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[Bohandas]

They also ruined that cool salute, black boots, trenchcoats, and the whole notion of eugenics. Seriously, what was their problem?

Eugenics was already a bad idea, the violent excesses of the Nazis were simply what it took to get people to realize it.
Whether it is done violently or peaceably doesn't change the fact that the concept of eugenics is constructed of equal parts hubris and misunderstanding of evolutionary theory.

[Scelly9]

Yeah, we touched on that a little earlier. The GOP has thus far not indicated that they understand the reality of the situation. Their reaction to Romney's loss is that he should have been more right-wing.

I know, but it is so very, jarring, to see straight numbers.
 
Well, As things move to the left, we are likely to see more factionalism. There are many forms of liberalism, but they are pressed by the party system into a cohesive body. When democrats begin to gain consisten control of both houses, such issues will come to a head.
 
I wonder along what lines they will break?

It's going to be an interesting century.

[mainiac]

Wow. The republicans have really got to get on this. If they move to the right on immigration, they will cease to exist. Hell, I might even see a 3rd party candidate who the media care about in my lifetime.

Well the history of the FPTP voting system says that if there aren't competitive elections there will be a realignment until elections become competitive again.  So if the GOP doesn't change we should expect them to disappear and be replaced.  But does it seem realistic to think that they will cling to these ideas for the 15 years or so that it would take them to become obsolete?  That's a long time and the GOP is a party that's survived for going on a century and a half now.  My guess is that the GOP will change itself enough to survive sometime in the next decade.

When democrats begin to gain consisten control of both houses, such issues will come to a head.

I doubt that's gonna happen.

[misko27]

When democrats begin to gain consisten control of both houses, such issues will come to a head.

I doubt that's gonna happen.

Why? This more then anything I don't understand. It's a very logical assumption. Much like how, in Australia, where The parties are both considered tp be to the left of the american center, not everyone agrees all the time.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Well the history of the FPTP voting system says that if there aren't competitive elections there will be a realignment until elections become competitive again.  So if the GOP doesn't change we should expect them to disappear and be replaced.  But does it seem realistic to think that they will cling to these ideas for the 15 years or so that it would take them to become obsolete?  That's a long time and the GOP is a party that's survived for going on a century and a half now.  My guess is that the GOP will change itself enough to survive sometime in the next decade.

The issue is that you are assuming the GOP is a rational actor. It isn't. The party leadership is filled with extremists, and so all else follows. We've seen this election that they are willing to deny reality in favor of their ideology. The GOP has only become more extreme in the past 15 years, and the trend does not shows signs of reversal yet.

The GOP might change, but its not impossible that they'll jump straight off the acceptable ideological spectrum.

[Frumple]

Eugenics was already a bad idea, the violent excesses of the Nazis were simply what it took to get people to realize it.
Whether it is done violently or peaceably doesn't change the fact that the concept of eugenics is constructed of equal parts hubris and misunderstanding of evolutionary theory.

It was always a nice concept, though. Removing all the flaws inherent in the evolutionary process that our species has been saddled with? I could do without SIDS and crap, y'know? Maybe little boosts here and there to the beneficial bits would be nice, too. I wouldn't mind a more efficient digestive system or somethin'.

We aren't nearly at the level of technical capability we'd need to really pull anything good off, though (caveat being we're close to maybe a few small things, here and there), and definitely our understanding of things at the time eugenics was less demonized rendered any attempt at it firmly in the realm of "bad idea". Trying to work humans like humans worked dogs would almost certainly end up with humans ending up like dogs -- purebreed dogs, especially the more extreme variations, are pretty notorious for genetic defects, yeah. We got (/might get, with human implementation) superficial results, but the subject in general goes a lot deeper than the surface.

[Eagle_eye]

Well, I think we could probably get rid of things like hemophilia and tay sachs without downsides, since such a small portion of the population carries the genes

[Osmosis Jones]

I know you ain't dissin' the Chaplin.

