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Conservatives Won't Win Elections by Refusing To Compromise
Townhall.com ^ | May 28, 2014 | Dr Ben Carson

Posted on 05/28/2014 6:28:32 PM PDT by Kaslin

More discussion on the topic of pragmatism and politics is critical. If conservatives decide to take their marbles and go home rather than fight to the bitter end because they feel their principles have been compromised, they will needlessly subject future generations to untold misery.

Voting for someone who agrees with you 90 percent of the time is far superior to voting for someone who disagrees with you 100 percent of the time. This is exactly what will happen if people refuse to exercise their civic duty and boycott elections because they feel betrayed. Personally, I am not supportive of abortion at all, but I can support people who feel differently if, in the gigantic scheme of things, they can help put an end to the murder of innocent babies. This is especially true of those who are personally inclined to save and protect life.

Perhaps an illustration is in order: Two armies are engaged in a war. Let's call the good army that is trying to defend an entire society the red army and the bad army that is trying to invade and pillage society the blue army. The blue army occupies a superior strategic position and is composed of slightly more troops, putting the red army at a distinct disadvantage. Some in the red army feel that they are right and, therefore, should simply march directly into battle with the blue army because right always wins.

Fortunately, some members of the red army are wise and have a better plan. They send a battalion of troops to the base of the mountain occupied by the blue army to distract them while the vast majority of red troops approach the mountain from the backside. They descend upon the blue army by surprise, completely vanquishing them and winning the war. The decoy red battalion may have sustained some casualties, but in the long run, the war was won, and the entire society was saved.

I hope this illustration is useful in helping some to understand that achieving a critical mass of conservatives and RINOs (Republicans in Name Only, as some call them) in office will ensure that we can get non-activist Supreme Court and federal judges in place who respect the U.S. Constitution. It is essential to achieve a critical mass of individuals in the U.S. House and Senate who can join with a president in upholding the Constitution. These representatives must believe in personal responsibility and creating a business-friendly environment, understand the balance between abundant fossil-fuel development and environmental safety, and yearn to elevate the government-dependent 47 percent rather than make them more dependent. They also must be totally pro-life and believe that the rule of law can undo a host of damaging regulations and restore the value system that made this nation great.

In the long run, with the help of God, we will be in a position to save millions of babies who otherwise would be slaughtered. With this kind of responsible empowerment, energizing a sluggish economy, bringing stability to a leaderless planet and facilitating innovation will not be that difficult. To sit helplessly by and pray for deliverance when the tools to achieve victory are in our hands is not useful. God helps those who help themselves.

Conservatives and those who share their values are the last bastion between freedom and tyranny. If the secular liberals, who are very clever, succeed in dividing us during the next two national elections, America as we know it will be gone. We can stop this, but we must work together. I disagree with those who think it is going to take decades to undo the damage that already has been done. Americans are exceptional and extremely resilient. We cannot allow ourselves to be defined by those who wish to fundamentally change our society.

I am convinced that Americans with common sense will soon regain power. It is essential that we not use the opportunity to exact revenge upon the liberals. Rather, we must govern by the Constitution in a way that is fair for all. It is not reasonable to have favorites and to enforce laws selectively. Most importantly, it is not the place of our government to rule the people; the government must always remember that it is in place to serve the people.

I believe that when people who were being manipulated by the secular liberals, including the media, have an opportunity to see how much better off they are when the proper relationship between the people and the government is restored, they will adopt a different attitude. This will empower them and the entire nation.

Now is the time to rise above partisan politics and recognize the incredible blessings God has bestowed upon our nation. It is time to elevate common sense, decency, honesty and compassion to their proper positions. Rather than simply repeating the words, we must actually achieve "one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2014midterms; abortion; compromise; pablum; politicalparty
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To: Black Agnes
"Presidents only sign or veto legislation passed by congress."

That's simply not true. The largest tax cut in the history of this nation was PROPOSED by President Reagan. It then was originated and passed in the Democrat controlled House because of his leadership on the issue. A good president can do a lot more than just sign legislation.

181 posted on 05/29/2014 7:30:41 AM PDT by norwaypinesavage (The Stone Age didnÂ’t end because we ran out of stones)
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To: norwaypinesavage

Your statement in the original graph was that tax receipts as a function of the president’s party was relevant.

I pointed out that in fact, the opposite happened in the 80’s and 90’s.

And if congress really matters, why’d tax receipts as a function of gdp go UP when the pubbies were in control in the 90’s? Were they just doing the toon’s bidding?


