Posted on 01/12/2008 9:18:25 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
The Economist on the grand coalition of the Republican Party:
Business conservatives can never win a majority without the support of “values voters” (there just are not enough people around who look like Mr Romney). “Values voters” can never produce a viable governing coalition without the help of the business elite. The Republicans have seen revolts against their ruling coalition before—remember Pat Buchanan’s pitchfork rebellion against George Bush senior—and they have always succeeded in putting it back together again. They need to do the same now. Enough Republicans believe enough of the Reagan mantra—less government, traditional values and strong defence—to make it a workable philosophy.
The doomsters draw the wrong lesson from the Bush years. The lesson of the Bush presidency is not that the Republican coalition is exhausted but that it has been badly managed. Mr Bush has failed to keep the coalition in balance—he tilted too far towards his party’s moralistic southern wing and too far away from its libertarian western wing. He has allowed public spending to balloon and pork-barrel politicians to run wild. […] The Republican Party certainly needs to update its agenda to deal with problems Reagan never grappled with. But this is no time to go breaking the mould and starting again.
This is a lesson that Steve Forbes learned. You can’t win with half of the coalition. His first campaign, a pure fiscal conservative campaign, failed miserably, so he reinvented himself as a moral conservative and pushed the moral issues equally hard. Unfortunately, he still looked like Mr. Magoo, so his second campaign didn’t go that well either.
This is the reason I favor Fred Thompson. He’s the complete package, a values guy who gets the fiscal issues right, too. And he’s not so preachy in his values that he would turn off secular conservatives.
For a while, Giuliani looked like he might capture enough values voter support based on his 9/11 legend and his promise to appoint strict constructionist judges. I’d still be happy with Rudy, but I’m a western libertarian. Southern moralists don’t seem to have taken the bait.
Romney is legitimately both a business conservative and a man of faith. But his Mormon faith freaks out many evangelicals, and his flip-floppy past on moral issues has many values voters rightly concerned.
McCain can claim to be both a fiscal conservative and a moral conservative. His positions are 90% right in both areas. But the other 10% consists of arrogant, ego-driven, “maverick” positions that are enough to rule him out in many voters’ minds. Pro-amnesty, anti-free speech, accomodating to Democrat obstructionists on judges. Need I say more?
Huckabee is the anti-Reagan. He is a pure values voter candidate, with a big FU to fiscal conservatives. A vote for Huckabee is a vote to destroy the Reagan coalition, and to relegate the Republican Party to minority status for years to come.
Yep.
McCain’s promise to sign the GW treaty is a non starter, we cannot and should not handcuff ourselves in a Global Economy by following rules that our Competition refuses to follow.
And he wants to end Gunshows, a real non starter.
Rudy...I was “right” Rooty in drag was not going to play in SC, no way, 9/11 or not, Republican Nominee looking like Marilyn Monroe..( and a decent likeness at that) just would not fly, running out of even NH was the end.
Mitt....ahh...Mitt....in a different era, one without abortion whenever he would win the Nomination, but who knows now?
I respect good business minds Mitt has one, his success at running businesses is outstanding.
Huckabee...eh...eh...social conservative, screw the rich...offbase on foreign policy...blehh
I think FRed has all the bases covered.
GO, FRed, GO!!
“Values voters” can never produce a viable governing coalition without the help of the business elite.
True. True. But recent pollings have suggested that big business is increasingly Democrat in affiliation, and that the party is getting more money from business than the GOP now.
And also that the middle class, blue collar workers (Nascar dads) are increasingly red.
Leaves us in a bit of a muddle as evidenced by our once trusted GOP leaders being so out of touch with us that it has become twilight zone eerie.
McCain’s “No American would pick lettuce for even 50 dollars an hour, let me tell you!”
Or Bush’s “see you at the signing!”
Or Trent Lott’s “Something has to be done about these radio talk show hosts.”
Out of touch, K street, ivory towered elitists, completely disconnected from our values.
Good assessment.
Although I think Rudy has devised a campaign strategy to capture the nomination without the south other than Florida.
Here’s hoping the Republican Jimmy Carter runs out of money very very soon.
nailed it
He forgot that Reagan was a pro-America ‘we win - they lose’ defense hawk.
Only one of those around. It is Hunter.
C’mon pissant, you know Fred is a defense hawk, as well.
He’s a sparrow compared to Hunter. He ran around with Kerry Feingold and MCain looking for ways to cut the defense budget
Big business is always looking for the edge. The edge maybe performance, but also might be preferences or punative measures against the competition.
Investing in politicians is often less expensive than investing in technology, marketing, the channel of distribution, etc. I would suggest that big business favors Dems (if big business favors Dems) because Dems are cheaper and easier to buy.
I’ll be damn glad when Hunter finally pulls out. Maybe it’ll curb some of your bullshit.
Actually, it's unmitigated bullshit.
Huckabee is the anti-Reagan. He is a pure values voter candidate,
The man tried to abscond with 70 thousand dollars worth of furniture when he left the state digs in Arkansas. Now I don't know what Bible you read, but most values voters down here take a dim view of Knucklebee. He is a populist for the 5 minute TV sound bite crowd, not the values voters. The cafeteria Christians who draw their sermons from Desperate Housewives love this former DJ turned televangelist, I am sure, but as the Bible says "By their fruits Ye shall know them". The man is a crook.
Not that I am a great prize either, you'll understand. Just look at my language.
Also, right now Dems are a good investment. Control both houses, likely will increase that lead, and may end up with the presidency. I think in normal situations, we’re still the business party.
Truth hurts a bit, huh? Fred will likely be out after SC. Then you can find another weak sister to cheerlead for.
You don’t think the Department of Defense wastes money?
Could be right. I’m watching the meltdown of the GOP before my eyes. Might as well get it over with and start from scratch.
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