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 primary system allowed Independents and Democrats to pick our nominee. They got the guy they wanted to run against.
True. We should try to minimize losses in the Senate, and focus on electing a new crop of leaders in the House and Governorships. That’s the future of the party.
Man, I am dreading the next 2-4 years, but I’m also excited. For a long time, we’ve been talking about redefining our party. Now it will happen. It MUST happen.
Retiring or term-limited Democratic governors
1.1.1 Janet Napolitano (Arizona)
1.1.2 Kathleen Sebelius (Kansas)
1.1.3 John Baldacci (Maine)
1.1.4 Jennifer Granholm (Michigan)
1.1.5 Bill Richardson (New Mexico)
1.1.6 Brad Henry (Oklahoma)
1.1.7 Ted Kulongoski (Oregon)
1.1.8 Ed Rendell (Pennsylvania)
1.1.9 Phil Bredesen (Tennessee)
1.1.10 Dave Freudenthal (Wyoming)
1.2 Retiring or term-limited Republican governors
1.2.1 Bob Riley (Alabama)
1.2.2 Arnold Schwarzenegger (California)
1.2.3 Sonny Perdue (Georgia)
1.2.4 Linda Lingle (Hawaii)
1.2.5 Dave Heineman (Nebraska)
1.2.6 Donald Carcieri (Rhode Island)
1.2.7 Mark Sanford (South Carolina)
1.2.8 Mike Rounds (South Dakota)
1.3 Democratic governors who may seek re-election
1.3.1 Mike Beebe (Arkansas)
1.3.2 Bill Ritter (Colorado)
1.3.3 Rod Blagojevich (Illinois)
1.3.4 Chet Culver (Iowa)
1.3.5 Martin O’Malley (Maryland)
1.3.6 Deval Patrick (Massachusetts)
1.3.7 John Lynch (New Hampshire)
1.3.8 David Paterson (New York)
1.3.9 Ted Strickland (Ohio)
1.3.10 Jim Doyle (Wisconsin)
1.4 Republican governors who may seek re-election
1.4.1 Sarah Palin (Alaska)
1.4.2 Jodi Rell (Connecticut)
1.4.3 Charlie Crist (Florida)
1.4.4 Butch Otter (Idaho)
1.4.5 Tim Pawlenty (Minnesota)
1.4.6 Jim Gibbons (Nevada)
1.4.7 Rick Perry (Texas)
1.4.8 Jim Douglas (Vermont)
In the end, this destroying of McCain/Palin, destruction of the republican party and the conservative movement is George W. Bush's fault and legacy. He caused it. His actions caused it. This election was a mandate of his administration. America told Bush he failed. Except for the war on terror, he failed. In doing so, he destroyed the conservative movement by moving to the middle and trying to play games with these Marxists. Now, Bush has lead America to something that I fear is now going to destroy the Republic. America as founded is done, finished. The socialists will see this as a mandate to run with the ball and socialize this nation utterly and completely. Folks, DO NOT be surprised that a year from now, we look like the old Soviet Union. ALL the 1960s radicals, Fonda, Hayden, Kerry, Ayers, black panthers, all have reached their goal. They have destroyed America. Bush helped them do it. What took 250 years too build is destroyed in eight years of his administration. America as founded, is finished. The republican party is in shambles. They have no leader. No one to run in 2012. As much as I love Sarah Palin, she is tainted with this defeat.
I’m just glad I live in Kentucky
This is a test...
Moderates are people who just won’t admit they’re liberal, IMO.
2010 is almost too close for the amount of work we have to do.
They know this, and yet they refuse to do this.
The endless moderate garbage, the taxing and spending, the bad legislation, the judges, immigration, energy, in bed with lobbyists, corruption, etc.
There is nothing to vote FOR.
I think we need a different tack right now. Instead of defining conservatism, we need to push for honest government. People are furious over the bailouts and the bubbles and the corruption. They just don't have much in the way of options with the current system. Our job is now to raise awareness of just how corrupt the Dem leadership is, and build a movement of both Dems and Pubbies and Independents who want honest representation in Washington. To achieve such, we cannot have dogmatic purists - coalitions by nature mean you work around common ground - in this case, that the current system is completely broken. People need to realize from activists just how bad things are with the likes of Dodd and Frank and Reid and Pelosi and yes, a lot of pubbies as well. People know they were shafted over the last two years, they just don't know who is to blame and how to get them out of office.
I’m glad I live in Texas. Wonder if we can secede?
Shays stood for nothing but re-election. That isn’t our problem.
Good news in the ashes? Only 12 seats lost in the House, only five in the Senate, half of the prediction.
What about state legislatures? 2010 is a redistricting year.
Republicans can move to the center all they want.
Without votes, they are without power.
I voted for my last Republican when I cast my ballot for McCain. I did not vote straight ticket. For the first time I voted libertarian and can easily do that again.
His own inexperience.
The entrenched system on the hill.
Porkbarrel including Military contracts.
AND the biggie - A crap Economy. That will tie his hands for sometime.
Remember I said this. The media will continue to pound and hammer Palin for weeks, if not months, to come, saying she’s the reason McCain lost. Many of the Rockefeller/country club RHINOS will echo this, in order to keep brainwashing people to keep moving the party to the left.
I tend to agree w this article and w you. I think the other issue is that Pres Bush and many of the Pubbies let the Dims and the DBM pound away at them and blame them for everything and not effectively respond - - or, in some cases respond at all. Time to take off the gloves and enough w playing nicey-nice.
I just heard a clip of 0bama saying that he wanted to unite the country and would be the Pres of all the people - - Pres Bush said almost the exact same things in 2000 and IIRC 2004 but the Dims didn’t give him a chance and his response to their lies, distortions, and other bad-mouthing was normally nada.
In 2006, all we heard from Stretch Pelosi was the Party or Culture of Corruption. Mahoney (I think that’s his name in FL) was far worse than Foley, plus there’s Dodd and Frank and others’ assoc w Freddie and Fannie and the Pubs didn’t bang the drum loudly enough. Most FReepers could have responded more effectively than many of the Pubbie Congress Critters and talking heads on TV to a variety of situations and Dim lies.
The Republicans in congress lost the trust of America when they became typical democrats. I'm not sure that trust can be regained. When people go to Washington they become corrupt.
The only hope we have is that the democrats screw this country up so bad over the next four years that they will not be able to blame it on the Republicans and the American people come to their collective senses.
America is now officially a Socialist nation. Right now there are simply not enough people in America who think that is not a good thing.
I wish!!!!!!!
How conservative is Rick Perry?
This is meaningless. Probably half the country is “liberal” if you define it as “give me something and make someone else pay for it; let me off the hook for my bad decisions.” It may even be more than 50%.
When people say we live in a “fundamentally conservative” or “center-right” country, I just shake my head and don’t kow whether to laugh or cry. We don’t.
there are only two stats that are relevant...
HALF of Americans don't pay ANY federal income taxes and
HALF of Americans depend on the government for their livelihood.
Who says Communism is dead. And sooner or later we are going to have to "take out the trash!" You've got 30 million illegals here, 100K gang-bangers in L.A. alone, not to mention the hundreds of thousands around the country, 300K foreigners incarcerated across the country and another few million muzzies who would just as soon see you, me and everyone else who isn't a muzzie in America d...e...a...d! And two borders that are about as secure as the turnstile at Mao-Mart. I'm just waiting to see if Obama is sworn in with his hand on the Koran.
The center has definitely shifted, but with only 36% of people self identifying as conservatives, the party is in trouble.
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.