Posted on 02/25/2007 3:24:10 PM PST by Rudder
My Dear Feepers,
It’s not just on Free Republic alone, the rift within the GOP perhaps more properly described as the rift between the GOP and one its constituents---Conservatives---has caught the attention of virtually all the major political prognosticators.
It’s a painful thing to endure, and likely it will not enhance our effectiveness as a party, as a political movement or in winning elections. And, at it’s current rate of development and the sometime nastiness of the invective on FR, I think it’s going to get worse long before it’s going to get better.
Think about this as a possible solution, one which allow all of us to still retain our own brand of conservatism and still push for a big win in 2008.
Consider the latest FR poll: 62% Hunter--27% Giuliani.
If the question could have been asked (perhaps it will in the future):
“Hunter is 15 points ahead of McCain and the rest of the pack fall further behind.
Giuliani shows ratings between 1 and 2% at this time, but with hard work and a creative campaign strategy, he just might pull it off in the next 22 months.
For whom would Freepers vote? My guess those going for Hunter would 99% of Freepers.
Can we do both? Support Hunter and yet, despite our best effort and he loses the primary, vote for a win in 2008 no matter who (except McCain) is our candidate?
I suspect the great majority of us could.
I propose this as one who wholeheartedly supports both candidates. Right now, Rudy looks like a winner and a guy who can best handle the job as CIC. Should it be Duncan, I would feel secure knowing that he represents my conservative philosophy and would govern as such.
I see two advantages obtained by this approach: 1. It may well reduce what could become damaging rifts within our community of Freepers. 2. If it works, it could spread and give conservatives in general (not just Freepers) unity---and a louder, focused voice (Re: Meiers?) that would influence the platform and the candidate.
I eagerly anticipate your comments and the flames.
R
"Can we do both? Support Hunter and yet, despite our best effort and he loses the primary, vote for a win in 2008 no matter who (except McCain) is our candidate?
I suspect the great majority of us could"
I couldn't!! And why except McCain? I would far sooner vote for McCain than would ever vote for Giulianni. Giulianni never. Romney or McCain, maybe, but only after a lot of soul searching. Pro-life issue is paramount in my decision.
BTW all the foreign policy adulation of Rudy - is it warranted? Obviously, he has never been responsible for national security policy. Any evidence he knows what to do when China invades Taiwan, or that he will bomb NK or Iran?
Again, I will vote for any of them against the democrats. Period. And I will yell at those who don't.
That same election, I voted Libertarian. While the final result was obscene, it was not for my choice. I would not vote for a gratuitous liar ("Read my lips, no new taxes" gave way to the biggest tax increase in history).
I will not choose between the lesser of two evils, for that is to cast a vote for evil.
All the RNC has to do is stop its propaganda machinations for Rudy Giulliani, with the aid of the liberal press, who want Rudy to run, thus sealing forever the coffin of the conservative movement, or so they think.
When the people speak, it will be for Duncan Hunter or Newt Gingrich. And the Republican party must listen, or lose.
Unfortunately, conservatives are the battered spouses of American politics. They are routinely abused by the GOP and have been for decades. But they'll never take the initiative to simply walk out the door.
We tend to forget that a political party is a tool for getting members of that party elected to office. Hard stop. It is not an ideological construct.
I re-posted the whole thing because it is so right on the mark. Keep up the good work!
If I wanted to see the GOP coalition disintegrate, I would support Giuliani; or at the very least, do nothing to try and help stop him from being chosen as the Republican nominee.
So, since I'll never do the former, the day you see me not trying to stop Rooty, you'll know that I for one have given up on saving the Party of Lincoln and have shaken the dust off my feet.
By the way, what you're seeing occur in front of your eyes is the legacy of Karl Rove.
No. 2 on your list directly regards social issues. You cannot be a fiscal conservative without being a social conservative, since the enormous funding required for the social agenda is what drives taxes. Since when did wanting to end the left's practice of using the government to drive their social agenda become nonconservative?
I look at Democrats and I look at Rudy. What is different? Seriously.
Yeah, but not Rudy, he's a tough guy.
"I'm just tired of the "If you don't support Rudy, you'll get Hillary" argument. IMHO, it's an argument worthy of the drive by media, not Freepers."
If there's a socialist running on the Democratic ticket and a socialist running on the Republican ticket, it's a pretty good bet that socialism is going to win. And the logic for the hype behind these candidates is as simple as that.
I don't think we'll be getting that group hug today.
But states were designed to adjucate social issues.
Just so long as they have a democratic form of government, they are empowered to do whatever they want.
Since Rudy was the mayor of a city, not president of the country, he had authority over a different set of issues. He instructed the police to arrest disorderly vagrants, because that is what the voters wanted. The voters had the full authority to elect a city government that gave disorderly vagrants free money from the public treasury, but they had already tried that and found it unsatisfactory.
Amen!
Keep in mind that what I posted there was not my opinion about McCain (I'd probably support him if he wins the GOP nomination). That's just my sense of how he's viewed in the Republican Party.
Exactly. Those who cry "but he's not a Democrat" fail to notice: Rudy IS a Democrat, a Republican In Name Only.
If you want to divide and SPLIT the Republican Party WIDE-OPEN,,,
GUILIANI IS JUST THE MAN FOR THE JOB!!!
This country just does NOT need two political parties to the left-of-center.
Giulliani ain't it, no matter how much the RNC and its backroom pols want it. We need to take back our party from the moderate mavins inside it, including those who think the USA is simply Manhatten's back yard.
"No. 2 on your list directly regards social issues. You cannot be a fiscal conservative without being a social conservative, since the enormous funding required for the social agenda is what drives taxes.
I know that.
But states are free to differ and have high taxes if they desire high social spending.....just so long as they are willing to have many people leave in disgust.
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