‘Religious Right’ Still Key to Conservatism’s Future, Leaders Say

CNS News ^ | 11/6/08 | Pete Winn

[truthandlife]

Social conservative leaders in Washington, D.C., say that Tuesday’s sea change election doesn’t spell the end of the conservative movement. But it will mean a thorough “shake-out” -- and the Religious Right needs to re-think its relationship with the GOP.

“I don’t think the conservative brand is damaged,” Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council told CNSNews.com.

“I think conservative values continue to be something that a large number – if not a majority -- of Americans identify with,” he said. “I think the brand problem is a Republican problem. And I do think they are going to have to do some rebuilding. I think part of that is reaching out to young people, and part of it is a return to the conservatism of Ronald Reagan.”

There will always be a conservative movement in the United States, Perkins said.

“I think that as long as there are people in this country who care deeply about the values that dictate the environment in which their children grow up, the conservative movement will be strong,” Perkins told CNSNews.com.

But Tuesday’s election results were clearly a setback.

“You know, it comes and goes, and there have been some setbacks in recent years because, I think, the conservative movement has clearly been identified with the Republican Party,” he added.

Perkins said that some in the GOP have “kind of fallen off the wagon” and have done things “which have brought discredit to the conservative movement” – a reference, he said, to scandals and allegations such as those that surfaced just before the 2006 election, as well as last week’s conviction in federal court of Alaska Republican Sen. Ted Stevens on ethics charges.

Perkins said that social conservatives have invested a lot of time and money in the Republican Party in the last few elections, with questionable returns.

“When you look at the investment that was made by conservatives into the Republican Party in the last few elections -- and the return -- there is some question whether or not the Republican leadership has actually delivered on some of these key issues – in particular, on the issues of life and marriage,” Perkins said.

Conservatives and Republicans made advances in minority communities in 2004 primarily on social issues, Perkins said, especially the issue of marriage – gains that have all but been erased.

“What the Republican leadership delivered in that area was marginal,” he added.

Connie Mackey, who works with Perkins as senior vice president of FRC Action but is a well-known conservative in her own right, said conservatives may need to reassess their relationship with the GOP.

“For conservatives, the Republican Party is simply a vehicle in which we ride. When that vehicle cracks up, which it looks like they have done in so many ways, we need to look for another vehicle,” Mackey told CNSNews.com.

Mackey predicted the conservative movement will face a “difficult time” of readjustment. Already, she said the “bloodletting” is beginning – with some blaming Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, a conservative Christian, for the ticket’s loss.

“Unfortunately, there are those who will want to blame Sarah Palin, which of course, is absurd,” Mackey said. “She was a boost to McCain. I don’t think he would have gotten as far as he did without her. And there are those who will look to the Christian Right to blame for what’s happened.”

In fact, some would like to “throw social conservatives under the bus,” she said.

“It always happens, to a degree,” Mackey said. “They always look to the Christian Right to say, ‘If you people weren’t aboard, we could have this Big Tent, in which case we’d win.’ And of course, nothing could be further from the truth.”

Mackey, like Perkins, however, is hopeful for the future.

“I do think that there is a definite, wonderful future for conservatives,” she said. “Looking at (Louisiana Gov.) Bobby Jindal and (Rep.) Mike Pence (R-Ind.), and (Gov.) Sarah Palin (R-Alaska), we’ve got some great people to get behind, but it’s going to take some serious planning.”

[Kent C]

there's a whole list of rinos that have redefined the republican party to be more centrist and spineless. look at the options we had in the primaries.

That's why a group like Club for Growth is essential. They have litmus tests for no tax increases and small government and truly free market positions. That's the only way to create and grow a 'core' of strong free market, small gov't conservatives. That's exactly the way the Left created their core with Emily's list and we've paid dearly by going off purpose to support _anyone_ who isn't a Democrat, regardless of their ideology or lack of. And CFG is at the ground level not at lofty levels of Heritage or CATO. We _know_ what the principles are - we need them applied.

When a RINO loses, we win. It stops the compromising with evil and it gives the 'head on the pike' example of what happens when one does.

[zoso82t]

Small government, fiscal responsibility and individual liberty are issues that win every time, young or old. The real problem is that the current GOP is hardly any of those things. The GOP is trying to be big-gov lite, which will never win against the real thing.

Republicans had a real chance to show how well true conservatism works, but got drunk on power and blew it. For their failure, we now have Obama.

And if you think you can organize the party around the religious right, then the Democrats will be in power forever. Like it or not, that’s just the cold, hard truth.

The current GOP is circling the drain, and it’s hard to say that they don’t deserve it.

Small government.
Fiscal responsibility.
Individual liberty.

Don’t just talk about it; take action and lead by example.

[stripes1776]

we need people like palin, hunter, jindal, sanford, demint, and other real conservatives to step up and put us back to where we belong.

