James David Ott – 5/8/09

This page was last updated on May 9, 2009.

Republicans need to moderate views; James David Ott; Beaver County Times; May 8, 2009.

Below is a detailed critique of the letter.

“Last year’s election was the first that I was able to vote in, and, as a result, I have gotten more into politics than I have ever been.”

[RWC] For someone who wrote “I have gotten more into politics than I have ever been,” there appears to be little thought here based on real research. You’ll find this letter is little more than a regurgitation of the cited Times editorial.

“In response to Tuesday’s editorial “Moderates matter,” it seems that Republicans have been pushing away any of their members who haven’t been leaning to the far right.

“This is definitely seen in the case of U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter. They seem to have forgotten that moderates, who are the most populous group in the political spectrum, are the ones who decide elections.

“Democrats on the other hand, have been more welcoming of those in the middle of the spectrum.”

[RWC] As I wrote in my critique of “Moderates matter,” tell that to Sen. Joe Lieberman (CT). Mr. Lieberman was the 2000 Democrat candidate for VP and had an Americans for Democratic Action Liberal Quotient of 89% (2000-2005) going into the 2006 Democrat primary. About the only area in which Mr. Lieberman deviated from the left was in national defense, but that was enough to cost him the 2006 primary. Mr. Lieberman ran in the general election as an independent and won.

“Republicans need to realize that society isn’t living by the same far-right ideals of the past, and if they want to keep the party intact, they may need to compromise some of their ideals, lest we see more moderate Republicans like Specter making a switch.”

[RWC] Note Mr. Ott doesn’t describe the “far-right ideals of the past” we no longer live by.

Finally, Mr. Ott suggests Republicans may need to compromise their principles (He calls them “ideals.”) “to keep the party intact.” I hope as Mr. Ott gains more life experience he learns compromising principles is not the way to go.