Conservative Civil War well underway

American Thinker ^ | 10/26/2008 | Rick Moran

[BuckeyeTexan]

We at American Thinker have covered the first shots in the conflict between traditional conservatives and what many are referring to as conservative "elites." Just this week, we've featured several excellent articles on our front page including "Betting Against the Elites on Sarah Palin by J. Robert Smith and "Noonan's Slipped a Peg" by Jan LaRue.

We will continue to follow this ideological struggle closely because we believe it to be the most important story of this young century.

Who is a conservative? Who gets to decide that question? Has conservatism "failed?"

These and other questions will no doubt roil conservative media outlets, think tanks, and conferences for the next several years. I hasten to add that this is a healthy thing for the right - as long as the debates stay away from the personal and concentrate on issues and tactics.

But perhaps, that's too much to ask. Already, as we have seen, there are some influential conservatives who believe that some of the "elites" in Washington and New York have failed to help the movement by their tepid support of McCain and, most importantly, how they view the personality, the politics, and the future of McCain's running mate Sarah Palin.

As this interesting perspective penned by Tim Shippman of the UK Telegraph shows, the fault line in the conservative schism is most evident between those who love Palin and those who don't:

[Diogenesis]

Romney’s RINObots have declared war on Palin and the GOP.

THROW THEM OUT.

[yazoo]

There are conservatives and then there are go along to get along Republicans. It was the state the Republican party was in during the 60’s until Ronald Reagan came along and got the conservative movement fired up.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Looking at the ‘conservatives’ who have jumped ship, there are a very large percentage of pro-abortion people.

[Lady GOP]

The war is ^ON^ but it is between liberals, who want to undermine everything this country stands for and those that are trying to stop them from doing it.

[uncbob]

I think a better term is “conservative” snobs.

Delusional--insane--be better terms

[muir_redwoods]

The Republican party that used to win elections in congress as well as for the Presidency consisted of old money country club republicans, culture conservatives and libertarians who wanted their votes to mean something. These three groups had little use for each other but had enough similarity of interest to work together to win the elections. The culture conservatives and the libertarians have split and now the country club members see little in common with the culture conservatives.

Common purpose will let us win again. Low taxes and avoidance of foreign messes, personal freedom with personal responsibility and an optimism that contains both a forward looking outlook as well as a respect for tradition are three elements we can all agree on, IMHO

[stockpirate]

There are Conservatives and RINO’s there is no other groups.

[stockpirate]

There are Conservatives and RINO’s there is no other groups.

[Comparative Advantage]

You are correct.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

“Conservative” means just that. More accepting of the status quo, and preferring gradual change to rapid change in any direction. Most people are conservative for most things in our lives.

That is, we see no great need to overthrow the public sewer system or prohibit the use of pimento in tuna salad. Certainly no need for government to intervene to protect our sandwiches from pimento.

Of course, there are innumerable things we don’t like and would like to see changed. But no reason to “burn down the house because you don’t like the wallpaper.”

Conservatives can also accept the notion that, even if they don’t like something, often it is “Not My Problem” or even more, “Not My Business”. I may not like sweaters on dachshunds, but that is not my dachshund, so I will butt out.

Conservatives also retain the right to choose the best from a group of alternatives. If the old fangled version worked, and the new fangled version doesn’t, it is entirely acceptable to do things the old way.

But this is a bone of contention between conservatives and non-conservatives. Non-conservatives often want change for the sake of change, and to experiment with other peoples’ lives. They are not contented with the status quo, and see some terrible wrong in society that must be changed immediately.

Sometimes they are right, but often they are “crying wolf”, and while the status quo isn’t necessarily good, change would likely be no better.

[dforest]

Has I missed sumpin’? I wuz waitin’ to fight till after Bammy was vanquished.

[Buckhead]

A Republican who endorses a socialist for president ain’t much of a republican.

[org.whodat]

This story, like most confuses Conservatives with republicans.

[x]

The Republican party that used to win elections in congress as well as for the Presidency consisted of old money country club republicans, culture conservatives and libertarians who wanted their votes to mean something. These three groups had little use for each other but had enough similarity of interest to work together to win the elections. The culture conservatives and the libertarians have split and now the country club members see little in common with the culture conservatives.

Most of those who jumped ship to Obama fall in that "country club" category.

And there is that split between libertarians and social conservatives.

But rank and file support for libertarian ideas ebbs and flows. Or it follows a cycle from a low point, like 1936 or 1964 to a high point like 1984.

When people feel the shoe of government regulation and taxation pinch, they get together to fix things (so long as they believe that that degree of regulation or taxation isn't necessary). When the shoe doesn't pinch, people stop caring about big government. Committed libertarians and small government devotees aren't a large part of the population.

[jagusafr]

The young men and women crashed all around me here at the Atlanta Airport USO would likely agree with you.

Colonel, USAFR

[LiberConservative]

... Palin is not likely to roll over and let herself be scapegoated if things don't go well on Nov. 4 ...

And a scapegoat she will be. Many of the elitist "Republicans" out there will probably be hateful and stupid enough to accuse Governor Palin of singlehandedly destroying the Republican Party in less than 4 months.

[Tribune7]

And there is that split between libertarians and social conservatives.

Which I think is mostly the fault of social conservatives. True libertarians at least respect the pro-life view and are willing to tag along to a point. And with regard to gay marriage, no true libertarian would want to expand the role of government, add to the burden of clogged divorce courts, give new Social Security transfer privilages etc.

OTOH, regulating on-line gambling, banning the sale of horse meat etc., regulating campaign speech etc. will drive any sensible libertarian away.

[familyop]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Hysteria \Hys*te"ri*a\, n. [NL.: cf. F. hyst['e]rie. See
     Hysteric.] (Med.)
     A nervous affection, occurring almost exclusively in women,
     in which the emotional and reflex excitability is
     exaggerated, and the will power correspondingly diminished,
     so that the patient loses control over the emotions, becomes
     the victim of imaginary sensations, and often falls into
     paroxism or fits.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The chief symptoms are convulsive, tossing movements of
           the limbs and head, uncontrollable crying and laughing,
           and a choking sensation as if a ball were lodged in the
           throat. The affection presents the most varied
           symptoms, often simulating those of the gravest
           diseases, but generally curable by mental treatment
           alone. Hysteric

[Vision Thing]

It’s not a conservative civil war at all. We conservatives are fine with one another. We’re just not fine with the RINOs such as noonan and her brethren. So, it’s not a conservative civil war, instead it’s a war of conservatives against the moderates over who will control the Republican Party.

And just so we all know who’s winning this fight, just look at who noonan and her ilk have chosen to support. It ain’t the Republican Party. So in other words, by default, they have already lost the battle for who controls the Republican Party, because noonan and her kind have already surrendered in the battle.

[Balding_Eagle]

Very insightful, and dead on.