Posted on 02/28/2007 7:54:19 AM PST by Al Simmons
Wedge Issues Posted by: “Common Tator” in FreeRepublic.com April 16, 2002
The one thing that amazes me on this site is the belief by some that the conservative position is the majority position.
Mostly people tend to believe it could be the majority position if the right candidate ran, or if it weren't for the media or RINOs or etc, etc. They really don't have a clue.
Roughly 2/3 of the public has firm views. They have made up their minds and do not change them. This group is nearly equally split between the left and the right.
There are about a 1/3 of the population that is never sure. Sometimes it will go left and sometimes it will go right.
When a party restricts itself to its base it will be in a minority party. The "base only" party will be reduced to crying as the other side works its will. In some nations both the left and right restrict themselves to just their base. That nation then develops five or six parties. And all governments in that nation are coalitions of a major party and some of the minor parties. In that situation the minor party always has more influence than its numbers represent. For the Rino and Dino haters that is the worst of all worlds.
Many of Rino and Dino haters try to make ours a 3 or 4 party system. They never figure out that their splinter right or left party would never get much power in a government based on coalitions. They are too small. It is the centrist parties that have a 1/3 of the public as potential members that get the clout in the Multi Party system. As you can see in a 2 party or a 5 or 6 party system the center tends to prevail.
But in our two party system the center is an instrument the major parties use to enact their goals. In the multiparty system it is the center parties that use the right and left to enact their centrist goals. Such a system like those in Italy and France are RINO and DINO paradise.
This nation now and for all of the last 140 years has been roughly 1/3 left, 1/3 right and 1/3 in the middle. Those in the middle who run for office are what we call RINOs and DINOs.
When Republicans drive RINOs out they leave the party to become DINOs and take their political power with them. The Democrat party gets them by default.
Then the Democrats thanks to its Dino buddies have a veto proof house and senate. It was Barry Goldwater's greatest accomplishment. In my BRAIN I knew Barry would elect a lot of DINOs ... and he did.
If a party with most of the center wins the presidency too, they have a filibuster proof senate. That party then can do anything it wants to do. When the party leadership takes control they implement the parties’ core beliefs. It was what LBJ did after Goldwater drove all the RINOs into LBJ's camp. It let LBJ do the "Great Society." LBJ had to have Barry's help to do it. And Barry did what it took to give LBJ the support he needed... LBJ had all the left. Barry gave him all the center.
To win control a party must keep its base and get over half the middle. If the Republicans have more RINOs than the Democrats have DINOs the Republican agenda prevails. If the Democrats have more DINOs than the Republicans have RINOs the Democrat agenda prevails.
Those that demand the defeat of RINOs are doing all they can to enact the leftist agenda. They are the most valuable asset the left has. One of the most effective tactics in politics in the negative campaign.
Negative campaigns are not about getting votes for your candidate. They are about getting the other side's base to not vote for their candidate. Thus if you can get the right to vote against a Rino or not vote at all, you can elect a very liberal candidate.
If you can force the Republicans to nominate a right wing candidate so right wing he can't get the center voters, you elect the left candidate.
Actually, I have a blessed life, by the grace of God.
Purists by nature are never happy.
I was just sent to your post and am glad that I was. This is the most sensible post I've seen on Free Republic this year. Maybe last year too.
Bravo! I've saved it so I can refer to it when I get depressed at how the social conservatives think they've taken over the party and how we're going to lose a LOT of elections if this trend continues.
You're wasting your time. Self-destructive behavior breeds self-destructive behavior. They will eventually get to argue about who gets to row the dingy.
Rudy will get plenty of conservative voters. Lots of thoughtful, intelligent, pro-family conservatives are supporting him, like Pete Sessions.
The Westboro Baptist conservatives here will vote against Rudy before they vote for anyone else, but that's okay. Real conservatives will just have to work that much harder to get him elected.
Here's one for your new ping list, Jim. In this one she's denouncing the socially conservative Republican Party Platform and saying she's unhappy with Karl Rove for "pandering" to the icky social conservatives for votes. It is too bad that voters with values and a socially conservative platform are such burdens to those who promote liberals in the party.
Not to worry, EV; all the information on you from CP is safe at a secluded spot; it's still "out there."
Not that its any of your business, which its not. As far as I know, CT is history on FR.
Never to post again.
Thank God!
You should follow his example.
Thank you for pointing that post out to me as I'd missed it. I've left a message and saved the post. It was the best post I've seen on Free Republic this year.
Of course, the bar gets lower and lower each year it seems to perhaps that's not high enough praise :-)
Who was the first sitting President to allocate federal funds to stem-cell research?
LOL
The only RHINOS in this bar are you, spiffy and eternalpain and all of your Pat Buchanan Alan Keyes deadbrains who won't ever win an election to dog catcher.
They don't.
We will lose but they'll still have their issue.
Those who promote conservatives have nothing to be worried about. Promote a liberal and you'll learn how "rough and tumble" this place can be. And you'll deserve it.
Sorry, real conservatives won't vote for a liberal.
LOL! Whatta prize you are!
Your picks from that very lengthy platform indicate a slight bias toward your religion.
Now if there is one thing that Momma always told me NOT to do, It is to mix religion and politics together.
Having done so, and continuing to do so, you folks have graduated from tolerable to barely tolerable, to political poison.
You made the bed, now you lie in it and see if it is to your liking.
If not, then shut up. I'm sure God would approve.
I'll be happy to argue the weaknesses of your political positions, but I will stomp you if you get personal, just one more time..............
It's quite shocking, isn't it?
Exactly and why we need a candidate that can reach out to various groups for support. The real base of us broken glass Republicans will be there for the good or not so good candidates but issue groups will not IMHO. I am actually excited about Rudy and how we can reach back out to some disenfranchised voters. We do not have enough Republican votes to win without reaching out and it is great to see parts of the Reagan coalition rejoining.
A lot of people on here don't have a clue to the various groups that supported Pres Reagan in 1980 and in 1984.
Abso-damn-lutely it is.
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