I'm sorry, but while Chaplin himself was epic, the only good thing about that 'stache was the +10 to disguise when imitating a certain grumpy german dictator.

[misko27]

I know you ain't dissin' the Chaplin.

I'm sorry, but while Chaplin himself was epic, the only good thing about that 'stache was the +10 to disguise when imitating a certain grumpy german dictator.

Hynkel?

[mainiac]

The issue is that you are assuming the GOP is a rational actor. It isn't.

No I'm not.  I'm just pointing out that the GOP is a party that has survived demographic shifts in the past.  The GOP hated the idea of voting for that commie new dealer Eisenhower.  But they hated the idea of losing another election even more so they gave him the nomination in 1952.  You really think that you can predict every one of the next 8 elections and say that the GOP doesn't tack to the center in any of them?  If so, I'm going to ask where you got your crystal ball.

The GOP might change, but its not impossible that they'll jump straight off the acceptable ideological spectrum.

Sure it's possible.  But don't start writing the eulogy yet.  It's only been two years since they won a national election.

[Nadaka]

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=BSQAjBD_DI4&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DBSQAjBD_DI4

obama won because romney was a poopy head!

yea. that happened.

[Urist Imiknorris]

To be fair, he is.

[Ogdibus]

To be fair, he is.

I thought the same thing when I heard Grover say that. x3

Edit:  added the word "heard"

[MetalSlimeHunt]

You really think that you can predict every one of the next 8 elections and say that the GOP doesn't tack to the center in any of them?  If so, I'm going to ask where you got your crystal ball.

A prediction is by definition capable of being wrong, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't make it.

The GOP is different now than it has ever been before, because the GOP has become the party of Jesus and the Free Market God. You would not see this kind of theocratic rhetoric they've been pushing more and more ever since Reagan took office at any other point in their history, relative to the religiosity of the public. They've gone beyond compromise and moderation because they think, they honestly and truly think that the omnipotent creator of our universe is on their side and they must enact what they see as his will at all cost. They won't endorse anyone who doesn't fit that mold.

That is why I think the GOP is dying. They could tack to center if they had a different motivation, and hell, they probably could have won this election had they done so. But their primary motivation doesn't allow for change or compromise these days. At this point it is clear that the GOP is going to have to undergo a paradigm shift if they want to survive, but I don't think they will. Conservatives don't lend themselves to rapid changes like that.

They've stopped playing to the moderate and they are going to pay for it, because not playing to the moderate is the mortal sin of American politics.

[misko27]

You really think that you can predict every one of the next 8 elections and say that the GOP doesn't tack to the center in any of them?  If so, I'm going to ask where you got your crystal ball.

A prediction is by definition capable of being wrong, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't make it.

The GOP is different now than it has ever been before, because the GOP has become the party of Jesus and the Free Market God. You would not see this kind of theocratic rhetoric they've been pushing more and more ever since Reagan took office at any other point in their history, relative to the religiosity of the public. They've gone beyond compromise and moderation because they think, they honestly and truly think that the omnipotent creator of our universe is on their side and they must enact what they see as his will at all cost. They won't endorse anyone who doesn't fit that mold.

That is why I think the GOP is dying. They could tack to center if they had a different motivation, and hell, they probably could have won this election had they done so. But their primary motivation doesn't allow for change or compromise these days. At this point it is clear that the GOP is going to have to undergo a paradigm shift if they want to survive, but I don't think they will. Conservatives don't lend themselves to rapid changes like that.

They've stopped playing to the moderate and they are going to pay for it, because not playing to the moderate is the mortal sin of American politics.

Right here, there is a fundamental truth.

they probably could have won this election had they done so

Exactly. Hell, Incumbents should do bady in this climate! They should do terribly. All over The first-world, incumbents left office. But no. Instead, Mitt romney had fewer votes then John Mccain.