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The Death of Conservatism Is Greatly Exaggerated
wsj.com ^ | May 23, 2008 | FRED D. THOMPSON

Posted on 05/22/2008 9:48:34 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY

Recent congressional losses, President George W. Bush's unpopularity, and bleak generic ballot poll numbers have conservatives fearing the "liberalization" of America – a move toward secularization, the growth of government, stagnation, mediocrity and loss of freedom.

Yet there is still a way to revive the conservative cause. Doing so will require avoiding the traps of pessimism or election-year quick fixes. Conservatives need to stand back for a moment and think about our philosophical first principles.

Conservatives value the lessons of history and respect faith and tradition. They are skeptical of mass movements, perfect solutions and what often passes for "progress." At the same time, they recognize that change is inevitable. They also know that while man is prone to err, he is capable of great things and is meant to be free in an unfettered market of ideas, not subjugated by a too-powerful government.

These were the principles relied upon by our Founding Fathers, and which paved the way for a Constitution that delineated the powers of the central government, established checks and balances among its branches, and further diffused its power through a system of federalism. These principles led to a market economy, the primacy of the rule of law and the abolition of slavery. They also helped to establish liberal trade policies and to meld idealism and realism in our foreign and military policies.

The power of conservative principles is borne out in the most strong, prosperous and free country in the history of the world.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; conservatism; conservatives; fred; fredthompson; thompson
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To: Free ThinkerNY

It makes me want to cry that he wasn’t picked.


41 posted on 05/23/2008 5:49:49 AM PDT by FastCoyote (I am intolerant of the intolerable.)
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To: Free ThinkerNY
"A political party that adheres to conservative principles should have continuing success – especially if its leadership believes in those principles and is able to articulate them."

"if"...the biggest word in the dictionary. Unless & until true blue conservatives around the country "step up to the plate" and start running for local, state & federal elective offices and get elected to those offices; the Gelding Old Party will NOT improve. Conservatives need to get elected to governorships so that we have a better field of candidates to choose from for POTUS. And "if" the GOP ever expects to be a ruling party again; conservatives must take it back!
42 posted on 05/23/2008 5:51:20 AM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: Free ThinkerNY
Good Post. Good editorial but what follows sounds more like Russell Kirk than the founding fathers:

"...Conservatives value the lessons of history and respect faith and tradition. They are skeptical of mass movements, perfect solutions and what often passes for "progress." At the same time, they recognize that change is inevitable. They also know that while man is prone to err, he is capable of great things and is meant to be free in an unfettered market of ideas, not subjugated by a too-powerful government.


43 posted on 05/23/2008 5:52:45 AM PDT by shrinkermd
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To: ChicagahAl

McCain became the presumptive nominee while winning only 31% of the total primary vote. Winner take all and open primaries helped McCain game the system.


44 posted on 05/23/2008 5:56:36 AM PDT by kabar
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To: word_warrior_bob

A South Carolina guy told me that once it was clear Obama was a sure thing, he voted for McCain on the Repub ballot. I’m sure that happened a lot. Open primaries are stupid.


45 posted on 05/23/2008 6:16:14 AM PDT by Varda (Let's Go Pens!)
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To: nathanbedford

Well said.


46 posted on 05/23/2008 6:20:25 AM PDT by Red Boots
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To: AlaskaErik
Not always, and even if so, perhaps to balance on some dimension other than geography. For example, Palin is young, good looking and female, all of which balance potential McCain negatives.

Did Bush choose Cheney to get Wyoming (or to get Texas, if you accept the Democrats claim that Cheney really resided in Texas)? No ... neither state.

47 posted on 05/23/2008 6:21:43 AM PDT by ThePythonicCow (By their false faith in Man as God, the left would destroy us. They call this faith change.)
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To: nathanbedford

Very well said. Thanks for posting.


48 posted on 05/23/2008 6:26:20 AM PDT by ThePythonicCow (By their false faith in Man as God, the left would destroy us. They call this faith change.)
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To: word_warrior_bob
Can someone tell me again how the hell John McCain won the nomination?

