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Where's the Vision? The tone at this year's CPAC is resoundingly negative.
US News & World Report ^ | February 27, 2015 | Susan Milligan

Posted on 02/27/2015 2:11:51 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Cruz channels his inner televangelist.

If the Conservative Political Action Conference meeting is a sort of “American Idol” for would-be GOP presidential candidates, the contenders aren’t learning from the mistakes of previous losers.

After the 2012 elections – when Republicans lost the White House to an incumbent under fire for the still-struggling economy – some sensible people in the party (South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is one of them) uttered an important truth: The Republicans, to be successful, can’t just be against things. They have to be for something, have to present a positive and innovative vision for America.

We’re not seeing a lot of that at the CPAC conference. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (who indeed wowed the crowd) said he’s ready to deal with the Islamic State group because of his experience dealing with public sector unions in the Badger State. Now, it’s not nice – or politically smart – to compare public workers with brutal, murderous terrorists. And it looks pretty naive, as well, since it makes Walker look like he doesn’t understand the difference between workers who vehemently are trying to protect their workplace rights with people who are willing to torture and kill people in the most barbarous of ways. And of course, he surely did not mean to compare the two groups. But why could he not have presented the previous conflict in a more positive (to conservatives) way? Why could he not say, “We face some tough choices and some powerful opposition, but I’m not afraid to wade into that, as I was not afraid to do so in my home state?” Why amp it up?

Then we have Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Cruz is a smart man, very well-educated and has an appeal to certain segments of the party. But his speech....

(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...


TOPICS: Campaign News; Issues; Parties; State and Local
KEYWORDS: 2016; cpac; cruz; isil; isis; scottwalker; tedcruz; unions
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Looks like the journ-o-list is back together and they're all gettin' on the same page:

Ted Cruz’s CPAC Televangelism
by Olivia Nuzzi
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3262124/posts

1 posted on 02/27/2015 2:11:51 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Now, it’s not nice – or politically smart – to compare public workers with brutal, murderous terrorists.

I guess the shoe fit, didn't it?

2 posted on 02/27/2015 2:13:13 PM PST by madprof98
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
After the 2012 elections – when Republicans lost the White House to an incumbent under fire for the still-struggling economy – some sensible people in the party (South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is one of them) uttered an important truth: The Republicans, to be successful, can’t just be against things. They have to be for something, have to present a positive and innovative vision for America.

The Constitution is largely about saying

NO!

Liberals and mushy moderates never get that.
3 posted on 02/27/2015 2:13:37 PM PST by dirtboy
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To: dirtboy

But to win you have to have a message that YES we can.


4 posted on 02/27/2015 2:16:50 PM PST by TexasGator
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To: dirtboy
B T T T ! ! ! ©

5 posted on 02/27/2015 2:18:01 PM PST by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
These frauds are increasingly singing to the choir. Their song is getting real old.

Screw 'em.

6 posted on 02/27/2015 2:20:04 PM PST by skeeter
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The surest way to tell how CPAC is doing is to find out what the left is say about it .. and then, you can believe the total opposite.

Since they’re all saying the conference is not good .. that should tell you that it’s REALLY GOOD .. These lefties just don’t have a clue that when they downplay our events .. it really means that the event is really good .. GOT IT ..!!


7 posted on 02/27/2015 2:20:32 PM PST by CyberAnt ("The hope and changey stuff did not work, even a smidgen.")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
The Republicans, to be successful, can’t just be against things

Somebody is supposed to be the adults.

Unfortunately, now, while Dems act like spoiled children....the GOPe acts like the spineless parents who want their kids and their kid's friends to like them.

8 posted on 02/27/2015 2:22:13 PM PST by BookmanTheJanitor
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To: TexasGator

“They have to be for something, have to present a positive and innovative vision for America.”

Yes and like it or hate it you know who did that today? Donald Trump.


9 posted on 02/27/2015 2:22:40 PM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose o f a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Susan Milligan is a well established lefty, so her advice should be carefully listened to and then utterly disregarded.

The bottom line is that the Democrats are terrified of retribution because of their horrible ideas and programs forced on the public. So they absolutely want no, zero criticism by the Republicans.


10 posted on 02/27/2015 2:23:57 PM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("Don't compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative." -Obama, 09-24-11)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"God help us" - Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson at CPAC.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/02/27/perry-rubio-highlight-islamic-state-threats-immigration-in-fiery-speeches-at/

11 posted on 02/27/2015 2:25:14 PM PST by CivilWarBrewing
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To: Georgia Girl 2

Trump is an interesting guy, and I enjoy listening to him (for a while).


12 posted on 02/27/2015 2:25:15 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, convict, deport)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“The Republicans, to be successful, can’t just be against things. They have to be for something”

Au contraire, Susan. The problem IS that Republicans are too prone to be FOR something—they’re for advancing the Democrat agenda, just a little slower than the Dims.

They need to be AGAINST that.

Conservatives, by contrast, are FOR: smaller government, more freedom, lower taxes, personal responsibility, less crime, safer neighborhoods, less privacy invasion and spying on citizens by government, secure borders, enforcement of our immigration laws, more employment for American citizens, voting integrity, etc., etc.

The Dims (and quite a few Republicans) are AGAINST those things.

You just have to believe in what you and FOR and AGAINST and articulate it to have a winning conservative campaign, Susan.


13 posted on 02/27/2015 2:26:21 PM PST by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
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To: madprof98

But its OK to abuse the public at large by implying their racism and intolerance, and taxing the bejeezus out of them while telling them illegals are necessary because they’re too lazy to do menial work.


14 posted on 02/27/2015 2:26:25 PM PST by skeeter
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Sorry I could force myself to read beyond: some sensible people in the party (South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is one of them), as I knew I would disagree with whatever she had to say.


15 posted on 02/27/2015 2:30:39 PM PST by Robert DeLong (u)
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To: dirtboy

Good answer.


16 posted on 02/27/2015 2:32:08 PM PST by uncitizen (Mark Levin: "Jeb Bush? No way Jose!")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
. . . it makes Walker look like he doesn’t understand the difference between workers who vehemently are trying to protect their workplace rights with people who are willing to torture and kill people in the most barbarous of ways.

Having been threatened with bodily harm by a pair of union goons, who I am quite certain would have broken both of my arms if I had not obeyed their orders, I'd consider this far less of a stretch than this liberal shill considers it. I also wonder why being for individual freedom, the rule of law, constitutional government, lower taxes, and honesty in government isn't being for something.

17 posted on 02/27/2015 2:36:20 PM PST by Pollster1 ("Shall not be infringed" is unambiguous.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“some sensible people in the party (South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is one of them) uttered an important truth: The Republicans, to be successful, can’t just be against things. They have to be for something, have to present a positive and innovative vision for America.”

Lindsey Graham is regularly praised by the MSM while Walker, Cruz and everyone else is constantly attacked.


18 posted on 02/27/2015 2:37:48 PM PST by detective
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To: madprof98
"Gut My Wife Like a Deer" - Walker describes threats from Union Shills

Act 10 Protesters Who Compared Walker to Hitler Now Upset Walker Compared Them to ISIS

19 posted on 02/27/2015 2:39:40 PM PST by Mygirlsmom (Congrats to Gov. Walker on his Three-peat! Love my Gov!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; CAluvdubya

All the journalists sat in the way back tapping away on their laptops while Cruz was talking. I’d look back at them every once in a while, just to see if what they looked like. Pretty humorless crowd. I don’t know if they were actually paying attention while he was speaking.


20 posted on 02/27/2015 2:40:02 PM PST by Slyfox (I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever)
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