Editorial: Thin the RINO herd

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | 2008-11-09 | Lowman S. Henry

[rabscuttle385]

Now what?

The Republican Party -- nationally and in Pennsylvania -- lies in tatters. Having lost the White House to Barack Obama, suffered historic losses in congressional elections, been almost shut out in statewide races and experienced further erosion in the state House, there is no doubt the GOP has hit rock bottom.

It is, most significantly, a loss for so-called moderate Republicanism. Party moderates have opined time and again that a more middle-of-the-road presidential candidate could win Pennsylvania. McCain was touted as that candidate. It was a double-digit trouncing.

[Hoodat]

Here's a suggestion for the GOP (not that they actually give a damn what a conservative thinks):

Change the primary process. In 2012, hold the earliest primaries in Utah, Idaho, Oklahoma, Alabama, South Carolina, Indiana, and Kansas. Do not allow Democrat states such as Iowa and New Hampshire decide our nominee.

[shield]

Is Coleman a RINO?

[PapaBear3625]

"QUESTION: Would you approve "waterboarding" if its use helped save one of your loved ones?"

No. Never in a million years.

Here's where we differ. Waterboarding does not cripple or kill the person it is applied against, and so in my mind it is an acceptable means of extracting information.

If we have a terrorist enemy of the US, and that enemy has information that would save the lives of fellow Americans, I would approve of cutting his belly open and making him eat his own intestines, if that's what it took.

If a terrorist prisoner will not be a source of useful information, it creates a great disincentive among our troops for the idea of taking prisoners in the first place. Would you prefer prisoners be interrogated, or that they just be killed rather than captured? Because that is the real choice in the mountains of Afghanistan.

[brydic1]

I guess George Washington destroyed freedom when extremely violent methods were used against British agents during the Revolution. And then again Freedom must have also been destroyed many times over when FDR authorized extensive questioning methods to gain information from our domestic and foreign enemies during WW II. Funny, there was no protest from these leftist civil libertarians when these methods were used in earlier wars. I hate it that it may some time be necessary to use Jacks Bauer methods occasionally but to protect this country from traitors within and diabolical agents of Islam without, it must be authorized though it be only rarely.

[PapaBear3625]

In 2012, hold the earliest primaries in Utah, Idaho, Oklahoma, Alabama, South Carolina, Indiana, and Kansas. Do not allow Democrat states such as Iowa and New Hampshire decide our nominee.

Better idea:

In 2011, tell everybody who wants to run to put together a web page outlining their positions. The RNC site will link to all candidates.

In October 2011, every registered Republican, nationwide, gets a letter giving him or her a user ID/password. Every Republican (but only Republicans) can donate up to $100 towards the candidate of their choice, either all at once, or a few bucks at a time as they see who seems to be among the national favorites.

In 2012, the two top donation receivers get to go on to the regular primaries, and get to keep the money people gave them. The losers are obligated to drop out, MAY NOT have their names on the ballots, and will have the money that was applied to them go to the top two.

By this means, we could ensure that the primary was a choice between the top two candidates of committed Republicans, the ones willing to put some money where their mouths were.

[Rockitz]

Allot delegates based on number of registered voters...esp if they are GOP voters.

Allot delegates based ONLY on number of registered GOP voters! As hamburglar was saying "NO crossover voters."

[dsc]

“You are wrong. Without Palin, a lot of conversatives would have sat out the election or voted third party. Palin saved him from an even bigger and much more humiliating loss.”

Spot on.

Now, I’m a guy who goes with Thomas Jefferson: “Were our State a pure democracy...there would yet be excluded from their deliberations...women, who, to prevent depravation of morals and ambiguity of issue, should not mix promiscuously in the public meetings of men.” (Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Kercheval)

However, there are exceptions. There had been two in my lifetime: Golda Meir and Margaret Thatcher (Atilla the Hen). Now there is a third: The ‘Cuda.

If the Republican Party does not make her their standard-bearer, then I wait only to micturate on the party’s grave.

[FrankR]

"I could no longer vote for the Republican party after Bush authorized torture in Gitmo. That aside, I was still shocked to the core of my being when Bush crafted that wall street bailout bill. A Republican president just flat out nationalized the insurance industry, banking and housing. It still gives me chills when I think about it."

