Purity or Strategy: The Debate We Need To Have: Would you rather put up with a RINO, or a Democrat?

Pajamas Media ^ | 02/22/2014 | Andrew Klavan

[SeekAndFind]

^[1]

Last week, there was one of those mommy-and-daddy-are-fighting moments on Fox News as two powerhouse conservatives debated one of the most important issues facing the right. In one corner, was the dagger-sharp and stunningly beautiful and did I mention beautiful Ann Coulter. In the other corner, was the valiant, good-hearted and, you know, perfectly presentable in his own way Sean Hannity. No one can doubt either the patriotism or the fearlessness of these two. You may sometimes disagree with one or the other, that’s fine, but it seems undeniable that both have the good of the country first and foremost in their minds. Plus Ann’s really attractive.

You can watch the video to hear the whole thing but the gist is this. Ann thinks we have to stop “shysters” who pretend to represent the Tea Party from luring us into endless primaries against “establishment” Republicans. The thinking behind this (as I’ve heard her say elsewhere) is that there is only so much campaign money to go around and it needs to be focused wholly on defeating Democrats, winning a Republican majority in both houses and using that majority to “repeal Obamacare, repeal Obamacare, repeal Obamacare.”

Sean took a more purist Tea Party line, saying there are some Republicans who “should be defeated,” and endorsing the idea that we should primary the RINOs where we can and — my words here not his — we should end the civil war within the Republican Party by winning it for the true conservatives.

What a swell party this is!

Just to let you know where I stand emotionally, here’s a true story. The first time I made a speech before a Tea Party crowd, I felt as if I were floating two feet off the ground. I respected, admired and agreed with the Tea Partiers so completely, that my heart rose up and I began to believe that despite the Obama debacle, the country would ultimately be fine. As I was leaving the rally, I got a call from a friend asking me to come by for a drink with a couple of the highest-ranking Republicans in Washington. It was me and them, having a glass together, eye to eye. By the time I left that gathering, I was so depressed by the establishment GOP’s blindness and philosophical corruption I could barely see straight. I phoned Andrew Breitbart for moral support. “I’ve just had a drink with [blank] and [blank],” I began. And he responded immediately, “Are they ***holes or what?”

All my sympathies, in other words, are with the Tea Party. And I would truly love to see the RINOs skewered on their own horns.

And yet… In general, Tea Party candidates tend to do well in congressional races where small, homogenous districts are in play. In Senate races where you need votes across an entire state, a primary victory for someone like Christine O’Donnell or Todd Akin may briefly fill the conservative heart with joy, but the loss of a Senate seat that could have been won is simply too high a price to pay for that momentary triumph.

We need to talk this out with good sense and without pompous ranting. Politics is the art of the possible. Writing belligerently purist articles, blog posts or comments is relatively easy. Winning elections is hard. Barack Obama is one of the most destructive presidents this country has ever seen, but a talented politician. If stopping him in his tracks requires stomaching some RINOs here and there, it seems a no brainer: It must be done. Ann may have put her case a little too forcefully in the debate above (she’s not exactly given to dithering!), but surely she’s right in the general principle that strategy — and victory — have to come before purity.

I’d rather put up with frustrating RINOs than continue in the minority with our country under attack from within. But let me know what you think.

[Nifster]

Um as soon as this writer brings up Todd Akin and Christine O’Donnell he lost me. Those are not necessarily good examples of folks who should be in any public office to begin with

[ArcadeQuarters]

The ‘purists’ they keep complaining about don’t exist. There’s plenty of room to disagree but not on the issue of national suicide. If we flood the country with Democrats, Democrats will have the power they need to destroy the country. It’s not that complicated.

[Jim Robinson]

Primaries have consequences.

[thejokker]

Right now the socialists are winning. Your “emotions” are clouding your judgement. How you feel is unimportant; defeating socialism is what matters.

Nazi Germany was defeated because of our alliance with the Soviet Union. Getting in bed with the Russians was the lesser of two evils. It made victory possible.

Sometimes you have to take one for the team. If stopping 0bama and rolling back socialism isn't your #1 priority than you are no better than the rino’s who are also doing nothing...

[DanZ]

“It happened in Kansas today, a candidate told a tasteless joke”

That would be Obama’s Cousin the Doctor who is running in the Republican primary against an incumbant RINO.

No amount of socialist propaganda should deter people from voting for this Good man.

[zerosix]

As the author of the article states, it's much easier to go after a House RINO, in a smaller, homogenous area, where people tend to agree on a number of mutual things than to run a state wide race.

My preference is to go "RINO hunting to retiring" on a state level and take them out long before they go gunning for national offices, or at least in their home districts where the locals know lots about them AND their opponents, lest you don't get surprised by a total unknown claiming conservative credentials but possessing none and worse yet, a complete fraud!

This can be done but sometimes takes more time than most people today are willing to give it.

In liberal circles, there are by words: " baby steps." They know if they reveal their true desires, everyone would run them out on a rail, so the go after small gains in their direction, then take another bite at the apple until their goals become "reasonable," i. e, Gay Marriage!!

Once unthinkable any normal person would agree, even gays themselves strongly denied wishing it would become law - now it is,

[BuffaloJack]

The Democrat is a known entity.
The RINO will tell you one thing and do another.
RINO is worse.

[DanZ]

“” Would you rather put up with a RINO, or a Democrat?”

In those famous words: “ At this point what difference does it make”!”

I Vote this THE POST OF THE DAY

[Norm Lenhart]

Show one RINO taking one for the team or standing in Obama’s way.

One.

[zerosix]

Amen.

Of course I wanted a President Duncan Hunter but he couldn't get noticed by the GOPe and the MSM, who could only notice one "military hero" on stage, McCain.

[autumnraine]

Huh? I was just letting you know what it was and more than a “joke”

[Norm Lenhart]

We have done the lesser evil route for 30 years and are more lib than ever.

Let that sink in.

Common sense and basic strategy says ‘do something different.

[Political Junkie Too]

One more point...

These days, it's not about Democrats vs. RINOs vs. Tea Party.

It's about Democrat-planted fake Republican third-party candidates.

That's the newest weapon in the Democrat arsenal. It's about splitting the Republican primary vote so that the Democrats can choose whom they run against.

Even if the Tea Party is successful in getting a strong primary candidate to run against the RINO, the Democrats will muddy the race with a fake candidate intended to keep the Tea Party candidate from winning.

We also need to reformt the primary process if we want true conservatives to win.

-PJ

[SoConPubbie]

"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton

[SoConPubbie]

How come those who want to vote the “lesser of 2 evils” will throw a candidate under the wrong for a single dumb comment but a career of undermining conservatism is fine.

I am so surprised that SeekAndFind can't seem to find an answer for your very reasoned question!

NOT!

[The_Reader_David]

I’m still standing by the old FReeper wisdom: vote against the RINO in the primary, vote against the ‘Rat in the general, repeat as needed.

[sauropod]

I saw this last week.

Coulter has jumped the shark. She’s right up there with Tokyo Rove.

[Gaffer]

Enough backstabbing is enough. Simple as that.

[SoConPubbie]

Ronald Reagan would be shredded by a fair number of today’s FReepers. He put tariffs on imported motorcycles to save jobs at a unionized US manufacturer.

Did he do it for your stated reasons, or did he do it because the other nations governments were subsidizing their Motorcycle manufacturers or both?

[sauropod]

Christine O'Donnell was done in by the DE GOPe and Tokyo Rove.

I watched it live on TV while she was giving her acceptance speech!