Conservatives Are Being Picky To A Fault

The Columbus Dispatch ^ | 3/8/07 | George Will

[areafiftyone]

The axiom is as old as human striving: The perfect is the enemy of the good. In politics this means that insisting on perfection in a candidate interferes with selecting a satisfactory one.

Which is why the mood of many of the 6,300 people, lots of them college age, who registered at last week

[Alberta's Child]

Giuliani successfully challenged the culture of complaint that produced the politics of victimhood that resulted in government-by-grievance groups.

George Will might want to do some research on Giuliani's response to the infamous episode at the 1998 Labor Day parade in Broad Channel, Queens.

[etlib]

I'm not a big fan of Will, but this I agree with. In politics, all-or-nothing will get you nothing.

A choice between "almost nothing" and nothing gets you, at best, "almost nothing". Who does that help?

[JustaDumbBlonde]

"It's like a hunger strike. Who does it really hurt?"

Oh, I dunno. Who suffocates when required to hold their nose continually? One might consider that self-destructive as well.

Principled conservatives are not requiring all or nothing, just more than not.

[Sunsong]

Conservatism comes in many flavors. None seems perfect for every conservative’s palate; most should be satisfactory to most conservatives.

That is very hard for the so-called *true* conservatives here to understand(s). But their name-calling should not deter us from our objective of electing a republican in 2008.

[mikeus_maximus]

I'l say this once more for all "moderates" and fiscal conservatives on this board, with no expectation that this will ever register:

Some things are more imporatnt than external national defense. Some things are more important than a sound fiscal policy. Some things are more important than keeping the Dems out of the WH in the short term.

These things are called "moral principles". They are not fodder for compromise, negotiation or concession. This election is not a "lesser of two evils" game for us. Social conservatives will not vote for those who uphold the slaughter of unborn innocents or the destruction of the marriage institution. We will not vote those into office who turn a blind eye to America's moral decline and inevitable destruction for that reason, no matter what party pin the candidate wears.

You fiscal conservatives, neoconservatives and moderates assume our apathy toward the leading candidates stems from "ignorance" or "shortsightedness" or just "stupidity." That's because to you, our primary concerns are not fundamental matters; they're only preferences. Because they are not foundational principles to you, you think we should be willing to give on these issues "for the greater good," as you would.

We know you don't understand the thinking of us "fundamentalist zealots". But then, Someone said 2000 years ago, that would always be the case.

[jellybean]

Many at CPAC seemed depressed by the fact, as they see it, that the top three GOP candidates — Arizona Sen. John McCain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani — are flawed.

I don't seek perfection--I would settle for acceptable, but would rather have someone I can support without reservation.

Join the Draft Fred Thompson Bandwagon

▲ Click the box to see where he stands on the issues.

[Siobhan]

George Will is mistaken beyond belief to shill for the RINOs.

I'm ready to draft Melissa Hart/Michael Steele.

[Las Vegas Ron]

"Principled conservatives are not requiring all or nothing, just more than not"

Amen!

[Chi-townChief]

Reminds me of Pat Paulsen's 1968 candidacy: "Picky, picky, picky ..."

[upcountry miss]

Just listened to the Hunter interview. Was favorably impressed. My concern is name recognition. Up here in the wilds of Maine (blue state so I guess it doesn't matter, except to us lonely Repubs) I find nobody who even knows who Hunter is. Of course, I am very aware that FR followers know but still haven't heard much about his values. What's the scoop on Fred Thompson? What are his values? Could he be convinced to run? He certainly has name recognition here and if he was a gun supporter, I'm sure he would get support here, even with Dems.

[MEGoody]

Why be morose? Just back a more conservative candidate than the three mentioned (such as Duncan Hunter). They can always be morose later if they feel the need.

[MEGoody]

2. He is a married man with children, so why would you use that word?

Ann Coulter used that word to describe Edwards, and he's married and has children.

[RockinRight]

Fred Thompson.

[maggief]

"Conservatism comes in many flavors. "


Tutti Fruitti?

[areafiftyone]

one where the ragers showed up in force.

Homing devices! ;-)

[areafiftyone]

ROFLMAO! That is a blast from the past!

[Carry_Okie]

Already posted here... AND HERE under three different titles.

All three are on the same Editorial side bar.

[mysterio]

Ron Paul '08.

[Frank Sheed]

http://www.ontheissues.org/PA/Melissa_Hart.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_S._Steele

[Ciexyz]

Well written article.