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Rick Perry — Best Hope for Solid Conservative in 2012
Newsmax ^ | October 13, 2011 | John Stemberger

Posted on 10/13/2011 12:19:05 PM PDT by casinva

I have good news and bad news for conservatives. But the good news and the bad news are both the same thing: We have six very impressive, lifelong conservative candidates running for the presidency.

They are the smartest candidates, the most principled candidates, the most patriotic candidates, the most persuasive candidates, and the candidates with the best ideas.

The problem lies in the fact that conservatives do not have a single favorite candidate.

(Snip)

William F. Buckley used to say that he was not for “the most conservative” candidate. He said he was for “the most conservative candidate that is electable.” Unfortunately, conservatives today are not following Buckley’s wise advice and strategic counsel.

The GOP establishment behaves almost entirely pragmatically. They typically try to find the Republican most likely to be elected and back that candidate (irrespective of what that candidate believes) in order to ensure party insiders retain control.

(Snip)

On the other hand, many evangelicals and tea party supporters are behaving as ideological purists. In their effort to choose the most conservative candidate (irrespective of their ability to win) they are violating Buckley’s principle and as a result are unknowingly helping the GOP establishment...

There is only one scenario where this can be stopped: Evangelical and tea party conservatives must immediately unite behind Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Rick Perry is the most conservative candidate who is also electable.

On all three legs of Ronald Reagan’s winning issue coalition, economics, social issues and foreign policy, Rick Perry should be the conservative’s choice.

(Snip)

Principled politics is an art form. Participating in it with as many candidates as there are now is like a complex chess match. You must capture the tension between principle and pragmatism. Rick Perry captures it perfectly. He is the William F. Buckley candidate.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: amnesty; conservatives; elections; formerdemocratperry; formerdemocratreagan; heartless; openborders; perry; perryforpresident; rickperry; rino; transtexascorridor
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To: Essie

“What Reagan Revolution? You mean the man who gave amnesty to all illegal aliens. You mean the man who also used to be a Democrat. It’s okay for Ronald Reagan to give amnesty, but if Rick Perry gives instate tuition to a limited number of illegals it discredits his over ten years of experience.”

This is not 1986. The world has changed a LOT over the last 25 years.


81 posted on 10/13/2011 1:54:13 PM PDT by Marie (Cain 9s Have Teeth)
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To: justice14

I don’t think he will drop out, and I don’t think we have seen the last of what is to come, so I have a hard time even coming up with an answer to that. I’m sorry I don’t have any thoughts on your question. I just can’t even envision that scenario.


82 posted on 10/13/2011 1:54:45 PM PDT by casinva (The stock in McDonalds has just gone down because Obama has been serving so many whoppers.)
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To: fieldmarshaldj; Conservativegreatgrandma

And what does a person in the Tennessee Democrat Party have to do with Kristol anyway?


83 posted on 10/13/2011 1:57:31 PM PDT by casinva (The stock in McDonalds has just gone down because Obama has been serving so many whoppers.)
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To: Conservativegreatgrandma

You can believe what you want, but you don’t have any facts to support your premise that Cain and Romney are in it together. That’s pure baloney from the Perry campaign.


84 posted on 10/13/2011 2:00:47 PM PDT by Turtlepower
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To: fieldmarshaldj; casinva; Conservativegreatgrandma

Don’t mess with me on slander, as you cut and splice truth for a hobby. You wrap your head in the flag and think you can still see free to drag Perry through the mud with your dis-information that only nervous opponents would love and the ignorant will buy, and you don’t want any push back? Really? Forget that. There are other threads for your vitriolic name calling rants, which serve no purpose but to incite and needle others, and this would not be one of those threads. Grant it your rants need to be ignored entirely, wherever you appear. Your one sentence @ 71, tells us where your head is: destructed, slander, attack, fraud. What a mouthful of your own agenda.


85 posted on 10/13/2011 2:03:41 PM PDT by RitaOK (TEXAS. It's EXHIBIT A for Rick, who needs to pound the fiction flackers back into the Stone Age.)
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To: marty60

As Perry continues to fade, you become more delusional...

You continue to make false accusations against Cain in thread after thread. It’s sick. You’re a Perry fangirl that will promote any lie in order to help boost your fantasy boy.


86 posted on 10/13/2011 2:04:39 PM PDT by Turtlepower
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To: Essie

Seems pretty liberal on illegal immigration to me.

I am tired of politicians pandering to this group of people.

Damn sick and tired of it.


87 posted on 10/13/2011 2:07:36 PM PDT by chris37 (Heartless.)
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To: casinva

BUMP!


