The Fastest Fall: On the Need for the Conservatives To Get Their Game Together – Soon

The Richmond [VA] Times-Dispatch ^ | October 13, 2005 | Ross Mackenzie

[quidnunc]

Conservatives had better learn — and learn damn fast — that unless a party can gain political party and hold on to it, no amount of ideological purity will be much more significant than breaking wind in a cyclone.

Just as conservatism evolved away from the isolationist, business-versus-labor model — leaving Pat Buchanan and his ilk floundering about in the political wilderness like beached whales — so too is conservatism evolving apace away from the small-government, libertarian model so dear to the hearts of Rush Limbaugh and his acolytes.

Bush has recognized this and has parlayed it into two presidential terms.

However, if movement conservatives start an ideological war withing the GOP, everything which Ronald Reagan and those who believe as he did accomplished is in danger of being wrecked.

The my-way-or-the-highway conservatives are fast becoming the mirror images of the lunatic-fringe Democrats from moveon.org.

If the GOP is driven to the right, the Reagan Democrats who are socially conservative but fiscally liberal will be alienated and will rejoin the Democrats.

This is the reason Bill Clinton was elected twice.

[cripplecreek]

The GOP better get THEIR act together.

[xcamel]

And people forget just how genuinely crappy life was at the end of the BJ Clintoon administration.

[veronica]

Just as conservatism evolved away from the isolationist, business-versus-labor model — leaving Pat Buchanan and his ilk floundering about in the political wilderness like beached whales — so too is conservatism evolving apace away from the small-government, libertarian model so dear to the hearts of Rush Limbaugh and his acolytes. Bush has recognized this and has parlayed it into two presidential terms. However, if movement conservatives start an ideological war withing the GOP, everything which Ronald Reagan and those who believe as he did accomplished is in danger of being wrecked. The my-way-or-the-highway conservatives are fast becoming the mirror images of the lunatic-fringe Democrats from moveon.org.

BTTT...

[thoughtomator]

So all it takes to stay in power is to rally behind a cause inimical to our best interests?

If I wanted that I'd be a Democrat.

[jveritas]

Pragmatic Conservatism Is The Only Way for a Long Lasting Conservative Majority.

[Cicero]

For what it's worth, conservatives didn't start this food fight. Bush did.

I have supported Bush for five years, in spite of his sometimes doing things I don't like. But as I've said before, judicial appointments are the bottom line. A lot of other conservatives feel the same way.

Bush has done this to himself. There still may be time to pull his ratings and his reputation back up, and he has certainly shown himself capable of recovering before. He can be a fighter, but I hope he decides to fight his enemies instead of his friends. I hope he takes a good hard look at this whole business and finds a graceful way to back out of it and start over.

[CindyDawg]

I remember but I haven't seen anyone to vote for. The only interesting one, has his hands full with a pit bull DA right now.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

So, do you think your comments promote unity or drive people away?

[Gondring]

So all it takes to stay in power is to rally behind a cause inimical to our best interests?

If I wanted that I'd be a Democrat.

BUMP!

To some, it is "ideologization"...
To others, it's called "integrity"...

[cripplecreek]

Just remember, the interest of the individual is secondary to the interests of the party comrade.

[Gondring]

Pragmatic Conservatism Is The Only Way for a Long Lasting Conservative Majority.

But is that Conservatism? At what point is "pragmatic" actually "selling out"? And who cares about a majority if you don't get what you want anyway?

[ModelBreaker]

Just as conservatism evolved away from the isolationist, business-versus-labor model — leaving Pat Buchanan and his ilk floundering about in the political wilderness like beached whales — so too is conservatism evolving apace away from the small-government, libertarian model so dear to the hearts of Rush Limbaugh and his acolytes.

Do you think the evolution away from small government by conservatives is a good thing?

[LibertarianInExile]

Let me see if I got this straight.

"First the GOP gets rid of the isolationist non-free-traitors. Then it shakes loose that pesky small-government, libertarian wing. Ideological purity? That's just silly talk. Dig up the corrupt Jay Hanna GOP of the Gilded Age, that's WAAAAAY better than trying to get elected based on a platform. Screw these people who want a party philosophy...we run to put our people in power, the only principle is WIN!"

I'm aghast at how fast you people want what had yet been a party of principle to race to join the Democrat whoring. And you think...somehow...it's VIRTUOUS to do so. Who are you, and why do you call yourself conservative, anyway?

[quidnunc]

thoughtomator wrote: So all it takes to stay in power is to rally behind a cause inimical to our best interests? If I wanted that I'd be a Democrat.

No, it means that in order to be a successful politician you have to walk the line between a lot of competing interests, and it's usually not possible to eget everything you want.

So the choice is between compromising ibn such a way as to advance your agenda a little at a time, or howling the cant of your pure ideology in the political wilderness while the othere guy advances HIS agenda.

[jveritas]

If the ultra conservative ideologists want to leave so be it. It happened before when the Buchananite wing of the Republican party left or was kicked out, and since then the GOP has won the Congress and state governorship since 1994 then the White House in 2000 and 2004.

[xcamel]

Pit Bull, no, can of stinky old bull sh!t, yes.

"Supporting Bush is like having your cake and eating it too. The cost is many extra hours on the stairmaster, not running away like a confounded dim."

[Gondring]

...compromising ibn such a way as to advance your agenda a little at a time...

But that's not what's happening... What's happening is "compromising in such a way as to retreat our agenda a little at a time"...

[Always Right]

The GOP better get their act together and start acting like Republicans. Where is the smaller government? Even Bill Clinton won by declaring the era of big government is over. The GOP should impliment that popular sentiment if they really want to win.

[quidnunc]

Cicero wrote: But as I've said before, judicial appointments are the bottom line.

And you have no concrete evidence thus far that you have been betrayed on this point.