Let Them Go Their Way

Conservative Political Action Conference ^ | March 1, 1975 | Ronald Reagan

[erkyl]

Since our last meeting we have been through a disastrous election. It is easy for us to be discouraged, as pundits hail that election as a repudiation of our philosophy and even as a mandate of some kind or other. But the significance of the election was not registered by those who voted, but by those who stayed home. If there was anything like a mandate it will be found among almost two-thirds of the citizens who refused to participate...

Americans are hungry to feel once again a sense of mission and greatness.

I don ‘t know about you, but I am impatient with those Republicans who after the last election rushed into print saying, “We must broaden the base of our party”—when what they meant was to fuzz up and blur even more the differences between ourselves and our opponents.

It was a feeling that there was not a sufficient difference now between the parties that kept a majority of the voters away from the polls...

Let our banner proclaim our belief in a free market as the greatest provider for the people...

Let us explore ways to ward off socialism, not by increasing government’s coercive power, but by increasing participation by the people in the ownership of our industrial machine...

A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers.

I do not believe I have proposed anything that is contrary to what has been considered Republican principle...It is time to reassert that principle and raise it to full view. And if there are those who cannot subscribe to these principles, then let them go their way.

[erkyl]

This was a speech Ronald Reagan gave in 1975. And while everything he said to encourage Republicans back then didn’t completely align with this election, there is a wealth of insight and encouragement in his words that could help the party today.

In this election there were a number of people who didn’t vote at all because McCain wasn’t conservative enough. But I realize we do have more people voting and that’s usually a good thing. But the educated voters that chose not to vote AGAINST Obama just to avoid the onslaught of socialism make me angry.

[ErnBatavia]

I don't think too much of him....

[smokingfrog]

Not sure what happened to the Jr. (or Patti/Davis) but those apples sure fell a long way from the tree.