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?
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....