This goes back to this message, I believe:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1821435/posts?page=13846#13846
This was the part that I reacted to:
DCPatriot, not realizing the implications of the context (I hope, cause I like DCPatriot!)
And the conservatives that are strident on abortion and gun laws are going to have to become ‘average catholics’...in analogical parlance.
Good catholics who practice birth control. Divorced ones that still go to church and give up sweets for Lent.
Which was saying, join the ranks of the unfaithful or else.
Catholics might behave in that fashion in real life, picking and choosing from church teaching as they feel comfortably with, but the church says they aren’t being good catholics when they behave that way, although they might be good people. Encouraging a seriously faithful catholic who knows the church teachings on these issues is to invite them to commit mortal sin.
I am sure that’s not the intent of the analogy; but the problem is, conservatives that care about conservatism before general GOP membership would no doubt react the way I did on the invitation to join the ranks of those who are unfaithful to the church. There could be a point I could not hold my nose and vote for a GOP candidate just out of party loyalty. My core values could be stretched too far.
If the party drifts to far left and becomes too much like the Democrats, it will leave the conservatives behind, like the Democrats left southern conservatives. If it drifts far enough left, it will leave enough conservatives behind to form a viable new party. And when that happens, it will be ripped to shreds, like the Whig party before it.
The answer, IMHO, isn’t to become a Democrat-lite. Every step in being the party of the middle, instead of being seen as being a party of clearly defined values that are different than the left, undercuts the need for a Republican party.
But that is MHO. Your mileage may vary.
Good post.
Certainly didn't mean to offend your Catholicism. I could have use Southern Baptist or Presbyterian.
Maybe I should have said 'blue-collar' Catholics. {{{ducks}}}
Ones that put their forty hours in (attends Mass and receives the Sacraments)but that's all.
Those are the kind of strident conservatives that Rudy will need if he is the candidate of the GOP.
Ones that realize some things are worse than dying.
Dying's easy.
Keeping that pantsuit out of the Oval Office...that's real hard...without the help of BlueDog type Consevatives.