The Coalition has turned into a force that disagrees with everything for the sake of it, no matter how mundane, and it’s destroying the government’s ability to form public policy, writes Andrew Bartlett.
Republican Party
Meet Rand Paul: the new Sarah Palin
Republican Senate candidate and Tea Party pin-up boy Rand Paul is being called the “new Sarah Palin”: a popular political novice making big headlines — for all the right and wrong reasons.
Even Reagan isn’t enough of a Reaganite
The Republican Party has launched so far to the hard right that none of the modern Republican presidents — not Reagan nor Nixon nor Dubya — would be able to be elected today.
Meghan McCain: Obama won and Republicans need to get over it
The anger and petty partisan politics happening in the US isn’t helping anybody, writes Meghan McCain. Extreme politics just makes younger generations indifferent.
2010: The year of the black Republican
Congress has not had a black Republican member since 2003, but this year 32 African-Americans are running. Is it all thanks to Barack Obama?
Will Fox News kill the Republican Party?
With no clear, strong leadership in the GOP, Fox News has become the driver of conservative politics in the US. Except, the Fox Party is way more conservative than the Republicans ever were.
The Tea Party claims its first big scalp
Florida’s governor Charlie Crist has surrendered his attempt to win the Republican nomination for the US Senate to run as an independent, following backlash from tea partiers and the party’s hard-right conservatives, reports Charles Richardson.
Sarah Palin Inc.
Sarah Palin is the “president of right-wing America” — a job that has netted her $12 million already. New York magazine goes behind the building of the Sarah Palin brand-name: an empire driven far more by money than political ideology.
The Tea Partiers in their own (crazy) words
NY Times cleverly asked members of the Tea Party to video themselves discussing the problems of the US, proving conclusively that Tea Partiers are predominately white, old and angry with everyone.
graph pr0n 
What dating site stats reveal about political ideology
Online dating service OkCupid.com’s resident numbers nerd digs into its detailed user data to reveal some fascinating insights into patterns in American political beliefs and demographics.
Republicans: a bunch of swearing, slack frat boys
Obnoxious outbursts, arrogant behaviour: the Republicans were a bunch of troublesome teens determined to pester every step of the way on health reform. But does confrontational politics divide or unite? asks Reihan Salam.
Sarah Palin’s most wanted
Sarah Palin has written up a hit list of 20 Democrats who voted for “Obamacare” that she wants her supporters to target in the November elections. She’s also asking them to donate $5 per scalp (i.e. a nice way of asking for $100).
leaked 
The Republican plot to fundraise through “fear”
Politico has its hands on the Republican National Committee’s 2010 fundraising plans, explaining how to capitalise on the country’s “fear” of Obama and socialism, and tap “ego-driven” donors for cash.
Palin on the nose, so who wants to be America’s next top Republican?
The base has spoken: Mitt Romney is the man most likely to win America’s Next Top Republican and challenge Barack Obama in 2013. Harley Dennett reports on the influential Conservative Political Action Conference.
Tea Party or Republican Party?
America’s Right are having their big annual conference in Washington, but a big rift is forming between the traditional Republican Party members and the new wave of conservatives from the growing Tea Party movement. Is the new order about to overthrow the old guard?
How America’s right-wing grapevine works
The Washington Post looks at how an email by a conservative blogger at 5am can run through the blogosphere, the beltway and the parties, and end up being broadcast to Tea Partiers across the nation by Rush Limbaugh in the very same day.
Dear Conservative Movement: it’s time we saw other people…
American Conservative editor Michael Dougherty pens an acerbic break-up letter to the conservative movement: “you’ve made yourself a prostitute for the GOP, a cynical and corrupt organization…”
The Democrats’ loss: what it means
Everyone has their own interpretation of why the Republicans won and the Democrats lost in Massachusetts yesterday, but the truth is: no one really knows. Some excellent post-election analysis from Christopher Beam.
Why Fox News’ chief is the real head of the Republican Party
Forget Mitch McConnell and John McCain: Fox News President Roger Ailes is the person really pulling the strings of the Republican Party, says
Howard Fineman. And the real kicker is that he isn’t even trying.
Not yet Palin into insignificance
Sarah Palin’s Going Rogue slick publicity tour is getting her back in the media and the voters’ faces again, even if her political career is uncertain. Can she steal the conservative spotlight back from Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck?
leaked 
The Republican guide to blocking progress
Republican Senator Judd Gregg has penned a how-to manual for holding up health care reform in the US, and HuffPo has the full document. Someone please CC to Tony Abbott.
Is Glenn Beck leading the Obama opposition?
Fox is no longer a wing of the Republican party, as many have accused: the Republican party is now a wing of Fox, and its conservative commentators like Glenn Beck, are becoming the new voices and leaders of the American Right.
Just like the Libs, the Republicans face the conundrum of courting crazies
The Republicans in the US understand too well the conundrum now facing the Liberals: You can’t run your party if you don’t heed the crazies — but you can’t run the country if you do.
Nate Silver: Why Palin could still be the Republicans’ next presidential candidate
Despite many believing Sarah Palin’s days as a politician are over, Nate Silver reckons she’s still in with a chance to be nominated as the Republicans’ 2012 Presidential candidate. He gives 10 good reasons why.
Washington Post / Thursday, 8 April 2010
The Washington Post has a new blog all about the “conservative movement” and Republican Party, promising to explain what the right is “doing, thinking, and planning”. Could be fascinating reading for political junkies of all persuasions.