Posted on 10/31/2009 10:34:47 AM PDT by rbbeachkid
Although I am very happy with the events so far in New York and I support both Hoffman's run against a liberal GOP Candidate and the conservative statement to the GOP, I have some concerns.
I think that Hoffman's campaign will encourage more independents to buck the GOP establishment. While I think that this is necessary in showing the GOP that the conservative grass roots don’t want the establishment’s compromising, weak spined, unprincipled moderates, when will conservative enough be conservative enough?
There are few politicians that espouse the (small l) libertarian, small government philosophies that I believe in. I am not a public school proponent. I would like the majority of business regulations done away with. I think that the fed’s job is national defense and arbitrating between states in disputes. I think that the federal government should have little to no impact on individuals other than guaranteeing freedom.
Few candidates will have the purity that I would want. So, will I always want a third choice? Scozzafava was the logical conclusion to a GOP gone “moderate” (read liberal). She was absolutely unacceptable on a multitude of levels. But are we going to see the destruction of a real chance to make some of the changes that we want by demanding purity? In a reliably Republican district it was ridiculous to support a liberal candidate, but there are districts that are more balanced and maybe less strictly conservative candidates should represent less strictly conservative constituencies.
Unfortunately, always putting up a more conservative choice means that victory over the Democrat will require more than 2/3 of the votes. Except in situations like Hoffman, that is unlikely.
I voted for McCain last election (after vowing to never vote for him) for one reason, judgeships. There is a reason to have Snowe and Collins in the party (I would like them replaced in the primaries). The system is set up to require a majority in Washington to get things done.
Where do we reach the balance between pulling the GOP back to their conservative roots and continually shooting ourselves in the foot? We will never really win with Democrat light. We won’t even come out to vote for them. Conservative can and do win elections. But when is a candidate conservative enough?
I don’t have an answer; I am only just concerned with what we may be setting ourselves up for.
“When is Conservative enough, Conservative enough?”
When I say so.
Every voter has to decide that on a case by case basis.
Pretty simple in my book. Demand they follow the Constitution and de-construct the parts of the federal gov’t that is not constitutional (most of it).
IF we are not willing to go down that road, we will lose the country, and deservedly so.
AMEN!!!!
Where do we reach the balance between pulling the GOP back to their conservative roots and continually shooting ourselves in the foot?
I think that is a false choice. Republicans WIN when they espouse (and govern by) a conservative philosophy. It when they go statist that they shoot themselves in the foot. They didn’t get slammed in the last election because they were too conservative, despite what all the “helpful” big media pundits say.
Right...since the first time the Congress or Supreme Court used the “welfare” clause as a justification for legislating, we have been suffering under un-Constitutional governance.
“When is Conservative enough, Conservative enough?”
When we can at least field a candidate who did not FAVOR card check...
Ask: is this candidate leading America to the right; i.e., to obey the Constitution, or to the Left? We don't expect perfection but we should expect loyalty.
Scozzafava DEFINITELY isn’t “conservative enough.” If a tax and spend, ACORN loving, union supporting, pro-abort, gay marriage supporter is “conservative enough” then we might as well just all vote liberal Democrat.
It’s actually quite simple: always vote for the most conservative guy. If the guy bucking the system is more conservative than the Republican, vote for the guy bucking the system. If it is the republican, vote for the Republican. Don’t EVER vote for the Democrat.
When abortion is abolished, marriage is between one man and one woman, and the Constitution is followed.
yep. look at how many attended tea parties. the people well tell us the answers to many of the questions posed in the article and also some of those tea party attendees may just decide to enter politics because of their ideals not because of their huge egos.
Is a candidate going to lead the country in a rightward direction? Even if it’s only a casual saunter to the right rather than the galloping stamped that I would prefer - I’ll at least have something to vote for.
It’s pretty easy. In heavily R districts where any R will likely win, we should have the most conservative credible candidate. Period. That’s the way the dems do it—heavily D districts are almost all representedy by radical leftists.
In districts that are close, some compromises are sometimes necessary. But even there, a lot of unnecessarily liberal R’s get nominated.
It’s good R’s are finally realizing their country has been controlled for years by the folks who control who gets nominated by the R’s. The ruling coalition in the country is liberal R’s and the democrat party. That has been true for many many years.
Actual conservatives (as opposed to talk talk conservatives) just don’t get past the nomination that often. That is deliberate. Hopefully, conservatives will realize how important things like vacancy committee and contributing in the primaries to conservatives is. And you have to be willing to battle the party establishment with hammers and red hot tongs. They are not interested in changing the way things are.
the one who follows the constitution. NOTHING else should be legislated. Not marriage, not abortion, not schools, NOTHING. Clean house, clean up those who legislate from the bench and those who appoint them ,and read the governing document this country was founded on. IF they want to change the law then get the 2/3 ratification required, if not, get OUT of endruns around it.
You will know you have the right gal or guy when they support the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, NOT the right to housing, subsidies, and healthcare.......pray often and hard for the wisdom to discern. I place my faith in God, and then vote for the man or woman who best embodies the constitution.
The answer is pretty easy. Someone, maybe Mark Steyn, recently quoted William F. Buckley as saying that he voted for the most conservative candidate who has a chance to win.
I would elaborate a bit more:
1. How did the GOP candidate get the nomination? I think a liberal GOP candidate selected by the voters more easily gets my support than one picked by the state party leaders. I the voters pick the liberal Republican it means we need to find better conservatives to run the next time.
2. How liberal or conservative is the district? I am less likely to support a liberal Republican in a conseravative district. This is however a dangerous tatic as that is how you end up with Dim Senators from places like North Dakota who always vote GOP in the presidential race.
So I am happy to see the suspension of the GOP candidate in NY-23, Despite the GOP candidate not being a conservative as I might like, I would also love to see the 3rd party candidate drop out in the N.J. governors race.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.