In a word; Huckster. He pulled the SoCons (who already did not like Romney) away from Fred and handed the nomination to McCain.

49 posted on 05/23/2008 6:28:42 AM PDT by CharacterCounts (When you discover rats in your house, you only have two options - fumigate or tolerate.)
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To: word_warrior_bob

“Can someone tell me again how the hell John McCain won the nomination? All I remember is seeing him at the bottom of the polls, then a haze came over me and all of a sudden he was the nominee. I’m still not sure it’s real.”

I’m afraid it is real! But keep seeing McCain referred to as the “presumptive Republican nominee”. So wish something would happen to cause a BIG CHANGE at convention! A draft of a Thompson/Romney ticket would be a dream come true!


50 posted on 05/23/2008 6:31:43 AM PDT by seekthetruth
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To: Free ThinkerNY; Sidebar Moderator

Back to the Top!

Mods, in light of Jim Robinson’s endorsement of Fred Thompson back when he was in the race, can we put this COLUMN on the front page of FR? Or at the top of Sidebars??

This is excellent reading!!

SFF


51 posted on 05/23/2008 6:32:00 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: word_warrior_bob

I’ll tell you one big way: he convinced the normally intelligent Cuban delegation in Congress, primarily Senator Martinez, to endorse him in the Florida primary.

Mitt Romney was set to win Florida—and would have had the Michigan and Florida delegates—but the Cuban vote went overwhelmingly for McCain.

I think McCain or a sycophant of his spread some rumor (I forget the content now) about Romney a week or so before the vote in Florida.

We are stuck with McCain. He can do himself some good by picking a CONSERVATIVE running mate...and letting his VEEP have some say in his administration.


52 posted on 05/23/2008 6:36:07 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: iowamark

My two picks were Romney and Thompson, not necessarily in that order. I am sorry they were booted.


53 posted on 05/23/2008 6:39:16 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: word_warrior_bob
Can someone tell me again how the hell John McCain won the nomination? All I remember is seeing him at the bottom of the polls, then a haze came over me and all of a sudden he was the nominee. I’m still not sure it’s real.

Therein is the answer, or at least part of the answer: Nobody thought he had a snowflake's chance in hell, so nobody really went after him.

The other part of the answer involves the primaries being an absolute affront to anything resembling democracy.

54 posted on 05/23/2008 6:52:18 AM PDT by lesser_satan (Cthulu '08! Why vote for the lesser evil?)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Fred I love ya man but do not pee on my leg and tell me it is raining.


55 posted on 05/23/2008 6:56:27 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$ (Will this thread be jacked by a Mormon?)
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To: sergeantdave
McCain is at the plate. He has a bucket over his head, he’s facing the wrong way and he can’t find his bat.

ROFL!

56 posted on 05/23/2008 6:57:18 AM PDT by lesser_satan (Cthulu '08! Why vote for the lesser evil?)
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To: jellybean

Funny ain’t it...


57 posted on 05/23/2008 6:57:28 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$ (Will this thread be jacked by a Mormon?)
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To: Free ThinkerNY
The Death of Conservatism Is Greatly Exaggerated


58 posted on 05/23/2008 7:17:00 AM PDT by Donald Rumsfeld Fan ("Sincerity is everything. If you can fake that, youÂ’ve got it made." Groucho Marx)
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To: SoFloFreeper

You know what’s possibly even scarier in what you said?

That blocks of voters are swayed by an endorsement from a politician.


59 posted on 05/23/2008 8:49:32 AM PDT by word_warrior_bob (You can now see my amazing doggie and new puppy on my homepage!! Come say hello to Jake & Sonny)
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To: kabar
McCain became the presumptive nominee while winning only 31% of the total primary vote.

He couldn't even take 50% in his home state!

60 posted on 05/23/2008 9:04:24 AM PDT by Texas Federalist (Fred Thompson 08)
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