Rep. Paul Froehlich (was-R, now-D, Schaumburg)

Reflecting the shifting nature of the northwest suburbs’ voters (though, like Paul Froehlich, the voters aren’t shifting … the parties are), State Rep. Paul Froehlich made the much hypothesized switch from R to D.

Illinois Political Journ Rich Miller has a bunch of password-protected info and the papers have had some quote and reactions. Hiram Wurf has a good run-down and I highly recommend it.

To me, this switch reflects what’s going on nationally and (to a degree) locally as folks realize the Republican party is shifting ever more rightward towards an extreme of conservatism. Rep. Froehlich says, “In some ways, the party’s left me, in moving away from traditional Republican values.”

Precisely. It’s why I’ve tended toward Dem votes nationally and state offices over the last several years — for me, it’s about making sure America and Illinois continue to be about responsibility and community. Sure, there are exceptions (R.O.D. anyone?) as there always will be. There are also failures of ’spine’ every now and then — witness the recent collapse of courage on Iraq funding among DC Dems.

But by and large, the northwest suburban voting populace (Repub or Dem, not necessarily ‘right’or ‘left’) is moderate and the Dems have shifted toward the center of moderation as the Repubs have shifted rightward and away from it. That Overton Window can come back and bite you in the ass every now and then as the extremists push ever harder toward the edge.

Folks already on or near that extreme don’t see it as an extreme of course (instead, they call the traditionally moderate Illinois Republicans RINOs, Repubs in Name Only). Rather, they believe all Republicans ought to follow their close-held convictions. Just check Dave Diersen’s ~~rants~~ editorials sometime to see what I mean.

Good for Rep. Froehlich for sticking to his own convictions and going with what his heart told him was true.

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June 26, 2007 at 10:01 pm

Greg

Interesting post.

There are a number of authors of the Contract for America that have seen the leftward drift of the Republican party since 2000. Dick Armey and Newt Gingrich for example. As well as other less notables.

Michael Tanner of the Cato Institute has written a tome premised on the Big Government Conservatism of George Bush as arriving at the same place as libearlism. A much larger more intrusive state — albeit simply focussed on other preferences.

I think the Right has also become more protectionist — a traditional left leaning position in this country (but not totally) — see immigration. And then there is the wasteful spending — welfare for developers.

My guess, and we should look at the time series data provided by U of M, is that not much is changing. We’re seeing different issues becoming salient and quite frankly coming off Reagan and Clinton we just don’t have the political leadership we did in the 80’s and 90’s.

Finally, I think people are going crazy, too. Bush Derangement and Immigrant Derangement Syndromes seem rampant.

June 26, 2007 at 11:14 pm

Narc

“…the leftward drift of the Republican party since 2000.” Whaaa? Have I been living in an alternate universe?

June 27, 2007 at 10:39 am

omg

Froehlich left to try and save his own hide. He’ll be at home with the DEMs, the party of “Godfather” E. Jones and “Squeaky” Stroger

June 27, 2007 at 3:53 pm

robnesvacil

OMG,

Neither Cook County President Todd Stroger nor Senate President Emil Jones have much control over the fate of a member of the House…. Try a little less histrionics and ad hominem next time.

–

Greg,

Ditto Narc.

There are several flavors of conservatism. Using “big”government to impose social conservatism does not imply a leftward drift among the current Republican Party, despite the musings of authors you cite. It simply implies the Bush-led Republican Party is quite willing to engage in nanny-statism (or Big Brotherism if you will) to achieve its goals as social and hawkish-protectionist cons.

You ought to know this well enough engaging your Ill Review comrades what with their evident “Bush Derangement and Immigrant Derangement Syndromes” (your words)…

June 27, 2007 at 4:02 pm

robnesvaci,
you missed my point. Mr. Freohlich’s ONLY priority is now and has always been, lining his pockets… by hook or by crook … kinda like Emil and Todd. “birds of a feather”.

June 28, 2007 at 10:03 pm

Yer too cynical fer yer own good. Not everyone in politics is “lining their pockets” — some folks actually are involved because they have in interest in serving their community and the greater good.

July 2, 2007 at 9:46 am

jerry 101

The so-called “liberal” bent of this admin comes from the medicare part D business.

Except its not liberal. It may be wrapped in a liberal coating of providing medicine to the elderly, but with the donut hole, and the lack of ability for Medicare to negotiate, etc, it is clearly a giveaway to big pharma. Transfer our tax dollars straight to the bottom line of already obscenely profitable corporations.

The people the program is supposed to help aren’t even a second thought.

The “healthy forests” initiative is designed to aid loggers in clear cutting forests without obligation to replant.

The “clear skies” initiative is designed to rollback pollution regulations to make our skies dirtier.

And No Child Left Behind is designed to force public schools to fail, so that the right wing myth that public schools are inherently inferior becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that will lead to the elimination of public schools.
Of course, once the public schools are eliminated, then we’ll get a wide variety of private schools, some with tuition that is only equal to the amount of the “voucher” that people get. These would be your bad schools, many of which will be very bad. Then you’ll get your middle and high quality schools that will charge premiums on the vouchers in order to keep the poor kids out.

July 2, 2007 at 9:59 am

Jerry 101, I presume you are replying to Greg’s original post about what he claims to be a “leftward” drift in the Republican Party.

I may also add that Bush’s creation of the largest government agency in history (Homeland Security) and the Republicans’ recent pentient for spending above and beyond the debt ceiling also raises the ire of so-called “small” government cons such as Greg, among other antics.

July 3, 2007 at 9:24 am

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