Posted on 11/07/2007 3:15:35 AM PST by DoughtyOne
During this Presidential pre-Primary and Caucus season, we are evaluating who the best Conservative man for the job is. Many of us have expressed support for Fred Thompson as the most viable Conservative candidate. And of those of us who have, I have seen many express a noticable preference for Duncan Hunter, who in fairness we have deemed not be looking viable at this time.
While there is still time, I would like to suggest a reasoned strategy to help create buzz for the best candidate out there. What I have in mind would continue until the mid to last part of December. Then at that time we could re-evaluate what the status is, and continue our effort or move our support to the more viable candidate.
I do not want to drag down a good man. I don't want to continue to support a lost cause. I don't want to split the Conservative vote at Primaries and Caucuses. So this does need to be handled in a timely planned manner.
At this point in time it seems to me the two most important questions should be, in our heart of hearts who is the best Conservative candidate with the most consistant record over the last few decades, and how best can we help that candidate achieve more visibility and there-by traction?
From my observation, Congressman Duncan Hunter is the most tested long term Conservative candidate on the radar. As mentioned earlier, Hunter is barely on that radar, but he is there. And acknowledging his presence and credentials, it seems a must for me to mention that we have the ability to help the man. And that being the case, I think we should.
It is important to Conservatism's principles that we create the maximum buzz for Hunter that we can. We should talk him up whenever possible. We should provide a link to his site whenever possible. And we should be ready to explain our own persoal top five reasons we support him, on a moments notice. We should do it on this forum. We should do it on other conservative sites. Whenever there is a poll, I want to urge folks to vote for Hunter. I still believe that he can catch on if our members will spread the good word far and wide. And Hunter is the good word this pre-election season.
I do want to acknowledge an important issue before I end these comments. Fred Thompson is an important viable and supportable fall back position to Duncan Hunter. It is important that when we get the word out about Hunter, that we make sure to mention that Fred Thompson is also a good man, a man we will gladly vote for if we need to.
Ideally, I would love to see a Hunter/Thompson ticket. Being realistic, we may have to settle for a Thompson/Hunter ticket. Well, that's a ticket every Conservative should be able to support in good concience. And the best way to get that ticket, is to spend some time talking Hunter's numbers up.
Don't settle for my five good reasons to support Hunter. Go to his site and determine your own best five reasons, the ones most important to you.
Then go out there and talk him up and keep Fred front and center too. These are good men folks. As Freepers we should be proud to support either one. I still think Hunter is the solid choice, if Conservatism is the guidepost.
Those of you who do not support Hunter or Thompson, I'm not here to convert you. If you can't see the value in these men, I understand. I would ask that you develop your own thread to talk up you candidate, and not spend time here talking down ours. No offense intended. Take care.
Thanks folks.
Hunter/Thompson 2008
Hunter: http://www.gohunter08.com/
Thompson: http://www.fred08.com/
Thank you. I agree.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
I don’t think they were comfortable with Reagan either. The party can only control so much. And that’s our opening.
George the elder was the fair haired boy in 1980 IMO. Reagan addressed the public directly and the party had to sit back with it’s collective jaw on the floor.
Thanks Kevmo.
In that case there is no one to vote for in this election cycle...and NO, I don't believe Duncan Hunter has hit that mark thus far.
Letting them lose is also something that happens in a democracy. If it’s not your guy - don’t throw your vote away.
Are you advocating staying home on election day?
I will be staying home on election day literally. I use an absentee ballot. Well — maybe. I might have some other reason to go out. I’d think you’d know me well enough by now to take my word for what I said in the article. The question you’re asking doesn’t seem to fit.
Rudy is at least a patriot, if a liberal one. There are no patriots left in the Democrat party.
Also, I'm from Columbus, Ohio...so voting for someone from Michigan is going to hurt a little - :)
I will however, vote for Rudy in the general election if the former mayor gets the nod from the GOP. Actually, I would vote for anybody that is running against Hillary.
I asked the question because there is no candidate (in either party) who meets the specifications of your Pledge #3 which, as you know, I agree with in principle.
At the same time, in this election there is more than just ONE issue on the table here. To suggest that people vote on just ONE issue is akin to urging people to vote irresponsibly. This seems to be the approach you are advocating via passive behavior.
Thank you for the link Roger. I read your pledge(s) and the article. I understand where the writer is coming from. I appreciate where you are coming from.
We are faced with the nation as it exists. Our perception of what the Democrats and Republicans have ushered into this nation, is based on Liberalism vs Conservatism.
I know these terms mean different things to different people, but we have come to the place where they define us. This is so true that the Democrats have sought to shed the title Liberal for Progressive.
The title Liberal in our nation came to be known for big government, big spending, and all sorts of intrusions into our personal lives in the form of education and indoctrination, all on our dime.
