off by one day so their vote would never count. (Opps - allowing for minor exaggeration, these all appear to be derived from real Republican ideas/efforts. Guess I'd better change parties, eh?)

[rstrong]

This is looking more and more like a separate Tea Party for 2016, splitting the vote on the right.

I think it depends on what the astroturf TPers' wealthy benefactors like the Kochs want to do. My guess is that they will stick with the GOP and any new party will thus be as ineffective as the US Green Party or the Libertarian Party. More significant will be how many TPers disgusted with the GOP just stop voting.

The problem for Republicans is that American elections are so close these days that if even a few TPers take their marbles and create their own party, the Republicans lose the next election. And if TPers DO create their own party, you can count on Fox News to give them plenty of backing.

To repost:

Canada's Tea Party is currently running the country. America's Tea Party could do the same:

Canada in the 1990s
U.S. in the 2010s

The Conservative Party destroyed its brand.
The Republican Party destroyed its brand.

The far right separated from the Conservative Party and formed the Reform Party.
With Republican moderates trying to make the Republican Party less of a far-right fantasy land, the Tea Party - led by Fox News - will separate from the Republican Party and form it's own party.

The Reform Party earned a reputation for racism, but eventually got those responsible to sit down and shut up.
The Tea Party earned a reputation for racism, but - already, mostly - eventually got those responsible to sit down and shut up.

With the vote on the right split, the Liberal Party won the next election.
With the vote on the right split, the Democrats win in 2016.

Just by being the most extremist, the Reform Party got all the press for the right. And so most of the remaining Conservatives crossed over to the Reform Party.
Through Fox News support - and just by being the most extremist - the Tea Party gets all the press for the right. No-one pays attention to the Republicans. And so most of the remaining Republicans cross over to the Tea Party.

The Reform Party renamed itself the Conservative Party of Canada, got more of the extremists to shut up, and was soon running the country.
The Tea Party will rename itself the Republican Party. Roger Ailes's takeover of the Republican Party will be complete. THEN he will let it become moderate, and it will win in 2020.