Posted on 11/24/2008 11:49:07 AM PST by Servant of the Cross
In an op-ed published after the election, former Governor of New Jersey Christine Todd Whitman wrote, "Unless the Republican Party ends its self-imposed captivity to social fundamentalists, it will spend a long time in the political wilderness."
And who are these "social fundamentalists?" In Whitman's political lexicon, they are "the people who base their votes on such social issues as abortion, gay rights, and stem cell research."
When I read Whitman's column I had three thoughts:
1. Why is she putting the label "fundamentalist" on fellow Republican voters?
2. Does she know she's also talking about Catholic voters who consider non-negotiable issues before casting their ballot?
3. Is she asking Catholic and Evangelical voters who care deeply about these issues to leave the party and declare themselves independent?
It's remarkable that someone who considers herself a leader in the GOP would go out of her way to antagonize millions of voters who have been dependable Republicans for over three decades.
Whitman and the other GOP leaders who have made post-election stabs at social and religious conservatives had better start minding their manners. Whatever happened to the "Big Tent"? The Republican Party may find itself hemorrhaging its most zealous constituency.
Did Gov. Whitman not hear the roar that went through St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center the night Sarah Palin walked out on stage? Here is Whitman's take on Palin: "Her selection cost the ticket support among those moderate voters who saw it as a cynical sop to social fundamentalists, reinforcing the impression that they control the party, with the party's consent."
Gov. Whitman knows very well that the pro-life, anti-gay marriage conservatives don't "control" the party -- such a claim will bring laughs from anyone familiar with the inner workings of the RNC.
(Excerpt) Read more at insidecatholic.com ...
I believe that the three ‘legs’ of the Conservative movement (SoCon’s; DefCon’s; FiCon’s) need to band together and support and appreciate each other’s key principle(s). If any leg is kicked out, the chair will fall. We need each other if we ever hope to defeat the Democratic Socialists in the future.
There are a handful of clear principles for the GOP to adhere to (not comprehensive; hat tip to Scory):
1. For fiscal responsibility and balanced budgets.
2. For a strong national defense and law and order.
3. For reining in government and shrinking both its size and influence.
4. For border security and an ordered immigration policy.
5 Pro-life and pro traditional values.
Not every Republican will support every principle with equal fervor and may even be somewhat opposed to one or two. For instance, social conservatives of faith cannot assume (or require) that all conservatives hold onto the same religious fervor as they. Religiosity is not a pre-requisite (nor a dis-qualifier as Ms. Whitman would have it) as it relates to membership in our party or government. (For membership in our respective churches, fine.)
All for one, and one for all. Let’s hope we agree on the right person to lead in 2012. [Only bold and courageous (young?) conservatives need apply - i.e. Jindal, Palin, Barbour ...]
ping.
End it? When does it start? The Rinos own this party.
The Republican Party, minus the social fundamentalists, is irrelevant.
Time to start a new party? or launch an attack on the RINOs?
As far as I am concerned she and the other RINOs can HAVE the Republicrat Party. They have destroyed its credibility and brought it to ruin.
Its failure is on THEIR shoulders, not on those of Conservatives.
You got your own candidate in 2008 who relegated conservatives, social and otherwise, to the backseat, who bragged about his moderate positions and made "reaching across the aisle" the centerpiece of his campaign.
How did that work out???
I sat with some New Jersey friends at a wedding reception last summer. They are pretty liberal. They said that it was too bad that Christie Whitman had “tainted” herself by serving in the Bush administration. They used to be her friends and supporters when she was governor; now, evidently, no longer.
So, maybe she is just trying to repair her reputation with the liberal Country Clubbers in her home state. My take on the book is that it’s purely self-serving. It certainly isn’t any kind of advice the national party should take. Maybe it works in Joisey.
I don’t have the answer, but we need to be real careful on Michael Steele. Don’t be blinded by his color and speaking ability. I got into it with him about the rinos in the party and he talked about about how we need to be MORE inclusive and try not to be “against things”, to be “welcoming” to the NAACP and Log Cabin (homosexual) Republicans.
Can anyone tell me the difference between this type republican and a democrat? They spend, they’re pro-choice, pro gay marriage and on and on and on.
One more genius painting with as wide a brush possible and still missing the mark.
It is amazing how blind they are to the fact that candidates that run as conservatives win elections. Those that pander, trying to win the “middle”, are the ones who lose elections.
What the GOP needs are candidates that are true federalists.
CTW is a typical New England Rockefeller Republican. When the RNC sent $$ to that POS Lincoln Chaffee, they sealed their fate as far as I’m concerned. Sarah was the smartest thing they’ve done since Reagan - and now they regret nominating her? Buffoons....
“...Time for conservatives to start a party from the ground up...”
No easy matter and it will split the vote between the new party and the RINO Party. It would be better to start a Party within the Party.
If we had a caucus or organization of hardcore, energetic, and capable folks working the primaries for “CC endorsed” true conservatives and provided some funding...we could gain more influence with the GOP.
I would listen to advice from Michael Moore before I gave any weight to anything Christine would say.
Good story. I completely agree about Whitman. However, this same kind of stuff is coming from many Republicans who claim to be conservative (like Pelosi and Biden are Catholic): Frum, Noonan, Parker, etc.
Well, at least MOST of them are not anti-gun.
Of course the same can be said about a lot of Democrats, so...
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