It's not social conservatism that lost the '08 election, as the left would have you believe. It was fiscal liberalism. "Compassionate Conservatism" is what the Democratic Party used to be. The Republican-controlled Congress have spent our money like they hate the stuff, and President Bush dutifully signed it all.
People with libertarian views, such as myself, have nothing but the highest respect and admiration for religious conservatives. I don't have any beef with prayer in schools, I am against abortions, and I think that if you want to do research on fetal stem cells you should do it on your dime. The WOT is the right thing to do insofar as the C-in-C has a coherent, actionable strategery for victory (which he doesn't).
For many, the choice between Republicans and Democrats is no longer any choice at all. When social convictions are not a voting issue, it all boils down who is going to limit government and preserve our freedoms. There are precious few Republicans who fit that description.
In the interest of full disclosure, I voted for George Allen and Eric Cantor on November 8th. If the GOP wants my vote in '08, they're going to have to earn it by fielding a strong small-government conservative. So far, neither McCain or Giuliani fit that description.
The candidate who best qualifies for that distinction is Chuck Hagel (pro-gun, anti-McCain Feingold, right on Iraq, and pro-tax cut) but I suspect that conservatives are so wedded to nation building and Wilsonianism that they will never give him a second look.
The candidate who best qualifies for that distinction is Chuck Hagel (pro-gun, anti-McCain Feingold, right on Iraq, and pro-tax cut) but I suspect that conservatives are so wedded to nation building and Wilsonianism that they will never give him a second look.
The candidate who best qualifies for that distinction is Chuck Hagel (pro-gun, anti-McCain Feingold, right on Iraq, and pro-tax cut) but I suspect that conservatives are so wedded to nation building and Wilsonianism that they will never give him a second look.
You are exactly right.
Yeah--the voters are so outraged by fiscal liberalism that they put a bunch of fiscal liberals in power.