tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826806328399358366.post940908924427001741..comments2023-05-30T04:11:57.894-06:00Comments on Steam Powered Opinions: ArlenSteve Balbonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05238259030777462457noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7826806328399358366.post-69242670785929385012009-04-28T16:27:00.000-06:002009-04-28T16:27:00.000-06:00The gains may be not in key votes, but in a whole ...The gains may be not in key votes, but in a whole raft of minor ones.<br /><br />Historically, party changers vote radically differently on procedural and minor matters, while sometimes sticking to their guns on a few key issues. With a filibuster proof majority, and little political hay to be made from acting as obstructionists on minor issues like non-SCOTUS nominations, small appropriations, adn technical issues in bills, the Republicans are now much less relevant.<br /><br />It also puts another nail in the coffin in the whole notion of a viable Republican party in the Northeast. Maybe its time to revive the Whig party so that conservative Northeasterns have an option other than the Southern regional GOP which has a majority to leave the Union in Texas.Andrew Oh-Willekehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02537151821869153861noreply@blogger.com