Is the Republican Party headed toward civil war?

For anyone who sees Mitt Romney's loss in the November presidential election as a harbinger of GOP decline, conservatives have a message - make that two, tellingly conflicting, messages.

One, embodied by the Conservative Victory Project (CVP) - a group backed by Karl Rove's "super PAC" seeking to curb influence from far-right organizations - and spelled out Tuesday by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va.: Our olive branch is ripe, Democrats, and with the right legislation, we're willing to compromise.

The other, perhaps best summarized in paperwork filed today by ousted Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill., to create a "super PAC" countering Rove's: The tea party that in 2010 ushered into Washington a wave of staunch conservative ideologues isn't going away.

The Rove group's formation was just the most explicit among intensifying calls to inject discipline into a Congress that has seen unprecedented gridlock, particularly on critical economic issues.

Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La. - a favorite on 2016 speculation lists - at a GOP retreat last month said, "We've got to stop being the stupid party," and called on his fellow Republicans to start talking "like adults." Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga. and Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., appearing subsequently on CBS News programs, rushed to condone the remarks. "I think we clearly have to change," Gingrich said.

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GOP leader endorses Dream Act principles

Meanwhile, Cantor's speech at the American Enterprise Institute on Tuesday brought substance to the argument, not to mention a glimpse into what the tone of the newly minted 113th Congress might be. Reviewed largely as a recasting of the Republican Party's image, Cantor's remarks offered a striking departure from the partisan battles that in the past few years have brought the government more than once to the brink of crisis. Rather than emphasizing spending cuts, he spoke of the economy from an American family standpoint; most drastically, he also endorsed immigration principles of the Dream Act.

"There are some who would rather avoid fixing the problem in order to save this as a political issue," Cantor said of immigration reform proposals currently making their way through congressional committees. "I reject this notion and call on the president to help lead us towards a bipartisan solution rather than encourage the common political divisions of the past."

• Cantor signals shift on immigration, backs Dream Act principles
• Gingrich: Republicans "clearly have to change"
• Repairing the Republican party

While announcing gun trafficking legislation today, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said he was "very encouraged" by the House majority leader's speech. "I think he clearly opened the door for the House to move on meaningful legislation," he said. "Maybe, just maybe, this is the beginning of opening doors."

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House Dem: Cantor speech may have opened doors to compromise

But despite some who believe the tea party peaked with its influx of dogma-driven freshmen in 2010, the grassroots activist group is sounding off about this new push toward the center. Statements from the various factions of the movement have echoed the sentiment expressed on Nov. 7 by Tea Party Patriots coordinator Jenny Beth Martin, blaming President Obama's reelection on the GOP's nomination of Romney - "a weak moderate candidate, hand-picked by the Beltway elites and country-club establishment wing of the Republican Party."

Even Tea Party Express chairwoman Amy Kremer, who despite early criticism ultimately supported Romney, and who, during the near-government-shutdown ordeal of 2011, advocated "realistic" pragmatism in budget negotiations, in a statement Monday pointed to "the biggest Republican victories in modern American politics" as indicative that CVP won't be successful.

"Reagan's victories in the 1980s, Newt Gingrich and the Republican revolution of 1994, and the Tea Party's historic wins in 2010 were all made possible because the Republican Party, and its candidates, stood strongly and proudly for pro-growth fiscal conservative policies," Kremer said. "The newly launched Conservative Victory Project wants to push the tea party out and replace them with the failed strategies of 2008 and 2012. This Super PAC is choosing power of principle, but will end up alienating conservatives and electoral losses.

"If the establishment's large donors want to see a complete electoral catastrophe, then all they need to do is push tea party conservatives into supporting alternative third candidates," she continued.

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[Cowmpound]

RCRawlings said:

Go away Gabby and Egg Shape Hubby.
We already felt sorry for you enough for a life time and received our pity.
Stop milking it already for crying out loud.
You are starting to get on our nerves now.

[BenJordons-Mom]

(hehehehe)
That's pretty funny.
"Egg Shape Hubby"
LOL!

[pasthype55]

If I had to pick the three factors that mattered most in this election, it would be: 1) A flawed opponent (Romney) from the beginning who had serious issues with authenticity and connection with middle-class voters, and one where the Obama campaign did an effective job nationally on big message exploiting this (the success of the Obama national convention vs. the failure of the Romney convention was a major part of this); 2) A macro environment of a recovering economy that helped drive up President Obama's job approval number; and 3) Hurricane Sandy, which showed Obama as an effective strong leader amid a terrible disaster.

[Sheesh_wtf]

That is pretty much it.

If the GOP had nominated someone reasonable and intelligent like Jon Huntsman, I don't think Obama could have won.

It has been a very long time since the GOP has tolerated reasonableness and intelligence.

[Cowmpound]

Pubs/Teas/Righties,

The communist, socialist, racist Obama garbage banter just makes you all sound desperate and homeschooled. Here is a hint. You need to find a new message to communicate the upside the right or central right can bring to the table for today's American. And don't be so ignorant to think they are all poor welfare taking minorities. 60+ million voted for BO.

