I beg to differ. ;o)
Posted on 04/21/2009 9:18:48 AM PDT by AJKauf
Meghan McCain, whose father apparently ran for some political office at one time, certainly knows how to attract attention. Unfortunately, at least among doctrinaire Republicans, it’s generally of the wrong sort.
Her most recent outing was a speech delivered to the Log Cabin Republicans’ 2009 convention. In an occasionally rambling but hopeful address, Ms. McCain drew fire from the punditry for daring to give voice to an ugly truth which many party loyalists would rather not contemplate: if the ideological purists of the GOP — particularly the social conservatives — wish to thin the herd by driving all the RINOs from their midst, they are dooming the Republicans to a future as a regional party with little hope for electoral success on a national level.
She may be young and lacking a deep well of life experience from which to draw, but kids still do say the darnedest things.
This young lady bravely speaks to a younger generation of conservatives....
(Excerpt) Read more at pajamasmedia.com ...
Mm, nope.
Sigh.....
As I said -- one need not agree with Ms. McCain's views, to recognize that her comments are based on a cogent recognition of something that Republicans (and conservatives) need to seriously consider.
The underlying truth is that conservatism has lost traction with the voting public, and that may reach a point where conservatism actually becomes irrelevant.
We need not give up "worldview, our ethics, our morals, our religion, our consciences, or our self-respect," but we do need to figure out a better way to sell our ideas.
The author of this piece makes another cogent observation -- that conservatives have made themselves look bad in stupid ways. To me, that bespeaks a lack of thought in the positions we take on matters such as, say, energy conservation (just to pick one).
We conservatives have got ourselves to blame for our current problems. It's high time we faced up to our failings, and begin to address them in a thoughtful and comprehensive manner.
But hey.... it's so much easier to call Meghan McCain names....
Looks like you lack the cojones to even defend your post or that bastion of conservatism, MegHan McCain.
That is the instant sign of a troll.
The Rino’s routinely advocate this, even here on FR. They don't want social and relgious conservatives. They want to talk about taxes and the military. The last two elections, they have had their way.
I believe Rino’s would rather lose to the Dems and have their precious gay rights, than try to work with us.
It’s best if FR is Meghan-McCain-free.
Ignore her.
Don’t post articles about her.
And we can thank her father for the Marxist in the whitehouse along with those in congress.
I didn’t call her names (at least not this time)
I don’t agree with her views , and I, and most people also HAVE considered, and I strongly feel that the GOP has issues—in addition, I feel we have made ourselves look bad in “stupid ways” I’ve felt that way for a while—I didn’t need to wait for you or Meghan—what’s your next revelation-the Pacific Ocean is big and wet?
However, I’m not sure if what I consider as “issues” or “stupid” are the same as you or Meghan McCain do. As for “thoughtful, comprehensive” solutions, what do you suggest-specifically?
Are you saying the Dems are doing better because they are more “thoughtful”?
I think the big problem is that fewer and fewer people have a “conservative” viewpoint in this country.I don’t know how to fix that—and I don’t see pandering and giving up positions important to me as a temporary solution. To what end?
That would be why MA and almost all of the Northeast delegates to Congress are Dems. They were successfull in linking all of the Republicans with Gingrich, Buchanan et al.
Meghan McCain is not John Galt.
It would seem that way. There are precious few Reagan conservatives left in the GOP. I’m extremely blessed to have one as my congresscritter - Randy Forbes.
Jazz Shaw is a former Republican living in New York
Yeah, and I'm the King of England.
His description of himself..."Jazz Shaw is a heretical, Northeastern former RINO"
No, but just look at the comments on this thread.... Mr. Shaw nailed that one.
I didn’t need to wait for you or Meghan—what’s your next revelation-the Pacific Ocean is big and wet?
Well.... you are doing a good job of focusing on a side-issue....
