Take a Second Look

American Spectator ^ | 10/18/2006 12:08:49 AM | Quin Hillyer

[Small-L]

Stay the course. Don't change horses in midstream. Let them finish the job they've started. It's always darkest just before dawn.

Or maybe, less pithily but more positively, this: On second thought, look around your hometown, because life may be going better than you realized.

Republicans trying desperately to hold their congressional majorities still lack a simple message that resonates with voters who usually or at least often lean right, but who this year are disaffected. They need something like (but better than) one of the examples above, something that gets voters to say, "Okay, dammit, I may not be happy with them, but I'll give these guys one more chance. The Democrats sure haven't given me anything to vote for, and at least these Republicans are in my general vicinity on the issues.... Yeah, dammit, okay."

[Small-L]

Are Republican voters really so shallow that we vote for cute one liners, or do Republican voters look at the issues, the past performance of elected officials, and the willingness of candidates to fight for our agenda?

[pissant]

We look at the issues. Realize the GOP is doing about 60-80 of things correctly. Then look at the democrats who are communists and traitors and then look at the libertarians who are limp wristed pacifists. Easy choice. Thanks for asking.

[pissant]

60-80%

[mdittmar]

I think voters with real convictions will vote for Republicans,then work to further Conservative values.

I like cute one liners.

I will not forget this wound to our country or those who inflicted it.

[Uncle Miltie]

(R)s spent too much.

[SoCalRight]

How about... We're more gay than you thought but not as gay as the other guys.

[mdittmar]

That's funny,would make a great bumber sticker.

[A CA Guy]

How about we are not going to vote for the fire breathing Communist Democrat and we are not stupid enough to do the same thing by staying home and not voting or throwing it away on a losing third party candidate.

Remember Perot and what that got you for 8 years.

[pwatson]

RUSH today tried to explain this to the conservatives I am not voting because Republicans are too liberal group. I know this is a complete waste of my time to try and communicate to you that are passionately pissed off at Republicans. But for the sake of our fighting forces overseas and our kids. If you do not like the Liberals and RINOs in the Republican party you have to do the hard work of getting local conservatives to run for office in your school board, city and county races. Then they have to run for state wide offices and finally congress and senate at the national level. Not voting for the Republicans in order to punish them will not make these rank and file conservatives show up at the local level training camp to work up the major leagues into national politics. Just where do you think congressional and senate candidates come from? Some RNC boot camp or RNC training camp that has a computer database of RINO and Real Conservatives and they just call them up and say by the way will you run for the local congressional district? If you dont vote and they loose congress and the senate do you think they will just go oh my we sure better listen to the conservatives! Joe call up that job bank and change if from RINOs to only true blood conservatives that we will run for office. That is not how it works, there is a local pool of political candidates in local governments and on occasion local business people or lawyers and professional people who decide to run. If your in a semi-liberal state and all these local folks are RINOS then thats all the RNC has to work with. The RNC will fund and support anyone locally to run for any office. They have to take what they can git in the local job pool. I will say again not voting does not make more conservatives show up to win elections. Only local grassroots politics by you the enthusiastic conservatives gets that pool of potential candidates who can take over the Squish Republicans and its party. It is hard work. a lot harder than not voting.

[P-40]

Are Republican voters really so shallow that we vote for cute one liners

Generally they just irritate me because I see them as the first line of a longer, more relevant discussion...and usually the one-liner is all you get.

[etradervic]

Its simple: the economy is booming, unemployment is down, interest rates are down, the stock market is up, we have been protected from a major terrorist strike since 9-11 - why rock the boat?
Any conservative that stays home and does not vote is just a tool of the left and deserves the ridicule and loathing that the the Dems have to offer.

[Taxman]

Just remind your FRiends, neighbors, relatives and business associates of the turly terrifying ideas that Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid and their minions carry around in their skulls full of LIEberal/Socialist/Marxist mush!

That ought to create onehellofapowerfulincentive for you (the generic "you") all those folks to get out and vote Republican!

Let's re-elect them and then take them to the woodshed!

[Intolerant in NJ]

On his (and Corpse's) show tonight, Hannity did a great job of listing some of Pelosi's "San Francisco values" by reciting her voting record - multiple votes in support of gay marriage and against laws forbidding the taking of girls across state lines for the purpose of getting abortions without the knowledge and consent of their parents, for example - the 'pubs should flood every Congressional district in contention between now and the election with one minute ads listing some of these votes and reminding people that if the 'rats win the House, the woman with this record will be third in line to be President......

[Smokin' Joe]

I 'have' to vote Republican. It is winter. The ground freezes deep here and it gets darned tough to dig holes to bury my guns in....

[kevkrom]

Seriously, how many times does this have to be repeated before it sinks in? Vote conservative in the primaries, and Republican in the general election.

Or, as has been stated otherwise, vote for the best candidate in the primary and against the worst one in the general election. I can't think of a single meaningful race in the country where I'd rather have the Democrat candidate win than the Republican one, even if I don't like that Republican.

[Small-L]

Vote conservative in the primaries, and Republican in the general election.

Nice thought, but when the party powerful controls who is on the primary ballot, who gets the campaign funds in the primary, and selects RINOs who then run unopposed in the primary, we don't have much choice.

[Tolik]

One-liners.

If it does not fit on bumper sticker, its too long.

Avoid any serious discussion, because it takes too long.

24/7 cycle gives only enough time for a 10 second soundbite.

Avoid serious discussion but blame your opponent for painting black-and-white picture.

I was not too long, was I?

</sarcasm>

[P-40]

Vote conservative in the primaries, and Republican in the general election.

Vote conservative in both and sooner or later you will get conservatives.

[kevkrom]

Vote conservative in both and sooner or later you will get conservatives.

Nice fantasy -- such a strategy in reality will hand permanent control to the socialists.

[P-40]

such a strategy in reality will hand permanent control to the socialists.

You mean...like the present situation?