>> We’re driving off the cliff. Would you take chance at hitting the brake and actually stopping the car, or would you rather just let off the accelerator and go off the cliff at thirty miles an hour instead of fifty? I pick hit the brake. Enough is enough. Let’s nominate a conservative this time.
Its a cute analogy ... but completely nonsensical.
(1) We’re not driving off a cliff. People have been saying this for decades ... yet life continues to improve in the United States. We’re wealthier than we’ve ever been, we’re growing MORE religious as a nation, and life for Americans is generally good.
After virtual complete liberal rule from 1930 to 1980, we’ve had 28 years of relatively conservative leadership. Bill Clinton, the most liberal President since 1980, was probably more conservative than Richard Nixon, the most conservative President from 1963 to 1980. Liberalism is on the run (to such an extent that they won’t even CALL themselves liberal anymore). Taxes are lower, jobs are higher, the economy is booming, the welfare state is diminishing, the media is increasingly conservative (though there are still stalwarts), and we’ve finally taken back the Supreme Court.
We’ve survived totalitariansim, fascism, Naziism and Communism - and we will survive Islamic Radicalism. We’ve survived the Great Depression, World Wars I and II, Feminists, homegrown Commies, Hippies, Peaceniks, the Black Panthers, Roe v. Wade, Johnson’s Welfare State, Roosevelt’s Nanny State, Clinton’s Pantsless State, the assassination of the Kennedys and MLK, the attack on the WTC, the resignation of President Nixon, and the entire useless Presidency of Jimmy Carter.
And, yet, we’re still the strongest nation on the planet - and THE reigning model of conservative values which serves a living proof of the failure of liberalism.
There are problems, to be sure - many problems. But, generally speaking, we’re not driving off a cliff. We’re thriving.
(2) Even if your “driving off a cliff” analogy were accurate, seeking to nominate an unelectable candidate will not “hit the brakes” ... it will continue us toward the cliff at the fastest possible pace.
Instead of “slowing”, you’re picking AIM for the brake, but miss completely ... a useless gesture that only serves to make you feel better, but will ultimately do nothing to fix any problems we might have (which, incidentally, is a central theme of liberalism ... sure, it won’t work, but it makes me feel better).
By definition, an unelectable candidate will lose - embarrassingly. Such a loss could cripple the conservative movement ... just as the Jimmy Carter catastophe in 1980 killed the liberal movement (to this day), and the trouncing of Barry Goldwater sent conservatives underground from 1964 to 1980.
(3) We will nominate a conservative, just as we have for the past 28 years ... Reagan, Reagan, Bush-41, Bush-41, Dole, Bush-43, Bush-43. Of course, Bush-41 didn’t turn out as well as he should have ... he raised taxes, and LOST in 1992 because of it. Dole was weak, but conservative. Bush-43 is generally conservative, but often strays from fiscal conservatism.
And - since we’ve started nomination actual conservatives, out of those 7 nominations ... we’ve got 5 victories.
Fred Thompson (my bet for the nominee) is plenty conservative, with significant broad appeal and certain electability. Romney wouldn’t be terrible either, and Giuliani has some appeal - but Thompson’s still my bet.
(4) If Ron Paul is your guy, which I suspect he is ... a conservative he is not. Fred Thompson is a mainstream conservative with HUGE appeal to conservatives, as well as some appeal to independants. Romney and Giuliani each have similar broad appeal - though I think Thompson would have FAR more appeal to the base.
Ron Paul doesn’t even appeal to most of the CONSERVATIVES on THIS board. His outlandish views on foreign affairs, national defense and homeland security are more in line with Dennis Kucinich than Ronald Reagan. His ridiculous statements on 9/11 specifically, and race relations generally, make him an entirely useless candidate. He will NOT get my vote (under any circumstances), and will likely not get the vote of most conservatives here.
If he were truly conservative ... he’d have more support from true conservatives.
H
“We’re driving off the cliff. “
They tried that scare tactic here in CA with the Gov. race.
Nomination of a conservative would have insured the election of a left wing liberal and all the illegals would have driver’s licenses.