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June 15, 2011
The Return of Republican Factionalism
It had seemed to me that Chafee's senatorial defeat and subsequent departure from the Republican Party eased the factionalism that had previously played a role in Rhode Island Republicans' tendency to trip over each other. It merits watching to see whether the congressional district 1 race brings that division back, and who will be on whose side
Former Republican Gov. Donald L. Carcieri will be the headliner at former state police Supt. Brendan P. Doherty's first big fundraiser as a congressional candidate. ...The 56-member host committee includes former state GOP chairman John Holmes, former Supreme Court Justice Robert Flanders, former Lt. Gov. Bernard Jackvony, public-relations adviser David Duffy and Carcieri's political ally and State House legal advisor Kerry King.
One possibility is that the key figures previously leading the more conservative charge, in contrast to the Old Club GOP led by Chafee, were just a different faction from the old club. It's too soon, of course, to determine what Doherty will look like as a candidate. I will say, for my part, that I find the "personally pro-life; politically pro-choice" position (which Doherty professes) to be among the most disturbing on the political menu. The only way to hold such views sincerely (and not be a monster) is to be pro-life more as a matter of aesthetics than principal.
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I'm personally against killing and cannabilizing children like the homosexual Woodmansee did BUT.....
Posted by: Tommy Cranston at June 15, 2011 3:01 PM"I find the "personally pro-life; politically pro-choice" position (which Doherty professes) to be among the most disturbing... The only way to hold such views sincerely (and not be a monster)..."
I don't know, I know plenty of women (possibly a majority of the women in my life) who have had an abortion only to come out the other side holding this exact same view. They wouldn't get another one, but they felt they did the right thing, and want to preserve the right for their daughters, should they someday find themselves in a similar situation.
Posted by: mangeek at June 15, 2011 3:09 PMHaving had to escort a couple of friends for the unfortunate procedure, I certainly understand where mangeek comes from. Tommy, however, sounds like a closeted gay to me and wouldn't know what this is about.
Posted by: bella at June 15, 2011 6:54 PMI'd love to be a fly on the wall at the Carcieri home these days. Given that Sue's about as hardline as they come on abortion, I wonder how Don is taking the inevitable accusations that by backing Doherty, he's "sold out."
Let's not confuse factionalism with healthy inter-party competition. While we may not be used to having a bounty of options for statewide and federal races, it's not a bad thing.
Factionalism comes later, if the folks who chose the losing side are so bitter about it that they can't let go for the good of the party.
For some, that's all they know, and we can't expect them to change. However we can grow to the point where the factionalists are such a small part of the center-right scene that they go unnoticed.
Posted by: Gio at June 16, 2011 8:05 AMLet's not confuse factionalism with healthy inter-party competition. While we may not be used to having a bounty of options for statewide and federal races, it's not a bad thing.
Factionalism comes later, if the folks who chose the losing side are so bitter about it that they can't let go for the good of the party.
For some, that's all they know, and we can't expect them to change. However we can grow to the point where the factionalists are such a small part of the center-right scene that they go unnoticed.
Posted by: Gio at June 16, 2011 8:05 AMGio-maybe you meant "intra party"competition.I mean,you're ALWAYS gonna compete with the Dems-verdad?
Posted by: joe bernstein at June 17, 2011 3:12 PMI'm concerned that two really outstanding individuals,Brendan Doherty and John Loughlin,both of whom I like and respect a great deal,are being pushed into a head on contest while a total piece of garbage like Sheldon Whitehouse goes virtually unchallenged.