Posted on 04/21/2006 10:00:52 AM PDT by Impeach98
Thank you for saying that.
A lot of people confuse the two. That was the other thing that Melanie gets a lot. She'll talk about the conservative movement and people will talk about the Republican Party.
The Republican Party has certainly been the party that advanced conservatism in recent times, but it's the party straying from certain conservative principles that is part of the crackup in the conservative movement right now.
Wrong.
REPUBLICANS have no clue.
And that's because 'Republicans' can be anything from a pro choice, gun grabbing, tax and spend, big government liberal to a pro life, pro gun, small government conservative. It's now wonder we can't 'hold' power. We constantly are fighting the ideas of our liberal counterparts and they are within the party.
The GOP will never gain and retain power with such an identity crisis. A party divided cannot stand.
When people get disgusted with their party, in this case the GOP, sometimes they go third party. Most of the time they just drop out altogether because they cannot and will not abide the left wing of the party.
They will not support pro choice candidates or the party that supports them.
They will not support gun grabbers or the party that supports them.
They will not support tax and spend liberals and the party that supports them.
Are you seeing a trend here?
You may be one that disparages 'single issue' voters, but a lot of people have lines that must not be crossed. When they have nowhere to turn, they turn away totally. Again, you may be one of those who disparages that reaction too, but people of principle should never be taken lightly.
A renewed GOP centered on Constitutional principles without pandering, without special favors for certain groups, with respect for freedom, without its hands in the pockets of taxpayers would be larger than the current GOP, and stronger. Such a party would retain power for generations to come.
That message brought to you by a Republican Party hack who is afraid of liberty and the things that people do that he doesn't approve of, even when it doesn't effect him or anyone else. (One of which is voting for anyone other than a Republican no matter the person's beliefs, just as long as the person is an "R".)
Great way to put it.
And for too long the GOP has bought into the big tent theory whereby anyone could be part of the party until it became only about winning, not about solid principles.
The party that will stand for anything, in fact stands for nothing.
Let me translate this for the lurkers:
Badray belongs to the party of sex, drugs, n'rock n' roll.
And IF I had born a Rockerfeller - I wouldn't have to worry about my bills.
If pigs had wings they could fly.
The reality is - this is and always will be a two-party system. If we don't elect Republicans, then Democrats will win - its that simple.
I know there are conservatives who feel that letting the dems win will galvanize conservatives to turn the Republican Party towards the right.
What they don't realize is the terrible irreversible damage the dems would do to our nation in the interim.
The other thing that many do not realize is that only about 1/3 of Americans consider themselves to be conservative. There is no way that 1/3 will ever be able to outweigh the other 2/3s. The farther to the right we pull the Republican Party - the more voters we'll push into the Democratic Party. Not a good thing in my book.
LOL
For your information, I am a Republican who is solidly in the right wing of the Party. Ever hear of the Republican Assembly? I know, you hate them too, right?
I am a Christian who loves sex, likes rock and roll but prefers the big bands of the 40s and 50s, but I rarely even take prescribed medicines and won't take so called recrational drugs. I am pro life, pro gun, and want low taxes and small government that stays within its constitutional bounds.
But in your eyes, I'm a terrible person because I don't kiss Republican ass or worship the Party.
Polls consistently show more Americans self-describe themselves as "conservative" than any other political affiliation/leanings.
LOL
I love your inconsistency. In your post right above the one that I am replying to, you point out that there are those who should be excised from the party. But when I say the same thing, I'm the one who is dividing the party.
You are such an ass.
BTW, exactly which of the things that I outlined are you having a problem with? Do you think that a party should stand for certain things and against others? Or don't principles matter? Take a pick. We cannot be take all sides of an issue and expect success.
If the GOP ceases to be the party that advances conservative beliefs then what should I care about it's success?
So, whatever it takes to get the GOP back on track on certain issues such as federal spending, growth of government, illegal immigration, etc... is fine with me. Because in the end I want the GOP to be a conservative party or else it will no longer be the party I identify with.
No. I think you're a naive person if you expect to accomplish anything at all in a third party.
Brothers and sisters in arms within the conservative movement are dealing body blows to each other,
is demonstrably wrong. Brothers and sisters in arms within the conservative movement are, despite disagreement over individual issues, united. The problem is that the Republican party has been taken over by "compassionate conservatives", i.e., not-conservatives. The body blows are between conservatives and socialist statists.
The premise is flawed.
Out-of control government is the enemy, not the democrats.
Did I advocate a third party?
I only said that the party should take one side of an issue.
How does taking both sides of an argument advance your principle?
An example:
The GOP, in all of its many manifestations, whole heartedly supported pro abortion Arlen Specter when he was challenged by conservative, pro life Congressman Pat Toomey. Even 'pro life' Rick Santorum supported Specter.
Fast forward to Rick's race right now. The GOP is blasting his presumed Democrat candidate for not being pro life ENOUGH!
Do you see any inconsistency?
They support a pro abortionist, but condemn a pro life opponent for not supporting life ENOUGH!
Even if that escapes you, it hasn't escaped the attention of lots of pro life Republicans.
The GOP doesn't give a damn about what you believe as long as you support them with your money and votes. All they (or the DNC) want is power. Talk of principles are just the buttons that they push to open your wallet.
Do you really think that they care about what you think when they send those 'exclusive' surveys (that probably most people get)? No, they are just finding out what your hot buttons are so they can send you the appropriate fund raising letter with the red meat that will get you to give them money.
What are you smoking?
Or did you misplace your reading glasses.
I am a Republican.
I didn't advocate a third party here, did I?
I jsut refuse to vote for someone just because they are in the same party as I am. Is that so hard to understand?
I guess for you, it is. Sorry to have troubled you.
Well said.
You're statement about the Republican Party and statists is further proof of this. My guess is that your "perfect world" outcome and the "perfect world" outcome of these Republican "statists" would be very similar.
But instead of taking the fight to those who have a very different view than you, you take the fight to those who largely agree with you.
The solution is to find a way to achieve unity where we DO agree. We expect the Sunni's, Shites and Kurds to do it in Iraq, yet conservatives are making little effort to do so here at home.
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.