Some Conservatives Need To Be Taken To The Woodshed (vanity)

Me ^ | 18-October-2005 | Erik Latranyi

[Erik Latranyi]

It is time to take some conservatives to the woodshed.

With a heavy heart, I write the above after visiting Free Republic this morning.

Why?

Simply our discourse is degenerating. I am dismayed at the amount of name-calling taking place in these pages. I am even more dismayed that this name-calling is being conducted by conservatives against conservatives.

I understand the anger and disappointment stemming from the Miers nomination, but also inclusive of the budget deficit, education department, immigration, etc. These are matters that bother me as well.

Unfortunately, the tone on Free Republic bothers me even more. When conservatives call each other names and friendly disagreement over issues degenerates into those proclaiming to be "real conservatives" versus "phony conservatives" we only bow to our lowest common denominator.

Rush Limbaugh calls this the "conservative crackdown". In many ways he is right (as Rush is so often). Conservatives do not want stealth candidates. We worked hard to win and will continue to work hard to increase our majorities and enact our agenda.

We are proud conservatives and we want to proclaim this from the mountain tops!

We also want those who represent us to be proud as well. We do not want apologies. We do not want stealth. We do not need to hide behind "compassionate conservative" labels.

We are the majority and we will remain the majority as long as we continue to educate the public about what conservatism is and why we demand responsibility from both the individual and the gov't.

However, lately, we are calling each other names.

This is liberal-speak. We do not want to stoop to the level of our enemies. We should not use their tactics, either.

Conservatives use logic and reason to support our ideas. We can disagree without being disagreeable.

We are not doing that, folks!

Too many of us are so caught up lately that we forget how to be civil. If you want to call names and use the F-bomb, go to DU. You will find that language replaces truth and fact everywhere.

And that is what names do, isn't it? Names replace truth and fact.

But we are conservatives. Truth and fact are what got us this far and it will be truth and fact that continue our rise to roll back 80 years of liberalism.

Some of us back President Bush and trust his judgement. Some of us do not. That is OK. That is healthy for our movement.

What is unhealthy for our movement is this name-calling.

Let it stop. Let us debate Harriet Miers over facts and truth. Stop pronouncing yourself a "true conservative" and anybody who backs President Bush a "Bush-Bot". That is liberal-speak.

[jess35]

I have sat here and watched for weeks as the Pro-Meiers side hurled invective after personal attack at those who think for themselves and do not toe the party line.

ROTFLMOA!!!! Way to take the high road!

[TBP]

Maybe it's because the perception of the Miers supporters, in the absence of much (if any) substantial data, appear -- rightly or wrongly -- to be taking a stand in support of the President, while one of the primary reasons given (on our side) for opposing her is because we have no evidence that she is the Scalia/Thomas-type judge that we all hope she is and that there was a good list of more proven candidates.

Of course, the media still thinks conservative is a bad word and hopes it can discredit the opponents as a bunch of crazy extremists with fangs and bloodshot eyes. Unfortunately for them, more people are conservatives by their own description than liberals and conservative ideas are at leat the plurality opinion these days.

[tertiary01]

The focus of their conversation which included Buck McClellan, was fiscal conservatives.

[TheForceOfOne]

[inquest]

Actually, Hamilton did say that a nominee should only be voted down for "special and strong" reasons.

Hamilton also didn't anticipate judges wielding anywhere near the power they currently have. They've gotten out of control, and we need to make sure we have someone who's up for the job of getting it back under control. All indications are that Bush ducked from that fight.

I don't think. WAAAAAAAAAAH!!! I don't like the bad lady, daddy! Nominate who I want!!! is either a special or a strong reason.

Until you yourself can learn how to reason like an adult, you're going to remain endlessly confused by this debate.

[Paradox]

Who among us is a Bush-bot? Not just a "Trust him on Meirs" thing, but on everything? As much as I see that term used here, I can't think of a handful of freepers who would qualify.

[MurryMom]

Names replace truth and fact.

You must have missed the part quoted above before indulging in mindless name-calling against one of this board's few remaining balanced-budget conservatives.

[Warren_Piece]

I can guarantee you, my views run the gamut and would probably get me on the "not-conservative" list of the different strains of purists. Check it out:

I am a Christian first. I am pro-life. I think homosexual behavior is a sin, but I also think the Church spends way too much energy fighting one particular type of sin to the exclusion of others.

Immigration just doesn't push my buttons one way or the other. I know that makes the zealots angry, but I can't help it.

