Why the Conservative Crisis? [Must Read]

Townhall ^ | May 27, 2008 | The Right Rev. Rowland

[2ndDivisionVet]

What he said.

[paul51]

I don’t need any leader to save me and explain what I believe.

[SatinDoll]

The reason people - and by that I mean normal conservative people (the middle class) - aren’t running for office is the damnable expense, the press’s orifice inspection of everything you’ve done, said, and worked, and then there are the inevitable lies and innuendos that literally tear-apart a person’s life. It’s enough to keep a Saint holed up in a cave and prevents nice folks from running for public office.

Decent, honest people want to live their lives without hoopla, enjoy their families, and work hard. It is the activists that yearn for politics.

[Reagan Man]

A whole of of people who believed in Reagan 20-30 years ago, today have turned out to be more followers of Reagan and not true conservatives. Many have moved away from Reaganism and abandoned the conservative principles he promoted in favor of moderate and even liberal policies.

We rightwingers don’t have a legitimate spokesman who can advance the conservative agenda. The leftwing doesn’t seem to have that problem. If McCain is the best the GOP can do, hold on tight, its gonna be a rough ride for the next 4-8 years.

[Biblebelter]

To me, Conservatism is mostly the child of Wisdom and Common Sense.

There is some truth. And with that statement as a foundation, I would offer, that there is nothing common about elitists and to elitists common sense is something very very foreign. And to elitists there is only one wisdom and that is the worldly wisdom which can be called with another term sophistication. There it is, the Washington insider elite as represented by Senators Obama, Clinton and McCain possess little if any common sense and confuse wisdom with sophistication.

[Candor7]

There is no conservative crisis.

There is a left wing liberal socialist whacko crisis.

Conservatives do not need mutual support and whiney affection in order to be conservatives. Only liberals need to feel that they are part of a conformist group of similar "visionaries." in order to run with the pack, and abandon analytical thought in emotional hoo haw.Thats why they are so vulneable to a petty fascist like Obama, he plays on those emotions.

Conservatives are generally individualists who couldn't give a shit about being part of a pack mentality ruled by emotion instead of logic.

There is no conservative crisis.

There is only a liberal whiney crisis.

So all you conservatives out there?

Whack a liberal today.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Nothing will shake my belief in conservatism, limited government and ordered liberty.

Nothing. No amount of droning MSM brainwashing will move me.

[Liberty Valance]

I don't think there's a conservative crisis. Conservatives are still conservatives no matter where the fickle political pendulum is swinging at the moment. I think it may be more of a conservative leadership question. I don't see any Reagans at present but who knows who or what will come tomorrow? There are a few: Palin and Jindal temper my political mood and make me smile for our future. :o)



Contrary to published reports of his demise, WFB Lives!

[Cicero]

So we defaulted to a moderate to liberal McCain, who was pushed over the top in large part to the evangelicals mobbing Huckabee and cutting Romney and Thompson out, and the independents and Democrats who voted in the early primaries.

Yes, part of the fault can be charged to the Evangelicals, who got taken in by Huckabee. And as the primaries proceeded, Huckabee actually seemed to be guarding McCain's flank. It was very noticeable that he constantly attacked Thompson and Romney but gave McCain a free pass. I think Evangelicals started to wake up, but as I feared, too late.

But it never would have happened if the Country Clubbers in charge of the RNC hadn't stacked the deck, but frontloading the primary schedule with liberal crossover states, ensuring that Independents and Democrats would be able to rig the vote before most conservatives even have a chance to weigh in.

There are just as many conservatives in this country as there were in 2004, but they have been kicked in the teeth by Bush and the RNC and pork-hungry Republicans in congress. As a result, conservatives are discouraged and have no one to vote for, and the Republican Party is in serious disarray and may toss away an otherwise certain win in this critical election.

Most of us know perfectly well what we want to vote for. We just aren't being offered the opportunity to vote for it.

[Gondring]

A whole of of people who believed in Reagan 20-30 years ago, today have turned out to be more followers of Reagan and not true conservatives. Many have moved away from Reaganism and abandoned the conservative principles he promoted in favor of moderate and even liberal policies.

