Republicans come to a fork in the road

Renew America ^ | 2008-12-04 | Robert Meyer

[rabscuttle385]

In the wake of the November election's repudiation of Republicans, there is a controversy among pundits about what Republicans need to do to stage a legislative comeback, much less, avoid extinction from the political landscape.

First off, let's be perfectly clear. Whenever an opponent suggests something so drastic, such as, that the conservative movement is dead in America, you can bet the hubris of those prognostications will be the stumbling block that ultimately makes the current liberal wave, a short-lived cultural tsunami.

But the general controversy is in deciding whether the Republican Party needs to moderate its current social platform, or instead needs to purge the moderates, fence-sitters and "RINO's," for a platform espousing traditional conservatism that is clearly and confidently articulated.

[rabscuttle385]

Purge the RINOs!

[MrB]

Let’s see - run as a conservative, unapologetically espouse those values, and win,

or “moderate” and lose.

Are there any recent historical exceptions to this observation?

[ilgipper]

articulate conservatism. Done.

[goldstategop]

If conservatism is dead, we might as well as become liberals now. That's really what the other side wants, doesn't it?

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Badeye]

Thats what McCain and his 37% support wanted all along.

[Red Badger]

HUNTING SEASON! NO BAG LIMIT!!!!!!!!

[mewzilla]

A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.

Thomas Paine

[AU72]

As Yogi Berra said, “If you come to a fork in the road, take it!”

[Grunthor]

“Republicans come to a fork in the road”

You are either a conservative, or you are just a Republican. I wipe my backside with what “Republicans” think or say. Self professed conservatives get a chance. PROVEN conservatives are who I lokk to for leadership.

[quickquiver]

That and as many as 7 million stolen votes!

[Grunthor]

“Let’s see - run as a conservative, unapologetically espouse those values, and win”

Heck even if you lost, at least you’d lose being who you ARE, instead of “well my POS is better than the other POS” strategy.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Ain’t it the truth! Purge them. Maybe better for conservatives to start their own party. I have little faith left in the GOP establishment.

[Ingtar]

... and promptly impale themselves upon its tines.

[iowamark]

[deannadurbin]

I think what happened in Georgia with the new election shows the way to win: 1) back grassroots organization with your support including financial support, and do it on a regular basis, 2) don’t give money to the RNC until they promise to re-emphasize conservatism and Reaganomics again, 3) start building stars in our own party who will not compromise with conservative ideals, like Sarah Palin.

As someone else wrote: Americans have short attention spans in general and they will no longer vote for “Grandpa”. We need to find young and attractive and energetic conservatives to come up from the ranks and get the conservative message out again, especially when the new Dem administration fails (and they WILL make major policy blunders and be involved in scandals, that’s a given with Democrats).

Also conservatives should build quiet alliances with Blue Dog conservative Democrats to keep Obama from getting his most leftist garbage through.

[mono]

As Yogi Berra said....If you come to a fork in the road, take it.

[McGruff]

Fork the RINOs

[seatrout]

--Are there any recent historical exceptions to this observation?-- 1.Rick Santorum, former US Senator from PA. Ran as unapologetic religious and "national security" conservative(talked a lot about "Islamofascism") in 2006 election. Lost. 2. Ken Blackwell. Unapologetic Christian conservative. Former OH Sec'y of State. Lost governor's race in 2006. 3. Alan Keyes. Former secretary of something-or-other. Ran as really unapologetic Christian conservative in several race, most recently--and notoriously--against Barack Obama in 2006 IL Senate race. Received less than 30 percent of the vote (less than 40 percent if you don't count dead people, I guess). 4. Brett Schundler. Former mayor of Jersey City, NJ. Lost governor's race (2001) to now disgraced Jim McGreevey. Schundler only got 42 percent of vote. 5. Pat Buchanan. Ran as unapologetic conservative GOP primary opponent of George H.W. Bush (incumbent) in 1992. Lost primary race. 6. Stephen Laffey, mayor of Cranston, RI. Unapologetic conservative (maybe the only one in RI) who ran unsuccessful primary race against very liberal republican Lincoln Chaffee in 2006. Chaffee lost general election that year. Now, I actually liked most of these people, but the point is that conservatives do well where conservatism is liked. Problem is, the elections of 2006 and 2008 seem to indicate that conservatism's "turf" is shrinking somewhat (affluent white suburbs outside of the South see the GOP--and conservatism--as too church ridden.) I don't agree with those sentiments, but what is to be done?

[seatrout]

Cute, but how do you define a “RINO” (besides being a big mammal with a horn made out of matted hair)?

[broncobilly]

What does it mean to pose arm in arm celebrating killing one of God’s amazing creatures???
Could someone explain it to me?