It seems some faction has done it's best to change the definition and distort Reagan's record and the party in the process.
I'm not a big Rudy fan, but he is not very much more liberal then Reagan was. On the law and order side, he is probably more conservative. His record is largely as the Mayor of NYC, and certainly will not reflect a hard right Conservative outlook regarding guns and social crap. (Yes, I said crap) NYC is not the place for social conservatism and has not been for a hundred years. Never will be.
Dismissing him as a liberal is just plain nonsense. The traditional Republican platform is a comfortable place for him. If you knew what a Republican is, you would know this.
The problem is that the RNC is under attack by the social conservatives, and they are a minority. It is also under attack by the libertine populists and both maintain that they are the true conservatives and define the Republican party, when neither one actually does.
The party is for limited government, personal freedoms, and a very strong national defense and law and order. It has been so for decades.
Social Conservatism has never been the model, and personal freedom beliefs have always trumped this until recently.
This is why folks like myself are able to point at "Shiavo" as being the straw that broke the camels back. This occurred because so much of the traditional platform was stomped on in order to usurp a State Judicial System in the name of conservatism, which is a huge lie and distortion of the truth. What you saw was populism justified by moralism and supported by idiots, many of which are now politically retired.. But....The damage was done and it has accelerated.
Until we fix this, by returning to our roots, this party will remain in shambles. What you are seeing is a power struggle for control that is destroying the political coalition, and this is being egged on by the democrats who know exactly what they are doing.
I'm guessing that many will finally figure this out when they count the bodies in mid November 2008. This party cannot function as separate entities. It has always been a coalition, and yes, there has always been compromises made.
The answer is simple. You take the unappeasables, and you kick them to the curb. You replace them with new meat from the other party and you soldier on.
Have a nice day........
Perfectly logical way to win this election. I like the way you think, CH!
What a great post. (#385)
The problem with your analysis is this.
Those same people you would kick to the curb are 99.9% likely to also support all of your other platforms.
But, kick them to the curb if you like. The Republican party can remain the minority party. One Liberal Party in power is enough.
At least that party I know is my enemy.
BTW social issues aside, my support or lack of, for the current front runner has little or nothing to do with his marriage/divorces, abortion or whether or not he supports gay marriage.
It has everything to do with his LACK of support for the one thing that insures the People of the United States have the ability to defend themselves against their Government, AND his insistant support of the Illegal Invasion of our Country.
The other issues are important to be sure, but they are not deciding factors for me.
They are for others, and those the Republican Party will also lose if they continue down this path of "Just like the Dims but better" path they seem to be on.
|
|
Giuliani | Clinton | Dem Platform | GOP Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abortion on Demand | Supports | Supports | Supports | Opposes |
| Partial Birth Abortion | Supports Opposed NY ban |
Supports | Supports | Opposes |
| Overturning Roe v. Wade | Opposes | Opposes | Opposes | Supports |
| Taxpayer Funded Abortions | Supports | Supports | Supports | Opposes |
| Embryonic Stem Cell Research | Supports | Supports | Supports | Opposes |
| Federal Marriage Amendment | Opposes | Opposes | Opposes Defined at state level |
Supports |
| Gay Domestic Partnership/ Civil Unions |
Supports | Supports | Supports | Opposes |
| Openly Gay Military | Supports | Supports | Supports | Opposes |
| Defense of Marriage Act | Opposes | Opposes | Opposes | Supports |
| Amnesty for Illegal Aliens | Supports | Supports | Supports | Opposes |
| Special Path to Citizenship for Illegal Aliens |
Supports | Supports | Supports | Opposes |
| Tough Penalties for Employers of Illegal Aliens |
Opposes | Opposes | Opposes | Supports |
| Sanctuary Cities/ Ignoring Immigration Law |
Supports | Supports | Supports | Opposes |
| Protecting 2nd Amendment | Opposes |
Opposes | Opposes Supports bans |
Supports |
| Confiscating Guns | Supports Confiscated as mayor. Even bragged. |
Supports | Supports Supports bans |
Opposes |
| 'Assault' Weapons Ban | Supports | Supports | Supports | |
| Frivolous Lawsuits Against Gun Makers |
Supports Filed One Himself |
Supports | Opposes | |
| Gun Registration/Licenses | Supports | Supports | Opposes | |
| War in Afghanistan | Supports | Supports Voted for it |
Supports | Supports |
| War in Iraq | Supports | Varies Voted for it |
Supports Weak support |
Supports |
| Patriot Act | Supports | Supports Voted for it 2001 & 2006 |
Opposes | Supports |
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.
Bookmark. :)
Exccellent stuff. Add to that the corruption and the lack of spending restraint and you have the *thumping* of 2006