“It's so much easier to do press if you take positions that the press likes than to take conservative Republican positions.” IfsPositionEasierRepublicanPressesConservativeLikes Author:Ari Fleischer
“Actually, I think we all understand just fine why Donald Trump is president: because he ran a racist, boorish, epically mendacious campaign and Republicans all decided to go along with it. And even that wouldn’t have been enough if Trump hadn’t gotten some additional help from his pals James Comey and Vladimir Putin.” IfsThinkingHas BeensEnoughHelpingPresidentFineTrumpRepublicanDecidedCampaignsRanRacistPutinPals Author:Kevin Drum
“If Democrats vote against everyone sight unseen, then Republicans will vote for everyone sight unseen. However, if Democrats demonstrate that they’re considering each candidate on the merits, they have at least a fighting chance of defeating one or two of Trump’s nominees.” IfsTwoFightingChanceTrumpRepublicanVoteSightDemocratMeritCandidatesConsideringUnseen Author:Kevin Drum
“Betsy DeVos, for example, has shown that she’s flatly ignorant of an astounding amount of basic education policy. It might be possible to persuade two or three Republicans to oppose her on these grounds - but only if the entire confirmation process isn’t a pure partisan battle.” IfsTwoMightThreeProcessPolicyExampleAmountRepublicanBattlePureIgnorantPartisansConfirmationBasic Education Author:Kevin Drum
“People used to complain in the 50s and 60s and even in the 70s when I was in school, studying political science, that "if only we could have two political parties that presented a choice, but there were all these liberal Republicans and there were all these southern Democrats who are conservative so people just don't have a clear choice."” PeopleIfsTwoSchoolPoliticalUsedChoicesPartyStudyClearRepublicanDemocratConservativeComplainingSouthernPolitical PartiesPolitical Science Author:William Kristol
“Everyone, everyone is equal. Everyone has a place. No one is written off because there is worth and goodness in every life. Straight from the declaration of independence, that is the Republican ideal. And if we won't defend it, who will?” IfsWrittenRepublicanEqualGoodnessIdealsIndependenceDeclarationDeclaration Of IndependenceEveryone Is Equal Author:Paul Ryan
“[People] didn't vote for me because they thought I was a racist and if you look at my campaign literature it is not much different than a lot of Republican literature and some conservative Democrats in the South.” PeopleIfsLooksDifferentLiteratureRepublicanVoteDemocratSouthConservativeCampaignsRacistVote For Me Author:David Duke
“I'm pleased that I've balanced budgets. I was on the world of business for 25 years. If you didn't balance your budget, you went out of business. I went into the Olympics that was out of balance, and we got it on balance, and made a success there. I had the chance to be governor of a state. Four years in a row, Democrats and Republicans came together to balance the budget. We cut taxes 19 times and balanced our budget.” IfsWorldYearsMadeStatesTogetherChanceFourCuttingBalanceRepublicanTaxesDemocratBudgetsFour YearsBalancedGovernorsOlympicsBalanced Budget Author:Mitt Romney
“The Tea Party I have huge disagreements with, obviously. But I give them credit for having activated themselves. And they made a difference in terms of moving the Republican Party, in terms of moving the country in a particular direction. It's a direction I disagreed with. But it showed that, in fact, you get involved, if your voice is heard it has an impact.” IfsGivingMadeCountryFactsMovingVoiceTermDifferencesPartyHeardParticularHugeInvolvedRepublicanImpactCreditTeaRepublican PartyGet InvolvedDisagreementTea Party Author:Barack Obama
“Republicans are living in a hermetically sealed Republican universe, just as Democrats are. And so they're responding to their own universe, even if it leads to electoral downfall.” IfsUniverseRepublicanDemocratRespondingDownfall Author:David Brooks
“The Republican Party is the party of national security. There's hardly a national security wing of the Democratic Party anymore. So if we turn away from it, that'll be a big problem.” IfsProblemBigsTurnsPartySecurityRepublicanWingsDemocraticRepublican PartyNational SecurityDemocratic PartyBig Problems Author:John Bolton
“To [Democrats], government's everything, controlling it, expanding it is everything. And it's not to us [the Republicans]. So they leave nothing to chance. If you reject them, "Well, screw you." They'll find a way to either bollix up what defeated them or just overwhelm the system with what they want anyway by bullying so many people at so frequent a time that people just give up, say, "All right, all right, okay, I'm tired," and the left gets what they want.” PeopleIfsWayWantGivingWellsGovernmentLeftChanceRepublicanGiving UpOkayTiredDemocratRejectsBullyingDefeatedScrewsExpandingI'm TiredJust Give UpScrew You Author:Rush Limbaugh