So, one guy is a screw up, and the whole party is tossed to the curb? Somehow you thought life under obama would be preferable after buying into the media's definition of "torture" at Club Gitmo? And you didn't feel that the democrats ongoing roll - since Jimmy Carter and Clinton - in the housing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was any reason to not vote for them? Maybe Bush brought up the bailout, but the democrats were openly frothing at the mouth to get it signed...and are now cooking up still another bailout bill in the Pelosi congress.

"The Republican party lost because they didn’t just betray their core values, they completely forgot them."

SOME in the party did forget their values, but the rank and file republicans didn't, and now they have been rewarded with "obama" to cure all the ills on the planet, thanks in part to loyal party members like yourself.

"...Republican leadership was voting to turn this country into a socialist nation."

So you thought letting obama win, would be a cure for that 'socialist' thing?

"Until we admit to ourselves that we’ve forgotten what it means - what it REALLY means - to be a ‘conservative’ then we will continue to lose elections."

What it REALLY means is to keep this country out of the hands of a radical socialists, to insure that America can offer the same freedoms and advantages to our children and grandchildren as it did for us.

I'm sure I read your post wrong, because it sure looks like something a DU lurker would write...you know, one of those "I'm a life-long Republican, but I just couldn't vote for Bush...." things we hear on the radio all the time.

[Rockitz]

Three necessary conditions for conservatives to regain control of the GOP and eliminate the destructive RINO domination.

1. GOP registration required to vote for GOP candidates so that crossover voters do not select our candidates.
2. Move primaries up in several large conservative states so that RINO-infested northeastern states no longer chose our presidential candidate.
3. Allot delegates to the GOP convention from each state based on the number of registered GOP voters in that state and divide the delegates between candidates based on primary results- No more winner-take-all primaries.

[Chairman of the Bard]

The greatest challenge, IMHO, is not only reinvigorating the conservative base, but also creating more conservatives! This is no small task. Obama won 2/3 of the "youth vote" - 18 to 29 year olds. A vague, diffuse, nebulous message of Hope & Change, along with a long-term co-opting of our education system, combined with a charismatic "Dancing-With-The-Stars" demagogue has created an appealing (though disingenuous) appeal for liberalism. Liberals know that their "government as nanny" message will appeal to those who have the least stake in our economy. "Youth" have lower paying jobs, pay less taxes, own fewer homes, rarely have to meet a payroll, rarely have to balance a budget, pay for kids' braces and college education. Liberalism looks cool to young, idealistic, unrealistic Americans, and Obama played on that vulnerability. I'd argue that he played on it in a cynical, dishonest way. Conservatism needs to be taught. Conservatism is intellectual and logical. When a liberal politician like Premier Obama promises the moon, when he promises that he will heal our souls, provide more money to those who produce and earn less, all though the power of government largess, he appears to "care". When conservatives expound upon the virtues of smaller government and lower taxes, the positive effects on our lives need to be explained and sold. I left the Democrats in 1994, during the heated debates in congress on Hillarycare and the Crime Bill. I had already begun to listen to Rush, and I had a number of rock-ribbed conservatives at work who were leaning on me in a friendly and persistent way. A friend gave me Thomas Sowell's Vision of the Anointed. I was skeptical, yet open minded. I had surgery in August of 1994, and instead of watching re-runs of sitcoms, soaps and game shows, I tuned in to the congressional battles on C-Span. Newt was the most compelling, vociferous leader of the conservative resistance. Long story short, I was "converted". This is why I say that a shift to a conservative ideology takes intellect and education. It also requires strong, articulate leaders to carry the message. Ousting RINOs is fine, because RINOs cannot be the message-carriers. However, expanding our numbers is our greatest challenge ahead. The Premier Obama regime knows this, which is why they will attempt to silence dissent and demonize conservative voices. Hence, a renewed interest in the so-called Fairness Doctrine.

[Yossarrian]

Palin *lost*. If she was the right candidate, she would NOT have lost. If she lost, then ergo - she was the wrong choice.

