July 28, 2009 3:35 PM

Ohio Senator: GOP "Taken Over by Southerners"

By
Prerana Swami
Topics
Republicans
(AP)
Ohio Senator George Voinovich says that the GOP is "being taken over by southerners," the Columbus Dispatch reports.

In an interview with with the paper, Voinovich said shrinking demographics and southern senators are alienating his conservative constituents. He cites Republican Senators Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn as the GOP's biggest problem.

"We got too many Jim DeMints (R-S.C.) and Tom Coburns (R-Ok.). It's the southerners. They get on TV and go 'errrr, errrrr.' People hear them and say, 'These people, they're southerners. The party's being taken over by southerners. What they hell they got to do with Ohio?'," Voinovich said.

Salon notes that Voinovich is not the sole Republican speaking out against the regional isolation. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty acknowledged last year that the Republicans were facing increasingly difficult competition in large parts of the country, including Voinovich's Ohio.

"We cannot be a majority governing party when we essentially cannot compete in the Northeast, we are losing our ability to compete in Great Lakes states, we cannot compete on the West Coast, we are increasingly in danger of competing in the mid-Atlantic states, and the Democrats are now winning some of the Western states," Pawlenty said.

Not stopping at the GOP's biggest problem, Voinovich says President Obama's biggest problem is "two words: Nancy Pelosi."

Add a Comment See all 22 Comments
by carlyt1 July 29, 2009 6:11 PM EDT
The Republicans are disintegrating. There is an interesting related post from a moderate Republican at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?page_id=588
Reply to this comment
by redstatelefty July 29, 2009 3:59 PM EDT
"The reason WE sound funny to yankees is that WE can't hear as fast as THEY talk."

Or read as fast as they write. Or think as fast as... well, think, period.

Jobs move south because the south has weaker unions and a less-educated work force. A dumber, weaker, more easily led work force is very appealing to the corporate masters.
Reply to this comment
by shd1963 July 29, 2009 1:25 PM EDT
I'll quote those good ol' Southern Van Zandt brothers from Lynard Skynard.... 'a Southern man don't need him around anyhow'

The reason WE sound funny to yankees is that WE can't hear as fast as THEY talk! Which causes distrust. It's about talking with a used car salesman.
Reply to this comment
by cs4466 July 29, 2009 3:55 AM EDT
What? The Republican party is being taken over by neocon bigots?

Say it ain't so!

This is so 1995.
Reply to this comment
by indivthinker July 29, 2009 12:13 AM EDT
"before we let you have your old south back as a country, we northern boys will come on down there and kick your ass like we did before. The Rebels were good at two things. Running their mouths about how tough they were and running their legs as fast as they would take them when the Yankees came calling. Not much has changed!"
- by pgawestpalmer July 28, 2009 10:34 PM EDT

The if a battle between the northern Yankee states and the southern "Confederate" states occurred today, the South would kick the north's butt. Do your history and you would know why. During the Civil War, the north had about fifty percent more casualties, spent more on the war, had horrible generals, and only won because they overwhelmed the southern armies with more men, supplies, and cannons. The north was also much richer and had all of the industry.

Compare that to today. The high tech industry is in the south. The south has more oil and food resources. The south today has a much more even proportion of the population than it did 150 years ago. Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana all together created 75% of all the new jobs in the US this past year, and the economy in those three states are the best in the nation, whereas the economies in NY, Penn., Mich., Ohio and the rest of the northern states are all crumbling because they have lost jobs due to high business taxes, unions, and outsourcing. EVERYONE in the south has a gun and knows how to shoot a rifle, hunt, and survive out in the wilderness, whereas them Yankee doodles don't. The US's largest army and naval bases are in Texas and Virginia, two "Confederate" states. The biggest point: the south produces the most soldiers for the military in per capita rates and total rates, thus giving the south more trained soldiers and officers.

If there is one thing about the south, it is that they know how to fight. The north would not survive a month. Northerners don't have the patience and persistence to fight a major war against a bunch of nomad terrorists. Just like Barack Obama, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden and John Kerry were calling for a complete retreat from Iraq once casualties spiked a bit, the north would be screaming for surrender after they faced a much more formidable foe of the American southerners: the best warriors in the world.

