CONSERVATIVES AND GOP ESTABLISHMENT; A GETTYSBURG MOMENT (HOSTAGE)

TODAY'S CHALLENGE In the second week following the tsunami of mid-term elections in favor of Republicans, the possibility of the GOP Establishment setting the agenda of the next Congress against a backdrop of catfights between republican moderates and the Conservative base ... has obsured the source of this very significant victory which stems from the hard, bitter and agonizing choices taken by Conservatives in years past.

The awful Hobbesian choices (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobson's_choice) presented to Conservatives in the past 8 years have been painful and demoralizing to them but theyhave risen to the occasion to choose wisely and they were right.

GOP Establishment and Elites (GOPe) and their moderate faction are likely missing the historical significance of the Conservative stance in the past elections of 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. Some Conservatives may also not see how wise their decisions were and how those decisions have resulted in the latest rout of only eleven days ago.

Sarah Palin brilliantly summed up the recent victory and wrapped it in a message to the GOPe:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/sarah-palin-to-gop-establishment-you-didnt-build-this/article/2555809

Today's challenge is to get the GOP Establishment out of the driver's seat and replace them with known and reliable Conservatives. In fact it is vital to do precise this.

BACKGROUND Starting in 2006, Conservatives had had enough of GW Bush and his Ring of RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) as he pushed for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and quipped "See you at the Signing!" when Congress was due back from recess.

The result of GW Bush's abandonment of his Conservative Base was in the melting down of the Capitol Hill Switchboard and fax machines by Conservative calls to their Congressional Members in opposition to the proposed amnesty of 10 to 20 million of illegal Latino migrants. This 2006 fiasco led to the democrats taking over Congress as a result of the mid-term elections Pelosi chosen as Speaker.

Conservatives shook their heads in anger as they felt betrayed by GW Bush whereas GW Bush and his people sulked in disbelief as they watched the 2006 election returns. The GOP Party had become a divided Party.

Which half of the divide was responsible? Were Conservatives responsible for allowing the likes of Pelosi to ascend to national leadership? Or was it Bush?

Bush had run as a Conservative. He talked the talk and seemingly at first walked the walk until his handlers steered him back to the New World Order meme of his father, Kissinger and apparently his very liberal wife. He abandoned Conservative principles that possibly he never really embraced to begin with. In other words, Bush had reneged on his promises to the Conservative Base. Some would say he lied.

Conservatives could not have felt worse as they walked away from GW Bush while all around them the media and democrats were chanting "Bush Lied! People Died!". It was hard to argue against the charge that Bush had lied to Conservatives. Maybe he hadn't. Maybe he just weakened and gave in to those around him. Whatever. His actions led to the fiasco of the 2006 elections. It wasn't the fault of Conservatives. They couldn't vote for more Bushies for Congress that would support Mass Amnesty and the New World Order that would see American freedoms supplanted by UN directives and treaties that were made by unelected policy wonks. Many Conservatives made the agonizing choice to sit home. Some held their noses but they were not enough in number to overcome the ineffectiveness of Bush's record in 2006 especially his nonsensical push for Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Democrats seeing the division within the GOP stepped right in and took advantage. Bush's fault? Unfortunately, yes.

Did the GOPe get the message from 2006? No. One would think they would have seen the overwhelming opposition from every corner of American society to any proposal for mass amnesty especially in light of the failure of Ronald Reagan's amnesty of 1986. But Ronald Reagan did not have hindsight; GW Bush and the GOPe did.

The GOPe wrongly thought the base could be fooled by running to the right and packaging moderates as conservatives. What mattered most to the GOPe were those with the 'Juice' meaning the money and secondarily those that would be sure to tow the GOPe line.

The licentiousness following repeal of Glass-Steagall had Wall Street swimming in illusory and dirty profits. Wall Street Stock Exchanges gave GW Bush standing ovations when he walked on their floors in 2006 and they put their money into GOP PACs that would keep their casino going.

In return GW Bush turned a blind eye to SEC enforcement of so many egregiously fraudulent banking and finance practices that later in 2008 would bring the nation to its knees. And of course the democrats exploited the weaknesses in banking regulation as opportunities for them to increase the severity of the coming crash.

Symptoms of the Crash were felt and seen in July 2007 when oil futures collapsed and it was reported that Goldman Sachs had gamed the market for their own purposes. Suddenly the focus shifted to Wall Street but not enough to wake up significant numbers of Americans. Still there was an air of something smelly going on in Wall Street banking.

