Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Republicans Must Be a National Party
WSJ Opinion Journal ^ | February 14, 2009 | Fred Barnes

Posted on 02/14/2009 4:43:12 AM PST by Jim Noble

His grandfather Prescott Bush was a U.S. senator, and his father and brother were presidents. Yet Jeb Bush doesn't believe in political dynasties, and seems perfectly willing to let his family's legacy of serving in high office in Washington pass him by.

But Mr. Bush becomes animated when talking about ideas and policy innovations -- he's an unorthodox Republican who latches onto reform ideas wherever he finds them. He's a fan of the school system in Sweden (more on this below)....

"Beyond the ideas and all of that," Mr. Bush says the GOP must be a national party. That means "we need to be competitive in California,"...

Republicans must also clean up their act on immigration, Mr. Bush insists. Last year, he says they "set a tone" that pushed Hispanic voters away. "The tone of the debate reached a point that was very damning to the Republican Party, and the evidence is in. The chest pounders lost."....

Mr. Bush supports immigration reform as championed by his brother and John McCain, which would allow illegals already in this country to stay. "Politics has to be about ideas and values and aspirations." he says. "It shouldn't be about anger and preying on people's emotions. You can't lead a mob."...

Mr. Bush has kind words for Mr. Obama. He was the first Democrat to win Florida since 1976, and Mr. Bush has nothing but praise for his "spectacularly well-run campaign....

Mr. Bush has a personal motive for urging Republicans to "avoid personal, partisan attacks" on Mr. Obama, a strategy they've largely followed in Washington. "I would never want Obama to go through what my brother went through.... But it's not right for our country, it's not going to help us, and it's not going to help Republicans."

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; conservatism; gop; grassroots; itsalive; nightoflivingdead; nomorebushes; rinopurge; rnc
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160161-175 next last
To: Cedric
And even worse than that, his tone wasn't right.

I agree with you that it wasn't right, but his tone was the bellwether for his belief... For all that I don't like Palin, at least she was closer to where the folks were by a country mile.

141 posted on 02/14/2009 2:13:39 PM PST by roamer_1 (Proud 1%er... Reagan Conservatism is the only way forward.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 131 | View Replies]

To: CottonBall

You’ve been chastened with good cause.

Let it go.


142 posted on 02/14/2009 2:14:24 PM PST by Cedric
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 139 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza
Nobody wants to throw religious people under a bus.

Oh, really? Do you know that this election, for the first time that I recall, the Republican party candidate did not fully embrace the Pro-Life position (and neither did his vp, btw)?

Did you know that for the first time that I can recall, the Republican candidate did not stand before the Value Voters (the default forum for the Christian Right's views in the election process) EITHER during the Primary or during the election?

Sure the GOP is trying to throw the Christians under the bus, and have been for quite a while. They are trying to redefine the Christian Right, even as they have already redefined the Fiscal Right, and ridiculed the Libertarians. They want a socially Liberal "Christian Right", as the Saddleback Forum defines it.

The key is to build a coalition that takes into account the concerns of Calvinist/evangelical/Pentecostal voters, while not driving away those of other religious traditions, or the seculars/holiday Christians for that matter.

The ONLY coalition that is needed is the Reagan Coalition.

To embrace multiculturalism, you must, by the very definition of it, throw the Christian Right under the bus. What they stand for is a single principled social culture, which IS he Judeo-Christian Ethic, and they will (and are) leave you in droves for compromising with their enemies.

143 posted on 02/14/2009 2:46:10 PM PST by roamer_1 (Proud 1%er... Reagan Conservatism is the only way forward.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 133 | View Replies]

To: Clemenza
BTW: I really wish that I agree with you, but we are no longer in Ronald Reagan’s American (or FDR’s America for that matter).

How would you know? It has not been tried since 94, and even then the party was against it. Try it, You'll like it.

144 posted on 02/14/2009 2:48:37 PM PST by roamer_1 (Proud 1%er... Reagan Conservatism is the only way forward.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 138 | View Replies]

To: Cedric
You mean like "ROT IN HELL RINO POS TRAITOR"?

Yet you are there, and I am here. Enjoy your crap burgers. They tell me Heinz Ketchup makes 'em tasty.

