It’s just that the Fiscal Conservatives really, really, REALLY want to have that fight. It’s “my way or the highway” with them this time around - Rudy or bust! No one else is acceptable unless Rudy falls next February.
SoCons are trying to hold the party together in 2008 - Fiscal Conservatives want to blow the whole thing up and try reshaping the party markedly to the left, in an attempt to create a new alliance that seeks to take Democrat-leaning votes in, while purging the SoCons and Gun Conservatives.
You can read it here from the Rudophiles themselves - many of them are downright pissed-off that we got Roberts and Alito on the Court, especially in lieu of Gonzales and Miers, and are trying to demand now that such concessions should damn well be enough to compel subjugation to whatever candidate they put forward this time - even if that candidate is downright hostile to their views.
It’s about power for the Rudophiles - just like Rudy. Power at all costs, victory at the expense of any combination of principles, and a new-look, progressive GOP if they have to burn the house down to do it.
After all, there’s always room for them in other folks’ houses, so no need to value this one all that much anyway.
SoCons like myself will continue to try and put forward a candidate who pleases both sides of the GOP, Fiscal and Social. Unfortunately, the Fiscal have simply no interest in doing the same in 2008 - or at least not the Rudophiles.
The thing that really bugs me - and I assume others like me - is that I'm a social AND a fiscal conservative. I've taken slings and arrows, even though this is a conservative forum, for my criticisms of some Republican elected representatives on both issues. I get slammed every time I post the graphs and charts demonstrating how much our recent Republican Congress and our Republican President has increased discretionary domestic spending. I also get slammed for criticizing them when they vote for or promote socially liberal positions. The one-issue fiscal cons are so intolerant to social cons that when I ALSO espouse a social con position, along with my fiscal con views, they attack me.
You pretty much summed it up neatly. The only part I question is the idea that Rudy backers have a problem with Alito and/or Roberts. I’ve never seen that. Only a left wing ideological loon looking for a judicial activist would have a problem with either of them, they’re obviously more than qualified to say the least.
What would make you say that?
I wouldn’t have a problem supporting Rudy and voting for him myself. But I certainly do understand SoCons anger.
Everybody has a candidate that they would absolutely never, ever support. If Huckabee were relevant, I would be screaming out against him as loud as you are about Rudy. (You haven’t seen cheesy graphics until you’ve seen the Huckster “Nutty Professor” one that me and Honolulugal will break out if he ever gets more than 12 supporters nationwide)