Posted on 02/08/2008 12:06:54 AM PST by verklaring
A Conservative Caucus within the Republican Party, a concept (vanity)
Historical perspective: In 1968-9 there was a movement within the Democrat party to form a new left alliance. This alliance was formed of neo-communists, socialists, far left liberals and antiwar activists. It’s purpose was to effectively move the direction or take over the Democrat party. The intention was, first, as a caucus within the party to direct and shape national policy. Its long term goal was to take over the party. It partially succeeded when McGovern was nominated. It has continued to this day. I was a college student, what Rush Limbaugh calls an empty head full of mush, in those days. I was at one of the meetings in Detroit, MI. This is not fiction. If this sounds like David Horowitz, it is similar. I would suggest that this approach has worked. Bill and Hillary must have been part of the same movement.
The trouble is, it has also driven JFK type moderate Democrats or those to the left of JFK into the Republican party. Some like Reagan became genuine conservatives. But others have not changed and are not conservatives. McCain, Giuliani and Huckabee are of this type. They are not all liberal Republicans. They are really closet Democrats at heart but of the JFK type in varying degrees: Pro-America, pro-military, pro-tax cuts and capitalism but also social and liberal. Mccain and Huckabee are of this type but left of JFK. This is the big tent.
The point: There are within the Democrat party various caucus elements, based on race, agenda, etc. While, negatively, this atomizes the party into special interest groups, it also, positively, gives to each group a position of power at the table within the party. It gives them a seat at the table of power and a voice.
There may be a similar situation, I believe, in the New York Republican party, a conservative caucus, within the party. The purpose of it is to have conservatives band together, work together and present one unified candidate or a unified position on issues.
The concept is not difficult. Conservatives work together to form a united position among themselves, then stick together to present a united front as a block on either nominations or issues. This might be a solution to the problem of fragmented conservatives, which we are seeing. The three legged stool, as it is called, of social, economic and foreign policy/national security conservatives. It would eliminate a one issue, one leg of the stool, candidate. Examples of the one issue candidate would be Tancredo - immigration, Huckabee - social conservative+ plus taxes (but liberal on everything else).
The problem with this approach is that it requires working together. Socialists and collectivists are better at this than independent minded conservatives, each with his own issue, guns, abortion, taxes, national security.
To implement this you would need also a set of standards to unite such a caucus, such as federalism + consistent national security principles. The libertarian, isolationist and non-free trade approaches would have to be excluded. The reason for this latter statement is there are already third parties for this, and we do not need another Ron Paul, Pat Buchannan, or Ross Perot drawing off energy, votes or efforts.
It would have to be a kind of new Republicanism, (conservative, constitutional but republican in principle) in its approach. For some who have advocated a Third party move, this might be a better option. It could also be used at the local, state and at the congressional level as well as the presidential level. It would have to have the character of a movement, which is more than CPAC. The concept is not really new. But if Conservatives are to have a future voice in the GOP. It is one which needs to be pursued in an organized way, which has not been done. The concept is more than a think tank and a forum. It starts at the precinct level. It extends to a group or caucus within a group all the way to the House of representatives and the US Senate.
This is a tactic of the liberal left and it works. The problem with implementing such a strategy in the Republican party is that politics and political power for the left are their religion while for conservatives it is not. But for some who are frustrated, thinking third party, or not voting it is a long term answer or suggestion. It also requires a certain kind of work and conservatives unlike liberals have a life.
I am reading your original post and am intrigued. This deserves for me to mark and come back to. It is too promising for me to write out the first thing to pop into my mind.
Hmmm, sounds like a plan to me!!!
I don’t want to throw water on your idea. I’m just blowing off steam. I am so tired of the Republican Party ignoring folks like me that I honestly don’t care to mess with them any longer. I and others have pleaded with them for decades to get their act together and the response is to arrive at a time when a guy like McCain actually wins the nomination.
The party will tell you the voters are to blame, but they know darn well they have set up the rules so more liberal republicans rule the roost.
Any effort from within the party to get it fixed, will meet with a lot of smiling nodding heads, just thrilled to hear what the folks have to say. And for a while it will look like progress is being made. Then a couple of years later it will dawn on the folks who are trying to get things fixed, that they are right where they started.
The Republican Party is broken. I don’t have the slightest inclination to bail out the pricks who devised this strategy and drove the bus off the road where we find ourselves.
Perhaps you idea has merit and everyone else will want to jump on board. Tonight, I don’t even want to entertain a plan that includes the words ‘Republican Party’. I’ve given 36 years to it, and I’ve had enough.
The Republican Party can go straight to —— for all I care.
once you start adding or not adding social issues is when people get their undies tied in a knot.
bump for later
I felt the same way you do, until I read Rush Limbaugh’s recent Letter. Yeah, the guy who hates McCain. He has an interview with Timmerlake as the main body of his Letter for this month. A real eye-opener!