145 posted on 02/14/2009 2:56:52 PM PST by roamer_1 (Proud 1%er... Reagan Conservatism is the only way forward.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 134 | View Replies]

To: Cedric
Oh, and how about the brilliance and propriety of screaming for someone to get the hell out because he has the wrong last name?

Have you ever heard of the Dixie Chicks? Same kinda' thing. The Bush's got a pass already with son number one. He went waaayyy past "NO!!" into "OH HELL NO!!"... End of story. See you at the signing.

146 posted on 02/14/2009 3:00:07 PM PST by roamer_1 (Proud 1%er... Reagan Conservatism is the only way forward.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 137 | View Replies]

To: Vigilanteman; DoughtyOne
But with people like Sarah and Bobby Jindal warming up in the bullpen, we don't have to settle for them anymore.

When McC named Palin as VP, I had great hope. But then on the Spanish speaking TV channel Univision, here is her Q&A:

To clarify, so you support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants?

I do because I understand why people would want to be in America. To seek the safety and prosperity, the opportunities, the health that is here. It is so important that yes, people follow the rules so that people can be treated equally and fairly in this country."

I have not heard anything further on that subject from her. She may come to her senses eventually. Maybe she felt compelled to support McCain's position.

147 posted on 02/14/2009 3:49:27 PM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (I want to "Buy American" but the only things for sale made in the USA are politicians)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]

To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

That is such a general statement, I don’t see how you could read amnesty for illegals in it. I also support a path to citizenship for illegal aliens who aspire to citizenship. It should start with them either (a)getting the hell out of the country or (b)volunteering for military service then applying to come here legally.


148 posted on 02/14/2009 4:02:33 PM PST by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 147 | View Replies]

To: Cedric

No cause at all.

You should’ve let it go in the beginning. But I’d rather you be an ass with me than kick your defenseless dog.


149 posted on 02/14/2009 5:08:01 PM PST by CottonBall
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 142 | View Replies]

To: Vigilanteman

Read the whole interview in the link. Usually “a path to citizenship” is a politician’s code for the kind of amnesty Bush/McCain/Kennedy were pushing in summer 2007.


150 posted on 02/14/2009 6:51:29 PM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (I want to "Buy American" but the only things for sale made in the USA are politicians)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 148 | View Replies]

To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas
Your link returns:

Document Not Found

Sorry, the requested document does not exist on this server.

151 posted on 02/14/2009 7:56:23 PM PST by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 150 | View Replies]

To: Jim Noble
Jim, you pretty much describe the county where I live-- overwhelmingly Catholic, blue collar, union and mid-level professional. McCain carried this county by 58%, mainly because Sarah was so refeshingly genuine but didn't come over as a hell and damnation type Protestant. I suspect either Rudi or Romney would have carried it by even bigger margins if they had Sarah or someone comparable on the ticket.

The people here are generally pro-life, would have big problems with letting the gay nazis redefine marriage, but would have no problem giving them some substitute such as civil unions. A hypocritical Bible thumper like Huckabee would have been lucky to have gotten 40% here-- roughly the percentage of the population which is not Catholic.

152 posted on 02/14/2009 8:04:36 PM PST by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 105 | View Replies]

To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

I don’t have to tell you that does trouble me.

Sarah may develop properly over the next few years, and we may find out more about her and realize she’s no better than the rest of the turds who want to lead our party.

It is startling to me, how out of touch with Conservatism people are.

Should it really be a shocker that the citizens of the United States would object to citizenship being so discounted as to be something they would essentially give away for free to folks who don’t even want to become Americanized?

People who can’t understand this have a screw loose. They’ll claim we’re extreme right wing nuts, rather than face reality on this subject. Since when is supporting the laws on our books a rabid anything, other than a rabidly sound Citizen.

Common sense is so uncommon these days.


153 posted on 02/15/2009 12:21:37 AM PST by DoughtyOne (Resolved: McCain 2010, Gregg 2010, Snowe 2010, Spectre 2010, Collins 2014)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 147 | View Replies]

To: Vigilanteman
Sorry, this is correct:

link

154 posted on 02/15/2009 12:26:37 AM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (I want to "Buy American" but the only things for sale made in the USA are politicians)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 151 | View Replies]

To: DoughtyOne

True, thanks. Since illegals are not as big a problem in Alaska as elsewhere, that could be a reason why she had not thought deeply about immigration before that interview.


