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.
“That Obama says now what he would do in the War on Terror, doesn’t at all mean that he would be able to follow through.”
Since he votes against any and all funding for Iraq, what makes you think he won’t simply use a presidential veto against any funding if he becomes POTUS? And what’s going to stop him from enforcing european style ROE rules, as he and his party has tried before? Do you recall the restrictions by Clinton on the troops in Somalia, which lead to black-hawk down and emboldened al-Qaeda? And why did Obama vote against labeling the Quds for as a terrorist organization? Even Hillary voted for this.
REAGAN's 11th commandment MEANT that it applied to all "Republicans" even those who were considered the so-called RINOS of his day. And, if you bothered to check the background and website of McCain, I believe you'll discover that Mr. Reagan thought pretty highly of him--and probably a darn sight better than a certain Republican primary challenger who called the Reagan model for the country's fiscal health "Voodoo Economics" (can you guess who that was?)
I pray that Hussein Obama will leave you enough with which to rebuild.
I have on a number of times on this thread called McCain what he is, a RINO. But I still feel, poor as it might be, that he is the better deal than Hussein Obama.
Who is “most” of us?
You really should read a person’s posts before you slander him in the manner that you just have done. I in no way plan to vote either third party, or stay home.
I have doomed a d*mned thing. You and your "principled" folks who have this impossible litmus test have doomed us to 8 years of Hussein Obama.
Thanks for nothing...
“I believe you’ll discover that Mr. Reagan thought pretty highly of him”
And the McCain of the past 8 years is the same McCain from the 80’s? I think not.
“Who is “most” of us?”
I was referring to those of us that DO NOT view McCain as some sort of messiah.
Would there be a veep choice that might make you be able to hold your nose and vote for McCain? I was kinda hoping for J.C. Watts, but some have told me that he has some baggage.
I fear that both of us perhaps are each in our own way seeking to get back to Kansas with Dorothy and Toto. It would seem so at least this year.
I just don’t get how my saying that McCain would be “far” better than Obama instead of using the word “slightly” mean that I think McCain is some kind of Messian.
“I just don’t get” how my saying that McCain would be “far” better than Obama instead of using the word “slightly” mean that I think McCain is some kind of Messian.”
I know, I know.
Really cute, now please tell me how that word differential means I think McCain is a Messiah.
Who does the Constitution Party plan to run for President?
So, when someone with a proven military record and knowledge of how our armed forces work (who didn't spend time "campaigning for an Alabama congressman" on the weekends he was supposed to be drilling with the Air Guard) proposes a surge strategy in deference to the administration (whose SECDEF did all he could to oppose it) and that surge worked to perfection he's nothing but a badmouthing RINO?
“Really cute, now please tell me how that word differential means I think McCain is a Messiah.”
It means that you are portraying the POS as being far better a choice than he really is.
“Who does the Constitution Party plan to run for President?”
Oh, you’ve been around long enough to know.
“I’m taking you on your own words about the war in Iraq”
LOL, you are not the first to “go there” and “expose” my views....belief in the war in Iraq does not a conservative make. And yes, McCain IS nothing but a badmouthing RINO.
Ok, I give, you don’t have an answer, just be man enough to admit as much.
As the Constitution Party is your party, I thought you’d know. I found it out for you, it is Charles O. (Chuck) Baldwin.
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