No, that's not what we were told during Clintoon's reign. We were told, by candidates, mainstream and alternative talkradio and fellow freepers that to not stand on the courage of our convictions (meaning having it our way) then we were no better than the liberals. We were told by the above, including the 20 million listener a week giant, that compromise was not good.
I argued for years that's not how politics works. I was told I was wrong. Now I'm being told that's how politics works.
Like Vinny Barerino on Kotter, "I'm so confused!"
Rush never said that. In fact, it was Rush who first explained the idea of "incrementalism" to his audience.
Yeah, you're confused alright.
Well, that is unrealistic advice, IMHO. I am definitely a conservative, and I would like nothing more than to see all the things we talk about here on FR go our way. But I'm also pragmatic enough to know that you have to choose your battles wisely, and take the victories whenever you can. Small victories win the war, and we're definitely moving in the right direction (no pun intended). There's a hell of a lot of people in this country that lean the other way politically, and like it or not, you've got to try to win them over to our side. You can't do that with broad, sweeping changes that goes against what they've always traditionally believed.
I get in plenty of p#$sing matches here with people who take the extreme and inflexible route, who IMHO jeopardize the push toward the Right. Ivariably I am then called a liberal, bacause they are unable/unwilling to step back and try to take a more productive route. It is, I guess a great thing that so many people here are so passionate about the things that really count.
It is not a great thing, however, to spin your wheels and tick off the other people who are on your side. And it sure isn't accomplishing anything toward winning anyone else over, either.