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.
Wow. Great post.
The TRUTH is that your guy's whole political philosophy is fundamentally OPPOSITE of conservative/Republican philosophy.
But you don't care about that, because you are submissive and cowardly.
Believe me...I would LOVE a truly Conservative candidate for President. We do not have that choice this time. The next President of the US is going to have to nominate at least one person for Supreme Court. The insanity we have seen lately coming from the Judicial branch leaves me to believe we might not HAVE a future if we get any more left-leaning activists on the court. The next 4-8 years if one of the most crucial times in our nation’s history and I will not sit by while the most openly radical candidate of our times is within an inch of POTUS. Our fight needs to be intensified at the local and state levels while riding out a McCain presidency. We have a better chance of forcing a McCain to the right than we do an Obama.
Man. You are a sheep in wolf’s clothing.
More importantly, I think it is important for Conservatives to open a new front on the CultureWars. We need to find and support artists/musicians/entertainers with an openly Conservative messages to fight the garbage being offered on the Left.
More importantly, I think it’s important not to overuse the word important when discussing a topic of such importance....
And you are quite the little snark....
Not true at all, I care about judge appointments, SCOTUS, ETC, Fed etc, I care about not having my taxes raised to H*ll and back, I care about a lot of things. Is McCain the perfect candidate, H*ll no, but he is a D*mn sight better than what we will get with Hussein Obama.
And drop the personal insults, we can have a better discussion that way.
RE McCain ... another factor I weigh in my assessment of the consequences of supporting him is that he is very likely seriously unbalanced mentally and will go off the rails either during his campaign or shortly after Democrats elect him president, which I fully expect them to do. The chances of McCain doing vast damage to the Republican image/brand as the party of Nutso Old Kooks is about 90 to one, IMO. Another thing to consider.
Thanks again for your thoughtful responses here, and accept my apologies for calling you a sheep in wolf's clothing!
I do realize it.
I’m amused, in a sad sort of way, by those who think they have knowledge and vision enough to discern which evils are actually “lesser.”
The cute little imp’s mask just could be hiding the most hideous big devil anyone’s ever seen.
It’s much better to do what the scripture requires: That we resist evil with all our might.
As Washington said, “Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of God.”
Do what’s right. Eschew evil. Leave the result to the Lord.
Putting aside the fact that Reagan himself went after an incumbent Republican President tooth and nail, and very nearly knocked him off, I’m glad I don’t have to pay any attention to this phony “commandment” personally, not being a Republican any more.
The McCain Whig Party is headed for the ash heap.
Hey, don’t think for a minute that in the back of my mind there isn’t a fear that McCain will have a moment of rage and bomb the Falklands (trying to be funny). I believe the Republican Party needs to be rebuilt to be more Conservative, but this election isn’t the place to do it. My concern is for the safety and prosperity of my family, and McCain is the only option for me in this election. My apologies to all for reacting so strongly, but these are passionate times in which we live!
If McCain wins -- which I believe he will because Democrats who reject Obama (and they are legion) will make sure he wins, just as Democrats who rejected Hillary (and they are legion) would have done the same had she won the nomination, all the STUPID, EXPENSIVE, INVASIVE CRAP that McCain will bring about because of his embrace of Global Warming, "reaching across the aisle" to Liberals, appeasement, bigger more intrusive government -- Democrats and Liberals will RIGHTLY SAY: "That stupid McCain -- that's what this country gets under Republican leadership!" They will be accurate in saying so, Democrats will gain seats in congress, and Republicans will have NO DEFENSE.
That's what you're going to be voting for when you pull the lever for McCain as he stands today. Think about it long and hard, FRiend.
If you see a Republican in Congress let me know.
Yep.
But, one last word: They never had any qualms about attacking conservatives, the hypocrites.
LOL, you should be a writer, or better yet go back and read my posts. I take it you will not be voting for McCain or Obama, who does that leave you that has a realistic chance to win?
Their RINO MSM Talking Head Guru's tell them that's OK though. Ya know the names ones like Hannity etc. The GOP died politically in 1995 when leadership started the sellout. By 1996 all the GOP congress could muster for a POTUS election was Viagra Bob and his Big Tent Liberal Freak Show. Such Grand Old Party sellouts as Lott, Dole, Newt, Hassert, Frist, etc all got their turn. What really is pathetic about is that Lott got two chances.
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