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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: Texas Federalist

Correct, the only top tier candidate of either party not to do so.


61 posted on 05/23/2008 9:06:15 AM PDT by kabar
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To: SoFloFreeper

The GOP will be sorry they were booted come November. At this point, it’s almost like the GOP leadership needs to lose some major elections to kind of get it through their heads that they are headed the wrong direction, but I’m afraid all it would do is force them to move even further left in an attempt to grab more moderates.


62 posted on 05/23/2008 9:47:23 AM PDT by af_vet_rr
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To: freekitty

Powers that be? Who would they be?


63 posted on 05/23/2008 10:31:59 AM PDT by The Pack Knight (Duty, Honor, Country.)
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

The other problem is that a candidate can win winner-take-all states with a mere plurality. McCain could take all the delegates in a state even though 65% of the voters voted for someone else.

State parties really need to think of going to a majority vote system.


64 posted on 05/23/2008 10:41:28 AM PDT by The Pack Knight (Duty, Honor, Country.)
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To: word_warrior_bob
Can someone tell me again how the hell John McCain won the nomination? The charlatan Mike Huckabee gave us McCain IMO. He spoke about the "Fairtax" and even with no fiscal constraint or prior wish to changes taxes to better in Arkansas, "Fairtaxers" including many Freepers flocked to him. That and his "Christian" stances allowed him to get Iowa, which diminished Fred and Mitt.
65 posted on 05/23/2008 12:22:14 PM PDT by Sybeck1 (Ronald Reagan Fought Regulation, John McCain Brought Regulation...)
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To: word_warrior_bob
Can someone tell me again how the hell John McCain won the nomination?

Too many good conservatives got hoodwinked into supporting a Massghanistan liberal, a pro-infanticide NYC liberal, an unethical nanny-statist that hides behind a Bible every time he's justly criticized, or a seventeen-vote-getting no-name representative that supposedly was the most conservative person that ever lived, and failed to see the merits of voting for the only electable conservative in the race.

They all split the conservative vote, add the crossover moderates and libs that voted in the primaries, and that's how we got stuck with a joke in John McCain.
66 posted on 05/23/2008 12:37:16 PM PDT by Uncle Ivan (Thompson Conservative)
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To: nathanbedford

Excellent analysis, but we have to do something about it. Call it Cultural Marxism or Marxist @ssholism. Maybe Marxist anusism? It’s still absurd nonsense, and the left has to be called on this politically correct BS!

Counterattack, repeat counterattack! I couldn’t resist paraphrasing your tagline.

I’m hard pressed to think of the ills in our society that can’t be traced to the left, with the exception of immigration for the sake of cheap labor.


67 posted on 05/23/2008 1:30:40 PM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: 21stCenturion

...


68 posted on 05/23/2008 3:32:01 PM PDT by 21stCenturion ("It's the Judges, Stupid !")
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To: neverdem
Yes, by all means counterattack!

But who is to do it, we have no paladin?


69 posted on 05/23/2008 10:30:44 PM PDT by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: nathanbedford
"We have gone from Leave It to Beaver to Brokeback Mountain in a generation. It encapsulates a cultural revolution. "

You got it nailed. The left owns kindergarten through college. Conservatives don't have a chance, the left owns the future. In 1971, July 1, this nation ratified Amendment XXVI to the Constitution of the USA, thereby giving the right to vote to eighteen year olds, rather than twenty-one year olds. I think that that amendment gave the political power in this country to the liberal left. They are realizing that power only now.

70 posted on 05/23/2008 10:51:39 PM PDT by matthew fuller (Alleged Rev./Marine Wright is BHO's "designated drunk" to hide Ayers/Dorhn.)
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To: nathanbedford
Yes, by all means counterattack!

But who is to do it, we have no paladin?

Common sense needs no paladin. The Founding Fathers didn't think it was rain when King George III was hosing them. Political correctness is no less a tyranny. Obvious BS requires a "willing suspension of disbelief." Why should anyone take it?

