GOP in Default Mode

American Thinker ^ | August 23, 2010 | J.R. Dunn

[Man50D]

It's widely acknowledged that in 2010, the Democrats are on the ropes. But just about the same could be said for the Republicans.

A few weeks ago, John Cornyn and John Boehner revealed this election's GOP platform. In a year of massive unrest, public disgust with government, and large-scale rejection of interventionist policies, the GOP will emphasize...deficits. An issue to warm an economist's heart -- and the occasional accountant's, too. Top that one, Obama.

In the wake of Scott Brown's stunning upset in Massachusetts last February, with the entire New England region open to exploitation, the GOP is doing nothing. There are no plans to challenge incumbents in New England. No money, no candidates, no program. Historical moment? Wuzzat mean?

No effort is being made to emphasize the achievements of the nation's Republican governors. Jan Brewer, Chris Christie, and Mitch Daniels, among others, are steering their states through the worst economy since the Carter '70s, pressing critical policy changes, and most important, defying Washington while they're at it. Yet the RNC knows them not.

We will merely allude to Michael Steele's perennial circus act to look beyond to 2012, where we have one announced candidate, the immortal Mr. Newt Gingrich, whose most recent sojourn is a national tour with the most Rev. Al Sharpton.

[Tennessean4Bush]

I like the article. A challenge for real conservative leaders to step up to the plate. The more I hear about Michele Bachmann I like. (Incidentally, the more I see I love, but that is another discussion.)

[MNJohnnie]

The Freeper Third Party Choir reminds me of the Obamabots.

Just like the Obama regime, it doesn't matter that their dogmas have failed every signal time they have been tried. The choir just tunes out all fact and reason to cling to their emotion based opinions

[tx_eggman]

Scott Brown joining Snowe and Collins in stabbing conservatives in the back, jumping ship and backing the O'Bunga "Financial Reform" is a perfect example. Had Brown held his ground, that abortion never would have gone to a vote. Scott Brown raped his constituents right up the backside, and there should be an immediate consequence when these scum pull this crap.

Another requirement is that people pay attention.

Scott Brown was NEVER a conservative, he was simply a Massachusetts RINO who rode the crest of the wave to take Kennedy's seat from the dims. His voting record since then should not be a surprise to anyone.

[DManA]

You are always the most emotional voice in any of these discussions. And the worst name caller.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Can ANYTHING be done to whip some sense into the Republicans?

Yes, something CAN be done. But it will require conservatives to actually do something.

Unfortunately, we have precious few conservatives who want to do anything more than whine about how bad the Republicans are on Free Republic.

What can be done?

- Get involved in your county party apparatus. Take it over by weight of numbers. Don't continue to let a small clique of country clubbers run the county party like it's their personal domain. This is, in fact, what we did with my county's GOP over the last few years, and it worked. My county is one of the bluest in North Carolina, if not the entire country, and yet has an uber-conservative executive committee committed to ONLY supporting conservative candidates at all levels.

That right there shows that the "Republicans are hopeless" nonsense emanating from the third partyists is just that - nonsense.

Next step? Get the conservative county party apparatuses on board and take over the state-level party at the next convention. It's helpful at this point to have a few people who know all of that "Robert's Rules of Order" junk. Again, we know that state-level victories can be won because they have already happened. Just look at Maine a few months ago, where the state convention adopted an insurgent "Tea Party" platform that was raised by delegates from Knox and Waldo counties, and which was widely accepted by the delegates.

Once the state parties are taken, then you move on and repeat at the national level. It'll take a few years. It will require actual work on the part of a lot of people - which we all know isn't nearly as easy or as fun as sitting behind a computer and complaining about the Republicans on FR. Granted, there will be setbacks at times. But it can be done. But it won't be done by lazy whiners.

[MNJohnnie]

What you see here is why third party movements always fail.

This “dogma uber alles” purist mindset. Elections are won by coalitions of interests. The Freeper Purists choir are too busy voting people off “their island” to ever build a workable election coalition.

It is clear the Freeper “Dogma Uber Alles” crowd has failed to learn the lessons of the implosion during the late 1990s of the Perot “Reform” Party.

Third parties start out rallying to an issue or an individual. Usually driven by some charismatic leader, they start out all gung ho for “the cause”. This goes on for a short time frame then some divisive issue arises.

On this new issue, some in the 3rd party favor one point of view, some the other. Thus, being dogmatic purists incapable of tolerating any other opinions then their own, they factionalizing into a 4th party as those who lose the internal debate in the 3rd party declare the winners “traitors” or “RINOS” and go off to form their own clique.

This factionalizing continues on and on until the original 3rd party movement is so split up into tiny competing factions it is politically impotent.

That is what has happened to every single third party movement in US history. Every single one. This attempt will end no differently.

