Posted on 11/09/2008 8:04:44 AM PST by Pondo
As Republicans, we face a choice.
Either we can spend the next several months -- or years -- trying to figure out what just happened, excusing our defeat away as a temporary blip or the result of a poor environment, and waiting for Barack Obama to trip up. Or we can refuse to take this defeat lying down, and start building the future of our party now.
2008 made one thing clear: if allowed to go unchecked, the Democrats' structural advantages, including their use of the Internet, their more than 2-to-1 advantage with young voters, their discovery of a better grassroots model -- will be as big a threat to the future of the GOP as the toxic political environment we have faced the last few years.
The time is now to set in motion the changes needed to rebuild our party from the grassroots up, modernize the way we run campaigns, and attract different, energetic, and younger candidates at all levels.
We must be conservative in philosophy -- but bold in our approach. We don't need a slight tweak here or there. We need transformation. We can't keep fighting a 21st century war with 20th century weapons.
(Excerpt) Read more at rebuildtheparty.com ...
Open primaries are a huge problem; another huge problem is the timing of the primaries. Our nominee is chosen before most of the conservatives even get a chance to vote in a primary.
That's a false argument.
The question isn't which of the candidates that the GOP foisted upon us would have been better. The question is, "If the GOP commited itself to only backing true conservatives what other candidates would we have had instead of the milquetoast dweebs we ended up with?"
Fiscal liberals out of my party. Big government RINOs out of my party.
Chuck the RINOs out and let's see who's left.
When you return to a flood-ravaged house you don't pick through the garbage and try to rebuild with the moldy flotsam. You clean it out first.
“That’s a false argument.
The question isn’t which of the candidates that the GOP foisted upon us would have been better. The question is, “If the GOP commited itself to only backing true conservatives what other candidates would we have had instead of the milquetoast dweebs we ended up with?” “
It is a perfectly clear and true argument.
A lot of candidates ran. True conservative Hunter couldn’t get out of single digits anywhere.
McCain won in GO only California.
The “GOP” doesn’t pick and chose who runs, the candidates do.
The RNC and the state GOP organizations choose the candidates by how they spend their money and how they organize the primaries.
“The RNC and the state GOP organizations choose the candidates by how they spend their money and how they organize the primaries.”
So what was done in this regard, that impacted the outcome for Hunter, since he personifies the FR view of a true conservative?
The individual candidates raise their own money, they don’t get it from the GOP.
The primary dates and formats are set long before the races. All candidates compete by the same rules.
It's what was not done.
If the RNC established a fiscal and social conservative platform, and required all candidates to sign on to it or be ineligible to receive RNC money or support McCain, Guiliani, Romney and Huckabee would not have run. They wouldn't have qualified.
McCain because of McCain-Feingold, McCain-Kennedy and McCain-Leiberman. Guiliani because of his pro-abort stance. Huckabee because of his tax hikes, increased regulation and increased spending. Romney because of his support for abortion, his support for gay rights and gay marriage, raising taxes and fees and instituting socialized healthcare.
By eliminating the RINOs you end up with Thompson, Pence and Hunter.
How's that work for you?
Our nominee is chosen before most of the conservatives even get a chance to vote in a primary.
***That’s why I’ve been pushing for a primary system where the order is determined by the percentage of republicans registered. The higher the %, the sooner they vote in the primaries. We schedule 2 per week for the republicans, and 2 per week for the democrats — who could use the same system for their party if they wanted. 4 primaries a week, 13 weeks total, with most of the biggest states coming in last because their percentages are likely to be more split than smaller states.
I think that sounds like a plan. I know living where I live our state would be one of the last but that would be fine with me, as long as the party isn’t set up to give us a RINO like it is now.
We sure have to come up with something better or we will never have a conservative nominee. Which is the plan now I imagine.
I suggest ignore them, use them for entertainment- whatever. Maybe at some point in the process they will see the light or if not they will likely leave on their own because at that point we will be too “radical” for them. Don’t let them stand in the way- just drive on.
We let the MSM choose our candidate for us. that has to stop! I didn’t even vote in the primary because McCain was already our nominee by the time Texans could vote.
We can tell who the left is afraid of by the way they demonize them or ignore them. Newt was a brilliant politician but a flawed human (who isn’t flawed) the media destroyed him over his book deal. Hunter was great, remember how he was ignored? Remember how the press swooned over McCain? I do, I never liked McCain but he was the media’s choice!
More parties is a bad idea. Look what Ross Perot did to us.
You are a conservative living in Austin? How do you manage that?
Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
P.S. Say hello to Chuckles for me.
"A party based on what I seek"? If I understand you, you are referring to a party dedicated to Constitutional and conservative principles? Years ago, I thought the Republican Party was such a party, or at least one more dedicated to Constitutional and conservative principles than the Democratic Party. Eight years of Bush/Cheney and six years of their doormat Republican Congress made me realize that the Republican Party is never going to stand for anything but its own power and patronage.
A week ago, tens of millions of voters slammed the door on the GOP's bid for continued power, and I couldn't care less if that party never regains its footing.
Last week's catastrophe is going to be the first in a long line for the GOP, until that wretched bunch of hacks and rent-seekers expires. Chuckle about that until you choke.
I maintain my conservatism through sheer grit. It isn’t easy -especially since my neighbors decorated their lawns with Obama signs. They are just the sort of people whose pocket he is going to pick.
Very well said :) **
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