As the 2008 presidential campaigns were ramping up, the GOP field was populated with Romney, McCain and a few other GOPe selections. McCain was selected by the GOPe. He never had rousing support from the base and Romney had practically none. But ... the GOPe thought the conservative base would just love a 'War Hero' story about McCain and, like throwing a dog a bone, they thought such stories would placate conservatives. They were wrong. Conservatives knew John McCain had refused to sign a confession guaranteeing his release from the Hanoi Hilton because Admiral Stockdale (also a POW and the Commanding officer of the POWs in the HH) ordered him not to. McCain was no 'hero', he was a survivor and a victim but not a hero. He deserved praise for his faithful service and sympathy for having greatly suffered for his country but the 'War Hero' media narrative was a ploy to get conservatives in line while the GOPe pursued its plan for the NWO, North American Union, Comprehensive Immigration Reform and all other subjects that were rarely spoken of publicly in order to keep the Conservative Base quiet and in the dark.

Conservatives saw through the deceptive tactics of the GOPe and this resulted in John McCain trailing in the polls throughout 2008 until McCain did the only smart thing of his entire campaign which was to choose Sarah Palin for VP. At once Conservatives were galvanized and excited by this rising star (and she truly was and still is). Suddenly the polls shifted for the first time in McCain's favor and the democrats were thrown into shock until Wall Street's impending collapse became evident.

The executive and moral reticence of GW Bush is his handing of the Wall Street Casino had come to the democrat's rescue and McCain played right into their hands with suspension of his campaign and recording a vote for TARP, the nearly trillion dollar bailout of Wall Street originally passed to stanch the subprime crisis but later directed wherever the powers over it (e.g. Bush's Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson) decided it should be directed. It was clear that Congress had been bought and both sides of the aisle were involved.

The GOP Conservative Base had yet another soul-searching moment to either abstain from voting for Phony McCain or hold their noses. Just as in 2006 many of them stayed home and the 2008 election handed the country over to a socialist con-man named Barack Obama.

The legacy of GW Bush and the phoniness of John McCain were too much for the Conservative Base and their agony grew worse. GW Bush had betrayed conservative principles. John McCain was a known liar and phony. All that Conservatives wanted was a leader that they could trust to stay true to conservative principles. That leader was not expected to be perfect or to be as inspiring as a Ronald Reagan or even a great orator. The leader that was sought needed only elucidate the principles of conservatism and show by their actions their adherence to the principles.

Such a leader would have won the presidency handily in 2008 even in the backdrop of GW Bush's failures and the incessant media attacks on those failures. Conservatives registered as Republican or Independent significantly outnumber moderates and progressives. When these Conservatives are galvanized behind a candidate they can trust and believe, there is nothing to stop them. Asking them to hold their noses over GOPe selected candidates is a huge risk to success and does nothing to strengthen the unity inside the GOP.

RISE OF THE TEA PARTY Republican and Independent Conservatives rallied in 2010 when the socialist fruit and Chicago style tactics of the Obama people became known. The 2010 elections gave rise to a new force in American politics: 'The Tea Party', a state of mind among the GOP base and patriotic independents. The Tea Party 2010 mid-term election sweep had handed control of the House of Representatives back to the GOP and brought true conservatives to the US Senate with such persons as Ted Cruz and Mike Lee. And just as importantly and significantly, the Tea Party sweep had altered on a vast scale the state legislatures and governorships to the benefit of conservatism.

For a small time it seemed that Tea Party Conservatives had taught the GOPe a lesson and were gearing up to address the past wrongs of the Bush Presidency and the boneheaded decision to 'select' McCain for nominee in 2008. But in a lame and naive moment the new Tea Party minded members of Congress agreed to accept John Boehner as Speaker. Thus, the GOPe had their hands on the House leadership and began to tighten their control over the House committees and their chairpersons.

ROMNEY In 2012 the GOPe was in the driver's seat with their 'selection' of Mitt Romney as the GOP Standard bearer for President. Romney was a liar of the first order and he knew how to sound 'conservative' when necessary. But his past caught up with him and Conservatives were not fooled. Romney tried to pull a McCain by selecting Paul Ryan as his pick for VP but again Conservatives were not fooled. Ryan was no Palin; not by a long shot.