182 posted on 05/29/2014 7:38:54 AM PDT by Black Agnes
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To: Timber Rattler
>”Well, why don't you take it up with Mark himself?”<

Last time I talked with Mark Levin face to face was at CPAC many years ago.

Back then he wasn't a popular Conservative Icon, just a guy sitting at a desk signing books. There was no line of admirer's, just him and me. We spoke for about ten minutes and I found out he is really a funny, down to earth kind of guy.

Most of our conversation revolved around the Supreme Court, the Topic of the Book he had just released. When I run into him again, I'll ask him about his decision to rescind the Levin Rule.

Thank you for the suggestion.

183 posted on 05/29/2014 7:50:43 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative (If Cancer were Contagious, they would call it Liberalism...)
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To: Kickass Conservative; holdonnow

You do know that he’s Freeper ‘holdonnow,’ right?


184 posted on 05/29/2014 7:51:47 AM PDT by Timber Rattler (Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
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To: Timber Rattler

Nope, but thanks for the information. I appreciate it.


185 posted on 05/29/2014 7:52:36 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative (If Cancer were Contagious, they would call it Liberalism...)
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To: GeronL
"They did that in Virginia for Governor and the GOPe refused to give the same funding and support they had given years earlier. The GOPe lost the governors race on purpose out of spite for conservatives.

And we are supposed to vote for their candidates??

No way"

A timely and necessary reminder.

186 posted on 05/29/2014 8:02:47 AM PDT by CatherineofAragon ((Support Christian white males---the architects of the jewel known as Western Civilization).)
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To: Kenny; RitaOK; Resettozero; Finny; Norm Lenhart; verga; GeronL; JRandomFreeper; xzins; ...
Kenny:

You are kidding yourself.

IIRC, the "Republicans" currently have 45 members of the Senate, Independents have 2 who caucus with the Demonrats and the remaining 53 seats are held by publicly confessed Demonrats. Meanwhile, one may feel free to deduct at least 11 seats from the "Republican" number because those seats are held by such quislings as LAMAR!!! Alexander, Bob Corker, Lisa Moocowski, Susan Collins, Mark Nancyboy Kirk, Lindsay Light Loafers Graham, John Cornyn, Thad Cochran, John McCain, Floyd Flake, John Isakson. They don't fight. They won't fight. They don't know how to fight anyone but underfunded conservatives and that only by the expenditure of ghastly sums of money for advertising to claim that such office holders are somehow "conservative." They just lay down for Harry Reid in their lifelong experience in the world's second oldest profession. Wanna good time call any of the phonies at 666-6666. Lobbyists only, please.

One might also deduct the seats of such additional quislings as Mitch McConnell and anyone doing his and K Street's business.

Face it, WE need a lot more than six seats to control the Senate in reality, more like sixteen. "WE" might get 10 in 2014 nominally. Sasse in Nebraska, Whoever in Georgia, McDaniel in Mississippi, will do double duty as patriots replacing "OUR" quislings. Daines in Montana, Whoever in Alaska, Jodi Ernst in Iowa, Land in Michigan, Oberweis in Illinois, Whoever in Louisiana, Any Republican but Graham in South Carolina, if elected are not enough to exterminate the disease of Senate leftism and some of the latter group are likely to disappoint.

Once Reagan was gone we were fresh out of POTUS eligibles on white horses. Not much we can do about that. No magic wands. WE can hold to Reagan's wisdom and policy the way Demonrats claim to hold to FDR's and JFK's. WE can insist on social conservatism (guns, marriage, babies) and go to ghetto and barrio and white working class groups with THAT message and commitment and, if Muffie, the heiress and Skipper, the polo champeen, and the WOMYN of the Junior League don't like it, let them make their baby-killing Demonrat affiliation formal. We can gain a LOT more modest income folks than we lose elitist trash.

We can also favor policies that insist on the return of factory work and other decent paying blue collar professions to our shores and, if the boys and girls in the board room don't like that, toooooo bad.

The behavior of our greedy elites has convinced me that it is time to cut off most immigration from South of the border for now. I know plenty of Mexicans in the Rockford and like them a whole lot. I have never agreed before with the likes of FAIR and they are still embarrassing allies but American workers need a break more than corporate greedheads do. Anyone who is expected to fight our wars ought to be at the head of a revived employment line. As a nation, we need to get back to making things. Someone has to fix the plumbing and it won't be the investment bankers or the college professors. Use tax policy to enforce this paragraph.

