Rampaging RINOS

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | 2-10-08 | Jack Kelly

[smoothsailing]

Rampaging RINOS

Conservatives should think twice about bolting the GOP

Sunday, February 10, 2008

By Jack Kelly, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

If you read the threads on conservative Web sites (which these days takes a strong stomach), you'll encounter frequently the acronym "RINO." It stands for "Republican In Name Only," an appellation that self-styled conservative purists apply to any Republican who disagrees with them about anything.

That epithet has been applied most frequently to Arizona Sen. John McCain. But his former chief rival for the GOP nomination, former Massachussetts Gov. Mitt Romney, also has been derided as a RINO, as have former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Every GOP candidate who rose above the asterisk level in the primaries has been called a RINO.

The epithet is ridiculous, because it assumes that being conservative and being Republican are identical. Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower were good Republicans, but they weren't conservatives. Nor were Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Bob Dole or George H. W. Bush.

A political party is a conspiracy to obtain power, nothing more. In democratic politics there is nothing wrong with that, because the conspiracies are peaceful, open and -- in a two-party system -- moderating. For Republicans to be successful, they must embrace moderates as well as conservatives. This means moderates get to lead from time to time.

But the dyspeptic denizens of the Right believe in addition by subtraction. To make the GOP stronger, moderates must be calumnized and driven from it. Polemicist Ann Coulter is so angry with Mr. McCain's occasional........

[Cincinnatus.45-70]

“95% will vote for McCain in the GE - and you can take that to the bank..”

That’s just trouble, I think that check may bounce if I take it to bank. In November, peole have to be motivated to turn out to vote. How did Bush win in 2004? Record turnouts in a lot of places. You really think that looks like happening now?

These folks are complaining about being called RINOs, simply because they are as “conservative” as Nelson Rockefeller. They are Country Club Republicans, just like he was and that’s how we had 50 years of ‘Rat majorities in Congress.

They don’t like “RINOs”? OK, I say call them what they are, the Country Club Republicans of America Party, CCRAPs!

[Politicalmom]

If we are such a small worthless number,(according to the article) why are we being deluged with articles calling us names? If they don’t need us, let them get McCain elected WITHOUT us.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

I must qualify my earlier comment at #29.

IF McCain is in fact the (R) candidate AND

IF it is CLEARLY unviable to circumvent the RNC without the base being splintered,

THEN and only then will I consider voting for him.

Right now, I advocate voting AGAINST him. Huckabee is the most viable alternate, obviously. He also speaks of, even if he’s not been a perfect example of, the character qualities which the GOP grassroots has found a common bond.

Meanwhile there is a lot of time and much is afoot, as Sherlock told Watson.

[jdsteel]

Yes, but Jack Kelly is a lone beacon of conservatism in that liberal rag.

[SoConPubbie]

We'll all bitch and moan, but in the end, 95% here will vote for McCain in the GE - and you can take that to the bank...

What you wanna bet that the 5% or whatever the percentage will be the percentage that John "Traiter to the Conservative Cause" McAmnesty will lose by in the General Election?

McCrazy is Dead on Arrival.

[smoothsailing]

Meanwhile there is a lot of time and much is afoot, as Sherlock told Watson.

How true, from now until Nov. is a lifetime in politics. Much can change.

[gitmo]

The [RINO] epithet is ridiculous, because it assumes that being conservative and being Republican are identical.

That's a good point. Perhaps we should use LICC (Liberal In Conservative Clothing) or TransCon (lib dressed like a Conservative) or CDL (Cross Dressing Lib).

CINO doesn't seem to cut it.

IICS: Ideology Identity Confusion Syndrome?

[so_real]

"Clinton or Obama could push through Supreme Court picks during their first years that would haunt us for many decades to come."

