Conservatives abandoning their principles

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Sunday, February 27, 2005 | Colin McNickle

[Willie Green]

In politics, goes the proverb, a man must learn to rise above principle. Republicans certainly are doing a good job resembling that maxim -- and with bad results assured.

President Bush's political savant Karl Rove was the cock-of-the-walk this month bragging that conservatism has become "the dominant political creed in America." Surely it must be one of those off-brands because what's been passing for conservatism these days is quite troubling.

Let's start with Rick Santorum.

Pennsylvania's junior U.S. senator this week is planning to introduce a bill that would raise the minimum wage.

[Ksnavely]

well imho, even the most liberal conservative is better than a conservative liberal.

[Goodgirlinred]

He did not say how much the proposed increase is. Folks on Social Security got a cost of living increase this year. Why can't there be a cost of living increase to the minimum wage?

[the invisib1e hand]

conservatives abandoning their blah blah blah...

no they're not. Because you can't fathom how a conservative thinks, and, therefore, are thrown by every original thought that one has, you assume that they are "abandoning their principals." In reality, they are abandoning you're pigeon-holing of them and leaving you in the idealogical dust, you pitiful imbecil.

[Racehorse]

The sins (of abandonment) as pronounced by Colin McNickle:

. . . there's never a good time to raise the government-mandated wage floor because the "good" of minimum wages is a fallacy

The debate over Social Security reform rapidly has devolved into an unseemly contest among "conservatives" to see who can snooker the American people into believing that taxes must be increased to "save" the supplemental retirement system.

. . . Mitch Daniels, President Bush's former budget director, wants to jack up taxes 1 percentage point on those making $100,000 or more. It's billed as a "temporary" increase

. . . several GOP governors who are eschewing market solutions to the growing Medicaid problem.

. . . some key Republican senators, including Ted Stevens of Alaska, appear to be succumbing to the nonsense that humankind must curtail certain activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to "save" the planet

[Mr. Mojo]

"well imho, even the most liberal conservative is better than a conservative liberal."

That particular grey area can tough to distinguish. But certainly a conservative Democrat (Zell Miller) is considerably better than a liberal Republican (Olympia Snowe).

[stopem]

LOL! Good Point, I concur.

[the invisib1e hand]

"you're pigeon-holing" ought to be "your pigeon-holing."

[evad]

well imho, even the most liberal conservative is better than a conservative liberal.

I was about to agree until I took time to think.

How about Joe Lieberman vs Arlen Specter?

[farmer18th]

well imho, even the most liberal conservative is better than a conservative liberal.

The Clintons ran center and governed left. Conservatives sort of run vaguely right and then govern vaguely left. After the "values" revolution, we allowed Arlen Specter to take the chair of the judiciary. In the name of Social Security reform, we are hearing "conservatives" call for raising taxes? The world is turned upside down, and apparantly many Freepers will take any policy--no matter how nutty--if it's called "conservative."

[Congressman Billybob]

Reporters are so sloppy. This article begins with what it claims is a proverb. It is not a proverb, it is a quote. Jere's the accurate quote, and the source:

Adlai Stevenson, Jr., during one of his runs for President against Eisenhower, said, "Sometimes one must rise above principle."

Sheesh.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, "By Dawn's Early Light"

[farmer18th]

"four legs good, two legs bad..." blaaanh, blaanh

If "conservatives" win the revolution only to espouse leftists positions, there's a name for that. It's called fraud.

[DennisR]

Because government should have absolutely no say in how much one person agrees to pay another.

[HangnJudge]

A true Southern Democrat in the past has often been more conservative
than a Northern Republican
Witness the wholesale change in the statehouse
of the Georgia government over the last 6 years
from "Democrat" to Republican
Zell Miller is an excellent example

[Knitting A Conundrum]

--And, yes, many so-called conservatives are Republicans-In-Name-Only (RINO).--

Or should we say that there are many republicans who are conservative in name only?

[Goodgirlinred]

Ok. I was just asking. Then why do people on Social Security get cost of living increases? I am not trying to be a smart alec, nor am I trying to act dumb and I am not dumb. I just want to know the answer. I am new to the financial aspect of politics, AND I AM a Republican and always have been.

[Goodgirlinred]

Well, that makes sense. Unless someone is treating an employee like a slave. You know, a "sweat shop".

[scottywr]

I think that Joe Lieberman is an old fashioned democrat... part of the nearly extinct party that believed in national security, civility, and statesmanship. Even though their domestic policies were wrong you could hold a civil debate without them attacking or even assassinating their opponents character. Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman are good examples of these old fashioned democrats. The modern liberal is an entirely different animal. They are socialists who only understand activism and have abandoned the great traditions of statesmanship or the idea that people with opposing views should be debated and not assailed. The democrats have steadily lost power the more liberal they have become. I think the new Weenie brand of Republican is basically an old time democrat that has become unrecognizable in the new liberal party and try to call themselves republicans (RINO). Arlen Specter would have been a democrat 50 years ago. We should not give these people positions of power in our party.