"Obey, obey...! Shut up about my record and drink your beverage."
Posted on 07/16/2008 6:23:42 AM PDT by big black dog
Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment is as sacred as the first 10…”Thou shalt not speak ill of any other republican.” Yes, moderates and right wingers can have our healthy disagreements. That makes us an intellectually stronger party than the democrats, which do not allow for dissenting views from the party orthodoxy (Joe Lieberman anyone?). However, we must not question each other’s motives. We are not liberals. We do not cannibalize each other, since we need every one of us to govern.
As a Jewish republican, I have always thought of republicans as the Jews of politics. Everybody outside of us hates our guts, and even those inside our group are often angst ridden, hand wringing, guilt ridden and self loathing. Wow, that sounds like Jews to me. Republicans and Jews would both be better off if instead of begging our many enemies to like us, we just told them (Syria, Iran, Moveon.org, Jason Blair Times) to go (insert bad word here) themselves. Those plotting our demise will fail. We need to stay strong as republicans and govern.
Yes, the goal is to govern. There are no moral victories. Yes, the republicans in congress in 2006 needed a wake up call. That is fine. Congress is not the White House, and never will be (Nancy “Damascus” Pelosi anyone?). The reasons liberals can’t govern is because they blackmail “normal” democrats into veering hard left in order to be palatable to their fringe elements.
My blog deliberately refuses to write about red meat social issues, such as abortion, gay marriage, and immigration. I have not taken a public position on the immigration bill, and my blog is officially neutral on the issue. I will simply say that while there are some right wing bigots in this world, not all people on the right who want to protect our borders are guilty of “brown bashing.” They believe our laws are being violated, and simply want to enforce the rule of law. Also, the “moderates” that are not as riled up about illegal immigration are not democrats or even republicrats. Wall Street is filled with staunch republicans that focus more on economic issues. Criticizing someone for not sharing your passions on every issue is counterproductive when they might be your ally on most other issues. We cannot act like liberals. We have to be tolerant of each other. This does not mean embrace views we find wrongheaded, but it means not questioning the motives of our fellow republicans for holding such views.
Ronald Reagan united people because everybody wanted to be on his side. They all thought he agreed with them, when it was they who agreed with him. No matter how fiercely he disagreed with you, he was pleasant.
Concerns that the immigration debate will blow the republican party to smithereens are a tad overblown. The media does not understand that these disagreements are why we are so strong intellectually. The same people who accuse the Bush administration of group think are the ones who also accuse it of secrecy. The President has every right to want dissension in the ranks kept behind closed doors from people who wish the administration only harm.
However, private citizens in a democracy are supposed to criticize things they disagree with (Are you listening Hillary?). These are major issues, and the republican party allows for adult discussions. Try deviating from San Francisco values and see how hard the democratic party smacks you down in the name of tolerance. Talk about group think.
This blog will continue to disappoint people in the republican party that have contempt for other members of our coalition. I say that we have our disagreements forcefully but respectfully. Then we can hammer the democrats on why they are wrong about virtually everything, once we are united. We can discuss turning Iran and Syria into 50,000 whole golf courses, and shoving the American flag up Guantanamo Bay prisoner’s hides until they go to the toilet red, white and blue. We can have tax cuts and grow the economy.
Yes, every family has disagreements, but we cannot let the outsiders overrun us by weakening ourselves. We are all we have.
I will not agree with the moderates, the libertarians or the social conservatives on every issue. However, if you refer to me as a democrat, or God forbid, a liberal, I reserve the right to show my pro-military stance by decking you as if you had insulted my parents (who are both good republicans).
There will never be another Ronald Reagan, but we can honor his memory by living up to his ideals and portraying his optimism. As Rush Limbaugh says, we should be optimistic and be of good cheer. Of course we should. We are winning, and have been since 1980. The liberals had their time from 1932-1980. It is our time now. The country is moving rightward, with the occasional victory by democrats being an aberration. They cannot govern because the American public at this stage in history does not agree with their ideas. We can govern, except when we get our guns together and fire in a circle. The 2nd amendment gives us the right to keep and bear arms, but nowhere does it say we should shoot each other. That is electoral suicide, and suicide is illegal.
We are Ronald Reagan’s children, and he ordered us to play nice. We are different and unique, and he loved us all. That is why we loved him. None of us were his favorite. We were like the different color jelly beans on his desk, equally sweet.
There are dangerous people out there wishing to hurt us, from liberals to terrorists. Yes, there are varying degrees, with liberals being nuisances and terrorists being evil, but if we cannot even defeat the most pathetic opponent we have, that being liberals in a country that does not have a true left at all, then how can we beat the terrorists.
2006 was a disgrace. We lost to people that believed nothing, because no beliefs were better than what we were perceived to have been offering.
So let’s fight these divisive social issues in a civil manner, and be done with the squabbling by the time the primaries are over. The winner of the general election must have enough fight left to take on the Clintonistas. They cannot be damaged goods. We have the strongest group of candidates since 1980, and if we lose in 2008 we will only have ourselves to blame for beating ourselves.
For those republicans who take the ten commandments seriously, they had better remember to obey Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment. It should be in big chiseled granite on every republican desk top. “Thou shalt not speak ill of any other republican.”
Thus saith Mr. Reagan, God rest his soul.
Fortunately Reagan knew he wasn’t God. Too bad the grand old plantation has decided that they are.
McCain was by no means my 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice. However, come October I will become a McCainiac....
To paraphrase Bill Clinton, it all depends on what the meaning of the word Republican is.
Nope. Sorry. Most of today's republicans don't have a republican bone in their body.
Maybe someone can get McCain to quit bad mouthing President Bush about the War in Iraq and now Afghanistan.
I think that just applies to members of the republican party. I am no longer a member of the party - so I’ll feel free to criticize them when they deserve it (which is often).
Reagan himself would be appalled at where the “Republican” Party has taken itself and who represents it.
The old logic applied 20 years ago. Not today.
McCain was my last choice, except for Ron Paul.
If I get into a discussion of Paul and his minions, I would have to break the 11th Commandment.
Which is EXACTLY why the GOP has become what it is today; Watered down Socialism.
The Lemmings are running, better hurry up and get in line.
I wish we Republicans were as loyal to our candidate as “dim”ocrats are to theirs, but alas, we are not. If our candidate doesn’t meet every requirement that the hard core right of our party demand, then they take the attitude, scr*w him. The “dims” on the other hand, would vote for their man, no matter how evil or foul smelling that candidate might be....sad, so sad.
Reagan also said something about running off a cliff with all flags flying.
does that count for rhinos?
if we were we’d win a lot more elections.
And this is a good thing in your mind? To be completely unquestioning and totally loyal to a politician?
I will not overlook McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy and McCain-Lieberman.
Too bad McCain never followed this Commandment. That is part of why conservatives have no strong love for him. He and Romney are more than willing to throw anyone under the bus.
Now, just drink your Koolaid and you’ll feel much better. (Ol’ Juan said so.)
That is not what I said. McCain rino that he is will be far better for the country than Hussein Obama.
And no doubt you will be thrilled with the Hussein Obama administration. Bet you beat me to the Kool Aid first.
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