But in 2012 socialism was on the march in the USA led by Obama and once again Conservatives were asked to 'hold their noses' as the alternative was four more years of Obama. The turnout was not enough to overcome those that stayed home. The need for Conservatives, especially Independent Conservatives, the Perot Blue Collar Conservatives. the Reagan Democrats, the plea for them to hold their noses was not enough for them to ignore the phoniness and lies of Romney and his ring of RINOs.

The key question a conservative had to grapple with "Was it worth it to turn down Romney, his lies and phoniness and risk real serious damage by the Obama people?".

The fact that Romney lost was a horrible realization to GOP moderates who could not fathom for an instant how it was that the Conservative Base would hand four more years to Obama. It was to them unthinkable that any rational voter would allow such an outcome.

But it was the outcome needed. It was not at all to support Barack Obama or allow him to act as the bull in the china shop. It was a decision made by Conservatives to prevent losing the Republican Party to people that had no allegiance to Conservative Principles and to traditional American values. The Conservative no-show in 2012 was a retreat to preserve the Idea that is America so that the Idea would survive to fight another day.

Conservative principles and traditional American values are more important than political party labels (which are just words). North Korea is known as the People's Democratic Republic of Korea. Does anyone believe there is democracy there? Words mean nothing without the values that underlie them. The Republican Party means nothing without Conservative Principles and traditional American values.

GETTYSBURG In America's Civil War, the War Of Northern Aggression or the War Between The States, however referred, the defining battle is generally agreed to as the Battle of Gettysburg and is recognized to be the turning point of that war.

The history of the Battle of Gettysburg is vast and can fill entire rooms of large libraries. There are parallels in decision making within the Confederate Command at Gettysburg and that of today's GOP that are informative.

The history of Gettysburg's decision-making among the Confederate Command is itself extensive just as the coming history of the decision-making between Conservatives and the GOPe over the next two years will be extensive and will likely lead to events of history with democrats that fills volumes on a Gettysburg scale.

What is different is the outcome of the 2016 grand battle is not known but it is believed that if the correct decisions are made, the outcome will certainly favor the GOP.

A comparison can be drawn with a perspective from the Confederate Command side and a few singular points can be raised to draw analogies for discussion. Civil War historians will have plenty to criticize in these very brief summaries. It is impossible to do this subject any sort of justice in a few paragraphs.

General Robert E. Lee was the commanding general of the Confederate Army at Gettysburg. The Confederate forces were well-trained and disciplined, valiant and courageous and more importantly they had been victorious but the length of the war was wearing on them and General Lee was war-weary as well.

It is important to understand General Lee was seeking a strategy to end the war as quickly as possible. This possibly sentimental longing of General Lee to find a way to end the war quickly was perhaps the biggest factor in bringing about the Confederate loss at the Battle of Gettysburg.

General Lee had presented to his generals a plan for a full frontal assault led by Pickett's Division which entailed 15,000 confederate soldiers running exposed over an open field about 3/4's mile in length. The assault came to be known as "Pickett's Charge".

Lieutenant General James Longstreet had argued this plan would be a disaster (it was) and laid out an idea to take a defensive position and let the Union forces come to them.

But General Lee proclaimed that his plan to charge the center of the Union defense was one where he "could see a path to Washington" and "end the war quickly".

Lt. Gen. Longstreet and others 'held their noses' and fell in line with General Lee's plan.

What if General Lee had been replaced before or after Gettysburg and Generals such as Longstreet had been promoted? Would such action have changed the outcome of that war? Very likely yes.

What was the view of Lee versus Longstreet? Lee wanted to attack and end the war. Longstreet wanted to defend and win battles regardless of a possibly protracted long enduring war because that is the way Confederate forces won battles.

TEA PARTY VS. GOP-E STRATEGY Perhaps more than any other issue, Tea Party minded Conservatives of both GOP and Independent voting blocs seek to reign in the federal government from its reckless course set to socialism, central planning, loss of personal freedoms and uncontrolled spending.

Tea Party minded voters want an era where their standard of living increases and the quality of their lives improves through choices of their own making. They want a federal government that controls and secures national borders and executes common sense foreign policies. Simply put, Tea Party Conservatives want more local control, they want the federal government's role to reset closer to that for which it was created and they want the US Constitution to be adhered to and revered.

The GOPe has only one goal and that is power. It embarks towards the same destination as democrats but follows at a slower pace in different lanes. Both GOPe and democrats seek greater control over the lives of ordinary citizens.

Tea Party conservatism is more in line with Longstreet's view to defend locally and win.