National defense is a priority, period. We can trust McCain on that one issue (and probably no other). If we don’t, we’ll be involved in a nuclear war with Iran in three years. On national defense, McCain is as good as gold. On the open borders issue, well, I guess we’ll just have to work hard on changing his mind. Economics shouldn’t be the only aspect of this issue; how it effects our homeland culture is equally important. It is of no importance to Dr. Juan Hernandez, who is only concerned that money flows from north of the Rio Grande towards the south, propping up a corrupt government in Mexico.
Sounds great to me.
We do need a way to know other conservative members and work with them.
I remember working with so many here for years thinking we were the same then Terry Schiavo came along and split us into two camps - those being totally shocked at the first time the government killed a non-dying person and those who saw only husband’s rights ignoring the “put to death when undying” part.
Such a shock to see that co-patriots actually were across an important line from me.
So, think your idea has great merit. We have to be able to know who others are of like mind and then coordinate efforts.
The problem with the Republican big tent, as it is right now is: it is broad as the ocean. The concept is not necessarily "the solution" ; but the concept is how the left works, strategically,and is at least an alternative to the -- "I am out of here," position."
My point is that, rather than despondency, this may be the one thing we can do. Is it do-able? I do not know. Like Fred Thompson, I am concerned for my Grand children's future, at this point.
they would only take us seriously if we did have a third party apparatus in place in much of the nation
You know what, I tried to make it clear I was not dissing your suggestion, and I’m not going to now.
It’s going to take a few weeks before I even want to hear the words ‘Repbulican Party’ again.
As for launching an effort to move it to the right, that is completely out of the question for me at this stage.
Your idea may be one of the best ideas to come down the pike in decades, I’m just in no frame of mind to entertain the premise right now.
Please don’t take that personally. That’s not my intention at all. You posted something that made sense to you and I do not want to detract from it in any way shape or form.
Take care.
the new aliens on that Star Trek movie they're making?
Hell if I know. LOL That’s just how my mind works this time of the morning.
If so, where are they or their results? The point was not a "study committee," the name tells you what we are talking about, in essence. I am trying to find a way out of the fog, what is needed is an action committee.
My point was a concept, it may be a stupid idea, but the alternative for me at this point is: 1) Do not vote, 2) vote write-in, 3) vote third party =#1 do not vote.
For some, who have worked for years, (decades), to get where we are, post-Reagan, this is unacceptable.
This is the problem. Once McCain wins the nominination I will not vote to ensure hillary wins the White House. Not becasue I have lost my frappin mind, But because I have what is called FORESIGHT.
It is this Foresight that allows me to see the “Carnage” that awaites the Republican Party in the 2010 MidTerm Elections when Johnny McAmnesty leads the party off a cliff.
If Republicans are demoralized like we are now by 2 years of Liberal Rule as we can expect from his voting records,
DO ANY OF YOU THINK REPUBLICANS WILL BOTHER TO VOTE IN 2010 ?
If you answer NO.
Then ask your self this question.
Why not Let Hillary win so SHE LEADS THE DEMOCRARTS OFF THE CLIFF INSTEAD ?
If one can reason one would know. 1992 will be repeated again and just like Billy Clinton CAUSE THE SOCIALISTS DEMOCRATS TO LOSE CONTROL OF CONGRESS, This will im my reasoning occur if Hillary Gets Elected on 2008.
Reason, you know why. IT’s the reason we hate the stupid Hillary so much. Even moderates won’t be able to stand massive tax hikes so think about it for a few minutes when you all vote in November.
Its better to gain the Congress back in 2010 this should be our FOCUS NOW.
Hillary will hurt her party so much IT WILL ALLOW US TO Republicans to RE-GAIN CONTROL OF CONGRESS.
Plus it will teach those Elitist Republicans unless you Nominate a Conservative Republican For President WE WILL STAY HOME ALL ALLOW TO LOSE.
This will teach the fools if they wana win they BETTER LISTEN TO US OR WE WILL NOT VOTE !!!!!!
Republicons vs Demoplicans
The prequel to the prequel of the postscript of the final chapter: footnotes of a crazy country doctor in outer space
ending: They learn they are exactly the same
I read your post with great sadness. Four hours ago I felt as you do now. Then I picked up the Limbaugh Letter and read the interview with Timmerlake concerning the Shadow Government.
The Clintons put the Shadow Government in place to cause the collapse of Bush’s administration. He relates that there were WMD in Iraq - lots of it - and the press has painted the Bush administration as a false failure. Hillary MUST get back into power to continue the course of action she and Bill Clinton started in 1992.
McCain is good on national defense. Of that I am sure. It must be our first priority. Mexico’s turn will come, and they will not like it.
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