[Tennessean4Bush]

BTW, the real change in the GOP is happening all around. It may be true some GOP leaders intend to distance themselves from the tea party once they ascend, but it will be too late. The infection will be so entrenched that within a cycle or two there will be no more establishment. Think about it: what is a party other than a funding, organizing, and volunteer army of help to pols? Who is doing better at all three, the GOP establishment or the ancillary groups bristling with tea party energy? Most notably, a Sarah Palin endorsement means more than a John Boehner, John Cornyn, et al. A Tea Party or Club for Growth taking a candidate under its wings means immeasurably more to someone trying to unseat a DemonRAT. Further, these ancillary groups are doing some nice party-cleansing with the Club for Growth knocking out both RATs and RINOs, and the Tea Party Express attempt to work over the Alaska RINO Senator. What this means is that there will be upwards of 100 brand new congressmen and congresswomen who will owe their seats to the Tea Party much more than the GOP establishment. And it is not as though there are zero there now. There are quite a few who will combine with the "Young Guns" to buck-up the Cornyn's and other established GOPers who buckle much too easily.

In this day and age, it matters much less what John Cornyn thinks and much more what Limbaugh, Hannity, and Beck think. The established will be eviscerated if they stand in the way of real reform this time.

[DManA]

LOL, you obviously didn’t read my post.

[Tennessean4Bush]

That is what has happened to every single third party movement in US history. Every single one. This attempt will end no differently.

There is no real third party movement. It is more a third party threat to keep the GOP letting in the infection. So far the GOP establishment, while having virtually no new ideas, is at least taking great care to not offend or get in the way. After this cycle, Michele Bachmann, Paul Ryan, Toomey, Miller, Palin, Rubio, Christie, Brewer, etc., will be the new face of the party. Wow, think about how beautiful the female faces of the conservatives are?

[MNJohnnie]

Actually try READING the thread one time instead of just knee jerk responding. A "third party" is exactly what the the poster of this thread is advocating.

Dunn doesn't see the forest for the trees. He writes in the preceding paragraphs how similar the parties are but then makes a comment based on the erroneous premise they are two distinct parties. We have only one big socialist Republicrat Party under the deception of two different names. Names alone don't make them distinct from each other. Ideology determines the character of a party. The RATs and the OP have been moving in the same direction for decades. Another party will restore the two party system.

It defies logic how Conservative keep insisting to retake a party that no longer exists but in the past has shown nothing but disdain for Conservatism. Repeatedly returning to that party is the political version of battered wife syndrome. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly expecting a different result. Unfortunately Conservatives have been implementing this insanity for many years and still do so today. Twenty five years of this failing strategy needs to end now. It's time for Conservatives to wake up and break from the socialist Republicrat party by uniting under a party based on strong Conservative values. That is not the OP.

1 posted on Monday, August 23, 2010 5:46:20 AM by Man50D [ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies | Report Abuse]

[Tennessean4Bush]

My grandfather was a very conservative Democrat who was leader of the Democratic Party in Tennessee for two terms. He watched in horror as the far left infiltrated and took over his party in the 60s and 70s.

The same thing is happening now on the GOP side. The infection started 30 years ago and got a foothold. It ascended to the top in 1994, but was not broad enough or bold enough to take over the establishment. Gingrich, while being a great leader by some measures in fomenting and enabling the revolution in the House, for one reason or another was not destined to lead the majority party for a long period. Because of some of his personal and political shortcomings, the party really had no replacement for him, and foundered into mediocrity with Hastert at the helm and a Bush who had no ability to really inspire or lead in traditional conservative fashion with regard to economics and deficits. He was unwilling to engage in necessary brinkmanship the way Clinton did (and Obama undoubtedly will try) with a Congress.

[Tennessean4Bush]

But the ascendancy you will see in the next two cycles will be very broad, I believe. There is a real stable of true-blue leaders who will be fabulous, I predict.

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

Ha! Grand Old Tea Party.

[Gargantua]

Agreed. Which is why I said, "The "Old Party" to which you alluded is actually the Dem-Rep Cabal that has held this nation hostage for decades. Any new "third party" would, in truth, only be our "second" party. So very sad."

;-/

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

I believe that when I see it. A victory here or there doesn’t mean anything. Even my district getting rid of Inglis is inconsequential. When we have enough people in the House that will reduce government spending to a zero deficit, then I’ll believe it.

I’m not saying that it is impossible. I’m just saying that the desire for immediate gratification and willingness to let others do the day-to-day work could be our undoing.

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

And Freddie / Fanny would still be around, Medicare would be growing exponentially, Wall Street would have crashed, the tax payers would be on the hook for it, the deficit would still be positive, China would still be increasing it’s hold over us, etc. etc.

One party is willing to spend your childrens’ money to get re-elected. The other is willing to spend your grandchildrens’ too. The lesser of two evils is still evil.

[screaminsunshine]

It will take a long time to purge the Progressive RINOS.

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

Truth, truth and truth.

This is why I think states will be bribing the Federal government for permission to secede in 2014. Kind of a reverse Louisiana purchase.

[A.Hun]

The lesser of two evils is still evil.

Yes, I know. There is no difference between doing 40 in a 35 mph zone, and doing 140.

Both are speeders.

[Antoninus]

Here's the GOP's new slogan:

We Suck (slightly) Less

The GOP leadership is beyond pathetic. They richly deserve to lose but will gain a few seats by default because Obama and the Democrats are truly corrupt and incompetent.