But there is resistance among Democratic senators from red
Scozzafava contest a bellwether for GOP battle between ideology and electability
In an ideal world, politics is both of those things, but at the canada goose outlet in vancouver moment, both Republicans and Democrats face internal debates about the true nature of what it canada goose coats uk means to be a political party. A once obscure special House election in upstate New York and the high profile debate over health care illustrate the uncomfortable choices that accompany building stable, governing coalitions.
Start with the Republicans. New York’s 23rd congressional district, in the far northern reaches of the Empire State, has been in Republican hands for generations. It is now the scene of a high stakes struggle between national Republican leaders that could result in a Democratic victory and an embarrassment to the GOP.
canada goose clearance The story is simple. The 23rd district was held for years by John McHugh, a moderate who fit the district and who was part of a vanishing species of Republicans nationally. canada goose outlet factory Tapped by President Obama to serve as canada goose outlet in toronto Army secretary, McHugh has left behind what has turned into a nasty mess for his party. canada goose clearance
The Republican nominee, backed by local party leaders, is Dede Scozzafava, a state assemblywoman. Like some other northeastern Republicans, she is generally conservative on many fiscal issues but favors both abortion rights and gay rights. She is, say canada goose outlet store uk her supporters, the kind of Republican who can win a canada goose outlet store quebec race in a district like New York’s 23rd.
canada goose coats on sale But Scozzafava hardly represents what the base of the Republican Party believes. She is out of step on core issues and, as a result, has drawn opposition from the right. Doug Hoffman, running on the Conservative Party ballot, is challenging the GOP nominee and his growing strength makes it possible that Democrat Bill Owens canada goose outlet price could grab the seat away from the Republicans. canada goose coats canada goose outlet on sale
Canada Goose sale The race has badly divided the national Republican hierarchy. The contest has become an early example of the fights likely to play out in the future as Republicans argue among themselves about canada goose outlet authentic how best to rebuild their party after two devastating defeats in 2006 and 2008. Canada Goose sale
canada goose clearance sale Scozzafava enjoys the support of former House speaker Newt Gingrich, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R Ohio) and the National Rifle Association. Hoffman has won the backing of two prospective 2012 presidential candidates former Alaska canada goose parka outlet governor Sarah canada goose outlet in chicago Palin and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and a host of other prominent conservative Republicans. canada goose clearance sale
canada goose coats The arguments over the Hoffman Scozzafava candidacies were summed up best by Palin and Gingrich. canada goose coats
buy canada goose jacket cheap “Doug Hoffman stands for the principles that all Republicans should share: smaller government, lower canada goose outlet in montreal taxes, strong national defense and a commitment to individual liberty,” Palin wrote in her endorsement. “Political parties must stand for something. When Republicans were in the wilderness in the late 1970s, Ronald canada goose outlet eu Reagan knew that the doctrine of ‘blurring the lines’ between parties was not an appropriate way to win elections.” buy canada goose jacket cheap
Gingrich warned against imposing ideological litmus tests and said the party should not purge all prospective https://www.canadagoose-jackets-online.com candidates who don’t agree with GOP doctrine 100 percent of the time. That, he told Fox News, will guarantee Obama’s reelection in 2012 and a continued canada goose outlet winnipeg Democratic majority in the House.
The most recent polls show Scozzafava sliding and Hoffman rising. Some polling suggests Hoffman might actually be able to slip past both the Republican and Democratic nominees in what would be a major upset, although he will have to withstand a vigorous attack from his rivals in the final days of the campaign to manage that feat. As likely is that Scozzafava and Hoffman will divide the Republican vote and allow Owens to win.
buy canada goose jacket For Democrats, the question of principle vs. winning is playing out now in the Senate and House over health care and whether any bill that includes a public option can win approval. buy canada goose jacket
Canada Goose online The base of the Democratic Party has made inclusion of the public option its highest priority. But there is resistance among Democratic senators from red states and for House members who won election in 2006 and 2008 from nominally Republican districts, who fear they might canada goose outlet new york not survive their next elections if they back such a measure. Canada Goose online
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D Nev.) has upped the ante by announcing he will send official canada goose outlet a bill to the floor that includes a public option (though with an opt out clause for states). canada goose outlet uk His decision has delighted liberals and progressives, both elected officials and grass roots activists. But it’s not clear he has the votes to pass canada goose outlet canada the bill.
