As I see it, conservatives, libertarians, and conservative-leaning independents have three choices:
1. Continue to hope the GOP will come to adopt and fight for traditional, conservative values and candidates.
2. Work together to take control of the GOP and it’s resources and change the direction of the Party.
3. Leave and form a third party which will take years to develop sufficient size, scope, and resources to be able to have significant impact.
That's the conventional wisdom. Got any proof that it's true? Any examples from history?
/johnny
Only one of those options has any chance of success IMO. That would be the last one.
The GOP is a lost cause. Its too steeped in the philosophy of defeatism and capitulation.
4._______________________.
There are several additional options that may be on the table.
Tried and failed. Time to give up on that strategy.
2. Work together to take control of the GOP and it’s resources and change the direction of the Party.
That's the Tea Party option. The GOPe is fighting it like a rabid, rogue elephant. They hate the people, especially those who want to separate the GOPe from the food trough of government power. It is coming close to the time to see that the patient doesn't want to be cured.
3. Leave and form a third party which will take years to develop sufficient size, scope, and resources to be able to have significant impact.
Unfortunately that will basically guarantee the Democrat's ascendance for a few years, much as the Democrats were in charge while the Whigs were thrashing out their death throes in the 1850s.
2 will be the easiest path, but even if the Tea Party takes over there will always be a poisonous Rovian core in the rebuilt GOP. 3 would be better but it is by far the harder path because the Democrats will get overwhelming control of the presidency and both houses of Congress for a while. I wish I had the wisdom to decide whether 2 or 3 will be the best. Maybe if a charismatic GOP leader publicly denounced the party and struck out on his own it would make number 3 far easier and shorter.
Addressing your Item 3: The Republican Party itself was founded in 1854, and elected its first President only 6 years later. Technically, you can say it took “years,” but if the TEA Party people had walked out when McQueeg was nominated to lose against Obastard, they’d have a Presidential candidate race worth talking about today. If they walked when Romney won in ‘12 by destroying, in collusion with the Press, every conservative to run against him, we’d have people running for the House and Senate today.
Your first two options are not viable. The liberal/socialist control the levers of power in the party.
The third option is the only way but it would have to be done quickly and pull so much support from the GOP that is collapsed as a viable 2nd party within a couple of election cycles. If the new party accepts the GOP socialist trash within it’s ranks it will die quickly, those leftist scum need to be regulated to the democrats and not given air to breath in any new party. And the third option means the openly communist democrats would be in charge for several years inflicting more damage to the country.
The choices are not good but I am inclined for the new third party quickly replacing the GOP despite the additional damage. Because quite frankly I am done with the GOP they left me. Aside from Cruz and Rand Paul at times I do not feel like I have any representation in Washington period.
“As I see it, conservatives, libertarians, and conservative-leaning independents have three choices:”
I see a fourth and a fifth besides. But let’s go over your list.
“1. Continue to hope the GOP will come to adopt and fight for traditional, conservative values and candidates.”
LOL! The gop faction of the uniparty is in full agreement with the ‘rat faction of the uniparty. Conservatism ain’t happening in the existing system.
“2. Work together to take control of the GOP and it’s resources and change the direction of the Party.”
Unlikely. The uniparty and their cronies will change the rules to make this very, very difficult to do. They have endless economic resources to preserve their hegemony.
“3. Leave and form a third party which will take years to develop sufficient size, scope, and resources to be able to have significant impact.”
Also unlikely. The uniparty has been marginalizing second parties for over 150 years now. They’re very, very good at it.
I believe that Obama and NSA and DOJ have things on some Republicans and that is why they push voting for what Dems want. Look at Boehner, all talk, tough out of the gate, then comes around to Dems and has a let’s be friends moment.
I say, get some major dollars together and get some investigators to get rid of the at risk Gop-ers. Clean house now before elections.
Get out pamphlets about Margaret Sanger and Plan Parenthood and the real reason it was started..
I am to the point I want Putin for President. He told the terrorists if they bomb the Olympics we will kill your family members.
I want some tough talking mean what I say GOP candidates that can answer questions about rape, abortion, without giving ammo to the enemies. I want a Candidate that will eat them for breakfast and ask for seconds.