Finally, this nation has had Democrats off and on since the election of Thomas Jefferson, more than a few weeks ago. Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson (!!!), Polk and Cleveland did a lot of good and little evil. With Woodrow Wilson, degeneracy on policy began to grip the Democrats until they became today's Demonrats. It is NOT the Democrat Party that is the enemy. It is liberalism. I don't trust Mitt Romney or any other elitist windtunnel, with or without an R after his name, to name SCOTUS justices and lower court judges any more than I trust Obozo or the Medusa. To be C in C over the military or to keep it supplied, likewise. Or to protect the babies, keep his treasonweasel hands off guns, protect the traditional institution of marriage, not to be a spendaholic, etc., etc., etc. Mitt Romney was not just wrong on each and every issue that counts to actual conservatives, he has a demonstrated track record of sheer evil, a stench that surrounds most of his pals as well.

WE can rebuild the conservative movement, educate the young, encourage their activism, protect them, likewise with the retired and unemployed who have lots of time available for activism. We can find the funding to distribute copies of von Hayek's Road to Serfdom, most anything by von Mises or Russell Kirk or Frank Meyer or Richard Weaver or Bill Buckley or others. We can sponsor seminars and conferences on conservative movement concerns.

The only "compromises" available to conservatives are minor compromises with OTHER CONSERVATIVES. If I think Abraham Lincoln was a disaster but Professor Harry Jaffa seems to think that Lincoln was the REAL Messiah, there is no problem with joining Jaffa in opposing taxes or gun control or social revolution. That is the sort of "compromise" with someone who agrees with you 90% of the time that Buckley advocated. Not a "compromise" with a Romney who wants fervently to sell conservatives out 90% of the time (charitably speaking).

I get it that you REALLY, REALLY, REALLY despise Demonrats and want them defeated. Me too. However it does us no good and much harm to elect a Demonrat in Republican drag like Romney or McCain. The evil, the enemy, is not the Demonratic Party as such but liberalism and leftism wherever we may find them.

187 posted on 05/29/2014 2:01:26 PM PDT by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline, Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Society: Rack 'em Danno!)
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To: BlackElk

I agree with most of that except it is the Democrats who are THE enemy for now. I want the RINOs out as well but the Dems are dangerous, no time to experiment with letting them have more time at the wheel.

If I’m kidding myself, fine. I want to have hope, I want a chance and there is none with a Democratic majority, period.


188 posted on 05/29/2014 2:09:08 PM PDT by Kenny
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To: Kenny
Why don't you quit attacking conservatives that won't vote for liberal GOP candidates? Many conservatives just want to vote for a pro-life, pro-gun, anti-amnesty, anti-obamacare, smaller government candidate.

/johnny

189 posted on 05/29/2014 2:31:36 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: BlackElk
Meanwhile, one may feel free to deduct at least 11 seats from the "Republican" number because those seats are held by such quislings as LAMAR!!! Alexander, Bob Corker, Lisa Moocowski, Susan Collins, Mark Nancyboy Kirk, Lindsay Light Loafers Graham, John Cornyn, Thad Cochran, John McCain, Floyd Flake, John Isakson.

That is one-quarter of the Republicans in the Senate. Throw them out and you'll get Democrats ... or Republicans of the same sort ... or you'll get Republicans with other flaws. At least some of these guys got elected promising to be "real conservatives" and look how they turned out.

We can also favor policies that insist on the return of factory work and other decent paying blue collar professions to our shores and, if the boys and girls in the board room don't like that, toooooo bad.

Not a few of the people you'd want to put in won't help you there. Good luck separating out the few reps you'd want from the Wall Street Journal or Phil Gramm or Club for Growth types who'll oppose your policies once they get in.

Getting elected Senator means becoming part of the "greedy elite." Just about anybody who can get a nomination is in some way "country club" but you only notice it after they get in.

PS Rep. Floyd Flake and Sen. Jeff Flake are not the same person.

190 posted on 05/29/2014 2:32:24 PM PDT by x
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To: BlackElk
It is NOT the Democrat Party that is the enemy. It is liberalism.

BUMP TO THE TOP.

191 posted on 05/29/2014 3:11:40 PM PDT by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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To: BlackElk
If I think Abraham Lincoln was a disaster but Professor Harry Jaffa seems to think that Lincoln was the REAL Messiah, there is no problem with joining Jaffa in opposing taxes or gun control or social revolution. That is the sort of "compromise" with someone who agrees with you 90% of the time that Buckley advocated. Not a "compromise" with a Romney who wants fervently to sell conservatives out 90% of the time (charitably speaking).

And another big BUMP TO THE TOP.

192 posted on 05/29/2014 3:14:22 PM PDT by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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To: verga; BlackElk
Eloquent, this is why you were the barrister and I am just a simple shop teacher.

