My views on the subject should be self-evident.
I have already abandoned the Republican party because I think it is hopelessly and irretrievably without value as a vehicle for the Conservative movement. It has positioned itself in a way which is extremely biased against Conservatives rising through it's ranks. It has become a gigantic heat sink, effectively cooling Conservative dissent, and co-opting the Conservative message.
The old proverb, "A house divided cannot stand," serves to describe the Republicans well. There is no sense in continuing to prop up what must fall down (a ready piece of logic to use throughout this Union, and to include even the Union itself).
As to the question, "What to do otherwise", my own efforts are soon to be joined to one of two parties: Either the Falcon Party, or the American Independent Party, both based solidly in Reagan Conservatism, and the only two fully Conservative offerings, to my knowledge.
I am leaning quite heavily toward the AIP at this point. It is not only Conservative, but activist, putting it's money where it's mouth is. And in less than a year, it has grown to be the third largest party in the nation, according to member registration.
I will make that decision with finality in early summer, and at that time, I WILL advocate. I will convince regional and small national funding sources I am involved with to come with me, and I may also become involved in party structure, to the degree that I can without creating a conflict of interests with my primary political role.
In my opinion, it is not a matter of crafting "a message". It is about getting out "the message" in an honest and reliable way. It is about putting our trust in statesmen, not politicians, statesmen who regard their charge as a sacred oath, and are duty bound to express the will of the people and the states, within the boundaries of the law.
What Reagan did to attract the people was "MEAN IT". What the "Contract with America" did to earn the trust of the people was "MEAN IT". Unfortunately, the Republican party, under which these two revolutionary uprisings took place, does not "mean it". They are not devoted to the Conservative cause, in fact, they stand against it.
Thanks Roamer. I think we need to throw our efforts behind a 3rd party movement at the state level - and support conservative Republicans everywhere we can, especially nationally (not to prop up Republicans, but to support conservatives.) I think done well (perhaps Perot was a recent interesting example, though not a conservative one), this can succeed electorally and create a coalition force to be reckoned with, for perhaps the first time since 1854.
The problem nationally is that the laws and rules relegate against all 3rd parties.
http://www.thisnation.com/question/042.html
For instance the lack of any proportional representation prevents 3rd parties from receiving any electoral representation. This is why we see 3rd parties laboring for 50, 75 years for NOTHING.
Also, 3rd party candidates now need to be polling 15% prior to the debates to be included. That would have eliminated both Perot and Anderson from the debates the participated in in 1992 and 1980. What chance is there if we’re not even included at all in a seat at the table? Do you relish laboring and financing a national 3rd party candidate that’s marginalized? If someone can show me a strategy that would bring a 3rd party candidate to the debates - I’m willing to listen.
Better option would be work within particular states that are most amendable to 3rd party candidates and begin there to field candidates and win electorally. The Reform Party did this (MN), but didn’t have a lasting vision/energy. Without some strategy toward electoral success, forget about it, it’s just a waste of time, treasure and talent.
You can certainly advocate for for changes to the laws (hmmm, tough to do without any electoral power), but I think remaking the Republican party is a better short to medium term goal, perhaps in conjunction with changing laws related to 3rd parties.