I am a pragmatic fiscal conservative. A balanced budget is a priority, maybe number 3 or four on the list. Although they're both important, lower taxes are more important to me than reduced spending. And anyone who thinks someone can wave a wand and instantly change our entitlement culture is living in a fantasy world.

I am 200% behind the president in the WOT and OIF. I don't think the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim. I am most definitely not part of the Nuke Fallujah or Nuke Mecca crowds.

I believe in Jack Kemp style social engineering.

I believe in free markets, but not as an absolute. A tariff here and there isn't going to mean the end of the world. But I don't believe the government is responsible for you having a job. If you can't find a job, move to TN; we got more than we have people.

I am neutral on NCLB. All I know is test scores are going up in my state, and our children is learning. ;) I don't believe that spending=education, but if that was the only way to introduce some accountability, so be it. I sure wish we didn't have to, though.

CFR was a huge mistake but it wasn't the end of the world. Swift Boats, anyone?

What happened to Terri Schaivo was a disgrace and a travesty. I never called anyone a death-cultist, but I didn't condemn that kind of language either. For that, I apologize.

I really don't care one way or the other about the drug war.


Now, do I get to be a conservative?

[Politicalmom]

I HAVE noticed that people who disagree with this nomination have been called EVIL, unpatriotic, whiny, and so on.

[bray]

Evil, unpatriotic?? Maybe you can show us where those names have been used.

Pray for W and Our Victorious Troops

[jess35]

Until you yourself can learn how to reason like an adult

When the "I'm going to stamp my feet and hold my breath until I get my way" crowd starts to behave as adults, I'll speak to them as adults. At this point, they're still acting like children who were denied a toy.

[pollyannaish]

Amen. Thank you.

We need each other.

And yes, I am really, really pollyannaish on this. So deal with it.

[small voice in the wilderness]

LOL! No, I didn't miss that part:)

[inquest]

When the "I'm going to stamp my feet and hold my breath until I get my way" crowd starts to behave as adults, I'll speak to them as adults.

Translation: When your opponents in this debate accede to your position, then you'll behave yourself. You don't even realize that you're acting in exactly the way you've described here.

[TXBSAFH]

Maybe rockerfeller republicans like GW need to be taken to the woodshed.

[Spirited]

Among those rightly omitted from the "limp-wristed" list we find names like Paul Weyrich, Skousen family, Phyllis Schlafly etc.
— "Few living Americans have done as much to shape the nation's direction as Phyllis Schlafly, who is arguably the most important woman in American political history. Washington Times, 10-07-05 "

Like it or not these are the foundation of conservatism at it's initiation as a reply to New Deal policies and then ERA.

They are also among the many who have expressed profound disappointment with Miers' nomination. Only the profoundly inept can ignore their voices just the way the voices of the writers are ignored.

[Mizpah]

Go Miers. The economy is going to tank in a couple of months due to the high cost of energy and GW will take the brunt of it even though every substantive action he pushed on the Energy policy was thwarted by the libs and greenes. I believe some of our conservative leaders have gone over the deep end on their anti-Miers rants at the expense of not keeping the light on the REAL threat to our borders and economy. The Supreme Court, regardless of its makeup, will not be able to get us out of the deep guana that we'll be in when the economy tanks.

[inquest]

So...you're in favor of Miers because it costs too much political energy to be opposed to her? Doesn't pushing for Miers cause even more political energy to be wasted? Seems to me that if Miers' name is withdrawn and a solid nominee put in her place, the Right can finally unite again. After all, there's a big part of the conservative base that's seriously opposed to her. There isn't a remotely similar-sized part of the base that really wants her. The only people who are in favor of her, have that opinion simply because it's Bush's opinion, not because she's the choice they'd make on their own initiative. They'd get over it rather quickly if her name is withdrawn.

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

I disagree 100% with your premise.

The absolute worst thing conservative activists could do is bob their head as yes men and agree to only agree and sing the party line.

Heated discourse among conservatives is the only hope we have of returning this nation to a conservative tone and agenda in Washington. We are seeing this played out on a national scale as prominent national figures in the conservative commentator ranks are having heated discussions since most are against the Bush administration and the Miers pick, among many other anti-conservative moves by the Bush people.

Now more than ever, we need hot and heated exchanges among conservatives not only on Free Republic but on the national cable TV shows, radio shows, etc. Otherwise, we get the head bobbing and slapping of backs while the Republican liberals move futher into leftist land.

More than ever before, we NEED this debate and expression of opinion. You are very, very wrong.

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

BUMP