Yes, Black Elk IS very eloquent, and I think valuable for it because he helps folks, like me, to frame unexpressed ideas in terms more understandable and communicable. Posts like his are a kind of verbal Miracle Gro for stimulating deeper clarification and identification of issues and great discussion.

THAT SAID, verga, simple shop teacher ... !!! Not too long ago I did some business with a wood craftsman and artisan of extreme high-end caliber; his cabinetry and hand-fit solid wood spiral staircases and built-in buffets and paneling, etc. etc., is found in homes that sell in the neighborhood of $5 million to $10-plus million. He is very successful and a passionate artist. HE CREDITS HIS WOODSHOP TEACHER for inspiring him and having the faith in him to keep away from the bad high school crowd and use his skills. I know of a whole bunch of guys who love their careers and have good paying, challenging jobs in auto tech, machining, and various design fields (solving design problems) who credit shop teachers for giving them a good life direction.

So many very intelligent boys are just not cut out for college to get the highly-touted college degree, but who otherwise have all the right ingredients to be movers-and-shakers, like this woodworker. You "simple shop teachers" are every bit as valuable as any barrister!!!

Especially when you're conservative!! But I bet that a lot of shop teachers DO lean to the right.

193 posted on 05/29/2014 3:38:01 PM PDT by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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To: Lakeshark; All
...to explain to us how to be in perpetual servitude to the totalitarian left.

Self-described "conservatives" who (as I did for several decades, until 2012) go along with voting for the likes of Boehner, McConnel, and Romney, don't need to have a thing explained to them about "how to be in perpetual servitude to the totalitarian left."

They already have it mastered.

194 posted on 05/29/2014 3:51:51 PM PDT by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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To: JRandomFreeper
Anyone can have my vote if they are pro-life, pro-2nd amendment, against amnesty, against socialized medicine, and for smaller government. That's all it takes. Perfection is not required. And most of that is covered by the republican party platform. The republicans can't even run a presidential candidate that is in accord with the party platform. Why should I vote for them? I will work tirelessly to see the liberal republicans destroyed in their general elections. The republican party can get conservative or it can be destroyed.

Amen and worth repeating.

195 posted on 05/29/2014 3:54:39 PM PDT by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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To: Norm Lenhart

Thumbs up.


196 posted on 05/29/2014 3:58:03 PM PDT by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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To: Kenny; BlackElk
Kenny: I agree with most of that [Black Elk's #187] except it is the Democrats who are THE enemy for now.

Wrong, Kenny. Tragically wrongo.

LIBERALISM is the enemy. LEFTISM is the enemy.

The Democrats are merely the most self-describing of liberalism's workmen, a crew that also includes many Republicans.

As long as you vote in such a way that liberalism wins in the Republican party ... guess what is going to happen?

The Republican party will keep turning left. It won't matter one single bit what Democrats do or don't do; you will have voted FOR making liberalism more powerful FIRST, and only second will you have voted FOR making liberalism more powerful in the Republican party.

The ONLY THING THAT COUNTS is what you vote FOR. You don't get to vote "against" liberalism. You can ONLY vote FOR its antidote. As it happens, the Republican party most often fails miserably at presenting candidates who give Americans the option of voting FOR an antidote or FOR an alternative.

LIBERALISM IS THE ENEMY, regardless of party affiliation. REMEMBER IT NEXT TIME YOU'RE IN THE BALLOT BOOTH.

197 posted on 05/29/2014 4:10:16 PM PDT by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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To: JRandomFreeper
I'm doing my best to ensure that running as a liberal republican is the political kiss of death.

You are not fighting this battle alone on FR. Hold your ground. I believe some more Republicans-only on FR may come around when they see the wisdom and continued success of this Constitutional-conservatives-only approach.
198 posted on 05/29/2014 4:21:46 PM PDT by Resettozero
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To: Finny

Thank you for your kind words


199 posted on 05/29/2014 4:40:56 PM PDT by verga (Conservative, leaning libertatian)
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To: Finny
Self-described "conservatives" who (as I did for several decades, until 2012) go along with voting for the likes of Boehner, McConnel, and Romney, don't need to have a thing explained to them about "how to be in perpetual servitude to the totalitarian left."

This is the issue for me. I voted for Palin, half hoping McLame would kick off the day after inauguration, and then held my nose and voted for Romney.

If we don't get a true Conservative this time I am tempted to sit out.

200 posted on 05/29/2014 5:02:05 PM PDT by verga (Conservative, leaning libertatian)
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