Posted on 05/22/2006 10:21:56 PM PDT by FairOpinion
Whats really stunning is this absolute certainty of angry conservatives that A) Republicans will learn the right lessons from the defeat, and not, say, respond in a panic by embracing their inner RINO and flailing around for MSM approval and B) that the Republicans can easily win back Congress in 2008, just by stiffening their spines and pledging to return to their conservative roots.
I have my doubts on both counts. For starters, why would Republicans get the message that we need to be more conservative in a year that conservatives were knocked out?
In the Senate, a bad year for the Republicans would mean the loss of Rick Santorum (who has lifetime American Conservative Union rating of 88 out of a possible 100, and a 92 in 2005) in Pennsylvania, Jim Talent (93 rating lifetime, and a 96 in 2005) in Missouri, Conrad Burns (91, and a perfect 100 in 2005) in Montana and Mike DeWine (80 lifetime, only 56 in 2005) in Ohio. Of course, Ohio voters who sit this one out will replace DeWine with Sherrod Brown, who has a lifetime rating of 8 and 4 for 2005.
If the GOP base doesnt show in Maryland, you get Ben Cardin (lifetime rating of 6, 2005 rating of 0!) or Kweise Mfume (lifetime ACU rating of 4) instead of Michael Steele.
Nice job, guys. Your effort to re-conservativize the Republican Party in Washington by staying home this year will have the effect of massacring the actual conservatives and empowering the moderates who you disdain. Perhaps we can call this counterproductive maneuver RINO-plasty.
Once the Democrats regain control of Congress, a GOP takeover is going to be exponentially harder than it was in 1994. Youre never going to catch the Democrats as flatfooted again.
(Excerpt) Read more at tks.nationalreview.com ...
Foreign policy will not change much. The military will not be cut as long as people remember 9/11. I hate the thought of a dem in the whitehouse but I expect them to suck. What I hate more is to have my own team that I put in, laugh and snicker back in washington about how gullible we are and start throwing legislation around screaming....
" Gentleman! WE MUST PROTECT OUR PHONEY BALONEY JOBS, HURUMPH!"
We had the perfect position, and we looked the other way on so many things, until we realized... we're the dopes. It has happened again.
"He is an honest and believing Christian, and I think he is genuinely concerned about the Mexicans."
If that's his big concern, he's got the wrong job.
Great article and one that should be read by every FREEPER and lurker and taken to heart.
It's my honey bunny's turn on the web. I'll let you referee the children's recess here, while I go pack more care packages for the troops.
Sorry, but what is the difference between having the house, senate and a president with a 90% approval rating that can not get judges installed, ignore immigration laws, and out of control spending and being an irrelevant 3rd party?
Kind of a blurry line.
The all or nothing folks do not see the big picture.
If a Republican is 90% Conservative, not a real Conservative in their eyes.
But maybe the one who can win over the liberal Dem.
Their answer, sit at home, or vote third party
making the all or nothing folks feel a 0% conservative is better than a 90% Conservtive.
What are these people smoking. To them black is white, right is left and up is down.
The pseudo conservatives are working hard for Stretch Pelosi for Speaker. Me, I will stick with the Republicans.
A concern - unless you want a President to leave ethics at the door. I don't.
Its a rough job, the merest whim at that level of power costs lives. You and I can carp about his judgement, but it is his judgement, and I expect that judgement to include due attention to his conscience.
He[ck], no!
Losing as defined by whom?
The republicans?..... Then I'm not sure I care..
Conservatives? .... Seems like true conservatives are already losing... Being sold out by RINO's in the republican party..
The Voters?.... Voters choose who gets to wield power in the President's office, and the Halls of Congress.. The only way they lose is if they choose the wrong people..
I'll try to vote for the "most conservative" candidate I can find.. although lately choices have been limited..
I won't vote for a Lib or a RINO..
Just because there is an (r) behind their name means nothing.. actions mean something.. voting records mean something..
When a Lib sells me out, I pretty much expect it..
But when a republican sells me out, it really ticks me off.. and they lose my vote, permanently..
I can and do vote for Independents when they meet the conservative criteria..
I will vote for a conservative Independent over a RINO every time...
What I'm seeing in congress right now is a bunch of RINO's.. They will not get my vote, or my campaign contributions..
I am guessing that a number of military strategists have gained advantage by relying on such thinking.
90% approval means approval of things that everyone approves of. It was gone quick enough when the terrorism scare died down.
And having a nominal and slim house and senate does not mean that that senate/house majority agrees with itself 100%. A majority does not mean a one-party state, nor does it mean a bunch of single minded robots.
And he did get conservative judges installed, unless I was asleep and dreaming these last few years.
If you want to see irrelevant, wait for a switch in the house, we will indeed be irrelevant.
They do, but the "purists" don't; go figure.
bttt
Congress is the most conservative its been since I can remember (and my memory goes back to Nixons day).
The Senate is something else, but the Republican majority is very slim and not very conservative.
Perspective, like patience, is another conservative virtue.
Perspective? Is that like situational ethics?
Bingo, doesn't take a brick in the head for most logical conservatives to figure that one out.
You can name about 5 consev. judges the rest have been blocked there were openings for dozens. remember meyers?
Sorry but he had time and the mandate to pass some huge legislation, but he increased spending. Don't speak of irrevalancy when you have a p%ssy like frist that cant say "Screw you " to a dem filibuster.
If you can't see that conservatives have been neutralized politically you are a fool or so naive that it is sad. And since we are, why should we pay for the privledge? Like paying for the motel room for your date to sleep with another guy.
He has to balance the misery of a huge number of poor and blameless people vs US national interests. I don't envy him this choice.
There is no way to put off the guilt of dealing with it on someone else either. That is a cop out. He has the power, it is his choice, it is his guilt.
This is the kind of thing that prematurely ages people.
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