Lovely horse you've hitched your wagon too.
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.
“Don’t believe me you say? “
I don’t. What happened to your claim that McCain leaked classified intel?
“2. Voted against bill that would impose sanctions...” and mandate a troop withdrawl from Iraq. You forgot to mention that.
” Obama may not be the lesser of the two evils. “
How is abandoning millions to the tyranny of al-Qaeda less evil than supporting our new found democratic allies?
I’ll never agree to it and never have.
If there’s dirt on a candidate let it fly!!
That 11th BS is part of what has destroyed the party.
“Obey Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment”
I will just as soon as that POS Juanito does.
A “McCainiac” is one that votes gladly for the POS, not just against the other guy. You billed yourself as a McCainiac, not just another person voting for the old loser just because he’s NOT named Obama.
“That is not what I said. McCain rino that he is will be far better for the country than Hussein Obama.”
At my age the quicker it reaches the bottom the better.
I might live long enough to see it start to rebuild.
“I wish we Republicans were as loyal to our candidate as “dim”ocrats are to theirs, but alas, we are not.”
I wish that his record did not make that loyalty nearly impossible.
“McCain rino that he is will be far better”
See, you use the word “far” where most of us use the word “slightly.”
If you and the rest of the GOP Party reptiles get your way? Then Obama wins. The Base will either vote 3rd Party or just stay home. No matter how many "middle of the road" voters McIdiot and Osama-bama rake in, the Dems base will outnumber the conservatives as THEY HAVE THEIR IDEAL CANDIDATE ALREADY.
Their Party got the most radical liberal possible. The GOP FAILED to get the most radical CONSERVATIVE possible, thereby ensuring their own failure. Sure, we could rally around a 3rd Party, but there are cheerleaders and agents provacatuers who'll start in with the "throw your vote away"/"unappeasables" crap we hear every election. This "scares the sheep" in the Party just enough to keep 'em in line.
McCain is "Brady Bill" Bob Dole and GHW "Read my Lips" Bush without the charm, wit, honesty, or youth of either. He'll have the exact same effect on the electorate.
So, all you cheerleaders have only yourselves to blame. For not sticking to those stubborn little things called "principles", you've doomed us.
Thanks for nothing...
“Why should he “good mouth” the way it was handled”
Well this thread IS about Reagans’ 11th commandment....it’s not just mean’t to defend the POS RINOS.
“My brother in law is a retired auto worker, he has always been a Democrat, except this time.”
My step-uncle-in-law’s neighbor, who is a Democrat, isn’t going to vote for Obama. So I urge everyone to stay at home and not vote for McCain because it will all even out, and besides, McCain is older than Obama and therefore more evil.
/s
Actually I said I would “become” a McCainiac
“McCain is “Brady Bill” Bob Dole and GHW “Read my Lips” Bush without the charm, wit, honesty, or youth of either. He’ll have the exact same effect on the electorate.”
You forgot to mention that McCain voted against the Brady Bill and against GHW Bush’s tax increase. I guess those facts run counter to your agenda. Speaking of your agenda, would you rather see Obama win than McCain?
Lovely horse you've hitched your wagon too.
I'd rather Hunter, Thompson, Paul, Tancredo, McClintock, Barr, Baldwin, or anyone else whose more than 50% conservative win the general election.
No RINO's. We've slid too far to the Left as it is.
As regards McCain, I am applying what I've learned.
“and more Medicare.”
First you cited the Brady Bill and GHW Bush’s tax increases as reasons for wanting Obama over McCain. Then I informed you that McCain voted against these. Now you cite Medicare, So I’d like to inform you that McCain voted against the 2003 Medicare bill. You people are both disingenuous and transparent.
I reject the notion that McCain is the lesser of the two evils.
This doesn’t answer my question. Would you rather see McCain win or Obama?
“We’ve slid too far to the Left as it is.”
No, if we sided with the left, we would want surrender monkeys like Paul, Baldwin, and Barr, who share the far-left’s views on foreign policy. Since you support these blame-America-firsters, it’s no wonder you would rather see Obama elected than McCain. Obama blames terrorism on America’s foreign policy, just like they do.
The GOP is in no way like family to me and I don't obey on command. Anytime a person starts using President Reagan, God rest his soul, to convince you to vote for the likes of John McCain, they have lost all other arguments and are grasping at straws to bolster their position.
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