That is a very, very good point. However, don't forget that George Herbert Walker Bush appointed Justice David Souter. Republicans do make mistakes. Hoping that we can influence the appointment process after the fact with a democrat-held Congress is highly risky --- even more so considering the history of McCain (remember the Gang of 14). Whether by Clinton's, Obama's, or McCain's hand -- I truly believe the appointments made will be miserable by conservative standards. From here, I think it better to permit the obvious liberals into the POTUS chair in order to energize a conservative movement in Congressional elections. I believe the backlash voting for Congressional seats after a Clinton (for example) victory would be deafeningly conservative. Hopefully, enough so to block her socialist ambitions and SCOTUS appointments.

[a_different_conservative]

I see your point, but how about the prospect of McAmnesty flooding the electorate with Democrats who will elect liberals to Federal, State and Local legislative and executive offices (and who in turn will appoint and/or elect liberal judges)?

And of course this will be just the “first” amnesty - there will be many more in the future to assure a continuous supply of Democrats to office.

And what if a terrorist slips across our border? The Democrats won’t hesitate to blame ‘soft on terror’ Republicans.

I don’t have any solution except hope for a brokered convention. I am sick to my stomach and sick at heart.

I any case, I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR McCAIN.

[Rudder]

To make the GOP stronger, moderates must be calumnized and driven from it.

Works for me.

[SpaceBar]

but how about the prospect of McAmnesty flooding the electorate with Democrats ...

With McCain it's a possibility, with Clinton or Obama a 100% certainty.

[joe whit]

While I respect your understanding of history. You may have missed my point of contemporary standards. As reflected in the fact none of our conservative standard barriers championed the repeal of income tax's, or direct election of senators. For that matter the abolition of the Dept. of Education.
I do not argue your true recognition of our peril at the hands of these progressives.
Though no worthy endeavor is without danger.

[Tennessee Nana]

Written by a liberal Democrat in good standing...

No DINO leanings in this author

[SpaceBar]

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a painful choice. But I believe working within the confines of the given circumstances is the more sensible tactic.

[Riodacat]

O.K., I’ll put you in the “probable 5%” column then.. ;)

[JoJo Gunn]

You said it. Their pathetic attempts at junior-high peer pressure falls on deaf ears.

[smoothsailing]

The author's BIO

[DoughtyOne]

If you're like me, you pretty much see conservatism in terms of black and white.  You've voted for Republican candidates your whole life.  Over the years, while doing so, you have started to have concerns that the politicans you were voting for were becoming more and more leftist.  You stood by the party because not to do so would have been catastrophic to the nation you love.  For some strange reason the party felt compelled to assure you of that, even though it claimed it's candidates shared your views.

At varying points in time, we came to realize the party was no longer interested in the advancement of Conservatism.  It was interested on holding certain political positions, but the agenda it passed bore little connection to Conservatism.  Even when it held the majority of the Senate, the House and the White House, it failed to promote Conservatism while the sun shone.

Now we are faced with a situation this year that makes it abundantly clear, that just about every person of respect in the party, or at least the ones we had respected, have come to the conlusion that the standard bearer this year is one of us.  Only he isn't.

And now the time has come to acknowledge what the party is doing to conservatism.  Are we going to stand for his?  Isn't it time we put an end to it?

Isn't it time to face the reality and quit enabling this type of behavior, with our votes.

[ccmay]

When they agree 60-70-80% of the time with Democrats

According to the ACU ratings, McCain agrees with the liberals only 15 % of the time, the same as many other Republican officeholders who don't suffer such abusive invective from self-styled conservative purists.

-ccm

[E. Cartman]

I’m a conservative and I am not thinking about bolting the party. I HAVE ALREADY DONE IT!!!

Doing what your conscience tells you is correct is the right thing to do. McCain did it on numerous occasions when he joined with the democrats. So, he'll understand that we're just being good, solid, brave mavericks and choosing not to be sheeple by succumbing to party central's diktat to support him.

In fact, if he's true to his convictions, he'll applaud us real conservatives being good mavericks and our giving him the one-fingered salute.