Posted on 09/27/2006 11:30:48 AM PDT by truthandlife
Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey has launched an attack on Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, saying Dobson and his "band of thugs” are "nasty bullies” and accusing the Republicans of pandering to the Christian right.
In an interview with Ryan Sager, author of the book "The Elephant in the Room: Evangelicals, Libertarians, and the Battle to Control the Republican Party,” Armey said the GOP was "adrift and rudderless” in its commitment to small government.
When pressed by Sager about what he feels is wrong with today’s Republican Congress, Armey – who became majority leader when the GOP took control of Congress in 1994 and retired in 2003 – said: "The criteria of choice in just about every behavior you see in Congress today is politics. Where in the hell did this Terri Schiavo thing come from? There’s not a conservative, Constitution-loving, separation-of-powers guy alive in the world that could have wanted that bill on the floor.
"That was pure, blatant pandering to James Dobson. That’s all it was. It was silly, stupid, and irresponsible. Nobody serious about the Constitution would do that. But the question was will this energize our Christian conservative base for the next election.”
Sager asked why it seems that Christian conservatives are more powerful now than in the 1990s. Armey replied: "To a large extent because Dobson and his gang of thugs are real nasty bullies. I pray devoutly every day, but being a Christian is no excuse for being stupid. There’s a high demagoguery coefficient to issues like prayer in schools. Demagoguery doesn’t work unless it’s dumb . . . These issues are easy for the intellectually lazy and can appeal to a large demographic.”
Armey, who was first elected as a Congressman from Texas in 1984, toned down his remarks – but only slightly – in an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal on Sept. 23. He again brought up Dobson: "The national representatives of the social conservative movement used to be sophisticated and tolerant. Today, they are sophomoric and angry. It's an embarrassing spectacle seeing leaders bullied around by the likes of James Dobson, or watching the Christian Coalition team up with MoveOn.org in support of bigger government.”
Armey – now chairman of FreedomWorks, a national grassroots advocacy organization – did not reserve his criticism for the GOP, going on to write: "Perhaps the only thing more embarrassing than being a loyal Republican in this election season is being a loyal Democrat. Although the party has offered no proposal to fix Social Security, the aspiring House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and the Senate majority leader hopeful, Harry Reid, held yet another press conference recently denouncing the secret Republican plan to "privatize" the failing entitlement.
"While Democrat pollsters are no doubt telling their candidates that the P-word will effectively scare seniors and other swing constituencies to the polls, this strategy has consistently failed in past election cycles.”
Correction: you've nothing but ad hominem.
I thought Dick Armey was a Christian. He defended Homeschoolers against a bill that would have made homeschooling illegal.
Prior to Nixon it did. Conservatives have always been for less government interference (and by extension, smaller government). Only with the influx of former Souther Democrats have we gotten the "Social Conservative" nanny staters who are little different than their liberal opponents.
Amen to that.
Thanks Spirit for the personal testimony. Dobson is a guy who has developed a successful ministry, and who freely expresses his views on political issues that have social impact. Because of his high profile ministry, he has influence with millions of people. He is not a "hater," like the left, and many libertarians are. I haven't agreed with him on some political stances he's taken, but I certainly stand with him on his overall love for what's decent and right.
Thanks for the ping, Spirit. I agree, Dobson is first class. Too bad the airwaves are so polluted in this nation that any defamation at all gets front-page treatment.
Thanks for the photos and I agree with your description of Dr. Dobson.
I have been to FOTF four times. It is a lovely place.
BTW, is that a '69 Cougar?
Neat picture and well said.
'70 Cougar. Another pic on my site (click my screenname)
Nice site, LS.
My second car was a '67 Cougar. Loved those vacuum operated headlights and sequential turn signals.
Very cool.
Armey has turned into just another greedy lobbyist.
Dick Armey is a conservative. He is a Christian. He is Republican. But clearly he differs politically from many people who share the same commitments.
Thanks for the ping!
Good on you.
There is a light in your eyes that says at least as much as your words. People who would call Dobson a bully simply do not know the nature of the man. He is as gentle and yet as passionate about life and Jesus' ways as any man. None of us will know the full impact of Dr. Dobson's work until all things are revealed in heaven. I look forward to seeing the fruit of his ministry when all our deeds are known and everything that is hidden will be brought into the light. Dr. Dobson has nothing to fear on that great day of rewards that is waiting for all believers.
His book, _Dare To Discipline_, in the wayback days, was a huge help to me, raising a very strong-willed child.
Agreed!
How fortunate that you were able to meet him.
And, how fortunate for him to meet you. ;o)
Thanks for the ping!
I know this is a couple of days old, but if you want to see the actual level of dedication to smaller government most FReepers have, then you just have to check out this thread. Ping.
Hear, hear! Preach it Dick. LOL. I love this guy.
A humble, reasonable, self-controlled authoritarian? Please. There's no such animal.
Dick? Is that you?
/s
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