A shift in the heartland

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Why our shift?

Steve Rose, Chairman October 05, 2006

This is a sneak preview.

As we prepare ourselves to make political endorsements in subsequent issues, I can tell you unequivocally that this newspaper has never endorsed so many Democrats. Not even close.

In the 56 years we have been publishing in Johnson County, this basically has been a Republican newspaper. In the old days, before the Republican civil war that fractured the party, we were traditional Republicans. That is, we happily endorsed Jan Meyers for Congress, Bob Dole for U.S. Senate, Nancy Kassebaum for U.S. Senate; virtually every Republican state legislator from here, with a few rare exceptions; and most governors, although we did endorse the conservative Democrats George and Bob Docking and John Carlin.

The point is, I can name on two hands over a half century the number of Democrats we have endorsed for public office.

This year, we will do something different. You will read why we are endorsing Kathleen Sebelius for governor and Mark Parkinson for lieutenant governor; Dennis Moore to be re-elected to the U.S. Congress; Paul Morrison for Kansas attorney general; and a slew of local Democratic state legislative candidates. These are not liberal Democrats. They are what fairly can be described as conservative Democrats, and we can prove that in our forthcoming endorsements.

But I could not help but put in perspective a more global phenomenon that has led us to re-evaluate our traditional support for Republicans.

This change may come as no surprise to our most cynical conservative readers who would dismiss me (and others on the editorial board) as being a moderate Republican and, therefore, the same as a Democrat. To them, there is no difference.

But the shift, frankly, shocks me, because I have pulled the lever over and over since my first vote in 1968 for Republicans. If I was a closet Democrat, I must have hidden it well, especially from myself, since I always beat up on Democrats in my columns. I have called them leftists, socialists, and every other name in the book, because I thought they were flat-out wrong.

And, for the most part, I still do. I am opposed to big government. I have little use for unions. I never liked the welfare plans. I am opposed to weak-kneed defense policies. I have always been for fiscal prudence. I think back to the policies of most Democrats, and I cringe.

So, what in the world has happened?

The Republican Party has changed, and it has changed monumentally.

You almost cannot be a victorious traditional Republican candidate with mainstream values in Johnson County or in Kansas anymore, because these candidates never get on the ballot in the general election. They lose in low turnout primaries, where the far right shows up to vote in disproportionate numbers.

To win a Republican primary, the candidate must move to the right.

What does to-the-right mean?

It means anti-public education, though claiming to support it.

It means weak support of our universities, while praising them.

It means anti-stem cell research.

It means ridiculing global warming.

It means gay bashing. Not so much gay marriage, but just bashing gays.

It means immigrant bashing. I'm talking about the viciousness.

It means putting religion in public schools. Not just prayer.

It means mocking evolution and claiming it is not science.

It means denigrating even abstinence-based sex education.

Note, I did not say it means "anti-abortion," because I do not find that position repugnant, at all. I respect that position.

But everything else adds up to priorities that have nothing to do with the Republican Party I once knew.

That's why, in the absence of so-called traditional Republican candidates, the choice comes down to right-wing Republicans or conservative Democrats.

And now you know why we have been forced to move left.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=145...G=461&rfi=9

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To win a Republican primary, the candidate must move to the right.

What does to-the-right mean?

It means anti-public education, though claiming to support it.

No, it means supporting EDUCATION, but not a continuation of the train wreck that IS public education. It's for FREE CHOICE of the parents who pay the taxes to decide if their kids should continue to go to public schools, or take THEIR OWN MONEY and invest it into private or home schooling. The Dems oppose freedom.

It means weak support of our universities, while praising them.

Universities have much to answer for , especially when they're taking public $ and pushing only one political viewpoint.

It means anti-stem cell research.

Nothing the GOP has done is 'anti' stem cell research. Stem cell research is still allowed, it's not illegal , and can be done here in the U.S. Keeping funding away form stem cells isn't anti anything.

It means ridiculing global warming.

What, and give credence to this silliness ?

David Roberts is now calling for trials for war-crimes trials for people who express doubts that global warming is caused by man. He calls these people "b*****ds" and refers to the global warming "denial industry." Roberts is suggesting trials for these skeptics that mirror the Nuremberg trials for those responsible for the Holocaust.

Al Gore seems to be part of the Roberts crowd. He calls people like me "global warming deniers," a not so vague reference to "Holocaust deniers." An odd phrase for Gore to use considering the fact that his buddy Roberts is calling for Nuremburg-style trials.

So ... this is the status of free speech in 21st Century America for anyone who disagrees with the thoughts put forth by the anti-capitalist environmental crowd.

Do I need a lawyer yet? - Boortz

It means gay bashing. Not so much gay marriage, but just bashing gays.

Most folks would just as well not hear ' the gays' 10x's a day and let folks go about their own lives. It's a horrifically over exposed topic that the Libs insists on making part of everyone's lives.

It means immigrant bashing. I'm talking about the viciousness.

No, it's about the lying and misdirection the Libs try to put on a story such as this. We want and deserve secure borders. That doesn't mean we banning immigration. Those who know and love America know full wewll about her history of allowing all free peoples around the world to come here and be a part of the greatest country on the planet. If they do so legally. That one small addendum somehow allows the Libs to classify the rest of us as 'immigrant bashers' ?? Please, show some intellectual honesty - ONCE!

It means putting religion in public schools. Not just prayer.

There are some who want Creationism and school led prayer installed into public schools. That is true. They aren't the majority of Republicans, but they do exists. Guilty.

It means mocking evolution and claiming it is not science.

(see above )

It means denigrating even abstinence-based sex education.

Huh? If ever the GOP could ever GET the words 'abstinence ' uttered in a sex ed class beyond a mere quick mention, that'd be a good start!

Based on the facts, none of Steve's positions hold any water or warrent a change of support toward the Democrats side. From the sounds of it, he never was a Republican.