Posted on 10/18/2006 7:01:51 AM PDT by IrishMike
John Stuart Mill once famously called the British Tories "The Stupid Party." From time to time since then, the Tory's American cousin, the Republican Party, has also earned that moniker. Now may be one of those moments. If current polls and anecdotes are to be believed, there may be a million or two conservative Republicans who are planning to not vote this November. Of course, Mill also said that : "A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but also by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury." Apparently, these anticipated conservative non-voters are annoyed with Republican imperfection. They are disheartened, disappointed, disillusioned, distempered, dismal -- and thus plan to dis the party that better advances conservative principles in government. They appear to have fallen victim to the false syllogism: 1) Something must be done; 2) not voting is something; therefore, 3) I will not vote. Of course the fallacy of the syllogism is that the second category could be anything. For example, number two could as well read "eating dog excrement is something." I rather suspect that they will feel about the same afterward, whether they chose the non-voting option or the scatological one. They are both equally illogical -- and repulsive -- and would deserve the moniker, "Stupid." Here are some tell-tale signs of the sort of person who would vote (or not vote) to cause the election of a party which would act to defeat every value and interest he holds dear (merely because the party that will at least try to advance most of those issues has not done as well as he might havehoped) ...............
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Conidering Tony Blankley's paper decided that the winning strategy was to throw the Speaker of the House overboard just because the Libs demanded it weeks before the election, I'm not so sure he's on solid ground to lecture sanity.
Nor, does anyone in Washington have the right to lecture conservatives. I told them they risked letting this happen. I told them that while mid forties would stay pat that if a 1% or 2% decided to stay home they could easily throw the election. And some fools, even here, said fine let them stay home. That they weren't needed. Now they turn around, call them names, and threaten them to coarce their vote. The vote they decided wasn't so damn important by their words and by their actions earlier.
No, if Republicans lose anything the fault is theirs and theirs alone. They got arrogant and they assumed the conservative base was like members of the Dem coalition that cared more about power then the issues. That's their fault.
Now, do I think conservatives are going to stay home?
No.
Because the same condecension evidenced by the Reps throughout the last couple years is on full display by the Dems. The fact those idiots think Foley will send Christians screaming in horror, it's insulting to say the least. It is insulting to produce polls that show Dems with a 25% advantage. It is insulting to shop for curtains in advance.
Pelosi giving speeches preaching Marxism without fear of electoral fallout makes me gag.
And then we have the Reps. Reps that never want to do the right thing, never want to keep their campaign promises. They've shown with a litle fear in their soul they can be forced to heel. Oh, they find a way to still screw us. Like letting the filibuster stand. But some judges made it through and they couldn't succeed in putting another lib on the court. Some of them tried to stop the Patriot Act, they were forced to fold. McCain and Linds tried to further damage our troops safety, and they were forced to accept what the President wantd given the outrage. They tried to get amnesty, and were instead forced to ok and fund a fence. Now I know they are planning not to build the same, but they've planned a lot of things the last few years and had the rug pulled from them. That fence comes up or a lot of them have some explaining in '08.
Basically my opinion is this. If Reps couldn't be brought to heel with added pressure, toss them overboard. But since we have hope based on past experience they can be forced to keep their promises, they can stay temporarily and we'll re-evaluate their progress in two years.
But understand this Republicans. There is going to be no "rah Rah" pom pom waving after this election that you are still in power. You didn't earn it, you were just extended mercy. And the day after we're going to take back up the issues you have failed to implement and demand some changes.
I'm not buying any of it as I've yet to run into ONE person who leans right saying they are staying home. Not ONE.
.
.
Nor I. Hopeful media hype.
If Republicans win more elections than democrats why do some people call them the stupid party? How about the democrat losers, are they smart beyond belief? If they are that smart, why do they keep losing?
The Republican Party has been influenced by pressure from the conservative base on judges, immigration, tax cuts, partial birth abortion, etc., and yet you're going to hold your breath and not vote like a baby merely because not everything is 100% to your satisfaction. Do you think you will have ANY influence on Speaker Pelosi or Senator Hilary? What about national security? Do you think that the Democrats will be more pro-family values? And if you are a believer in Lenin's dictum about "the worse the better", what if it doesn't pan out that way and no backlash does emerge against a majority Democratic Party? Where will you be then?
All I am doing is insisting on the proper order of things. It is the candidate's job to win my vote. He serves me. It is not my obligation to provide principle-less power to a group of immoral, power-hungry thugs simply because I am a registered Republican.
It is also my view that a liberal in my own party is worse than a liberal in someone else's party. I won't vote for either.
If you refuse to compromise because candidates are not pure enough for your tastes, you will be directly responsible for the impeachment proceedings distracting this country from the war on terror in next two years and all of the loony-left judicial appointments you'll be saddling your children with & which will still be there after you depart this earth.
If you actually believe there is no difference between democrats & republicans on the two most important issues of our time: national security & judicial despotism, you were never a conservative to begin with. In fact, most people could hardly be blamed for questioning whether you were ever even conscious to begin with.
BTTT! Well said
I will never forgive the Perot voters for giving the Clintons power in D.C. They gutted the intelligence services and the military, and it resulted in 9/11. There is no political outcome that could compensate for giving aid and comfort to the Muslim terrorists who saw Clinton's weakness and were encouraged to attack us. That was the horrific result of the lack of political judgement by the Perot voter.