155 posted on 02/15/2009 12:32:05 AM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (I want to "Buy American" but the only things for sale made in the USA are politicians)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 153 | View Replies]

To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

I agree. I suppose her state is removed to the point of her not understanding the issue. I’ll have to say though, it honestly bothers me considerably to hear of any Citizen who hasn’t come to terms with illegal immigration as a very destructive vile problem.


156 posted on 02/15/2009 12:38:04 AM PST by DoughtyOne (Resolved: McCain 2010, Gregg 2010, Snowe 2010, Spectre 2010, Collins 2014)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 155 | View Replies]

To: roamer_1
The ONLY coalition that is needed is the Reagan Coalition.

1/3 of them are dead, and Reagan did not empower Evangelical Christians to the point that he turned off white Catholics.

The Bush-Rove elevation of Evangelicals, while tactically good for Bush, was not in the long-term interest of the party.

157 posted on 02/15/2009 12:57:34 AM PST by Jim Noble (Tom Daschle's favorite tune: "Baby you can drive my car")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 143 | View Replies]

To: DoughtyOne
I’ll have to say though, it honestly bothers me considerably to hear of any Citizen who hasn’t come to terms with illegal immigration as a very destructive vile problem.

Usually, a politician's response to that comment would be, I am opposed to illegal immigration, will secure the border, but...." followed by a strawman argument about how "We can't round up millions..."

158 posted on 02/15/2009 1:12:25 AM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (I want to "Buy American" but the only things for sale made in the USA are politicians)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 156 | View Replies]

To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

I agree. At which point I write them off.


159 posted on 02/15/2009 1:20:36 AM PST by DoughtyOne (Resolved: McCain 2010, Gregg 2010, Snowe 2010, Spectre 2010, Collins 2014)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 158 | View Replies]

To: Jim Noble
1/3 of them are dead [...]

I was ONE person in Reagan's time. Now, through my marriage, the conversion of my wife to a Conservative view, and our children, We were THREE this last election, four if you count my eldest son's house, which is just beginning to form. Next election we will be FOUR anyway, the one after that we will be FIVE. Soon enough, all SIX of us will be voting.

In that time, my father has died, but the rest of us are still right here, doing as we always have.

I use my own house as an example of what you don't see. Conservatism is a way of life, not a set of political theories. Conservatism is part and parcel, the very definition of the American Way. It lends definition to a set of principles that are handed down, father to son, mother to daughter, since the beginning of this nation. That is what we CONSERVE.

It is in no way dead. It CANNOT be. Conservatives out breed Liberals, and never convert. Liberals abort their young, and generally lose their base through attrition to Conservatism, as with age comes wisdom, and the truth of Conservatism cannot be denied.

You have no idea what Reaganism would do for the Republicans, and you have no idea how man Conservatives there are, because the Republicans have fought Conservatism all the way along. and there have not been consistent Conservatives in charge since the 1994 Congress. The reason Conservatives are not there is because they have been hemorrhaging out of the party, almost from the very moment Reagan's foot left the White House threshold.

Reagan did not empower Evangelical Christians to the point that he turned off white Catholics

Without Reagan, you would not have a Christian Right at all. As I said up thread, Conservative Catholics are a big part of all of the Social Right's agenda, as are Conservative Hebrews. You cannot have both, so take your pick: Either you get the liberal church, or you get the Conservative Church. What you should be looking at is how turned off the Christian Right was.

And Bush did not elevate Evangelicals, btw. Not by Conservative standards. He just gave them their due. What is wrong with what happened is that he did not give the other conservative factions their due as well.

Those who wish to bring down the Christian Right will bring down the whole house. what must be done is a reestablishment of the other pillars in their rightful place, in their own rightful power alongside of the Christian Right.

That is Reaganism.

160 posted on 02/15/2009 5:56:45 AM PST by roamer_1 (Proud 1%er... Reagan Conservatism is the only way forward.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 157 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160161-175 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson