Posted on 03/31/2005 7:39:11 AM PST by 1stFreedom
For over a decade I’ve tried to convince people in the pro-life movement that leaving the Republican Party wasn’t a good move. The past few days has changed my mind, and I started to write this article when the news broke that Terri died.
Florida has shown us that the best that the GOP has to offer is a losing strategy.
For decades abortion has remained “legal” due to the same problems which were present in Florida: an arrogant judiciary and an unwilling executive branch.
The call for Jeb to refuse to enforce the illicit orders of Judge Greer went unheeded. As a direct result, Jeb’s actions sanctioned the starvation of Terri Schiavo. His Pontius Pilate approach to saving her life hasn’t fooled the pro-life base.
His public denial that there wasn’t anything more he could do was a slap in the face to the pro-life movement and to Terri’s parents. It is well known that he indeed had these ORDINARY powers as the Governor of the State of Florida.
If this is the strategy the GOP has to reign in the Judiciary, then it’s time to find another party. It is simply not acceptable that someone could be starved to death in the United States of America with “legal” sanction.
But where does one go? Many of the alternative parties are too idealistic or too focused on history to reach a broad spectrum of people. And some of the names are quite silly….
In my mind, an ideal third party candidate would appeal to socially conservative Republicans, Regan democrats, and minorities. A coalition party can indeed win…
What are your thoughts?
There ARE centrists, right wingers who are evangelical, right wingers who are just old fashioned conservatives like the John Birchers and those Republicans who have a real mixture of attitudes, MOST, but not all, of which fit the GOP platform.
Not all Republicans were for keeping Terri Schiavo alive. They couldn't say anything, though. Not all Democrats were for letting her die. They could say anything either.....and didn't.
My 2 cents.
Secession?
"However there were some republicans(feds) who fought a good fight for Terri and what they were doing should not go unnoticed."
Yet there were progressives (e.g. J. Jackson) that did much more.
Ask the Libertarians how much that bought them. Not Jack. Choose the party that BEST represents your interests, and work within that party to your ends. If it isn't the GOP, so be it, there probably was no reason for you to join them in the first place.
>>There are a few ... some of them nutcases.
This is quite a problem with the existing alternative parties. Then again the GOP and DNC have their own nutcases as well.
>>Ross Perot tapped into that segment and it got us one Clinton.
Ross didn't have the Catholic vote, Clinton did.
>>You people tapping into it could get us another.
And GB is president, and we still have an out of control judiciary. He isn't willing to change it other than to roll the dice with appointments -- a losing strategy.
So how different are things going to be under a Clinton? Either way, with the current strategy, abortion, euthanasia, and the sorts will still be sanctioned.
Is your pocket book more important than justice?
Good luck.
The answer my friend, is simple. It's time to take back the GOP.
Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeb isn't running for Preisdent in 2008.
Hey maybe 1stFreedom can send us a postcard when he gets to perfect political world. IMO, we'll being waiting a long time.
welcome! but be prepared... we eat our own...
good job on the pro-life work.
please remove foot from mouth now on this one...please reply that you were having an "episode" and lost your mind for a moment. all will be forgiven.
By forming a splinter group on the right, that will allow the Democrats to win elections with 40-45% of the vote...
IMHO:
If you dilute your vote, you lose.
If enough form or join a third party, the dems with their anti-life agenda win.
Your voting machine hand might be clean, but the results of your action will allow the situation you don't want to exist to bloom wonderfully.
More involvement with the grassroots GOP may be called for, not less. The party reflects its membership.
I grew up in Louisiana which was basically a one party dominated state - and I learned an important lesson - political parties aren't monolithic. They have factions. You find the faction that matches your viewpoint and fight like hell for that faction, and you will make differences.
My opinion, for what it is worth.
At least the Republican Congress acted to do something. I am not so dissapointed at the Republicans in this case, as I am at their overall inaction up till now. But, before the war on the Judiciary is one, much work remains in changing public perception. I would rather a Republican Congress that fights the Judicial Branch than a Dem Congress that enables it. Anyway, as I posted in another thread:
Yep, the real problem here is that congress waited till now to exercise its Article III powers. The Republicans have held congress for ten years and have abdicated their Article III responsibilities during that time. At least they fired the first shot in this battle, but it is too late for Terri and this issue was the wrong one to fire the FIRST shot.
Why? Because the MSM has been able to mislead a majority of Americans, most of whom were not paying attention to this matter prior to congress stepping in, and demagogue this issue. The MSM pushed the following facts to achieve the public opinion results it wants: 1) Terri was on life support (read respirator) or in a coma; 2)Terri left a living will; 3) Terri's family was in agreement that she would not want to live (this is a private matter); and 4) Terri received a full judiciary hearing no less than 14 times.
Given those facts, their are few amongst us who would not say that government should but out. (No wonder the poll results are what they are, they are, as usual, loaded.) BUT, the only reason the congress became involved in the first place is the NONE of the above assumptions were even remotely true.
So, here we are. The MSM has used this issue not so much to push a pro-death agenda as to promote a Judicial Supremacy agenda. For example, "you see, this is why the Judiciary should reign supreme, because it protects you dumb voters (we told ya so) from those Jesus freak evangelical Republicans!!!"
Of course, this has been a coordinated effort by the MSM and dems since they lost the election. Namely, they took the exit polling data (the same exit polls that had Kerry winning) and honed in on the "values" responses. But does anyone know what the question was that lead to the response being given that "values" were the most important thing to voters? Does anyone know what those "values" were? The MSM took it and ran with it. Values=Evangelicals=Jesus Freaks=White Male, Pickup Driving Hayseeds=Dangerous. Terri's tragedy has served as a convenient tool for the MSM (a large bunch of tools).
I just hope that the next issue, and there will be a next issue, where the Judicial Branch oversteps its bounds, congress is not afraid to act. What is going on now can't be allowed to stand. The Judicial Branch is simply grabbing all the power and proclaiming itself above the law. . ."holy committee of public safety Batman!!!" In the instant case, a Judge just basically said to Congress, F.U. and the Constitution you rode in on. How long before some Judge starts to decide on our foreign policy? How long before some Judge declares the Constitution Unconstitutional?
Why not? The two disagree on scope and detail but not on fundamental theory of governance.
Both believe in big government "solutions" to societal problems. Both are wrong.
I can never figure out why Democrats hate the current Republican government so much, hell, it gives them just about everything they want, just not as fast.
No need to bail, we just need to right the rudder!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
now come all the trolls, third party wackos, and psyops to sow disention.
No sale no thanks, perhaps they should have a whitmore hearing to determin if their lives are worth living.
You do realize that you don't HAVE to be associated with a party.
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