“When I lived in California, 1984 to '87, it was a Republican state. Sacramento where I lived was 73% Democrat voter registration, when I got there. It was in the sixties when I left. We had amazing success in converting Democrats in Sacramento. But Pete Wilson, Ronald Reagan, all people elected governors and so forth, it's only been with the advent of the 1986 immigration bill that we lost California, if I might say, and now it's just gone so far left they're seriously talking about seceding.” PeopleIfsStatesMightLostLeftTalkingGoneRepublicanBillsDemocratImmigrationCaliforniaVotersGovernorsSixtyWilsonAdventConvertingRegistrationSacramentoVoter Registration Author:Rush Limbaugh
“The Democrat Party is in as much trouble as the Republican Party is for different reasons. But if they have to go back to "taxing the rich," if they have to go back to "gun control," it is a sure sign things are in a state of great disarray. In addition, Mrs. Clinton wants to make abortions totally free for people on Medicaid.” PeopleIfsWantDifferentStatesReasonPartyRichTroubleRepublicanGunClintonDemocratAbortionGun ControlRepublican PartyMedicaidDisarray Author:Rush Limbaugh
“If a Republican came along and suggested free abortions for people on Medicaid, the first person to stand up would be Jesse Jackson and start shouting, "Racism!" And then Al Sharpton wouldn't be as far behind, and they would call it an attempt to eliminate people of color by the dastardly, rascally Republicans. But yet Hillary Clinton is proposing it and is being feted, praised to the heavens for such a compassionate plan. The Democrats are wiping out their own people. That's why they need open borders for replacements to be brought in ASAP.” PeopleIfsNeedsFirstsPersonsWould BeHeavenBehindsPlansColorRepublicanRacismClintonDemocratBordersAbortionAlsCompassionateShoutingFirst PersonReplacementsMedicaidWiping Out Author:Rush Limbaugh
“The Donald Trump I knew as a young reporter in New York was nothing if not media friendly. And for most of the past Republican primary, he was the most accessible major candidate. No one else was close.” IfsPastYoungMediaNew YorkTrumpRepublicanMajorsPrimariesCandidatesFriendlyReporters Author:Jonathan Karl
“If you`re in a safe Republican district, say Congressman [ Gus] Bilirakis,you probably don`t have much to worry about which is why you can get away with talking about death panels.” IfsTalkingWorryRepublicanSafeGet AwayCongressmanGus Author:Chuck Todd
“If you`re in a Republican district that is leery of President [Donald] Trump,then, you might feel a little bit more exposed.Of course, if you`re in a swing district, then this town hall tension has to worry you which is why we haven`t seen many Republicans from swing districts actually hold these kinds of town halls.” IfsFeelsKindLittlesMightCoursesBitsPresidentWorryHavensTrumpRepublicanLittle BitTownsTensionHallsExposedSwings Author:Chuck Todd
“People can tell if you don't like 'em. African Americans can tell we're not welcome in the Republican Party no matter how many times they say we are. All the signals that it's a party that tolerates anti-black racism is very clear.” PeopleIfsMatterBlackPartyClearRepublicanRacismWelcomeAfrican AmericanEmsTolerateRepublican PartySignalsBlack Racism Author:Van Jones
“I want the coal miners, who've been American heroes, who kept the lights put on for black people and white people for a hundred years, and who now are too sick to work, I want them to be able to go see a doctor. I don't care who they vote for. I don't care if they vote for a Tea Party Republican, I'm fighting for you because I voted for you to live in a country where we don't have disposable people.” PeopleIfsWantYearsCountryLightCareAbleFightingBlackWhitePartyHeroRepublicanHundredDoctorsVoteSickDon't CareTeaI Don't CareBlack PeopleCoalTea PartyMinersDisposableCoal MinersAmerican Hero Author:Van Jones
“Republicans lost control of Congress because they strayed from the core conservative values that put them into the majority in 1994. If they return to the basic values that a majority of Americans share, they will regain power. If not, they won't.” IfsValuesLostShareReturnRepublicanMajorityCongressConservativeCoreConservative Values Author:Jeff Gannon
“If there's one thing I've learned in the last 18+ years of interacting with over 60,000 people during my vegan lecture tour, it's that everyone is the same, whether they are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist, Republican, Democrat, independent, socialist, fascist, black, white, Asian, Latino, Native, pro-life, pro-choice, pro-gun or anti-gun.” PeopleIfsYearsChristianLastsChoicesBlackWhiteOne ThingRepublicanGunIndependentDemocratAtheistBuddhistI've LearnedNativeVeganSocialistAsianLecturesLatinoFascistsPro LifeInteractingPro GunThings I've LearnedBlack WhiteAnti Gun Author:Gary Yourofsky
“The Republican consciousness has no integrity and it falls apart once you check it out. If you're a Christian, why would you want to fry this dude?” IfsWantChristianFallLiteratureConsciousnessIntegrityRepublicanChecksFalling ApartNo Integrity Author:Ken Kesey