88 posted on 10/13/2011 2:11:25 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: casinva

****John Stemberger is an Orlando attorney and is the former political director for the Republican Party of Florida. He has served as an adviser to state, federal, and presidential candidates for the last two decades and led the successful 2008 statewide campaign to pass the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment with a 62 percent vote margin.****


89 posted on 10/13/2011 2:12:59 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: RitaOK

Listen, n00b, you’ve been here since last year. I’ve been here since October 1998, and that’s 13 years. I’ve seen every manner and sort of disruptive trolls here, like you, attacking and maligning good people to defend their RINO frauds and other liberal trash ruining this country. I’ve fought off hysterical, shrill trolls like you and others for years and I’m still standing long after they’ve disappeared or were ZOT’ted. I’ll put my record of support for candidates of quality up against any of yours because I’ve spent years researching and studying thousands of political figures to be able to discern the good from the bad. But, y’know what ? I don’t owe you an explanation. But you sure as hell owe me and the others your fellow bots and trolls have insulted an enormous apology.


90 posted on 10/13/2011 2:13:42 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Rick Perry has more red flags than a May Day Parade)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
There is only one scenario where this can be stopped: Evangelical and tea party conservatives must immediately unite behind Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Rick Perry is the most conservative candidate who is also electable.

Cain at 29% perry at 4% and us TEA party freaks "MUST IMMEDIATELY" unite behind lil ricky.

What the hell am I missing.

91 posted on 10/13/2011 2:13:56 PM PDT by USS Alaska
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To: Conservativegreatgrandma

I was listening to Rush today and he didn’t endorse Perry....yet. But he sounded positive about him. He will be unveiling his economic/energy/drilling plan in the next day or two. It is slated to create a million jobs. Some want us to count him out because he doesn’t interrupt and take cheap shots at his fellow candidates during the debates. Big nothing burger. He has the record and he’s raising the money. Look at his record in Texas. I’d like to see obama put up his dismal record against Perry’s. The proof is in the numbers.


92 posted on 10/13/2011 2:22:37 PM PDT by jersey117
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To: Marie

” This is not 1986. “

You can say that again. Cain and Perry as young adults were democrats when the south was suppose to be democrat. They BOTH switched in 1986. Our parents were by far mostly all democrats starting out. Reagain was the best of the lot of former democrats. Rick wears his boots pretty well considering the differences are what? Non-existant.


93 posted on 10/13/2011 2:23:33 PM PDT by RitaOK (TEXAS. It's EXHIBIT A for Rick, who needs to pound the fiction flackers back into the Stone Age.)
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To: Essie

Great post Essie. Well said.


94 posted on 10/13/2011 2:24:05 PM PDT by jersey117
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To: CSI007

Well he doesn’t flip flop but Rick is flat out wrong on Immigration issues among other things and stubbornly doesn’t change.


95 posted on 10/13/2011 2:28:11 PM PDT by Mozilla
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To: USS Alaska

What are you missing ? You’ve said no to the kool-aid and that makes them shake with righteous indignation at you and the rest of us. These Perrywinkles drink the kool-aid and they LOVE it. They can’t get enough. He’s just about to tie Ron Paul in the polls for what, 5th place(?), and they still think he’s ahead.


96 posted on 10/13/2011 2:29:39 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Rick Perry has more red flags than a May Day Parade)
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To: casinva

At this point I’m pulling for Cain, but I would love to see Perry pick off Romney. The only candidate I really don’t like in this race is Romney, any other candidate in this race besides Paul and Huntsman I would not mind seeing take the Presidency. But, a lot of Rick Perry’s campaign problems lie directly at the feet of Rick Perry. Debates matter, and it’s like what Rush said the other day, Rick Perry has no energy. The best way for Perry to get back on track is to come out swinging at the next debate and win. When/if he does that I can guarantee he would overthrow Romney for the 2 or 3 spot.


97 posted on 10/13/2011 2:30:50 PM PDT by erod (Unlike the President I am a true Chicagoan.)
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To: jersey117; RitaOK

jersey, You mentioned Rush.

I wanted to add that, if you scan all the articles since the last debate, many many of the conservative journalists and writers are now writing with frustration that Perry has not been able to get his strong points out yet. They WANT him to have a good showing and are frustrated with the wait!

RitaOK mentioned this same thing earlier as just someone who is watching the process of this nomination. It’s not over yet, and there will be plenty more vetting and candidate info to come out, but Perry sure is giving grief to those who want to see him step up and hit those home runs!

I’m looking forward to Perry’s energy and economic plan which I believe is supposed to be out in print form tomorrow (Friday). That will be one good point of campaign communication, I believe.

And then, like the conservative writers and citizen nomination spectators, I’ll be waiting in frustration until I see the Rick Perry I’ve seen get back to his best game.


98 posted on 10/13/2011 2:42:16 PM PDT by casinva (The stock in McDonalds has just gone down because Obama has been serving so many whoppers.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Thanks for adding that info on the author!

Pretty impressive!


99 posted on 10/13/2011 2:44:16 PM PDT by casinva (The stock in McDonalds has just gone down because Obama has been serving so many whoppers.)
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To: mnehring

Yep. Thompson and Rudy.


100 posted on 10/13/2011 2:45:31 PM PDT by rintense (ABO is not a winning strategy.)
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