Therefore, a complete change in demographics and will power would allow the south to dominate and conquer the north, not the other way around.
Reply to this comment
by tafhdyd July 29, 2009 12:42 AM EDT
Just a little something to think about. Maybe the south has more people join the military because the military is a better place to be than the south. Maybe some of the problems the military has is because they have more people from the south.
by ibsteve2u July 29, 2009 5:52 PM EDT
Quote: "Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana all together created 75% of all the new jobs in the US this past year"

Now subtract out oil.

lolll...or just think about subtracting out oil, and you begin to understand why the Republican Senators in those states are effectively Big Oil's voice in our government.
by azure13 July 28, 2009 10:17 PM EDT
As if we didn't know that? lol!

What's really funny, is the southerners are the ones who should be the most pissed off at the GOP. They don't have a pot to **** in down there since the textile industry dried up. They might have the most to gain from change in the way we do things. Yet they still keep railing against our president.

Fear mongering works...
Reply to this comment
by indivthinker July 29, 2009 12:30 AM EDT
The textile industry has very little to do with the south anymore. Because of low business taxes and lack of worker unions, all of the jobs that have not been outsourced to China or Mexico have moved into the south. The south has the high tech industry, the energy industry, food and livestock industry, and more. That is why unemployment is lowest in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, as opposed to Ohio, Michigan, and NY. The south adapts to changes. The north whines about change and lives in the past by trying to revive the same failing industries (see auto and manufacturing).

And if the south has the most to gain from change, then why is it the population is shifting from the north to the south? Why are all the jobs created here? Why is it MUCH cheaper to live here? Why do the northeast and west coast states bankrupt themselves or have 15% unemployment, but the south doesn't?

Do a little research. Compare the economies, governments and populations of California, Texas, and New York. Texas has the lowest unemployment of the three by far. Texas is the only one to have a budget surplus. Texas has the lowest taxes and no income tax. (Texas' constitution limits the amount of growth of the government and forces the legislature to balance the budget.) Texas has a much faster rate of population growth than the other two. Texas created more jobs than the other two states combined. Texas is the only of the three states that has a trade surplus (meaning Texas produces more products than it imports). Living in Texas is the cheapest too. Food, energy, and other products are cheaper here. Texas, despite years of drought conditions, still has no water shortages, as opposed to California. Texas contributes more soldiers to the military.

There is more if you care to do the research. Now what were you saying about the need for change in the south?
by trueblueusa July 28, 2009 9:54 PM EDT
South is taking over the GOP ?

What a New Idea??
Which Rock did this guy crawl out from under of ?

As a Youth,I Loved 'Southern Rock n Roll'
But Now,..These Redneck NASCAR I Bigots are :
The Democrats " Biggest Weapon of Conversion "
Keep up The Great Work !!!!
As Long as The South " Does it Again " ha ha ha ha
The Democrats WILL Stay in Control !!!!!
Reply to this comment
by nearl451 July 28, 2009 9:09 PM EDT
It would do the GOP good to listen to a little internal critique, as it does for us all.

What's the controversy? It only makes sense.
Reply to this comment
by legacyabq July 28, 2009 9:04 PM EDT
He, well I certainly agree with the last sentence of the article..

I'm a democrat, sort of, and holyhell brothers I cant STAND N. Pelosi..


YUK!! What a flaming moron. Shrill statist.
Reply to this comment
by johnpatrick1 July 28, 2009 8:37 PM EDT
Of course it is so and we all have known it for the past miserable 8 years of neo-Confederate rule of the American Republic. Bushism was and is Southern based and based on militarism, jingoism, autocracy, imperialism, religious fundamentalism and plain ignorance of the world beyond the pea patch. Thank God the Northeast AND the West got its act together and threw out this Confederate Yahooism and it constituency of semi-fascist dimwits.
Reply to this comment
by legacyabq July 28, 2009 9:06 PM EDT
LOL!

Funny post!
See all 22 Comments
.

Follow Political Hotsheet

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...