71 posted on 05/24/2008 1:09:48 AM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: neverdem
Common sense needs no paladin. The Founding Fathers didn't think it was rain when King George III was hosing them. Political correctness is no less a tyranny. Obvious BS requires a "willing suspension of disbelief." Why should anyone take it?

I wish you were right but, alas, history teaches otherwise. The founding fathers? You mean the men that articulated the Declaration of Independence? The Federalist papers? The Constitution? The Bill of Rights? Good heavens, history has never collected a more resolute band of paladins than Providence placed in colonial America.

The poll numbers suggest that a majority of Americans will eagerly "suspend disbelief" in November just as they did in November 2006.

History also teaches that a paladin is indeed required. A charismatic figure such as Reagan, or Thatcher, or Churchill, is absolutely required to turn around the normal drift to the left represented by the Jimmy Carters and the Clement Atlees.


72 posted on 05/24/2008 1:44:55 AM PDT by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: nathanbedford
The poll numbers suggest that a majority of Americans will eagerly "suspend disbelief" in November just as they did in November 2006.

If the GOP ever desrved a thumpin', that was then. Don't let the polls now fool you. Take heart. Once more into the breach!

Note to Obama - Guns are good for business

73 posted on 05/24/2008 2:16:31 AM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: neverdem
I just ran into this thread which is relevant to our discussion. Herewith a quote from the article in Human Events:

Most conservatives believe that Americans are naturally conservative, and that the American people can be trusted to scorn anti-conservative claptrap from the elites. This is naïve, shortsighted thinking. How can the right believe that Americans are naturally conservative when, over the last fifty years, Americans elected one explicit socialist (Lyndon Johnson) in a landslide, elected two barely disguised socialists under admittedly unusual circumstances (Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton), gave a third explicit socialist (Al Gore) a majority of popular votes, and came unbelievably close to giving the White House to a fourth explicit socialist in a time of war (John Kerry)?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2020623/posts


74 posted on 05/24/2008 2:18:19 AM PDT by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: nathanbedford
Most conservatives believe that Americans are naturally conservative, and that the American people can be trusted to scorn anti-conservative claptrap from the elites. This is naïve, shortsighted thinking. How can the right believe that Americans are naturally conservative when, over the last fifty years, Americans elected one explicit socialist (Lyndon Johnson) in a landslide, elected two barely disguised socialists under admittedly unusual circumstances (Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton), gave a third explicit socialist (Al Gore) a majority of popular votes, and came unbelievably close to giving the White House to a fourth explicit socialist in a time of war (John Kerry)?

It's late. There were exceptional circumstances for Johnson, Carter and Clinton, and they were all awful presidents. Conservatives don't like to rock the boat. However, it's time to rock the boat.

75 posted on 05/24/2008 2:47:55 AM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: neverdem
We better do something. But I can't resist observing, we will be rocking a sinking boat.


76 posted on 05/24/2008 2:54:58 AM PDT by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: nathanbedford
What is the last time you saw any depiction of a Protestant cleric in a positive light?

There are been a few movies in the past few years. Raising Helen comes to mind. There was another one with Robin Williams not to long ago (a comedy).

I'm curious, however, why the author isn't heartened by the positive portrayal of Catholic clerics.

77 posted on 05/25/2008 4:22:10 PM PDT by curiosity
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Bump


78 posted on 05/25/2008 4:31:31 PM PDT by MARTIAL MONK (I'm waiting for the POP!)
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To: word_warrior_bob
Well, look Bob, it wasn't just "a" politician...the Cubans were swayed by nearly all of their contigent in Congress! I think, and I may be mistaken, that every single Florida Cuban stood with McCain.

I can't say how hard my candidate, Mitt, worked to get the Cuban vote, either. He should have realized what a strong base they are for any Republican.

The Cuban community probably felt a strong affinity for McCain anyway: McCain suffered at the hands of godless communists, just like their brothers and sisters are under Castro. So it was probably an uphill battle for Romney anyway.

Just mho! :)

79 posted on 05/26/2008 7:30:45 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: word_warrior_bob

P.S. to my previous post: when I said every single Florida Cuban, I meant, of course, every Florida Cuban in Congress. :)


80 posted on 05/26/2008 7:32:16 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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