Posted on 11/09/2006 12:00:39 PM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
The Republicans lost big. I'm a Republican -- and yet I'm not devastated. For the first time, the loss doesn't feel personal. Why?
Because from President Bush on down, no one in the party seems to touch us the way some Republicans previously did. Many haven't gone out on a limb, in our behalf, to champion our causes. Many didn't respond to our offers of help.
Many of us who take the issues seriously were sickened every time Beltway Republicans and RNC leaders referred to those Democrats -- who mock us, and our country, and care more about terrorist "rights" than the safety of our families -- as "our friends" across the aisle.
It's hard to feel personal about elected officials who seem incapable of enunciating what I believe and what I stand for. If they understood what we hold dear and why -- who we are -- they would be able to express it themselves. Unless, of course, they really don't feel it. They don't seem to be one of us.
Fire begets fire. But this crop of Republicans seems unwilling daily to fight hard and say what has to be said. No passion. They leave us cold. What they do possess is loads of timidity and a pre-occupation with appearing "reasonable" -- Washington-like. It’s our party but not “our guys."
Never in my lifetime has the party been so bereft of individuals to whom one can feel a personal bond, an affection, a long-distance connection. Never before has the party been so comprised of colorless, political robots. The party has no personality. It has become a shell without a core, a hodge-podge without a germinating seed.
It has become a party of slogans, such as "stay the course" and No Child Left Behind instead of one with guts and patriotic heart. It is too globalist and Madison Avenue and not enough Main Street. They took our loyalty and belief in them for granted, giving themselves permission to prolong, much too long, Iraqi nation- building with American lives and dollars. Assured of our patience, they chose easy-way-out political-correctness.They didn't respect us -- until election eve.
They seemed so unrecognizable -- these pre 1980-like Republicans, as often does their President whose every other sentence starts with "compassion" as well as references that are alien to this life-long conservative. I often cringe.
It's a group who won't stand up for their own. The minute the media make a charge against a Republican colleague or supporter, they've shown they'd rather appease the media than stand by a brother. This is not an endearing quality. Nor is it manly. All along we’ve wondered: Would they stand up for us?
While we often find the party an ideological home in which to hang a hat, it seems to have lost the ability to touch us emotionally. Reagan did, as did “Bobbie” for the Democrats. Only that can explain why millions of die-hard conservatives are this afternoon, upon the heels of this week’s defeat, able to make reservations tonight for a dinner. We feel anxious about the country's possible new direction, but we aren't in mourning for friends. Too bad, unlike in the past, the loss doesn’t seem personal.
We ARE gonna take it all back in '08. Look at this as a vacation from the chihuahua RATS who've been snapping, snarling and ankle-biting us for years. We finally have a chance to think straight and get our ?Rove? on.
You stated exactly what I'm hoping will happen, i.e., the pubbies get off the present kick they're on and get down to good old-fashion principles.
Hope you are right, but STILL... I never had any inkling Arizona was so PRO-HOMOSEXUAL. I thought Colorado would be the first one... but ARIZONA? :)...
I wish we had an ORGANIZATION dedicated to fight the homosexual agenda FULL-TIME. This people are aggressive, almost dangerous.
Oh, it'll happen! We may have had a few threads that allowed us to lick our wounds, but there is no way the fight has left the dog!
NO MORE SUPPORTING RINOs! It's time to get back to work and clean out the Republican nest. That nest has been soiled by weak-kneed, gang of 14 types who do NOT deserve our support or votes. Game on.
I was a little bummed we lost the Senate. The House situation was oh-so predictable for nearly a year. But I can't say I'm devastated. The political landscape has been a bit murky lately, with our guys over-spending and over-growing the government, and Bush pushing that horrid amnesty for illegals. Indeed, it's this latter situation that really dampened my usual enthusiasm big-time.
Although there will be a lot of adversity (and heartburn) with the Dims back on stage and in the spotlight, there's something rather invigorating about the upcoming frays. This is where Republicans really thrive. True, the Dims can create a lot of damage, and that's certainly a huge concern. But, isn't everybody just chomping at the bit, ready to jump into the knock-down drag-out with those slimey, America-hating rats? I sure am!