GOPe is more in line with Lee's view to win major battles and end the war with democrats ostensibly by becoming democrats themselves.

The deciding moment is already here. The next few weeks are the time when the leadership is chosen and the course is set. The GOP is encamped in a Gettysburg context and is now in deliberation about what course to set.

There was a post today about the electoral college and how at present it favors the Democrat Party. Enlightening and discouraging at the same time. To win in 2016 will be very difficult - not impossible - but very difficult. I agree with this writer that it is no time for conservatives to be silent or give up. It won’t be easy. A lady caller on the Mark Levin show (guest host at the time) was telling the host how nearly impossible it has become to contact your senator or representative. It like they don’t want to hear from you. I hope Cruz will continue to make statements like he has in the past to keep the conservative in the forefront.

Actually “we” know no such thing. “We” are a collection of mindless unthinking sheep that don’t believe the words we spew daily on conservative forums and go out every year and empower RINO/Liberals because ‘We’ can’t be mothered to consider the facts in this article. An article which BTW, was outstanding.

When “We” change our trajectory, “We” won’t need articles like this. “We” shouldn’t need articles like this. But the willful stupidity and rank stubbornness/ego inherent in the collective ‘We” ensures articles like this are very much required reading for everyone.

Well said sir.

Conservatives and Tea Party Movement types such as myself are indeed fighting a battle with dire consequences. The most pressing tactical threat we face is not from the line of democrats to our front, it is the threat from the Republican Establishment within our own lines that must be dealt with first if we are to ever have a chance of saving this country.

We, the Conservative and Tea Part Movement, must engage and destroy the entrenched Republican Establishment. There is no other option.

The greatest obstacle we must overcome to do this is that some in the Republican ranks still can only see that these people wear the same uniform and thus ignore the “friendly” fire coming from the rear. They have yet to come to terms with the reality of the situation. If we can get these well intentioned yet purposely misinformed soldiers to see the truth for what it is, this battle will eventually be won. But will we have done this in enough time?

Once the Republican Establishment realizes that they are about to be dethroned, does anyone really believe they will just peacefully surrender what they feel they have all along been entitled to? No. They will burn the Republican Party to the ground and then retreat into the waiting arms of K. Street and democrat party. What happens to the country is of no concern to them.

That leaves us with one last decision before we can truly and effectively engage the democrat party.

Do we waste time and resources trying to root out the Republican Establishment die hards knowing they are going to destroy everything before they go or do we decide to form our own army, building it to our standards, choosing leaders we can trust, thus allowing the real fight for this country to be fought?

However the decision is made, it must be soon. We may not have anything left worth fighting for if we wait much longer.

I say let the revolution begin.

As I understand it, Lee’s view changed from one of a tactician to one of an emotional wishful thinker. His impatience may have caused him to consider more risky battle plans. Longstreet tried to reel in his emotional bias and bring him back to reality.

Pickett’s Charge was a tactical error based on a goal to end the war quickly. If it had succeeded, it would have allowed Lee to move against Washington. But Longstreet tried to bring Lee back into reality by persuasion that such a plan was doomed. Longstreet knew the Confederate’s odds of winning were in taking a defensive position.

The way it ties together to the GOPe and the Conservative Base is when we hear people say that Conservatives must vote for the GOPe selected candidate to defeat the democrats. In other words, abandon principle and belief and just follow orders. Lee corresponds in the analogy to the GOPe.

Conservatives however refuse to vote against their principles and beliefs. They choose to defend their values. This corresponds to the Longstreet view, to defend locally and win.

Today’s democrats are in shambles even though Conservatives have rejected the last 2 GOPe presidential candidates. The result is democrats are near ruin. How can this be? It is because Conservatives chose to defend their values and not give in to others whether democrat or GOPe. Today Conservatives have brought the GOP a great new victory but there is still unsettled business that the GOPe thinks like democrats and follows the same masters. The GOPe must be removed from leadership and their plans tossed.

You understand the situation completely.

What prompted this writing was a news report that Hillary Clinton is looking for a way to divide the GOP much as what happened in 1992 when Ross Perot was for awhile making a lot of sense about how GHW Bush had changed from a Reagan legacy holder to a New World Order minion. Perot captured Reagan democrats, blue collar conservatives and portion of the Conservative Base. GHW Bush lost without these Conservatives.

Conservatives should not wait for 2016 to do battle with the GOPe. They have to get on it right away. The GOP must be united no later than the middle of 2016.

