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 ...
The disrespect shown by the feminist left toward Palin...a woman exercising legitimate options...will become the "One Free Grope" of the 2008 election.
It will reflect more upon them than Palin.
I hope we haven't but it's up to her. She has the skill set and temperment needed to run as a conservative against today's media.
FReepers,
I live in Atlanta, GA. Saxby Chambliss really P’Oed the conservatives here with his support of the bailout. If I am not mistaken, he had not voiced much support for the FairTax until his hide was in political trouble. He then shifted to supporting the measure and, imho, it saved his butt. That’s the only reason I voted for him. I would imagine he held his support in his back pocket until he needed to reacquire much needed political capital. Such is senatorial politics.
The overarching point is that concrete, conservative ideas, not personality will win over heart and minds. That being said, it takes an effective communicator to deliver our message cogently so as to cut through party-line static delivered by the Dems and their BM sycophants.
Thankfully, we have found that person in Sarah. I think Newt needs to spend a few weeks in Alaska and give her a much grander perspective of the Republic’s needs. I am taking nothing away from her unbelievable abilities, but her focus has been on Alaska’s issues, what she was hired to do. Once Sarah has distilled the arguments for an effective delivery, she can begin campaigning for 2010 Congressional races, halfway through ‘09. This way, the ground work for 2012 can be grown organically in tandem. This long view of campaigns does not seem to occur on our side and it results in heartbreak and let down.
Her inspirational qualities ‘can’ build an overwhelming machine that can deliver the electoral mandate required to move policy back in the direction of conservative, common sense.
This country has been sliding down hill left ever since FDR. Reagan accomplished a great deal, but we have yet to accomplish those game-changing, Constitutionally sound policies that returns power locally. I feel she can deliver those needs and ensure the Republic for centuries to come.
the Deets
Palin/Jindal ‘012
We need FISCALLY and Small government CONSERVATIVES..
Once again...Since we didn’t learn the lesson of 2006. 2008 was inevitably going to be a Part 2...
If we do not start now vetting out some good, solid conservative candidates to run in 2010...
A trilogy is in the making...
I would prefer not to see a Part 3...I really would not...
The election results were not about electing Obama, or a semi-black man, not even a liberal/socialist...
This was strictly about revenge, and I guarantee a lot of attitude and vindictiveness will be the plan of the day from today till the next president is sworn in...
I truely believe it is that primal of an agenda...
Care to define "Hispanic bashers?"
” We could start by showing the Hispanic bashers the door including the ones on this board...
Care to define “Hispanic bashers?” “
That would be anyone who doesn’t LOVE uncontrolled illegal immigration from south of the border. You know, the same people who just elected Obama.
Many people write political obituaries way too early. She will be back.
The GOP will be back. It sucks, but there is too much in life to be happy about to dwell on this (too much...)
I still am thinking about it a lot today. But, life goes on...
Then we fight like heck for what is right.
Exactly...this is not 1980. This is 1976.
Geraldo speaks from experience.
“Time for OPEN SEASON on RINOs....NO bag limit... I DON”T GIVE A CRAP IF A ‘RAT WILL WIN.....I’M NOT VOTING FOR ANOTHER RINO....Purge these turncoat scum from the party....or I’ll find another party. This is what we get when we have SINLESS RINOs running amok...”
Totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Exactly!
The Belt-Way and its spoor is a closed system. These people will not willingly give up their nice cushy jobs that, apparently, are not subject to accountability.
“Define RINO. My problem is way to many people here have a to broad defination to RINO and a to narrow defination of Conservative.”
Well, this is my definition of a conservative. True conservatives do not believe that govt can guarantee outcomes. They want people to get rich so they can hire the rest of us as long as those that get rich, do so ethically. They want an honest economy based on the true value of goods and services and don’t want the laws broken. They believe the govt should not overstep its Constitutional bounds and believe in free market principles and the spirit of competition. That does not mean anything goes if someone can get away with it and it does not mean that exploitation, collution, etc are acceptable. For example, if someone has enough money and resources and wants to start their own oil business, they should be able to buy some land, drilling equipment, etc and compete without govt interference as long as they aren’t breaking any laws. That’s not a good example because the oil industry is so hard to break into though.
True conservatives believe in defending innocent life, the second amendment rights, first amendment rights, are pro law enforcement and are strong on crime and punishment issues such as the death penalty for murderers. They believe in a strong national defense and believe in projecting our military power punitively rather than through nation building strategies that are unnecessarily costly to our country both economically and in our own lives.
I’m probably forgetting some principles but this is my definition of a conservative because it describes me and my family and we consider ourselves conservative.
Are you actually a liberal here arguing flat earth stuff on FR? That statement is monronic, sophistic and scream of MSM brainwashing. We lost becase we did'nt espouse and believe Reagan Supply Side principals which work. Real wages and job growth was HIGHEST under Reagan...trickle down works, its not even debateable. What does'nt work is pandering and sloganeering like you suggest. Using phrasology like "Middle Class" is the reason we got the butt whooping we did last night and sounds like you bought it. Classism was Chapter 1 of Das Kapital by Marx and of Saul Alinsky, the playbook Obama used.
Go troll somewhrre else junior...I ain't in the mood
We had great growth under Reagan and Clinton (yes, thanks to Reagan), but things have changed in the past eight years if you haven't noticed. As long as the middle class is hurting, republicans are going to lose.
Personally, I'd rather own up to the truth so we can figure out how to win again in four years than live in denial....but - hey! - if that's how you want to play it, go ahead. A strong middle class is THE ONE THING that made this country great aside from our constitution. We had a middle class like no other country.
Well, you can either be part of the solution or part of the problem. Me? I intend to be part of the solution.
I also plan on contacting Sarah Palin and urging her to forcefully insert herself into the party hierarchy to advance Conservatism. Didn't she say something along the lines of fighting for Conservative small government in the Repub Party, but if they wouldn't go there, she would leave the party and continue the fight?
Nam Vet
Cheap immigrant labor, downsizing, outsourcing... all of these things are hurting the middle class.
“RINO = Big government, blue blood, country club Republican who would rather stick it to the Conservatives then stick it to the ‘Rats....How’s that?”
And they don’t really give a rat’s ass about social issues. The only thing that motivates them is the thickness of their wallet. Nothing else. They’d sell out their country and countrymen in a second for a few more pieces of silver. Prime example... their love for cheap labor illegals. Chickens coming home to roost now. Today’s new cheap labor=tomorrow’s redistributionists voters.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.