Agreed. The neocon liberals have fought for big government while claiming the "conservative" title.

And many conservatives were heartbroken when no Reagan appeared for the Presidential Primaries.

They mocked him when he did.

Listen to old Reagan speeches, and the model is so simple...cut government and get the govt out of our lives.

[Grunthor]

Top five issues on which I stand;

1. Border Security, including deportations.

2. Economy, energy prices (no global warming BS, DRILL HERE NOW)

3. Strong Military

4. NO gay “marriage” and abortion only in extremely rare cases

5. The Constitution. Anyone having authored, signed, sponsored or voted for anti-constitutional legislation is UNWORTHY of any office, including the Presidency.

Now I am not sure if people would call me a Conservative, or an extremist and I don’t care. One thing becoming glaringly clear is that I do NOT fit the current definition of a Republican.

[matthew fuller]

"So we defaulted to a moderate to liberal McCain, who was pushed over the top in large part to the evangelicals mobbing Huckabee and cutting Romney and Thompson out, and the independents and Democrats who voted in the early primaries. "

Pretty accurate analysis, with the last part the most significant. Our chaotic primary "system" sucks.

McCain is for almost everything that I am against, and against almost everything that I am for, excepting his apparent desire to win the war against the islamoheathens. And that one exception is absolutely the only thing that matters.

[AFreeBird]

There are just as many conservatives in this country as there were in 2004, but they have been kicked in the teeth by Bush and the RNC and pork-hungry Republicans in congress. As a result, conservatives are discouraged and have no one to vote for, and the Republican Party is in serious disarray and may toss away an otherwise certain win in this critical election.

Yep, and McCain is not someone I feel comfortable with.

And for whomever wants to jump in on that with the old 'lesser of two evils' crap: zip it.

The RNC and party leaders (and blind party followers) are in serious need of a 2 x 4 upside the head, and if it takes the greater of two evils to get them to wake up to the fact that going dem lite is no better than going dem. One is faster, and one may be slower, but both those roads are going to take you to the same place: ruin, That place is not the America I grew up in and would like to leave for posterity.

Nope, going dem lite in (R) clothing is not the answer, it's the problem.

I'll support any strong, principled conservative who has the stones to take it to the enemy, and I don't mean Iran or any other foreign enemy.

[ishmac]

There are just as many conservatives in this country as there were in 2004, but they have been kicked in the teeth by Bush and the RNC and pork-hungry Republicans in congress.

Totally agree. There's no crisis of "conservatism." There's a crisis of leadership in our chosen political organ, the Republican party. Also, misteps and some ineptitude in the current admin have brought discredit on the conservative "ethos," or "brand name" or whatever they call it these days. In addition, the bench is thin among 50-ish crowd in the Rep party.

This will pass. We must remember the words of Lady Thatcher: there are no permanent defeats in politics, because there are no permanent victories. One wishes people would keep things in perspective and take the long view. That would be the "conservative" thing to do.

[Randy Larsen]

What if I sacrificed my beliefs just to win?

I’ll stick with my beliefs first!

Win Or Lose!

[patch789]

Bush is the problem.

[WOSG]

PING for good conservative analysis.

see also:
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com/2008/06/21st-century-conservatism.html

[matthew fuller]

"But it never would have happened if the Country Clubbers in charge of the RNC hadn't stacked the deck, but frontloading the primary schedule with liberal crossover states, ensuring that Independents and Democrats would be able to rig the vote before most conservatives even have a chance to weigh in. "

I agree with most of your reply, but I get lost at the point where you blame the RNC. And I agree that the main problem is the primary schedule, but that is decided by individual state legislatures, isn't it? I myself have been down this logical road, and have made very similar posts, but the RNC doesn't control the states. Do they?

[Left2Right]

"Whack a liberal today."

Now that would be something I would like to see; the old Whack-A-Mole arcade game with the moles replaced with figures of Hillary, Obambi, The Swimmer...

[singfreedom]

Bookmark!