The problem is that we've allowed our Country to cede soooo much power to the Feds over the years...think about it, what isn't too large or too small fer the Feds to get involved in today?! Nuthin'!! We need to convince folks on both the Left and the Right that placing all their marbles in the Federal coffers is a bad thing. Fer instance, NooYawk and many of the NE states are consistently paying much more in Federal taxes than they get back from the Feds, so why the heck don't they agree to substantially curb the Fed's reach/tithe and start implementing their beloved Socialist schemes at the State level? If socialized medicine is such a great goal, why don't they implement it at the State level and watch as companies and labor talent migrate back within their borders? Likewise, more libertarian-minded States would gravitate towards less State taxes and less State services and let the people vote with their feet!!
"We conservatives won the ideological battle long ago."
Have we though?! Is that battle EVER fully "won"?! Fact is, the Federal Leviathan is growing at a greater pace now--with a GOP controlled Congress and White House--than it was with Clinton and the DemonRATS runnin' the place!! Seems Dubyuh didn't get the message of why he was sent to the Oval office in the first place!!
"...we conservatives need to quit preachin', start actin', and own up to the fact that people we've elected are not getting the job done."
Makes a relatively loyal GOP voter like myself start to see the wisdom of the third-party practitioners, doesn't it?! Then again, it seems like we've worked so hard for so long to get the GOP into its present seat of power to cede that power over to the RINOs just now...so how do we get our representatives to do our bidding and start scaling back the Federal Leviathan?!
"Ya know, it's not us that need to be reminded, but our elected rep's, of a little speech given some years ago."
Which one was that?! The Gipper's had so many great ones.
"There's an old man lying in a bed out in California, unaware of anything going on around him. Dubya has campaign posters depicting himself & RR. Dubya had better start owning up to that priviledge."
Agreed...I personally like Dubyuh and respect his guts in sticking to his guns regarding the War on Terrorism; however, he's lost his bearings vis a vis domestic policy. We need to regain that there "Vision Thing" that Reagan and Gingrich had, but Dubyuh's daddy never grasped!! Namely, we must undertake a generation-long QUEST to devolve Power from the Federal Leviathan while empowering States, Localities, Neighborhoods, Families, and Individuals!! Enforce the 9th and 10th Amendments to the Constitution and get the Federales outta the business of controlling every aspect of our lives!!
"So? How many of you can honestly admit you're pleased with the current administration in the White House? This country of ours survived 8 years of the Clintons, it can withstand 4 or 8 more...though it may very well go thru living Hell doing so."
BLECCCHHHH!!! No way I'm gonna sit back and let the HildaBeast win an election and let her and that Rapist BA$+ARD hubby of hers back in the White House!! This battle must be won in the Republican Party, imho, so as to make Dubyuh's second term much more productive--on the domestic front--than his first. I believe our good friend Eric Cantor could be of assistance in this endeavor...and George Allen would probably share our vision...that's a start.
"Ronald Reagan handed us the map...it's only our fault if its course isn't followed."
Yep...we need to let our representatives know why we're pissed off at Dubyuh's Milquetoast Moderate Domestic Agenda before its too late. Between now and November 2004, a new course must be set so that January 2005 will constitute the beginning of our fulfilling a New Mandate...a Reaganesque Mandate!!
FReegards...MUD
Excellent interchange, guys!