You are all spewing the same Fox news garbage and its like listening to a bunch of 5 year olds who didn't get your way. Come up with something meaningful instead of name calling. Yes, the deficit is a problem, but BO didn't start that and the only one who has not screwed that up since Carter (yes Carter) is Clinton. So that dog don't hunt.

You need a new game. Lets make this fun. Responding to the same right nonsensical garbage is boring me. But I am still going to do it.

And our system needs balance r the lefties are going to screw it up. That is what unchecked power does. See Bush family.

Have you hugged your president today?

[ralph.dratman]

Is the Republican Party headed toward civil war?
Karl Rove's PAC readies attack against Ashley Judd

Isn't it repulsive to see attack, attack, attack?

When hatred is the fuel of politics, we all move collectively backwards. To loath the opposite side is to loath half of our country. There is just no way that can be good.

[Cowmpound]

Check and balance is always needed. Dems need to keep grounded. Good momentum, but have to look at cutting spending also and not go bat guano crazy with power.

Pubs need to rebrand and quite obstructing. Four years is a long ways away.

We are Americans and in it together. Don't let these screw ups in congress/senate dictate how we act. We own them in the end.

[Cowmpound]

Modified the meds.

[1pheasant1]

"Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., founded the House Tea Party Caucus and almost lost her seat in November."

She's poison, and so is the tea.

[baileycccc]

Hes4Stupidity it must really suck being a republican these days. Your obstructionist party does nothing but attack the progressive party. What leaders do you have? The remnants of your failed party will be eliminated in the 2014 midterms. The death of the gop is at hand.

[Lindag20]

I-Loathe-Obama replies: That's right that includes Rhinos, I mean moochers like Chris Crispy Creme.
He just wants more money for Jersey and has sold out.
Obama could have bought him off with a box of dough-nuts
-------------------
You gotta love the infighting. Better than many comedians.

[1pheasant1]

Hey, Stupidity, Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La. said, "We've got to stop being the stupid party," and called on his fellow Republicans to start talking "like adults."

He was specifically directing his comment at you.

[Beachdudeca]

I am proud at how Chris Christie at least tries to do the right thing , and not just what the party wants him to do especially when those actions could result in long term damage to both his state and the nation.

What we need are more Dems and Republicans that are willing to make the hard choices jointly.

The 1st thing we need to do to get costs under control would be to limit what is spent for those on Medicaid and Medicare when they are near the end of their life.
We could reduce health costs by nearly 1/2 if we just ceased spending a fortune to extend life a few days when people are near the end of their lives.

[st247]

Empire_George_ replies

st247, Yeah, so what.....I saw Romney signs all over....and ? were you unaware that almost half the country supported Romney ? so why is it a suprise that I was on one side, you the other ? and what you really mean, is I have a life, and don't spend all day and night on a cbs comment board.
_______________

EmpireGeorge, it's past your supper time, you're getting delirious.
You mentioned Romney signs pre-election and predicted NY would go Romney, and now you say "you saw signs, so what?" YOU'RE the one who made a big deal out it. For a (supposedly) bright guy, what does seeing Romney signs anywhere in great numbers have to do as a portent to an election outcome?
And is this your best, "were you unaware that almost half the country supported Romney?" I'm aware that the clueless Romney lost by 4 points in the popular vote and got thrashed 332 - 206 E.C. And who was it that posted? You went underground for at least a month after.
"and what you really mean, is I have a life, and don't spend all day and night on a cbs comment board." A life? I just tuned in to this story and read some of the posts and I don't have the time to go back and count your posts.
Politics? You hate Obama's guts. Why back-pedal now?

[meme-stryker]

Our problem is extremists. The extreme left wants to infringe upon second amendment rights and keeps giving away money we don't have. And the extreme right wants to limit women's right to birth control and abortion and opposes rights for gay people. Both "sides" say they are focusing on jobs and the economy, but if you look at the bills they've proposed at all levels of government, you'll see they mostly focus on these issues. As far as I can tell, both major parties' jobs strategies include putting people to work building and operating more prisons to hold all the newly minted criminals their policies will create. Prison nation.

[1pheasant1]

Empire_George_----------- replies:
Anytime I have to leave, it's because I have things to do, it's called a life, he should look into that some time......my life doesn't revolve around a CBS commentor, and I don't come and go according to comments made to me.
________________________________________________

You must have had a ton of things to do the month after the election. Hahaha! Hey, at least you came back when things cooled down.

[st247]

Empire is anything but not interested in politics. Just one example, he posted before the election about seeing all sorts of Romney lawn signs where he lives up in NY, and how he said NY would probably go Romney (now THERE is a dreamer), and Romney would win the election. He is VERY interested in politics.
Based on past experience, we probably won't hear back from him today, it's past his quitting time.