Just curious; historically, how many Presidents have been elected so that their running mate would be Vice President?

[doberville]

So tell me, how does one maintain your standards and still manage to work within the framework of reality?

[SuziQ]

It seems from the analysis of the election returns that the vast majority of ‘Moderates’ voted for Obama. Even 20% of CONSERVATIVES voted for Obama!! I can only guess that theirs was a protest vote against John McCain. Imagine, if we’d had a REAL Conservative candidate, and those 20% would have voted for him...

[meadsjn]

I'm a 'troll'? Palin *lost*. If she was the right candidate, she would NOT have lost. If she lost, then ergo - she was the wrong choice.

McCain was polling below 30% before he selected McCain. With any of the other choices on his short list, he was still polling below 30%.

Without Palin, he would have lost all 50 states.

Without McCain dragging down the ticket, Palin probably would have won.

[Clintonfatigued]

The only time supporting a RINO is justified is when he or she is the only Republican who can win the election within the contested constituancy. Otherwise, TOSS HIM OR HER ASIDE!!

[skeeter]

I'm for giving all Americans a clear choice - freedom based upon individual responsibility or safety and servitude to the state. If freedoms not good enough then I don't care what else happens.

We cannot become like democrats to beat democrats. The results of the last election should have laid that theory to rest once & for all.

[Clintonfatigued]

You’re right on those two individual points. With regard to waterboarding, I’m in the minority here, but I oppose it. The only thing that torture achieves is getting the captive to tell his captor what he thinks the captor wants to hear. In fact, information obtained through this method is not all that reliable. The Biblical quote on gaining the world but losing one’s soul in the process can apply to this issue.

[Weaver95]

So, one guy is a screw up, and the whole party is tossed to the curb?

It wasn't just 'one guy' that screwed up. It was scandal after scandal after scandal. And then the leader of the Republican party, our wonderful President, decided hey, torture was ok! And if you think the Republicans aren't in trouble, then consider this: Ted Stevens (R - Alaska) was convicted and STILL won't step down from office. That shouldn't be an issue for discussion. Any moral party would disown the guy and kick him out. But we don't see that happening, do we?

SOME in the party did forget their values, but the rank and file republicans didn't, and now they have been rewarded with "obama" to cure all the ills on the planet, thanks in part to loyal party members like yourself.

*I* stuck to my guns. I held true to my convictions and I made no compromises. I and others like me have acted honorably. It's you and yours that made deals with scumbags and turned the other way when dishonorable things were said and done. well, the voters got tired of the moral lapses and hypocrisy and now YOU get to reap what YOU have sown. Don't blame this on me and other fiscal conservatives. YOU allowed it to happen.

What it REALLY means is to keep this country out of the hands of a radical socialists, to insure that America can offer the same freedoms and advantages to our children and grandchildren as it did for us.

When Bush sold us out and nationalized the banking industry, all of that was gone. we've become 'radical socalists' and it was our wonderful Republican leaders who did it to us. Don't be angry with me, i'm just the messenger. I'm telling you the truth. It is not at all surprising that you would hate me for doing so.

I'm sure I read your post wrong, because it sure looks like something a DU lurker would write...you know, one of those "I'm a life-long Republican, but I just couldn't vote for Bush...." things we hear on the radio all the time.

Ah yes, the last resort of the desperate - 'If you aren't WITH me, then you are AGAINST me!'. We heard this before, back during the dark days of McCarthyism and the great Red Scare. Is that really your cure for the ills of the Republican party? If so, then pack it in because 'the libruls' will have indeed won a final victory.

As I see it, there is only one way for this to go - there MUST be a return to true conservative values: less spending, lower taxes, smaller government. We either go back to those values or we're done. clearly the electorate DOES NOT like anything of what they heard from McCain/Palin. And even the most rabid fanboi here on freerepublic says otherwise. So either we all reject the current policies that McCain/Palin and Bush/Cheney stood for or the Dems take over for good.

[rabscuttle385]

So either we all reject the current policies that McCain/Palin and Bush/Cheney stood for or the Dems take over for good.

BTTT

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[rabscuttle385]

FYI, post 138