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Political Battle Under Way Within GOP, Say Conservative Leaders
cnsnews.com ^ | November 05, 2008 | Fred Lucas

Posted on 11/05/2008 4:59:01 AM PST by kellynla

CNSNews.com) – Facing the most liberal president and Congress in a generation, conservative stalwarts do not blame the GOP’s disastrous election performance solely on Republican nominee John McCain or on President George W. Bush. The ultimate culprit, some say, has been big government Republicanism.

Long-time conservative activist Richard Viguerie thinks the Republican Party’s problem this year is not unlike its problem in previous election cycles.

“Moderate and liberal have not done very well,” Viguerie, the chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, told CNSNews.com. “Both Bushes had problems, and Bush the son nearly destroyed the Republican Party. People are looking for a clear conservative choice.”

Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, said this is not the first time Republicans have had a bad election cycle.

“We will get the same advice from the establishment press, which will advise the party to move left,” he said. But when that was tried, it did not work, Norquist told CNSNews.com.

He said Republicans win by running on President Ronald Reagan’s ideas and lose when they move left. He cited President George H. W. Bush’s failed reelection campaign in 1992 after running successfully as a Reagan tax-cutter in 1988, as well as Bob Dole in 1996 who had previously opposed the Reagan tax cuts, and now McCain, who has supported legislation on campaign finance reform and global warming.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: conservatism; conservatives; gop; republicans
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To: RetiredArmy
Surely you will change your mind when GB, senior, comes again on TV near tears proclaiming that his son, Jeb, will probably not get his chance now. I wanted to puke when I heard him moan about this.

I rue the day that our great Ronald Reagan was told that he needed George Bush on the ticket to win in 1980. He would have won that election with a total unknown on the ticket and America could have been spared the RINO carpetbagger Bushes from Connecticut.

181 posted on 11/05/2008 6:30:44 AM PST by brydic1
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To: The South Texan

“We could start by showing the Hispanic bashers the door including the ones on this board?”

“Hispanic bashers?”

Does that include Americans of Mexican ancestry who want ALL illegals and their illegal drugs deported?

Well, the Market has opened so I have to leave you so I can make more money to support the illegals who are living “under my roof” LOL

Good day!


182 posted on 11/05/2008 6:32:50 AM PST by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: mabelkitty

Excuse me, this man almost allowed his state to coopted by dems even though his brother was running for pres. Moreover, Florida education is an oxymoron and he never did solve the abused children problem.

Forget the Bushes. They do not wear well.


183 posted on 11/05/2008 6:33:02 AM PST by dools007
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To: IMissPresidentReagan

“Tim Pawlenty”

Minnesota, need I say more.


184 posted on 11/05/2008 6:33:38 AM PST by A Strict Constructionist (Can we avoid"Tobacco Road" on the "Road to Surfdom"?)
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To: RetiredArmy
Or is that just an opinion off the top of your head?

My head's flat enough that opinions stay put. Pa. and Ohio is what I'm basing that statement on. The Republican turnout was "much lower than average, maybe as much as 30% off"...according to Fox news last night. When the 'Truth' is tallied up, probably by later today, many links and printable graphs will be out there. I wouldn't bullshit ya.

185 posted on 11/05/2008 6:34:51 AM PST by Skid Marx
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To: kellynla
“...You mean to tell me that if Sarah Palin was the GOP candidate for POTUS in 2012 you wouldn’t enthusiastically support & vote for her?”

Sarah Palin was destroyed by the national media. The damage is done. She has been Dan Quayled. Maybe if she serves in the US Senate for a few months... but doesn't vote on anything. We need a new, fresh look in 2012, like Jindahl or someone who is not the same old White guy running on the Jimmy Carter platform.

186 posted on 11/05/2008 6:35:35 AM PST by April Lexington
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To: se_ohio_young_conservative

Do not be demoralized.
Its 1976 and we now begin rebuilding our party around 1980 ideals.
Sarah is one of many good republicans.
its time to get to work for the 2010 elections.


187 posted on 11/05/2008 6:36:31 AM PST by omega4179 (Resistance begins 11/5/08 wheres the birth certificate?)
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To: A Strict Constructionist

I know I know....I was just thoroughly disgusted listening to him last night, and yet relieved that even RINO McCain had sense enough to select a true conservative.