Bump
Exactly. I am very upset for the military and for the country that the Dems will now be in charge of the War. I am sickened by that thought- but cannot say I am surprised it happened. When Rs act like Ds- it is no surprise that they have a hard time staying in power. I can't imagine why many Rs think the answer is to move to the left- **News Flash** the Dems will not vote for Rs- no matter how far left they go. The Rs however, will not vote for Rs that they cannot distinguish from Ds.
Lesley Gore--"It's my party and I'll cry if I want to, cry if I want to, cry if I want to. You would have cried too if it happen to you." ?
If so, I'm waiting for Gore's 2nd hit: "It's Judy's (Demos) turn to cry."
If he does that... I almost feel sorry for the guy and his legacy!... He will be hated even more than Carter....I am SURE of it. Of couse he will become the darling of the left... I hate to think about it...
Sir, allow me to share why I am not disheartened.
My God is still in control, not Nancy Pelosi. 'Nuff said.
Of course the last time the GOP lost control of Congress they lost it BIG (then had some serious misteps in 1964 that made it even bigger). Right now the Dems have about as much control of Congress as the GOP did after the 2000 elections, and we see just strong that level of control turned out to be.
Really given the thin control we had and the history of mid-terms this shouldn't come a suprise, history says we controled congress for 4 more years than we could have expected. Part of this loss was setup in 98 when the impeachment played so poorly with the voters and actually allowed the Dems to gain seats in a midterm, and it looks worse because the Dems so horribly misplayed 02 and allowed us to gain seats in a midterm. Had normal history played oout in 98 we might still have control today, had normal history played out in 02 we wouldn't have had control to lose Tuesday.
THAT is devestating, and everyone who thought they were doing great by voting libertarian will be so thrilled with more Ruth Ginsbergs.
I completly concur with you. However, on some level it is not up to God. God will not require/force us to be obedient if we hard-heartedly choose not to be. And thus, in such a continuing scenario of disobedience the blessing and protecting hand of God is removed from us collectively.
I miss not only Ronald Reagan but Fred Thompson, Dick Armey, Lamar Alexander, Zell Miller, .....
For the past 12 years, I remained both annoyed and discouraged by the wishy-washy Republican majority in congress that seemed to allow the Democrats to run the show and decide the agenda but I remained thankful that 'we' had the majority as I felt that if the Democrats ever gained a voting majority in congress, the war in Iraq would be lost, a la Viet Nam, and President Bush would be unfairly impeached - if not removed from office, just so the Democrats could extract revenge for the Clinton impeachment and smear Republicans as 'law-breakers' in order to gain a political advantage in 2008. Sadly, this is now a very likely probability and is inimical to my - and the nations - interest.
I cannot put George W. Bush in the same 'class' as Ronald Reagan, as President Bush appears to lack the kind of rock-solid convictions of his core principles that drove Reagan. However, Bushs inability to convincingly articulate the importance of staying in Iraq to the nation and to lead the too-timid congressional leaders (Hastert, Frist) into battle for principle-driven programs, such as partial Social Security privatization and border control - the latter an issue where President Bush was notoriously weak and far too willing to accomodate illegal entry into this nation as a given that had to be accepted and legitimized by government - was a [huge disappointment. To what end President Bush championed 'amnesty' for illegal aliens, I'll never quite understand, except as some sort of misplaced compassion. If so, that kind of an emotional approach to a serious national crisis is inexcusable in a president elected to protect and defend his country.
Like the good Rabbi (the author of the lead piece) I'm not 'devastated' by Tuesdays loss of congressional 'control' - but I am dismayed. The next two years are not going to be much fun for conservatives and, one hopes, will energize political conservatives to reject the 'go-along-to-get-along' (with Democrats) mentality that plagued too many congressional Republicans recently and shove 'maverick' RINO politicians like John McCain aside in favor of more serious and truly conservative candidates for congress and, especially, for president in 2008.
That will be a winning electoral strategy and one that could finally end Democrat party power in American politics for a generation, as it would be based on principle, not personality and certainly not pandering and expediency or a wish to get 'good press' from news outlets that hate everything you stand for. President Reagan was able to govern effectively with a Democrat-run congress and I'm hoping that President Bush can, too. However, as we all know, whatever his attributes, George W. Bush is no Ronald Reagan. I wish he were.
Wonderful! Thank you. That's the song that should be #1 on November 5, 2008.
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