Perhaps the Repubican base will stay home on election day as a protest, perhaps not. But lets look at this from another perspective. What exactly is there to inspire the democrat base to turn out on election day? Besides free smokes and some cash, hatred of Bush is the only think I can see that they have. Hell, they can stay in the comfort of their homes to do that. Why go out an vote? What is new and exciting for the base?
I keep going back to the election to fill Cunningham's seat. Prior to that election it was written that the scandal would anger Republicans and result in low turnout. Of course, the overall turnout was lower, but relatively speaking, it was the dems who didn't turn out and/or the Republicans who did turn out didn't vote dem as a protest.
Yep. Plus, I know how to proofread what I write.
Agreed. I don't believe all these people on the forum either, who claim to be conservatives and are "voting third party." Everyone knows there are subversives on political type forums and I'm not buying their crap.
If the Dems win the House again, they may hold it for another 40 years. How would we win in that case?
I have to question the intelligence of those who believe that it is "principled" to punish the the GOP by allowing the GOP to lose, which allows the REAL enemy to win.
Fine question them but don't insult them like a child. Has no one heard the saying "you'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar?"
Great strategy.
Some people want their vote and if they are relunctant to give it then insult them. That strategy has been so successful for the Dems. [sarcasm out in full force]
I have nothing but disrespect for anyone that cannot construct a good solid argument to re-elect Republicans other than waving the Nancy Pelosi flag and claiming they aren't Democrats.
Would it be too damn hard to understand the root of the frustration and convince them on merit that a Vote for a Rep is the choice they need to make this cycle?
Or would some prefer to take the ineffective lazy route and simply threten and namecall which NEVER works and won't get any what you want.
Here's a little insight into the mind of a conservative extremely frustrated. Right now they feel they've exhausted every route to get through to their elected representatives. They've phoned, written, they tried primary challenges but the national party chooses to interfere. They've given the Reps stronger Majorities because they said in 2002 it was too slim to accomplish anything. Then the Reps proceeded to feel little inclination to accomplish anything of value to them after 2004. The reason some have considered staying home is that they feel it's the only avenue left to them to make Republicans understand they can't govern as Democrats and retain that power they covet. It's a sign of desperation, and the GOP establishment drove them to this place. It's on the GOP's head their voters lost hope that their voices were even being heard.
Now if anyone wants to gain their vote you'd be better served NOT namecalling or using threats, which won't change one solitary position. You'd instead occupy your time by giving them evidence that Republicans can be made to act on conservative promises when disinclined.
Exs= -A Select group of Judges like Pryor and Brown
-Harriet Miers
-Alito
-Patriot Act
-Fence Legislation/McCain's bill in limbo rather then
Law as intended
-President's, NOT McCain's, bill being passed
-Cuts in rate of spending growth
-Tax cuts continued
These are just a few items on which they've been brought to heel. Now we should NOT have had to work so hard to get these through, but we DID make them pass. Go out and convince conservatives with hard work we can still get what we want even if the Reps don't want to give it to us initially and they might change their stances. But if you go forth and tell them they are idiots and we just should vote Rep because Dems are worse? You won't recruit one single vote. Nor will you deserve to.
This is my purely mercenary analysis of the situation.
As WC Fields once said, "I never vote for anyone; I always vote against." While hardcore voters won't be swayed from the straight party ticket, it's the "WC Fields" vote that wins elections.
Normally, the Democrats are an easy target to oppose. The problem for Republicans is that their performance to date has been so abysmal that most people want to vote against Democrats and Republicans, in equal measure. They want what the Republicans could bring, but don't, and that's a hard sell when you're an incumbent defending your seat. "But my opponent would be worse" is normally a pretty effective argument, but you can negate that advantage by your own incompetence.
Candidates can't just point the alternative is worse. You have to make them feel it. Voters have to feel less disgust when looking at a Republican than a Democrat, in order to pull the lever for them. Right now, most voters aren't feeling it.
Of course, insulting said voters, on top of failing to deliver for them, won't make you any yardage. Calling people stupid for not voting a certain way is another step towards a well earned defeat.
Quote: "If the Dems win the House again, they may hold it for another 40 years. How would we win in that case?"
That can't be repeated enough. Too many "teach em a lesson" conservatives assume that the dems would be two years and out once the Republicans get their acts together. That is one hell of an assumption. By hook or by crook, the dems would hold onto power. They could practice incrementalism, i.e. pretending to be moderate while chip, chip, chipping away to get their agenda enacted.
Alternatively, the dems could just enact marxism and hold power by the Conyer's method. You know, any election lost by the dems, Conyers could hold a lame duck hearing to investigate the elections, legislation or some trickery would follow to refuse to seat the newly elected congress and voila, dems forever. Sound paranoid? We are talking about a man who held mock impeachment hearings in the basement of the Capitol. Prior to 2000 did anyone forsee what Gore pulled in the election? These people stop at nothing.
I think too many of us are suffering from a case of amnesia. We have forgotten what it is like to be in the minority. There is not stopping the next "great society" legislation from being enacted. Republicans shut out of meetings, Borking judges and worse, etc. Imagine this one, CBS, ABC, NBC and that is it (except maybe CNN and MSNBC). These people, the dems, are stalinists plain and simple. They will shut down all voices of opposition, including, FR.
So to my "teach em a lesson" friends out there I say, I hope you will enjoy the gulags!!!
Domestic Cultural issues:Senate(S): 2 House(H):4
Domestic Economic issues:
Fiscal issues: S:2 H:2
Monetary: S:? H: ?
Work: S:2 H:3
Trade: S:3 H: 3
Foreign Policy: S:3 H:3
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