The title Conservative in our nation came to be known for smaller government, less wastefull spending, and more emphasis on states’ or individual rights.
These are very sketchy descriptions, but when you talk of a Liberal folks know what you mean. When you talk of a Cosnervative, folks know what you mean.
I’m not so much worried about these labels, as clearly defining who we are and what we stand for.
In the present climate, I wouldn’t help the Liberals run from their past. I never refer to them as progressives. They are mired in the same political mindset as those who were responsible for one hundred million deaths last century, and we should not let them run from that truth.
Liberalism has become senonimous with Marxism and Socialism in our nation. Conservatism has become senonimous with individual responsiblity and self-determination and has nothing to do with the collective.
I don’t see the need to conform to antiquated or European models to define us.
That’s my opinion. I appreiciate yours.
Not at all. In fact, just the opposite. I see it as maximum irresponsibility to continue to accept the downfall of the country just to guarantee the success of the two parties. The fall of the Constitution is the critical issue.
Actually, I’ve been watching political discussion among younger Americans lately. They’re forming opinions based on the labels, and debating for example, which one Republicans or Democrats stand for individual rights. Distorting the language is always misleading.
Thank you.
You should do what you think is right in the end. I would urge you to think of election and governance dynamics in this manner.
Are we headed right or left? I think most of us can agree that this nation is headed left It is not becoming more Conservative. It is becoming more Liberal and both sides are helping it along that course.
The Democrats make rather pronounced strides when they take office. They aren’t bashful about where they want to take us, and they implement everything they can while holding office.
The Republicans are timid when they take office. They are bashful about where they want to take us, and they generally resolve to return to former values over time. And as they get there, they reveal that they are more than willing to see government grow in the process.
We don’t take big turns back toward our former values when Republicans take office. We simply see movement to the left slow down while they hold office. The Medication rider to Medicare was an excellent example. The socialized healthcare plan Romney implemented is another example. We are moving left in this nation, whether at a rapid pace or at a less rapid pace.
What we have to ask ourselves, is what type of person is it going to take to dismantle the massive nanny state we have become, and get us back to basics. That is what we have to seek. That is the only type of person we can support.
If we support Rudy, our nation will continue to move to the left. If we can get someone like Hunter or Thompson in, they will work to dismantle the nanny state to some degree. And that has to be what drives us.
Voting in Rudy, will simply ensconce Liberalism even further in control of us. And Rudy hasn’t shown the aptitude to comprehend what I’m talking about.
If in the end you feel you need to vote for Rudy, just be aware that he will in effect be Hillary lite. He won’t be conservatism lite.
Whose fault is it if young people don’t know what we stand for? Is it the fault of us using the term Conservative or the fault of us not defining who we are in public, and then sticking to that definition when we govern.
IMO George Bush has done more damage to who we are as Conservatives than Bill Clinton ever did.
Did he reduce the size of government? Did he help dismantle the nanny state? Did he refrain from new big-government programs. Did he adhere to his oath of office as it applies to Article 4 Section 4.
We’re going to have a very hard time keeping a straight face when we go to potential voters and try to tell them we are the party of smaller goverment and more individual rights. This is the fault of our own man, not the term we use to define us.
It’s no wonder those kids have no idea who we are. Remind me the last time a Republican candidate stood up and defined what we seek to be. Frankly, I can’t remember one residential candidate over the last fifteen years that was brave enough to talk like Thompson and Hunter.
One thing this election is going to do. It’s going to advance the cause of Conservatism. It will do so, because for the first time in a heck of a long time, since 1984 really, a candidate at the top tier will be talking about what a true Conservative is.
I don’t care of we are defined by nut and bolt. As long as the public knows what a nut stands for and a bolt stands for, they’ll understand who has their best interests at heart.
Political terms often don’t adhere to the common definitions. That’s also true of terms used in a number of professions.
I like his positions, but he has run an extremely bad campaign. He is not ready for prime time. In fact, if he runs the country as badly as he ran his campaign he would make an extremely bad president.
I agree.
This whole "Rudy's a cross-dresser!" has gotten old. Fer cryin' out loud, IT WAS A SKIT, PEOPLE!!!!
If that's the best they can do, then they're really reaching. I don't think anyone is going to convince anybody outside of the most dedicated Rudy-haters that Rudy is a cross-dressing bisexual. Give it a rest.
Anybody who is concerned about the war on terror, wanting an experienced and qualified candidate with hands-on military experience, cares about the Constitution and the Second Amendment, supports the integrity of our borders and immigration laws, believes in a mirror image policy with respect to foreign trade, wants a candidate with sterling personal creditials, doesn’t think students should be exposed to homosexuality as an acceptable alternative life style, doesn’t believe Roe versus Wade passes Constitutional muster, wants conservative judges appointed to the Federal courts, wants a candidate with a long and CONSISTENT track record on all the above - should support Duncan Hunter for President.
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