Their Own Worst Enemies - A bad midterm outlook for the GOP

National Review ^ | May 29, 2002 | Deroy Murdock

[monday]

"For example when Reagan fought over the budget he said the Democrats refused to pass what Reagan wanted. The media said it was Reagans fault for failing to work with congress. "

Yes, but Reagan got re-elected in a landslide and Bush I, who caved to the Dems and passed a tax increase, lost his second attempt.

Reagan used to tell his cabinet that if they haven't made anyone mad that week then they weren't doing their job. Some people (conservatives and regular people, not Democrats)like and vote for leaders with principle.

I agree Bush II needs to fight with a smile on his face, but he needs to fight if he wants to get re-elected.

[goodnesswins]

See post #180.

[Dane]

Look at where we are now. The GOP can barely defend the positions that the Dems held in the '60's and now we are outspending them. Kennedy was for a huge tax cut and HHH was is favor of private ownership of guns and both were defenders of freedom even though they were bleeding heart liberals. What we 'GOP bashers' are fighting for is a party that will fight for us. Is that too much to ask?

Huh if that was true Goldwater wouldn't have had such a stinging deafeat in 1964.

[Always Right]

Yep, vote for the real conservatives, they need our support and it sends a message that they can and should win and stand by their principles.

Maybe in some congressional districts and a few of the smaller populated states, but a principled real conservative stands little chance in a national election. Reagan and Bush are the closest we can get, like it or not. Reagan was about as much of a compromiser as Bush, although Reagan was far superior in voicing true conservative views.

[1Old Pro]

agreed

[Always Right]

Are you saying that IF the GOP did indeed die a quick death that the Dems would forever win because there would be a void? The GOP as currently constituted does not do enough to differentiate itself from the Dems. Yes, there are differences, but mostly in speed and degree, not in overall philospy.

I disagree. There are huge differences on foreign policy, abortion, tax cuts, gay rights, gun control, property rights, state rights, and national defense, to name a few.

[Protagoras]

Even a better democrat than FDR and LBJ?

Yes, those two never managed to get Republican support in any great numbers. GWB has tons of it for his largely Democratic agenda.

[Badray]

"See post #180."

So, if I understand the other poster whose words you are using --- Even if the "R" candidate advances the agenda of my enemy, I should vote for him because he has an "R" next to his name? Is that really what you are saying?

Sorry, but I can't get on that bus.

[goodnesswins]

NOOOO....I'm saying YOUR candidate isn't going to get elected anyway, so which would you rather have, a candidate who LOSES or one who at least holds SOME OF YOUR VALUES? See last sentence of post #186....

I'm outta here now.....debate time is over for me.

[Protagoras]

Hmm, how come you aren't berating the founding fathers for basically setting up a two party system.

That never happened. Go do some more drugs and dream up some more hallucinations.

[d14truth]

Deroy Murdock--'A Call to Arms' or 'A Call for Surrender'?

Jim Jeffords, Pat Leahy, Tom Daschle and the 'Willing accomplices' in the media and education establishments are the 'Worst Enemies'. Until we servants 'lead' the GOP the GOP cannot lead us. Where is the 'RIGHT' press? Where are the 'RIGHT' teachers? Where IS the 'tax-controlled' church? Giving up freedom for security, having neither.

[Dane]

That never happened. Go do some more drugs and dream up some more hallucinations

LOL! You are hilarious when you can't defend a point.

[rdb3]

Be careful what you ask for idiot.

Ya see Sunday, err.. Thurs... dang it! monday, you must have a problem with reading comprehension. I'm not the one asking for this. But if you vote third-party, YOU are.

So, how does it feel?

[Protagoras]

LOL! You are hilarious when you can't defend a point.

Thanks! Glad I amused you, but then again they tell me when someone is high they laugh all the time, so it's no big deal.

[Badray]

" Huh if that was true Goldwater wouldn't have had such a stinging deafeat in 1964."

What about Goldwater's loss disproves what I said? Did we not get a huge tax cut under Kennedy? How about this statement from a leading Dem in the '60's?

"Certainly one of the chief guarantees of freedom under any government, no matter how popular and respected, is the right of the citizens to keep and bear arms. This is not to say that firearms should not be carefully used and that definite safety rules of precaution should not be taught and enforced. But the right of the citizens to bear arms is just one guarantee against arbitrary government and one more safeguard against a tyranny which now appears remote in America, but which historically has proved to be always possible."

-- Senator Hubert H. Humphrey (1911-1978, D-MN), in "Know Your Lawmakers,"_Guns_magazine, February 1960, p.6

[rdb3]

The welfare and regulatory state has grown faster in Dubya's one and half years than it did in Clinton's eight.

Which means, of course, that Clinton was a better President, right?

[Charlotte Corday]

Sounds like you are saying that what Bush has to do is to convince a solid majority of the voters that he is less conservative than they thought he was.

Well, it sure is working on me, so I guess he's on track.

[TatieBug]

Thank you, thank you...yes, the posters above us do need to pull their heads.............and vote the Democraps out of office so we can give our President a chance. Can you just imagine what all of the complaining would be if Gore were in there...WE(THE BASE) need to hang in there tough and fight for what we can have if we GET OUT THE VOTE! I see lots of Senate possibilities for us and, if we can just relax and get just a few? It's hard to imagine that the DEMOCRAPS stuck together even when they had such a disgusting piece of garbage as their leader...food for thought! At least we have a good and honest person in President Bush.

[Dane]

What about Goldwater's loss disproves what I said? Did we not get a huge tax cut under Kennedy? How about this statement from a leading Dem in the '60's?

You brought out the tax cuts of Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey's defense of the 2nd amendment. Both were mainstays of Goldwater's platform and yet he went to a stinging defeat to LBJ.

[Austin Willard Wright]

Hey Dane. I, at least, considered voting for Dubya. Have you even considered criticizing Dubya? I'm the moderate here, you are the totally blind 100 percent loyalist.