Defining conservatism down

OC Register ^ | 2/9/04 | Erica Harpster - Opinion

[NormsRevenge]

IRVINE - The current climate of big-government Republicanism has caused traditionally conservative commentators to become apologists for George W. Bush. This, coupled with a dishonest academic climate, threatens to create a generation of Republicans without respect for small-government principles, as these younger ideologues emulate the positions of the most influential voices in conservative and Republican politics.

[NormsRevenge]

Erica Harpster, U.C. Irvine senior and author of this piece, is an associate editor of the Irvine Review.

[Huck]

For most young people, it's no wonder that limited government as a concept is functionally non-existent. College will not expose them to small-government ideology. The Republican Party, as its leader in the White House has often demonstrated, will readily sacrifice principles for politics. Even many conservative pundits have forsworn their doctrine for short-term political advantage.

Couple of things: It's not just young people. It's most Americans. And I also think it is a mistake to say the GOP is willing to sacrifice principles for politics. I would say their one principle IS politics, which they NEVER sacrifice.

[Eva]

Erica Harpster, U.C. Irvine senior and author of this piece, is an associate editor of the Irvine Review. = A Democrat trying to wreak havoc among the opposition and depress the Republican vote. It's too bad that she seems to have many followers in California.

[dirtboy]

A Democrat trying to wreak havoc among the opposition and depress the Republican vote.

Actually, she's the Vice President of the College Republicans at UCI.

[sirshackleton]

If not in classrooms or guest lectures, perhaps free-market conservatism can be found in one of UCI's many student groups? Again, it's not the case. Prior to this quarter, of the 11 political organizations on campus, a student interested in small government could turn only to the College Republicans. But the group's members are beholden to the state party; they must support specified candidates, walk precincts and collect signatures on party-endorsed issues, regardless of a candidate's principles or the GOP's policy stands.

Ummm...you don't have to do anything. This recollection is completely foreign from anything I ever experienced in my brief foray with my College Republicans organization.

[Eva]

Whatever, she's doing a good job for the opposition.

[George W. Bush]

These kids were babies when Reagan was in office.

[dirtboy]

Whatever, she's doing a good job for the opposition.

How's that? By questioning the migration of much of the GOP to the oxymoron of big-government conservatism?

[robowombat]

Aside from the attempt by part of the Goldwater-Reagan wing to reorient the GOP when have Repubs since the demise of Senator taft been other thanexponents of big government solutions to 'problems' the partisans of the party of permanent government regularly trot out.

[Eva]

No, it's about undermining support for Bush to allow a Democrat to be elected. It's called suppressing the vote.

[dirtboy]

No, it's about undermining support for Bush to allow a Democrat to be elected. It's called suppressing the vote.

Please show me in the article where she encouraged anyone to not vote for Bush or vote for a non-GOP candidate.

I never realized that party activists weren't allowed to criticize the party from within.

[OWK]

Whatever, she's doing a good job for the opposition.

That's because she hasn't accepted George as her personal president.

George loves us all.

And he has a plan for our lives.

We need only accept George, to bask in the bounty of his programs.

[Huck]

Well, it seems like the Contract with America was the last gasp of fiscal conservatism. It seems pretty plain that GWB has led the GOP away from it and most pundits and broken glassers are along for the ride, happy as ever.

[EdReform]

BTTT

read later...

[OWK]

I never realized that party activists weren't allowed to criticize the party from within.

Clearly you haven't been paying attention.

[dirtboy]

Silly me.

[anonymous_user]

broken glassers

What's that? Anything like a Clinton Kool-Aid Drinker?

[Huck]

Broken Glass Republicans= They would crawl across broken glass to vote Republican. If President Bush signed an executive order calling for the killing of all first born males, they'd say it was shrewd politics and that the Dems would be worse.

[Huck]

That's because she hasn't accepted George as her personal president.

That's pretty funny.

[Lazamataz]

Actually, she's the Vice President of the College Republicans at UCI.

HERESY! Anyone who criticizes Big Government Republicans is a DEMOCRAT!!!!