Posted on 01/20/2007 11:06:08 AM PST by Clintonfatigued
For decades, the conservative movement has been the animating force of the Republican Party, providing the ideas and energy that catapulted candidates to the GOP presidential nomination and, often, the White House.
But as conservatives survey the 2008 field — and, particularly, the early Republican front-runners — many are despairing. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani have all broken with conservative orthodoxy at one time or another. Many activists have neither forgiven nor forgotten.
"There's absolutely no contender that is a bona fide conservative," said K.B. Forbes, who has worked for a number of conservative candidates and causes since the 1990s. "We have insiders, squishes and moderates running for president."
The candidate closest to the heart of social conservatives, Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, plans to formally launch his White House bid today with a speech in Topeka. But even those who admire Brownback, and especially his Senate leadership opposing abortion, same-sex marriage and stem-cell research, question the viability of his candidacy.
"Brownback has to prove he can win," said Richard Land, head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination.
Land sees different problems for the three leading GOP hopefuls. "Most social conservatives at present are uncomfortable with McCain," he said. "They're appalled by Giuliani." As for Romney, Land said, "He has to convince social conservatives he's become one of them."
It's a striking state of affairs, given the ascendance of the conservative movement since 1964. Although he was crushed in the general election that year, Arizona's Barry Goldwater wrested the Republican Party from its Midwest and Eastern roots, starting a realignment that eventually turned the GOP into the party of Ronald Reagan, the Sunbelt and the
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I think many people will be suprised at the showing Rep. Paul makes. A Republican candidate that stands against the establishment and actually for conservative values. None of this national morality nonsense forwarded by social 'conservatives' or wasteful government spending forwarded by more than a few of the party faithful. Course that would put him in direct opposition against the majority of the Republican party wouldn't it?
"We need a perfect candidate, one who stands for our side of the issues and yet has no skeletons in the closet......"
mash here folks ...
http://www.petitiononline.com/msan2008/petition.html
Girlfriend!
My luv!!!
Senator Domenici has served New Mexico since 1972 when he became the first Republican in New Mexico in 38 years to be elected to the United States Senate. In 2002, Senator Domenici was elected to serve his sixth full six-year term in the Senate. Currently, Senator Domenici serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.To learn more about Senator Domenici, please visit his official website.
We're on the same page, Norm. I think that's a GOOD thing, right?
And rightly so???!!!! Washington is now in full retreat mode re Iraq! I don't agree, but for the sake of argument let's concede Republicans have been "big government" conservatives. So we had 2 choices in November:
1. Big government + winning the WOT, or
2. Bigger government and losing the WOT.
Some FReepers chose neither and we got option 2.
But it was not a mistake. That "growing number of Republicans" are the ones who are wrong. Thank God for George W. Bush.
Is the root word of ignorant, ignore? That is precisely what needs to happen to a number of "conservatives" who think surrender is the better part of valor. Some opinions and questions are better left to lie, requiring no response whatsoever.
I guess we'll see. Republicans are better at collecting cash in smaller amounts from more people, so if he can do a grassroots campaign fund, he might be able to compete.
Realistically, most people don't even know who their Representative is. They sure don't know who their state legislators are.
Ask your neighbor if he supports Duncan Hunter, and I can almost guarantee his answer will be, "Who?".
The vast majority of Americans don't care about politics very much. The only reason that McCain is a contender at all is because his name has somehow been entered into the brains of the mindless. "Oh yeah, McCain. He's that maverick guy. I hate politics so we need a maverick."
We want to think FR represents the conservative movement or voter in this country. It doesn't. It represents the very few who care to be informed and discuss that information.
If you don't want to debate politics, or debate how to best advance the conservative agenda, maybe its time you found a new home. Maybe Lucianne.com is more your speed. Perhaps if you spent a little time over at DU, you'd know who the real enemy is. Obviously you have a problem with historic facts, current events and the opinion of conservatives. Too bad.
For the most part, we may have our own interpretations of and on the efforts of some candidates and the viability of others, but a forum like this should allow us to eventually reach a point we and others are able to work forward from.
Wow. You're out in full arrogance today, to even suggest another long time FReeper might not belong here because that poster disagrees with almighty you.
I just didn't want to get burned in case you are female. The debate is simply phrased: should the party tack right or to the center? You cited exit polls to support your position for tacking center. I cited history: the 1984 elections. The able REAGAN MAN spelled it out in detail. I could post your history of personal attacks, but I won't. I fear that you would call that a personal attack.
I didn't say there were a few odd ducks who stayed home to protest something. That happens in every election, on all sides. I'm saying that, in the aggregate - according to the exit polls - the reason the Dems won was because independents swung away from the GOP, not because conservative registered Republicans stayed home.
I debate on this form as well as any other. You appear to be the one with the problem accepting other peoples point of view. Particularly people who don't agree with you or who think differently than you do.
Don't worry where I should or shouldn't go, worry about your own political aspects. You have no right to mine.
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