Posted on 01/23/2009 10:06:00 AM PST by Welcome2thejungle
While it is true that there are many people who consider themselves more conservative than Republican (like me)and others who are more Republican than they are conservative, the fact remains that the Conservative Movement and the Republican Party are joined at the hip. Fortunately, with a few exceptions like the pair of GOP senators from Maine, liberal Republicans are virtually an extinct species. This trend will continue as long as the gravity of the GOP continues to shift towards the South and the West.
I know some conservative activists have long been fed up with the GOP and have look toward alternatives such as the miniscule Libertarian, American Independent, and Reform Parties. If history is any guide, such individuals will be relegated to the sidelines and Twilight Zone of American politics. We have always had pretty much a two party system--that's where the action is, like it or not.
Let me make an analogy if I may. I am a practicing Catholic. Several years ago I was stunned and appalled by the size and scope of the pedophile priest scandal which shook our church to its very core. Rather than leaving the Church in total disgust, I decided to get MORE active in it and do whatever I could to rehabilitate it. I have since become a 4th degree Knight of Columbus and a eucharistic minister at my church and I am involved in other church related activities as well. That was my instinct. Not to walk away, but to try to make things better and turn things around.
I dare say we conservatives should adopt the same attitude towards the Republican Party. While it is true that we still do have RINOs among our ranks, the GOP remains by and large a fairly conservative political party with a rich tradition and history much like the Catholic Church itself which is the oldest Christian church on earth tracing its lineage to SS Peter and Paul.
It is true that the Catholic Church has been beset by scandal in its long 2,0000 year history and the recent pedophile priest scandal was among the most horrendous. But it is also true that all institutions, no matter how great or glorious or ancient or well intentioned, are inhabited by flesh and blood sinful humans. Wicked men can be found in all institutions, the Church, the military, the Party, corporate America, the police department, you name it. One difference between conservatives and liberals is this: All too often the liberals will try to use a scandal to bring down or weaken a great institution such as the Catholic Church or the Republican Party. In my home town of Los Angeles I personally witnessed the liberals destroy one of the finest big city police departments in the entire nation over one unfortunate incident. Now the LAPD has been effectively marginalized to such an extent that our police officers cannot even inquire if a suspect is in this country legally when making an arrest.
The simple fact remains that like it or not, the Republican Party is the only national institution of its size capable of effectively opposing the radical socialist agenda of BHO and the Democrats in Congress. The question is this: Should we build up the Republican Party and make it an effective fighting force against the forces of Obamaism, or should we head of for the exits an go our own separate ways? I myself could no longer leave the Republican Party than I could bear to leave the Catholic Church. I've decided to stick it out and fight with every fiber of my being and every ounce of strength I have left. What about you?
How about NO WE WON’T!
““You can NEVER Separate the Republican Party From the Conservative Movement”
We can’t? The Republican Party already did.”
Exactly.
I am of the opinion that conservatives should become independents. Then, we can peel off disheartened democrats and end up with a viable third party that includes libertarians. Yea, right, that will work.
In the end, we are going to be stuck with the republicans if we want to have our values reinforced by our government. Other than term limits, I don’t see how we can break the old-boy, inside the beltway network of backscratchers.
You want to know what state I'm in?
I'm highly agitated.
Very disgusted.
Angry as H-E-double toothpicks.
Or did you mean where I live?
LOL... Well said.
Love those pre-paid envelopes they provide, and I use them regularly to register my complaints.
Anyone who votes with us over 50% of the time...is welcome. Them’s the rules!
I don't mind the republicans being a 'big tent' party. I do mind when those that are invited under the tent take out saws and begin destroying the poles holding up the tent. Those folks need to seek shelter elsewhere.
all I know is the Republicans stand for no abortion, a stong military and less taxes...and I’ve chosen these as my issues...
The rest of it is harder to guage....and i don’t think every canidate will always support every position I take...but those 3 are essential.
Nothing you said contradicts what I said, from which I deduce you obviously didnt get my point.
“Funny the DemocRATS never saw the need to run a moderate candidate.”
They dont have to. An extreme, ultra-liberal like Obama is called a ‘centrist’ by the liberal media and you get moderates voting for him.
It’s a scam. See my comments in the threads about Rep Gillibrand, the next NY Senator. She is a 95% ADA rated ultra-liberal Democrat. But because she panders on gun issue to her more conservative district, the media calls her a ‘blue dog’ and other nonsense. It’s all ‘marketing’. The liberals do what they can to not look liberal.
Nope. He's right. 36% of the electorate is conservative (fiscal and social both). 30% of voters are self-identified Republicans. 80+% of those Republicans are also conservatives.
The Republican base is a conservative base, and MOST (but not all) conservatives call themselves Republican. Officeholders are not as conservative overall, but most Republicans (eg in COngress) are conservative.
The Republican party has been leaning so far to the left, that the Republicans and the Democrats are practically the same party.
That's phony baloney. Obama funds abortions overseas, closes gitmo and will release suspected terrorists, proposes $2 trillion in deficit spending including billions for ACORN and hundreds of billions for liberal pork, says we need to abolish the Defense of Marriage Act, funds stem cell research, puts a tax cheat to head the IRS and an eco-extremist socialist to be his environmental advisor. AND THAT'S IN ONLY 3 DAYS!
Wake up to reality and see what really IS, instead of what you would like it to be, or what you imagine it to be.
Dittos - the reality is the Democrats are more leftwing and dangerous than you can imagine. If you arent outraged, you are not paying attention.
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