In order to unite the GOP, a choice must be made to allow the GOPe to run it or allow Conservatives to run it. The GOPe has a track record of creating disunity. So the answer is clear, Conservative leadership must replace the GOPe immediately.

Still there are those that claim that Conservatives should hold their nose and back the GOPe candidate who will be someone like Jeb Bush, Romney again, Chris Christie, etc. None of these persons is capable of beating Hillary Clinton. Only a Conservative can rally all the groups and create a turnout that overwhelms democrats and all their fraud.

One would think Jeb Bush but possibly Scott Walker if he can get the financial backing. GOPe will not pick a Tea Partier unless there is a lot of $$$ in it for them.

The GOPe hunts for money first; character and popularity are secondary as they are believed to be fixable by marketing.

Tea Party picks are made by the grass roots first and then followed up with a high volume of small donor contributions.

Easy to remember as:

GOPe
1. Money
2. Candidate

Tea Party
1. Candidate
2. Money

Actually “we” know no such thing.

Really? Actually "We" here on FR *DO* already know. Ad nauseum!! "We" here on FR" don't need convincing. This was 2800+ words of preaching to the choir, re-stating a painfully obvious problem. "We" here on FR are already on-board.

Good article -- but *completely* wasted on the wrong audience; unless you just can't hear enough of what you are already aware of.

Stuff like this, when given in such long, drawn-out, repetitive diatribes is just boring to the point of ubiquity. Water is wet. Ice is cold. RINO's aren't conservative. Dems are treasonous.

Thank you Capt. Obvious!!

Have you spread this message to some RINO's? Have you visited forums that cater to them and beat them over the head with it? I'm tired of re-stating the problem over and over and over and over here on FR. Do you truly think practically all of us here on FR aren't agonizingly aware of the problems?

The author speaks as if he is an authority on the issue, so let's hear some specific actions that can be taken and not the tired worn out, "Step 1: Replace the Rinos", as if that vague piece of obviousness is a bit of brilliance you came up with yourself. I want to hear some specific actions (parliamentary, procedurally within the GOP, etc) how Ted Cruz, Trey Gowdy and others can take over and dominate the GOP, replace Boehner/McConnell as speakers, etc -AND/OR- start a second party that fully replaces the GOP (not compete with it). Anything specific that the new crop of purportedly conservative congressmen can do that does not rely on converting the idiot lie-beral voters in the wholly lost-cause major metro areas like NYC, Chicago, LA or Miami. So, what do you have? Anything? I'm all ears and out of options I can do as a voter, but I'll support - however I can - a conservative deliberately and boldly taking action to lead the GOP. Mark me, "Tired of lip-service, I want to see action."

I agree with your post and would like to add that people are at different levels of understanding in all of this. And there are probably lot of lurkers.

Some are new to the ideas that are presented here at FR and some have worked through these ideas for many decades and most are different points in between.

So I believe it is important to bring up all levels of discussion, even if we think it might be very basic and possibly an insult to some of us that worked through these issues for many decades. It develops those that are moving farther along the line and helps them with the process.

I always enjoy reading your posts.

McCain was selected by the GOPe. He never had rousing support from the base and Romney had practically none.

Between them they got 2/3 of the primary vote in New Hampshire and Florida in 2008. Throw in Giuliani and together they got half the primary vote in South Carolina. Pretty good for guys without support from the base.

In return GW Bush turned a blind eye to SEC enforcement of so many egregiously fraudulent banking and finance practices that later in 2008 would bring the nation to its knees.

Beware, though. Bush may have turned a blind eye to some practices out of cronies -- or maybe he couldn't get Congress to do anything about the abuses. A more free-market, small government party might do the same thing out of principle (and of course, Democrats would overlook similar practices for their own reasons).

McCain was selected by the GOPe. He never had rousing support from the base and Romney had practically none.

However, I don't think either McCain nor Romney topped 35% in any primary until after the nomination was sewed up.

Clearly, thanks to "winner take all" states, both were nominated by a plurality of the primary voting population. Neither could be said to have won a majority of the GOP voters until they were unopposed.

But look how many there are. They can’t all be trolls. If they were then there are maybe 50 conservatives left on FR willing to actually fight and we are even more infiltrated than I think we are.

I maintain that plenty of otherwise conservative minded people lose that conservatism and their collective minds come election season because they let fear dominate them. And they let the trolls sway them. That’s why this article is needed here. They need to remember the one that brung’em.

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