“The more people that understand and are made able to spot liberalism, and then the more people are able to associate liberalism with the problems in their lives, the political problems, the economic problems, the more people can be conditioned and educated to understand that liberalism is the problem, coupled with the ability to spot it, would be the fastest way to eradicate it. It would be really helpful if we had a Republican Party engaged in this.” PeopleIfsWayMadeProblemWould BeAblePoliticalAbilityPartyEconomicRepublicanEducatedSpotsEngagedLiberalismHelpfulAssociatesRepublican PartyEconomic Problems Author:Rush Limbaugh
“If Hillary Clinton had policies that would more likely make people's lives better than Republicans, I'd be for Hillary. I'm for whoever will do that. I couldn't care less.” PeopleIfsCarePolicyRepublicanClinton Author:Charles Koch
“If we have a Democratic Senate I think the Republican Party will wake up to the reality that their opposition to comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship is a losing proposition. That Donald Trump's inflammatory rhetoric and derogatory comments do not really work in a national election. And I think we'll have a better chance to actually get something done.” IfsThinkingDoneRealityChancePartyPathTrumpRepublicanLosingWake UpElectionDemocraticImmigrationReformOppositionCommentSenateRhetoricCitizenshipRepublican PartyPropositionsComprehensiveImmigration ReformDerogatory Author:Hillary Clinton
“Maybe [the Republicans] 'll find ways around it, but the financial system of the world depends very heavily on the credibility of the US Treasury Department. US Treasury securities are what's called "good as gold"; they're the basis of international finance, and if the government can't uphold them, if they become valueless, the effect on the international financial system could be quite severe. But in order to destroy a limited health-care law, the right-wing Republicans, the reactionary Republicans, are willing to do that.” IfsWorldWayGovernmentCareLawOrderEffectsSecurityWillingDependsRepublicanGoldBasesWingsFinancialInternationalFinanceHealth CareDepartmentSevereCredibilityRight WingTreasuryReactionariesFinancial SystemValuelessUs Treasury Author:Noam Chomsky
“My mother-in-law says if you want to live like a Republican, vote like a Democrat. That if you are a part of the group that is doing well in this system, you owe it to yourself and to others to look out for them and make sure you are always building a ladder for others to join you.” IfsWantWellsLooksLawMotherGroupsBuildingRepublicanVoteDemocratLaddersIn-lawsMother In Law Author:Thomas Friedman
“I think Republicans have spent years promising their base that they would get rid of Obamacare the second they took total control. Now, they have it. So if they can't make it happen, I think it would undercut those years of promises as well as the idea that Donald Trump is the greatest deal maker in the world.” IfsThinkingWorldYearsWellsIdeasHappensDealsTrumpPromiseRepublicanMakersObamacareMake It HappenUndercut Author:Christopher Michael Cillizza
“I said in a forum on health care if the Republicans can come up with a system that insures more people cheaper, better I will be the first one.” PeopleIfsFirstsSaidCareRepublicanCome UpHealth CareCheaperForums Author:Barack Obama
“I'm skeptical that [the Republicans] can do [something better with healthcare] mainly because for seven years now, including when we first tried to pass health care, I said to 'em, "Okay, if [Obamacare] doesn't work tell me what does."” IfsYearsFirstsDoeSaidCareCan DoRepublicanOkaySevenIncludingHealth CareEmsHealthcareSeven YearsSkepticalSomething BetterObamacareCan Do Something Author:Barack Obama
“If in fact the Republicans make some modifications [of Obamacare], some of which I may have been seeking previously, but they wouldn't cooperate because they didn't wanna make the system work, and re-label it as Trumpcare, I'm fine with that.” IfsMayHas BeensFactsFineRepublicanSeekingLabelsObamacareModification Author:Barack Obama
“If we're not there making the argument then the cultural gulf that Republicans try to exploit saying, "Ah, these city slickers: they're all looking down on you, they don't care about you. They're just trying to help out their various special interest constituencies," that argument ends up being successful.” IfsTryingEndsHelpingCareInterestCitiesSuccessfulSpecialRepublicanArgumentVariousDon't CareBeing SuccessfulExploitsSpecial InterestsLooking Down Author:Barack Obama
“Look, I'm a conservative, I'm a very conservative guy, and - and the Trump campaign is making your job over at NBC really, really, really easy in terms of going after conservatives and Republicans if he's the standard bearer for conservatism.” IfsLooksJobsGuyEasyTermTrumpRepublicanStandardsConservativeCampaignsConservatismNbc Author:Ben Shapiro
“If I see that something is wrong, I don't care who says it. Whether it's a Republican or Democrat, the left or the right. If they are on the opinion of the right thing, that's what I will talk about. I won't proselytize or make the strong things to influence other people about any particular politics, except the decency of things, the logic of things. That's why I don't get that much involved in politics directly.” PeopleIfsCareLeftStrongOpinionInfluenceParticularInvolvedRepublicanLogicDemocratDon't CareI Don't CareRight ThingDecency Author:Sergio Aragones