Is he right?

[BT]

Powell: GOP 'polarization' backfired in election
Posted: 07:01 PM ET

(CNN) ? The Republican party must stop "shouting at the world" and start listening to minority groups if it is to win elections in the 21st century, former Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday.

In an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria for Sunday's "GPS" program, President Bush's former secretary of state said his party's attempt "to use polarization for political advantage" backfired last month.

"I think the party has to take a hard look at itself," Powell said in the interview, which was taped Wednesday. "There is nothing wrong with being conservative. There is nothing wrong with having socially conservative views ? I don't object to that. But if the party wants to have a future in this country, it has to face some realities. In another 20 years, the majority in
this country will be the minority."

Powell, who crossed party lines and endorsed President-elect Barack Obama just weeks before the election, said the GOP must see what is in the "hearts and minds" of African-American, Hispanic and Asian voters "and not just try to nfluence them by? the principles and dogma."

"I think the party has to stop shouting at the world and at the country,"Powell said. "I think that the party has to take a hard look at itself, and I've talked to a number of leaders in recent weeks and they understand that." Powell, who says he still considers himself a Republican, said his party should also stop listening to conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh.

"Can we continue to listen to Rush Limbaugh?" Powell asked. "Is this really the kind of party that we want to be when these kinds of spokespersons seem to appeal to our lesser instincts rather than our better instincts?"

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/12/11/powell-gop-polarization-backfired-in-election/

[sirs]

No.......because I believe he gives far too much credit to talk radio, while largely ignoring the pink elephant in the room, that being the MSM.

[MissusDe]

I can see his point about Limbaugh, who believes himself to be the voice of mainstream conservatism.  And because he makes himself heard, the left has come to believe that he is representative of all conservatives.

He doesn't speak for me, as I'm sure some of the far left radio show hosts I listen in astonishment don't speak for the mainstream liberals.

At least I hope not.  Gawd.

[Xavier_Onassis]

No.......because I believe he gives far too much credit to talk radio, while largely ignoring the pink elephant in the room, that being the MSM.


And how does "MSM" cause the Republican party to sound like a hooting mob of rightwing baboons?


Powell understands that Rush was hired to do what he does, and is suggesting that he be given less exposure. If the GOP wants to succeed in any way, they will have to do this. I doubt they will.

At the moment, the GOP wants to trash the contracts of the UAW, and remove its members forever from the middle class. A union member would have to be a total moron to vote for these Fascisti.

[richpo64]

>>Powell, […], said the GOP must see what is in the "hearts and minds" of African-American, Hispanic and Asian voters "and not just try to “influence them by” the principles and dogma."<<

So know we know Powell still sees the world as White’s versus everybody who isn’t White. That’s a pity. He has obviously forgotten who made him Secretary of State, National Security Advisor, and Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff. Those evil White Republican presidents. So like the rest of the hyphenated Americans, he voted for Barrack Hussein Obama because he’s Black. Well, half Black. I guess Powell doesn’t mind half a White person. Unless of course that White person is giving him a job.

So what’s different about the hearts and minds of the un-White people in America? What do they want that white folks don’t want? don’t they want a decent job, a warm place to live, and three hots a day?

Before we can say Powell is correct about the Republican Party, we have to answer that question. What are democrats giving the un-White that Republicans aren’t?

[Xavier_Onassis]

Juniorbush and the GOP made a fool of Powell. He was told lies, and obeyed when they made him retell the same lies to the UN. He was greatly humiliated by the most incompetent fool that has ever been president.

One thing that the Democrats gave Black people was a functioning government that did not monger wars with lies. How many Black soldiers joined the military because it was the best job they could get? How many have died because of Juniorbush's mistakes and lies? Right now, Mitch McConnell and Richard Shelby are willing to let the entire auto industry go down in smoke and flames rather than allow the Black and White members of the UAW continue to earn the wages they negotiated for. They are putting no such restrictions on other workers, dealers or anyone else. They just can't stand seeing workers earn a decent living.

[richpo64]

Thank you for that load of libtard crap.

Anybody else?

[sirs]

No.......because I believe he gives far too much credit to talk radio, while largely ignoring the pink elephant in the room, that being the MSM.

And how does "MSM" cause the Republican party to sound like a hooting mob of rightwing baboons?

When the MSM fails to report the endless hooting mob of LW baboons

At the moment, the GOP wants to trash the contracts of the UAW, and remove its members forever from the middle class. A union member would have to be a total moron to vote for these Fascisti.

At the moment, the GOP wants to TRY to repair the likely irreparable damage caused to US Auto makers, by the contracts put in place by the "UAW" 

This tact by the Democrats & unions is about as transparent as it can get.  Rather than fix the problem, by starting over with new contracts, the UAW and Dems want to appoint some cockamamie car czar, get tax payer $$$$, and be able to promise SQUAT ability to repay.  All in the effort of having the Fed largely running the U.S. auto industry thru their czar, by claiming how we can't risk any more unemployment, while the unions can keep their fat contracts that largely put the U.S. auto industry into it's current financial mess to begin with..........................which of course will bring them full circle for the need for more tax $$$$$, as the failures continue, so the cycle can start all over again.

And here I thought the left decried fascism, when it's precisely what they're advocating now

[Brassmask]

The GOP seems incapable of introspection.  The GOP seems to believe that any form of self-awareness or even theoretical self-doubt (even just for double-checking themselves) is a form of weakness.  It seems to me the GOP (or perhaps those who run it and have the most face time) has assumed a number of inflexible positions for so long and the Dems have allowed those GOP positions to be the starting points for dialogue for so long, those NOW running the GOP think that if they take inflexible positions that they will always get what they want.

And since the auto bailout failed, I think that is true.

For years, I've said that Pelosi and Reid are worthless and have to spines.  Now, those two are waking up to hearing the base talking about replacing them in the next elections.

Back to the GOP though, while there are those of us on the left here who will immediately jump on any GOP negative and trying going for the jugular every time, there are also those of here, who, of late, have at least ATTEMPTED to upgrade our questions or have declined to crow over GOP failures while trying to find out what consensus can be found between the left and the right.

There has been little success there but old habits die hard.

If the GOP should have learned anything from the last election it is that the nation is very tired of the politics of strategy and division.  They are also very tired of politicians with ideological goals like union-busting.

[BT]

The unions held fast to renegotiating in 2011.

The GOP wanted 2009.

Seems like 2010 should be the year.

[richpo64]

So far, so much libtard bullshit.

This is obviously the wrong place for intelligent left wing discussion on this subject.

[Plane]

The unions held fast to renegotiating in 2011.

The GOP wanted 2009.

Seems like 2010 should be the year.

That will work if there is still a GM in 2010.

Imigine trying to sell GM to a hypothetical buyer who has got the scratch to heal the present problem, what would you sell him on ? Potential for sales? Potential for profits ? Well seasoned and productive workforce?

It will not matter what Congress does for the carmakers unless they sell the cars they make for more than it costs to make them.

[sirs]

It will not matter what Congress does for the carmakers unless they sell the cars they make for more than it costs to make them.

BINGO  ------> thus no guaranatee, what-so-ever, they can pay any bailout back or even survive financially

[Brassmask]

The unions held fast to renegotiating in 2011.

The GOP wanted 2009.

Seems like 2010 should be the year.

It is my understanding that the unions have taken pay cuts already.

[BT]

t is my understanding that the unions have taken pay cuts already.

When?