“The idea that the GOPe shoved anyone down anyone’s throat is ridiculous. I defy ONE Freeper to provide any evidence that they were in any way forced to vote for someone they didn’t want to vote for or were prevented from voting for someone they wanted to vote for.”
Dole...Junior...McCain...Romney...
And then the scare tactic: “To not vote FOR our guy is to vote FOR their guy. We must stick together!”
Why Dole? Terrible candidate...Zero charisma...tired, worn out and it showed.
Why Junior? Stammering...simplistic...a veritable Chauncey Gardener (who happened to have THE NAME)
Why McCain? War hero? (who spent most of his time in a prison cell) A milquetoast, squishy, afraid to speak truth to power-type. Who in their right mind thought him to be a viable candidate?
Why Romney? Again, a squishy unable to passionately stand by true conservatism (without having to go back and revise his comments) Came across as a life-long pursuer of the ring (read: anointed).
Why these candidates—each of them left-of-conservative, having to channel Reaganism (rather than speak it from the heart). An endless parade of transparent hucksters who, rather than energizing the base, are selected on the basis that they do little to truly tick off the “undecided” (that supreme target of the GOP).
The GOP has deluded and deceived long enough. The game they are playing is for losers. They are not interested in being the party of Conservatism. They, like government workers, are simply interested in staying employed. They don’t seem to care about WINNING, or if they do, they haven’t a clue as to how to do it. They, like the Democrats are comprised exclusively of inside-the-beltway types. This should alarm anyone interested in “taking the party back.” How would you even know how to begin or who it is you are taking it back from? How far up the chain will YOU be allowed to go? Plenty of lower-echelon types will say, “Yes, yes. I agree.” But your ideas will not leave the room. They’ve got the game going just fine for them. Look what they’re saying about Ted Cruz, or anyone else who speaks out against the absolute, top-to-bottom corruption and filth that is Washington. The “established Republicans” virtually lead the charge in denouncing those who dare speak up. Look at the House. How much ground have the conceded/continue to concede to Obama, afraid of how the press might characterize them AND RISK THEIR CHANCES OF GETTING RE-ELECTED? What great GOP strategy do we see at work right now? Hmmmmm? I see them, joining with the Dems in destroying what’s left of America. Those that go up there to fight this (Tea Party-types) are ostracized, marginalized, not given committee seats, ridiculed, or they’re made to feel that their “Tea-Party-ness” must be downplayed in order to “get onboard.”
No. You’re right. No one put a gun to my head and said, “pull the darn lever.” But they didn’t put anyone in front of me that truly made me feel that this, THIS is the right man for the job. Did they do that for YOU?
Now, on the other hand, if you’re saying you want to blow the whole thing up, create a GOP from scratch, one that WILL NOT COMPROMISE on conservatism (fiscal AND social) as the first and foremost doctrine of “the party of principle,” then, I’m right there with you.
As for me, at this point, I couldn't care less--I'm sick of the whole thing but what I'm saying I do not blame anyone but the Republican primary voters. I do not blame the "establishment", I do not blame the GOPe (probably the same thing and I do not blame Karl Rove--I blame Republican primary voters for the candidates.
I am dead set against any so-called "third party" effort and it is delusional to believe it is possible to destroy the present Republican party and build a new one from the ashes--not gonna happen--not possible. We still need all the exact same people if we hope to be able to defeat Democrats.
This change (if it's possible) must come from the bottom up.
We had too many candidates last time and from the looks of things, it's not going to be any better this time.