GOP faithful open convention (California)

Sacramento Bee ^ | Aug. 18, 2006 | Laura Mecoy

[FairOpinion]

With President Bush down in the polls, gasoline prices on the rise and the electorate dismayed by the lack of progress in Iraq, California Republicans gathered here Friday for their final statewide convention before the Nov. 7 election.

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore urged the party faithful to focus on the domestic issues of taxation, government spending and education, rather than the national security.

But he was optimistic the GOP could win in California and praised Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for resisting tax increases.

"One state where we have the best chance to bring us back is California," he said.

The governor is scheduled to address the convention at a luncheon meeting Saturday, and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is slated to speak at dinner Saturday night. The convention ends on Sunday.

[pissant]

Not just doom and gloom. But total falsehoods

[delacoert]

Heh. Sounds fine to me.

[Conservative Goddess]

This is the post that struck me:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1686240/posts?page=3#3

"I have no problem backing Republicans in every race, and will do so. I won't vote for one Dem!

My problem is that too many Republicans don't take the war on terror seriously enough, though."

Why do some insist on voting for Republicans regardless of what they stand for, support, or fail to support?

If the candidate doesn't support that which is important to you, DON'T VOTE FOR THEM! HOLD THEM TO YOUR STANDARD!!! Why is this so difficult?

When we consistently and reliably vote for the lesser of the evils, it allows and encourages the Republicans to assume a position to the right of the Dem---if only by degrees.

On the other hand, if the Republican candidates know that they will not get your vote unless they uphold certain standards, they'll move to meet the standards. This is the only way to move the Congress to the right. Voting for the lesser of the evils allows and encourages a gradual slouch to the left, as in "Slouching Towards Gommorah." --Robert Bork

[Just A Nobody]

If we lose this war, nothing else matters--!!!

Exactly!

[Just A Nobody]

Does the MSM start every article about the Democrats similar to the way they started this one?
How damn pathetic.

No, of course not! After reading the first line, it is difficult to continue reading.

With President Bush down in the polls, gasoline prices on the rise and the electorate dismayed by the lack of p progress in Iraq,

Polls? - SPIT!
Gas prices up? - They went down 20+ cents a gallon here.
Lack of progress in Iraq? - If the "author" of this drivel is this ignorant, why would I read further.

Repeat the lie often enough and the buffoons will believe it!

I LOATHE the ENEMEDIA!

[basil]

Every thing you (and Mr. Bork) point out is probably right. At this point in time, though, we don't have the luxury (IMO) of messing about trying to teach the Republicans a lesson. We simply can't afford to have anyone else running the war on terror---we cannot have a dem majority in congress who can screw up the president's strategy for executing the war. Today's dems are so obsessed with their hatred for President Bush that nothing short of destroying him is their goal.

We can already see how difficult it is for him with a pubbie majority! In this coming election, no issue but the war is important, again, IMHO.

If you haven't seen this, please spend an hour watching it, after which I sincerely believe that you will agree with me

Islam Obsession

[basil]

Darn! It looks like Google has taken that video off of it's website!

That's a real shame, because it is the best thing I have seen to really inform us about the Islamists determination to eliminate all of us "infidels" and destroy our civilization.

[pollyannaish]

Incredible. Pathetic is right. Thanks for the ping.

[basil]

ping!

[Conservative Goddess]

If you fear the Dem (I would say LOATHE is a better word), then why do you tolerate Dem-like actions from your Rep or Senator? I won't tolerate it anymore.

Get on the phone. Fax. E-mail. Let him/her know that they will not get your vote until they support that which is important to YOU. They are not our leaders or rulers. They work FOR YOU, but they are not mind-readers. If this Representative Republic is going to work as designed, You have to communicate with them and you have to let them know you are watching their every move. They're a lot like toddlers.

Just like precocious children, if they get away with something once, it only emboldens them when the second opportunity presents itself...and the third, forth, fifth, etc. We must nip that type of thinking in the bud, or in the case of politicians, trim the branch if it is too ingrained.

And if now is not the time to hold them accountable, when? There's always going to be a reason why we can't hold them accountable...can't stand on principle today because of [fill in the blank]. That's another one of those Republican fallacies/talking points. If we dare to hold them accountable to conservative principles...they correctly realize they've failed, and that they've not earned our support....so they perpetuate these myths.

I refuse to play along anymore. If we do cede a seat or two to the Democrats, so what? It will only put the fear of God into the rest of them. Moreover, the same principled political action that we can use to hold Republicans to a standard will work on Dims because there is NOTHING a pol fears more than the loss of his/her job. Dim/Pubbie/Green/Constitutionalist/Communist/Libertarian, whatever....they're all the same: They put self-preservation above all else.

If you communicate regularly, and make it clear that you will not support them in the coming election unless they truly represent you, then guess what, they'll do what you ask. The squeaky wheel, etc.

Rick Santorum provides a shining example of this. He was setting up to support S.2611, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Proposal, until angry Pennsylvanians started calling his office (I think I called three times within a week). Because his poll numbers are horrendous...trailing his Dem challenger by double digits for most of the race, he turned on a dime....voted against the bill and has since been grandstanding against it. I doubt his sincerity on the immigration issue (He's at odds with the President AND the man who sponsored the bill: Arlen Specter (yeah, the guy he saved from certain defeat)), but the credible threat of ouster coupled with principled political action clearly changed his course.

The Republicans are scared. This is not the time to throw your support to them regardless of what they have done. Now is the time to tighten the screws...use their fear to YOUR advantage...instead of allowing them to use your fear against you. If you vote for them "because the evil Dem will be so much worse," you've allowed them to play you like a fiddle. Turn that fiddle playing around. There's no reason this tactic won't work with all of them...moving them to the right on issues that are important to you. This is especially true of those who are facing tough electoral battles.

Because I can't tell from your screen name whether you are male or female, I'm going to provide two analogies. Pick the one that resonates: MALE, Go on OFFENSE!!! Stop playing DEFENSE!!! Female, Hold your vote in the same esteem that a virgin holds chastity. The INSTANT you give it up, you've lost a lot of power.

As long as you withhold your vote, YOU hold all of the power...now USE IT to YOUR advantage!

[jim_g_goldwing]

So well and elegantly communicated ---- very good!

[basil]

Good advice! I've been doing this for more years than I can remember.

[basil]

Ii hate to sound like a broken record here, but I have found a website so that you can at least see several trailers from the film about the Islamists--and order the entire film if you so desire.

OBESSION

Again--I cannot say it strongly enough--we all need to watch and absorb the message in this video!

[basil]

Sorry--here's a "live" link. (Us old folks can't seem to get it right the first time!)

OBSESSION

[Conservative Goddess]

Thanks Jim_g.....I try, really I do.

[Conservative Goddess]

Thank You. If more of us did this, the Republicans would look a lot more like the party of Goldwater. I'm doing my part.

[Conservative Goddess]

Here's another perspective......seems pretty clear.......they want us all dead.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/08/the_convert.html

[Just A Nobody]

Were we not just talking about this? Basil has found a place to order "Obsession"

[jan in Colorado]

Yes, Justa, that is the movie I was talking about. Everyone needs to watch it. I was already aware of the evil, but seeing it, and hearing it really opens your eyes to exactly how evil this enemy is that we are dealing with. There is no talking, appeasing or compromising...this evil needs to be wiped off the face of this earth once and for all!

[Badray]

BTTT