After reading my blog for the fist time, Marlin told me I am a "screaming moderate" and....he's right (again).
If you've read my posts (and I assume you have) you'll see it's true. I'm a "Republican." I worked for the party for many years, in state campaigns, in the federal government and at the Republican National Committee. But those were different times. There actually was such a thing as a Republican moderate. An endangered species today. The party has moved rightward more and more over the years and, now, many of my friends are what "they" call RINOS (Republicans in Name Only). I would dispute that because, as my old boss the late Lee Atwater said in a speech we worked on together, the GOP is a Big Tent.
The tent seems to be shrinking, though.
We're watching it play out in the government shutdown and the coming deadline to raise the debt ceiling. The Tea Party is holding everyone hostage, but looks like those 30 or 40 House members, finally, will be trumped by the speaker of the house, John Boehner who, reports say, will move to raise the debt ceiling without their support. Those ending the so-called Hastert Rule which says votes won't happen unless every Republican votes "yea." Finally, someone saying nay to a stupid rule that really isn't a rule.
I hope the Speaker does it. And I hope, too, that it is the end of such silliness on the Hill and maybe, maybe, Moderates will make a comeback. Just a hope.