If my UK Wildcats have a bad basketball season, I’m going into hibernation for a year. I can’t take anymore disappointment...between this election, college football, the Bengals & the Cowboys stinking it up, and watching my 401K go up in smoke.....I’m depending on basketball to pull me through. *LOL*


188 posted on 11/05/2008 6:36:38 AM PST by IMissPresidentReagan ("Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid" President Reagan, I REALLY MISS YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER!)
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To: Go Gordon

“Assinine”? Gee, thanks for elevating the discourse.

Last night, I saw that wave of blue creep over more and more of the United States map and it terrified me. Counties that were solidly pro-Bush only four years ago flipped, and in some cases decisively. The GOP has basically written off winning elections in entire swaths of our country. First it was the Northeast, then the West, then the Great Lakes, now it’s looking like the Rocky Mountain states are slipping away. Exactly how do you propose the GOP becomes a national party again if it can’t even compete in major population centers?

Let’s be honest: Changing demographics and opinions have been working against the GOP for decades. 9-11 changed the narrative for a couple of elections, but now we’re seeing the “real” voting patterns start to settle in again. The future of our party looks bleak, but some people around here seem to think that it’s still 1980 and we can play by 1980 rules.

I don’t know what the answer is, I just know that an entire generation of voters has written off the GOP. One only has to look at the make-up of the delegates at our convention in St. Paul to see what one of the big issues is: our party doesn’t reflect America as it is. Perhaps it reflects how we want it to be, but that doesn’t win elections.


189 posted on 11/05/2008 6:36:54 AM PST by Gunder
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To: A Strict Constructionist
Pawlenty comes across as a goof on TV. That's why the MSM loves to interview him. He doesn't have the personal dynamic. Forget him.
190 posted on 11/05/2008 6:37:21 AM PST by April Lexington
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To: April Lexington

Wait till Jan 20th if you can. The mass layoffs should start as soon as the messiah is in Charge. Mark History because America was Sold by the media that a 6.1 percent nationwide unemployment rate was a bad thing economically. Today’s avg annual inflation rate is at roughly 2 percent. The avg interest rate for homeloans is at 5.75 percent. if any of those things change for the worse then Obama economic plans must be rejected as failures. If Obama’s Jimmy Carter Redo is going to happen then in 2011 or sooner, we will see huge rises in these numbers. As soon as Obama raises the tax rates and when the bush tax cuts expire in 2010 look for unemployment to escalate substantially. When we are all feeling the Pain watch for the media to tell you that it is only you that are doing bad and that you should suck it up as your patrioitc duty, ask what you can do for your country, everyone else is living in prosperity.


191 posted on 11/05/2008 6:38:41 AM PST by tomnbeverly (When Obama Redistributes the Wealth I assume there will no longer be a need for Charity.)
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To: DustyMoment
I don't actually trust that number

I do. We ARE the minority. We haven't had a decent Conservative leader since 1988. The Bush clan, along with the democrats and the mass media, have done everything in their power to reduce our numbers, and they've been quite successful at it.

As a minority opposition, we have to build ourselves back up in time for 2010 and 2012, and the only way to do that is jettison all the old, white-haired republican RINOS who've led us to this disaster and start bringing in younger, more energetic people like Sarah Palin.

If we want to taste victory again, we have to start now. It's time to clean house.
192 posted on 11/05/2008 6:41:15 AM PST by reagan_fanatic (Obama, you are NOT my President!)
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To: Gunder; All
LET THE GOP KNOW YOUR OPINIONS!

let them have it!

cc all of them!

and elrushbo@eibnet.com
so america's anchorman will be in the loop as to the outrage of the people at the failure of the GOP to hold to cconservative principles.


Office of the Chairman
Mike Duncan, RNC Chairman
Phone: 202-863-8700
Fax: 202-863-8820
Email: Chairman@gop.com

Office of the Co-Chairman
Jo Ann Davidson, Co-Chairman
Phone: 202-863-8545
Fax: 202-863-8631
Email: Info@gop.com

Administration
Accounting, Human Resources,
Building Management, Network Operations
Phone: 202-863-8560
Fax: 202-863-8609
Email: Administration@gop.com

Communications
Press, Media, Television, Radio
Phone: 202-863-8614
Fax: 202-863-8773
Email: RNCommunications@gop.com

Political
Campaign Operations
Voter Programs
Phone: 202-863-8600
Fax: 202-863-8808
Email: Political@gop.com

National Committee Member Relations
Winter Meeting
Summer Meeting
Phone: 202-863-8630
Fax: 202-863-8835
Email: MemberRelations@gop.com

Strategy
Phone: 202-863-8889
Fax: 202-863-8885

193 posted on 11/05/2008 6:41:57 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: kellynla
You build on the successes of yesterday and go forward to 2010!