canada goose black friday sale One obstacle comes canada goose outlet orlando from Sen. Joseph Lieberman, who when he lost the Democratic nomination in 2006 ran as an independent and won his reelection race in Connecticut. He remains a thorn in the side of the Democrats. But there are other moderate Democrats who may canada goose outlet online reviews present just as many problems to Reid in the coming weeks. canada goose black friday sale
In both New York’s 23rd special election and the debate over health care, the question is the canada goose outlet niagara falls price of purity. How much do canada goose outlet official political parties demand of their canada goose jacket outlet uk members? What compromises are necessary to build canada goose outlet uk sale and canada goose outlet ontario retain coalitions large enough to win a national majority, whether in a presidential election or in 435 individual races for the House?
It is noteworthy that the engineers of the Republican takeover in 1994 and the Democratic takeover in 2006 are the strongest advocates for matching House candidates with their constituencies and then dealing with the consequences.
canada goose store That was and remains Gingrich’s belief, which is why he sided with Scozzafava. It also is how Rahm Emanuel, the former chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and now White House Chief of Staff, brought the Democrats back to power. Emanuel’s recruitment of moderate Democrats in swing districts became the template for the 2006 successes. canada goose store
Canada Goose Outlet Both Gingrich and Emanuel were celebrated at the time canada goose outlet legit of their victories,. Now they are feeling heat for maintaining those views. Gingrich canada goose discount uk is under fire from his conservative friends for what they see as a break with orthodoxy. Emanuel, who long has advocated the importance of passing health care, with or without a public option, has drawn fire from the Democratic base for what they see as being too willing to compromise. Canada Goose Outlet
The stakes for Democrats in the health care battle are enormous. For Republicans, the stakes in New York’s 23rd district may not be at that level, but nonetheless reveal a potentially debilitating split within their coalition. No matter the outcome next week in New York and, later, in Congress over health care, the arguments underway in both parties canada goose jacket outlet will continue to echo into the future.
The election campain for the NY 23rd Congressional District is the big story of ’09. Before the election, it was front page news. Now that the people of the 23rd have spoken, no one seems to be interested. No one except the smart people. (Yes Mr. Baltz this means you!)
The winged monkeys of republicanism descended on NY 23rd and thought they could kidnap their election and fly off with the “wicked witch of Wazilla.” The People of the 23rd just said, “Fuggettaboutit!”
Dede Scozzafava has earned canada goose outlet boston the admiration and respect of all her constituents for standing up to these despicable republican media monkeys when canada goose factory outlet it would have been so easy to kowtow.
Canada Goose Jackets Unlike the truly hideous, bullying, morons who now control the republican party, the voters of the 23rd are traditional Republicans who remember leaders like Dwight D. Eisenhower, Everett Dirksen, and John McHugh. They also remember a time when voters expected elected officials to work together with a shared concept of good government and respect for the Constituion. Canada Goose Jackets
canada goose deals Since then, republicanism has mutated into a coalition of the rich and the stupid, trading political support for institutional racism, sexism, and homophobia to their religeously fanatic teabagging minions for blank checks, tax evasion, nobid contracts, and an illegitimate, pre emptive, republican war without end for wealthy global corporatists. This is a nightmare scenario that Eisenhower, Dirkson, and McHugh would have never tolerated in their wildest dreams. canada goose deals
Canada Goose Parka The People of the 23rd have chosen wisely. Moreover, they have set an example for all traditional Republicans who choose not to be represented by the craven corporate handpuppets who currently control the republican party. Canada Goose Parka
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I consider myself an upstater.
canadian goose jacket Here is the way I see it, upstaters want the goverment to stay off their property stay off their job and stay out of their pocket. If you want to see the mess big goverment can make come to New York. Go visit the cesspool the downstaters have created and think long and hard before you bring it to your home canadian goose jacket.
