Talk:Rockefeller Republican

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This article needs some clarification and work, which my weary mind isn't up to at the moment. The Democratic Party reference is valid, but some fine-tuning needs to be done to explain exactly why Rockefeller Republicans are today more rare. Doesn't quite explain it correctly here. Moncrief 07:08, Apr 4, 2004 (UTC)

• Moncrief, I got your message about seeing what I could do about augmenting this page -- BTW, glad you liked my additions to the Nelson Rockefeller page. You know, I've heard my father use the term "Rockefeller Republican" several times. I think I'll start with him as a reference! :) I'll see what I can do. Take care.

• Ah, I just saw your augmentations, Moncrief, to this page...nice work. I'll see if I still have anything to add...I wonder if former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey would qualify as a Rockefeller Republican...I think that former Connecticut congressman Lowell Weicker probably would (although he became an independent when he ran for, and got elected to, Governor of Connecticut.)

Speaking as a Republican, a large part of the reason the term "Rockefeller Republican" has fallen out of favor is related to the circumstances of Nelson's death, not the party becoming more socially conservative- I cannot think of any time in US history when having a heart attack while in bed with one's mistress would not be considered in poor taste, regardless of what party one was affiliated with.

Would anyone care to try to phrase this in a way unlikely to cause controversy?

I come from a family that's mostly Republican and traditionally I vote Republican, but consider myself independent. However I didn't know Rockefeller died that way. I think what's more important to the term declining is that he died about 26 years ago by the looks of it. The media is traditionally about appealing to the "18-34 year olds", even if we don't vote much, so it generally wants to keep terms current. One new variant I heard for awhile was "Schwarzenegger Republican", but that might fall out of fashion because of the veto. I've also heard "South Park Republicans" which strikes me as a little bit confusing and too pop-culture oriented. There's also terms like libertarian Republicans. I hadn't heard the term RINO much except among real GOP wonks or wannabe wonks. I think "Scoop Jackson" Democrat also used to be a term for Republican-leaning Democrats. Later there was "Reagan Democrat" and in time "Truman Democrat" I heard being used to mean an old-fashioned Democrat. (Morally conservative and aggressive foreign policy, but to the Left on economics or race) I think for awhile it was replaced by "Zell Miller Democrat" to mean a strongly conservative Democratic party member. Not sure what's popular right now.--T. Anthony 05:26, 10 September 2005 (UTC)

A conservative Democrat is a "blue dog". 67.10.133.121 08:01, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

This article is wrong to identify Prescott Bush with Rockefeller Republicans, because Prescott Bush was an opponent of Nelson Rockefeller and a supporter of Barry Goldwater and was a conservative. FDR MyTalk 15:41 6 August, 2006 (UTC)