However, I’m not sure if what I consider as “issues” or “stupid” are the same as you or Meghan McCain do. As for “thoughtful, comprehensive” solutions, what do you suggest-specifically?
First, we need to look at our problems; and I think those are centered on three things.
First, American culture has been diverging from a world-view in which conservative, not to mention moral, arguments are accepted as a priori reasonable. Public morality, such as it is, seems more based on "personal fulfillment" and "not being mean." We're also impatient -- we don't want in-depth discussion of issues, because sound-bites are easier to digest. Thus, abortion is OK because it allows a mother to escape the consequences of a newborn. Homosexual marriage is OK because it's mean to not let homosexuals act like heterosexuals. And any discussion of those issues must take place in less than 60 seconds. Any strategy we come up with, has to deal with and operate within that reality.
Second, we conservatives have lost the bead on what we stand for; we're a fragmented movement that seems to be motivated by a wide range of competing single-issue groups. For proof, look at what happened in the Republican primary season last year. Conservatives have got to come to grips with a set of principles that all can agree on. The concepts behind the "Tea Parties," for example, point out the problems with the current government, which is great -- but Conservatism has now got to craft a palatable alternative, and sell it.
Third, we presently have no reliable means of taking our message to the general population. It's fun to talk about Limbaugh, et al., but the fact is that talk radio is generally not reaching anybody but the choir. By contrast, the left has everything from the news to the entertainment media shilling for them. That's a problem, but it's not an insurmountable one.
One of the things we conservatives are just beginning to understand is the tremendous power of people like Jon Stewart. He's funny, and the younger crowd listens to him; and they build their political opinions based on what he says. That's just the plain (awful) truth.
The solution? One way is to find somebody to compete with Stewart. Younger Americans are not so far gone that they can't spot the problems with our current system; they're very good at spotting them. But they like comedy, too -- and the Obama adminstration is intrinsically hilarious. The South Park approach is a money-maker, too.
And ... why not create something to compete with NPR's excellent, though biased, approach to thoughtful discussion of the news? Seriously: if you look beyond their bias, they do some really cool stuff; there is no conservative alternative (single-host talk radio is not capable of it).
That's a sketch, anyway, of some of the solutions....
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Pfft, South West of Auburn.
She would not be right if she slipped and fell in it and came out stinking like it.
With chewed bits of Milky Way flying happily from his lips, the son of robbed presidential candidate Al Gore made his claim to be the new voice of moderation and hipness for the Democratic Party.
"I'm so friggin' in touch with today's Generalization Y crowd! And I'm young, slighty roundish in a fun way, and I like to party! I'm the left wing Meghan McCain and I'd like some freaking airtime."
"Two words – "freaking legalize it!" That's my message to today's undecided young voters. The Democratic Party needs to absorb my message into its very derma, man."
Another issue that animates the vibrant young voice of his generation is grape soda.
"Grape soda rocks! Rocks harder with vodka! I'm the Grape Ape, full of stoli and interesting positions on the issues! Woooo!"
"Like this one time, my moms… she was swatting some imaginary flies around her head, and I said, 'Nehi Tips. Grape Nehi-Stoli and she liked it and calmed down. That's the sort of thing that’s missing from the Democratic Party's message."
Many analysts agree that the Democratic Party message is in danger of becoming stale. New, exciting personalities, like the effed-up spawn of a failed presidential candidate, may be just the messenger the party needs to bring its message to the ever expanding youth vote.
"Wooo!!" yelled Al Gore III, before vomiting onto his shoes. "Free Palestinia!"
You're absolutely correct!
Here, have a ceegar my friend.
So why is it I can't shake this feeling I been had.
Hmmmmm.
You don't --by any chance-- live in or around Auburn, do you? ;^)
My Granny was born & raised there. As she was aging, I used to take her for rides back "home". My ancestors were something like the second wave of "founding" families of Kewaskum, settling in around 1850.
Good I had my barf bag by the computer. Argh! Blech!
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