Posted on 03/03/2009 5:21:17 AM PST by GeorgiaDawg32
I think we can all agree (perhaps not) the GOP has a long way to go to simply get to mediocre as far as conservative principles are concerned. RINO's abound and the GOP has become nothing more than "Democrat Light".
WHAT IF Rush does in fact start a conservative 3rd party, and his 20 million listeners immediately leave the GOP and join this new outfit. Let's also assume this happens in the next couple of weeks..
What are the implications for the '10 races?
What are the implications for the '12 race for President?
Wouldn't this simply split the GOP and hand '10 and '12 back to the democrats? (small "d", it's intentional) due to a split vote??
Would the new conservative party become large enough in the next 2 years to displace the GOP or at least have a major impact on the upcoming elections?
Who would lead? IOW, who are the current Republicans that we'd like to take with us, and who are the RINO's we'd leave on the bench with a pleasant, "Thanks but no thanks, we don't want you"?
The chances of this actually happening are somewhere between slim and none, IMO, and I believe I just saw slim climb on his horse and head out of town, but the time is coming, eventually, for a new conservative party. It's not a question of "if", but "when"..
Uh no, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the people who think that if you disagree with them in any way shape or form about abortion policy (about which the Constitution is silent), or foreign policy (which the Constitution never specifies), or any other number of issues, then you're obviously a RINO.
It's not government power, or Republican control over that power, that we are trying to "conserve". It's the Constitution and individual Rights and liberties that we are trying to conserve. If not, then we really are no better than the Commie Democrats.
A serious threat to break from the Republican party is far from foolish. The Republican Establishment holds disdain for every day Conservative voters - they just want our money and our vote. As far as a stance on the important issues go - the Repug Elites want Dem Lite - play nicey nicey. Don’t fight against the Illegal Alien invasion, move to Socialism Lite - yada yada yada -— THE CONVERSATION must be changed with an ‘in your face attitude.
The Conservative Cry must be ‘Lead, Follow or GET OUT OF THE WAY...
Your plan to retake the Republican Party is a good one - but the other end must be worked — push - shove the Elitist - organize and SHOW that the everyday ‘men and women’ of the Conservative movement are WILLING TO BOLT if not allowed to move the Republican Party back to a Conservative stance.
In short - No Threat - No Win.... continue on as usual.
As an alternative - Conservatives should formally organize as a Party within a Party - give it a name. Then work to coordinate voting as a bloc in State and National elections - especially in Republican Primaries.
If Russ Limbaugh wanted to - he could lead such an organization and call for his following to vote in a bloc manner.
Example - if a State Republican Party (with pushing from the RNC)attempted to use their clout to impose a moderate (a.k.a. RINO liberal) Congressional Candidate onto the slate — then the call from Limbaugh and other national Conservative leaders could go out and Conservatives all over the nation would inundate the state Republican leadership with phone calls, emails, faxes and letters.
And if ignored, turn out a huge Conservative voting bloc to put a stop to it... A Party within a Party — officially - organized with contact lists - leaders at the local level to work AGAINST the mushy - moderate - liberal portion of the bigger party...
Conservatives are just not using their clout in an organized way WITHIN their own Party.
Conservatives are just not using their clout in an organized way WITHIN their own Party.
NOW yer speakin' my language.
We’ve been trying that here in conservative York County, PA for years. The party regulars are very good at keeping out those they don’t want, even in this conservative county. We have no conservative elected officials. Some may claim the mantle, but their voting record says otherwise.
Hmmmm.....that IS a problem. As you say, and my experience has also been, if unchecked, you can get a group of "good ol' boy country clubbers" in who like having the petty power more than they care about conservatism. Can you please FReepmail me with some of the specifics about how they go about keeping everyone else out? There are probably ways around it, where you can force yourselves in, with the right parliamentary procedures and maneuvers. I can maybe talk with some folks here, off the record, and see if they have some tips I could pass back to you. It may be just as simple as finding out when the yearly County convention is, and showing up en masse, nominating yourselves, and overwhelming them with numbers. Or it might now be that simple.
That's how we're doing it in my (liberal) county. We have a small cadre of regulars who like the idea of controlling the party apparatus. Unfortunately, they don't do a thing. The GOP in my county had basically no presence or visibility in the county in the last election - they didn't even make pre-election phone calls, do mailings, or anything. Only 5 or 6 of the 49 precincts actually have chairmen. Coming up this Saturday, that's going to be changing. We're getting together a lot of like-minded turnout, are running candidates for chairs in each of the 49 precincts as well as for the executive committee positions, they've all been vetted as solid conservatives, and have received some rudimentary training on parliamentary procedure so that we can recognise and head off any tomfoolery that may be tried.
Any credible biography of Lincoln would tell you that he only won in 1860 because the Democrat party split into two parties with the Democrats running Stephen Douglas and the Southern Democrats running John Breckinridge.
Lincoln won with less than 40% of the vote. The two Democrat parties combined had 47.6% of the vote.
If the Republican party were to split today, the Democrats would enjoy the same advantage that the Republicans in 1860 held when it was the Democrat party that splintered. It would be a disaster for conservatives.
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