You are exactly correct. The base of the Republican party is tired of being taken for granted. People like Bush and McCain smile in our direction when it's election time, and then after the election they promote legislation that we do not support. It is time for new conservative leadership to step forward, leadership that has our best interests at heart.

All political parties are made up of coalitions of groups that may agree on one or two main ideas and disagree on a variety of other issues. But groups within those coalitions are not all equal. The Republican party needs to understand that the conservative base is the group that will from now on provide the leadership of the party. Other groups like the Bushites and McCainiacs will need to acknowledge that they will play only a supporting role rather than the other way around. If the Bushites and McCainiacs find that unacceptable, then I have news for them: go join another party.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Whoever figures out how to put the Reagan coalition back together - religious conservatives, fiscal conservatives, and Reagan Democrats - will be the next conservative leader.

[Clemenza]

The white population is getting increasingly secularized. The only way the RR can survive is to start recruiting among blacks and hispanics, who tend to be more devout churchgoers (and into the god thing) than white folk do.

[Philo-Junius]

Fiscal conservatives are really only separated from the other two wings of the Reagan coalition by their rejection of traditional Christian sexual morality. By their constant sniping at Palin they have pretty much demonstrated they have no interest in giving the other two party factions anything but lip service on questions involving the intersection of sexual morality and public policy.

That being the case, what motive do the other two wings have to carry water for the “fiscal conservatives,” who mostly have turned out to be front men and apologists for the Chamber of Commerce’s latest boondoggles?

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

In other words, immaturity.

That is such a bogus issue for them. There is nothing that currently prevents consenting adults from doing whatever they please in the privacy of their bedrooms. Religious conservatives talking about the Bible or traditional values have never prevented Rockefeller Republicans or liberals from fornicating, committing adultery, having their daughters or mistresses get abortions, or contributing to Planned Parenthood so that blacks, the lower classes, or others they consider undesirable are depopulated. The uptight libertine fiscal conservative who fears backwoods Bible reading is a silly political phenomenon. There is little sillier than someone lounging around a country club worrrying about whether the lower classes are having enough abortions.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Religious conservatives talking about the Bible or traditional values have never prevented Rockefeller Republicans or liberals from fornicating, committing adultery...

You're aware, aren't you, that until the 6-3 USSC decision in Lawrence v. Texas in 2003, a number of states had such laws on the books, right?

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Which liberal or Rockefeller Republican in New York, LA, DC, Montgomery County or the Connecticut suburbs has ever been prevented from performing a sex act with a consenting adult in their own bedroom? This is an irrational liberal fear and neurosis hyped by secular humanists suffering from masturbation anxiety. Like Bill Maher. If Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson ever stormed into their bedrooms for coitus interruptus, I'd like to hear the story and interview the witnesses.

Reagan was president for eight years. Which liberal had problems having illicit sex in the 1980s??? Or during the last eight years with W in the White House? It's a bogus issue. People talking about the Bible or the right to life makes them uneasy and causes them anxiety. It's an emotional issue that sexually unstable liberals have.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Reagan was president for eight years. Which liberal had problems having illicit sex in the 1980s???

Bowers v. Hardwick

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

The hillbilly cops in Georgia arresting guys for sodomy while serving a traffic warrant? That was a sodomy law.
What were they doing that in Georgia for? Did they plead insanity?

[gogogodzilla]

A self-identified ‘Christian’ party will have a *very* difficult time attracting voters from other religions...

And would it be a Catholic party? If so, a lot of Protestants would object... and vice versa.

[tailgunner]

it’s going to take some serious planning.”

It is long past the time for Conservatives to form our own party, then endorse Republicans worthy of endorsement and run our own candidates against Republicans--like that Pennsylvanian--who are unworthy.

Reward friends, punish enemies.

Conservatives may no have the power to ensure Republican victory, but we do have the power to ensure Republican defeat.

[FreeAmerica2009]

No, sorry but you helped cause this defeat. we want small -leave us alone conservativism, not a big government you want telling people what to do.

[MARTIAL MONK]

If Bobby Jindal was a Hindu, would he be a conservative?

[narses]

A Contract to Limit Government

1 - Limit Members of Congress to Social Security and Medicare for their retirement benefits

2 - Limit Members of Congress to Medicare for health care benefits while serving

3 - Limit Members of Congress to three terms in each House, cumulative

4 - Limit total Federal taxes per individual to no more than 15% of gross income

5 - Limit Federal rules on education to funding only.

6 - Make the Federal education funding portable at the choice of the parent/guardian.

7 - Limit access to our border to legal immigrants and citizens only.

8 - Limit contributions to Federal Political campaigns to Natural Citizens only.

9 - Limit Federal Spending to a balanced budget outside of wartime.

10 - Limit Lawyers negative impact on society with meaningful tort and legal reform.