I don't think we'll have the chance Kelly......sorry. If we can't rely on 30% of republicans to vote....errrr.....republican....than it's silly as hell to put them in office......IMHO.

194 posted on 11/05/2008 6:42:15 AM PST by ScreamingFist (Annihilation - The result of underestimating your enemies. NRA)
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To: Opinionated Blowhard

“Now the irony is that, after a huge expansion of government under Lyndon Baines Bush, “conservatism” and limited government are discredited.”

I’m more afraid of Bush’s Patriot Act. This will be used against us, mark my words. Bush lost me when he created Homeland Security. The words Patriot and Homeland bring visions of WWII Germany to my mind. Scoundrels and despots always act under the guise of patriotism and providing security.


195 posted on 11/05/2008 6:44:22 AM PST by A Strict Constructionist (Can we avoid"Tobacco Road" on the "Road to Surfdom"?)
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To: paudio

If there is an immediate lesson to be read from all this, it is that we cannot toss aside principles, or any part of conservatism, to win.

Small government conservatism got tossed aside, and this debacle was the result.

If we toss aside social conservatism, we will find that we will have the same problem.

Selling it is a packaging issue, and is an entirely different problem. You have to find specific issues on which you have supermajorities in agreement, and push those issues.


196 posted on 11/05/2008 6:48:43 AM PST by B Knotts (Calvin Coolidge Republican)
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To: kellynla
LBJ--- Welfare and all the "Great Society" Acts still around, Gun Control Act of 1968, Wilderness Act, etc...

Jimmy Carter ---- *Cough* Mullahs *cough*, CRA, Department of Energy, Department of Education, closing by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act and other natural resources, Panama Canal (Originally Nixon's doing). Gee only 4 years, he was certainly busy straggling freedom and expanding the bureaucracy.

Bill Clinton --- Expansion of Carter's CRA vision (A big ingredient to the ongoing financial crisis), tolerated the Mullahs, expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit, Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, Ginsburg and Breyer. Good thing Clinton was perpetually embroiled in scandal and a short lived conservative moment happened in 1994.

Obama may be a clown but he is a powerful one with a head strong democrat congress ready to "socialize". Just look at just a small sample of past presidents leading perpetual programs towards a Euroweenie style government. Tell me, how many of the above programs that restrict freedoms have been repealed? LOL at living in denial that DC can be saved from the clowns, both Repubs (Bush had quite a domestic spending habit) and Dems are filled with clowns to rent.

By the way, does FDR ring a bell along with all the "cult of personality" he created in order to get hyper-collectivist policies passed. Gee, a lot of his policies are still relevant today and another cult of personality with a weak economy will go bonkers on the tax payers again. The clowns have voters dependent on them locked down. Amendments to the Constitution, Acts of Legislation and a whole host of executive decisions all add up to a bureaucracy that will not stop based on voters being dependent on it. LOL indeed.
197 posted on 11/05/2008 6:49:13 AM PST by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians.)
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To: April Lexington

“Sarah Palin was destroyed by the national media. The damage is done?”

BS!

Reagan lost in 1968 & 1976 but he picked himself up and became the best POTUS of the 20th century in 1980!

And you convenienlty ignored my question “would you vote for Palin in 2012 if she were the GOP candidate?” it’s not a hard question to answer.


198 posted on 11/05/2008 6:50:10 AM PST by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: DocT111

all the nets last night said palin was a net plus on the McCain campaign.

However, a VP may be the attack dog to unite the base, the PRESIDENT CANDIATE is there to make the sale.

Now we focus on ENSURING A REAL CONSERVATIVE LEADS THE GOP.

(and tina fey’s career is DOA. no tina fey produced, written or performed ANYTHING. she is box office poison)


199 posted on 11/05/2008 6:50:24 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: kellynla
He said Republicans win by running on President Ronald Reagan’s ideas and lose when they move left.

If we could just agree on this simple point, we could start moving ahead again.

200 posted on 11/05/2008 6:52:57 AM PST by B Knotts (Calvin Coolidge Republican)
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