Posted on 11/30/2008 1:58:27 AM PST by rabscuttle385
They say that elephants never forget, but that's exactly what the Grand Old Party has done.
Between the 1950s and 1970s, Rockefeller and Nixon Republicans kept the party in a seemingly permanent minority with a "me-too" philosophy that allowed Democrats to balloon the size and scope of government.
But, when Ronald Reagan ran unashamed on conservative principles in 1980 and Republicans in Congress embraced bold conservative reforms in 1994, America responded with overwhelming approval.
Since then, many Republicans have run for office as conservatives but governed as scandal-plagued big-spending moderates. They stopped offering common-sense solutions and broke promises with Americans by overspending and wasteful earmarking to special interests.
In the name of bipartisanship, our leaders supported amnesty, big new entitlements, more federal control of education, and compromises on energy. And too often Republicans shied away from defending values of life, family and faith.
The final straw for many was a series of Wall Street bailouts that cost over a trillion dollars and looked more like knee-jerk socialism than confident conservative leadership.
No wonder Republicans have lost a dozen Senate seats and nearly 50 House seats in two years.
Democrats will likely mistake Republican failures as a mandate for their liberal policies. Obama promises to "spread the wealth" and repeal all restrictions on abortion.
Nancy Pelosi wants trillions in new federal spending. Barney Frank promises higher taxes and massive military funding cuts. Harry Reid will kill the secret ballot for union elections. Patrick Leahy yearns to pack federal courts with activist judges who are hostile to traditional values.
Americans know little about these far left plans because Democrats didn't run on their liberal agenda, they ran against George Bush.
Yet, a strong majority of Americans are conservative and support the principles of freedom our nation was founded on.
The bipartisan Battleground Poll has found every year since 2002 that 60 percent of Americans identify themselves as conservatives and only 30 percent call themselves liberals. That's why Obama and the Democrats talked so much about conservative themes of tax cuts, spending restraint, second amendment rights and energy independence.
Americans haven't changed, Republicans have.
Recent Republican leaders said earmarks proved we could deliver for our districts and higher spending demonstrated our compassion. But a recent Club for Growth poll found that 66 percent of Americans favor candidates who will cut federal spending even if it means less local funding.
They said fighting for values that strengthen families and protect life is outdated, but ballot propositions to protect traditional marriage still pass overwhelmingly, most recently in California. Numerous polls on abortion reveal most Americans value life and want fewer abortions.
Republicans can regain America's trust only by acting on our conservative principles and offering real solutions.
First, we must lead by example and limit our own power in order to guard against corruption, starting with a unilateral, two-year earmark moratorium.
Then, let's end the seniority system that turns too many Republican outsiders into Washington insiders. This requires term limiting our conference leader and appropriations committee members, then choosing committee heads on merit, not seniority.
Second, Republicans must reestablish ourselves as the Party of Ideas with new, principled solutions for today's challenges. We offer more jobs, more take-home income, and more opportunity to succeed.
We offer more choices, personal control, and better quality in health care, education, and retirement. We offer more protection of life and the family, freedom of political speech, and respect for the right to bear arms. As global threats increase, Republicans offer a stronger national defense and secure borders.
Third, we must do everything in our power to stop President-elect Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Senator Reid from enacting liberal policies that reduce freedom. Democrats and Republicans should work together, but not when it hurts the American people. As the minority, we don't control the Senate agenda, but we still have a moral responsibility to fight for freedom and liberty in our great country.
Finally, we must recruit new leaders. We're never going to reshape the way Americans see Republicans with the same old faces. There are good conservatives in Congress now, but our bench is not nearly as deep as the Democrats, who have plenty of career politicians.
We need more Sarah Palins - moms, dads, teachers, doctors and business owners who want to defend liberty and solve big problems, not become part of the Washington establishment. We must find them, encourage them and fight for their elections.
These are painful times for the party of Lincoln and Reagan, but we have a golden opportunity to demonstrate its character and its convictions, and rebuild stronger than ever. So let's get going.
Sen. Jim DeMint is a Republican from South Carolina.
DeMint ping.
Here’s another one.
bookmark
Palin/DeMint 2012! It’s refreshing to hear that from a repub and no throwing conservatives under the buss either - FINALLY some sanity!
Thanks for posting....and DeMint sums up everything that has been done...and what needs to be done. The true leader of the party
Genuine conservatives have not forgotten anything. The problem is that leftists are such shameless liars and chameleons and are wicked underminers of everything. Therefore everything decent is constantly being infiltrated and corrupted. We believers in truth must understand and constantly remember that the enemy lies in ways that are more widespread and deep seated than we ever operate ourselves. For example, the leftists spent ten years giving us John McCain as our leader and then used him to give us Hussein Obama as our President. By contrast, our trifling with Rudy, Mitt, and Huck is the sort of thing that our enemies find pathetic and amusing.
We need another contract with America. Vote out the rinos. No closet libs. Check back grounds before you vote.
We need another contract with America. Vote out the rinos. No closet libs. Check back grounds before you vote.
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Yeah, check BC!!!
We also must change our GOP primary rules so that Democrats and Indies do not choose our Nominee for us!
The new RNC Chairman must has this as one of his goals. (Or whomever can take that ball and run with it).
He is not talking about the people in congress now, he is looking to us. If Sarah Palin could walk onto the stage out of nowhere and energize the base like she did, Demint understands what is wrong with our party. Demint is telling us to not look to Washington, he is telling us start looking for folks amongst ourselves.
Exactly, when is the last time a RINO was defeated in the primary by a grassroots conservative effort? We need better Republicans before we can start getting more Republicans. How about we begin by running someone against McCain in 2010?
BTTT
How very refreshing!
Amen. Republicans must kick out RINO’S and bring in more Demint’s.
Let’s see who we should throw under the bus:
1. John McCain
2. Lindsay Graham
3. Christy Todd Whitman
4. Rudy Guiliani
5. The Gerald Ford followers
6. Tom Ridge
7. Mayor Bloomburg of NYC
8. Arnold Schwarzenegger
9. The Bush team
Keeping adding to the list. We need to purge these moderates who have hijacked the GOP and have no hesitation whatesoever at getting into bed with Liberals.
Let’s resurrect Reagan’s old speeches and force Republican officeholder to memorize them and use them for our “talking points.”
“and no throwing conservatives under the buses...”
My guess is that Demint will be the one thrown under the bus by his RHINO friends for even mentioning this.
Conservatives also need to develop better strategies to deal with a national media that is 99.99999% in the tank for the opposition. That is a huge barrier to success.
I think it is about time the conservatives grew a set of ba**s and started talking and acting like Jim DeMint. We have been pushed around by the libs long enough. It is amazing to me that the Democrats in party will be in lock step and the Republicans have a hard time getting enough to agree on what time to meet for coffee!
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