Posted on 11/17/2008 5:43:42 AM PST by St. Louis Conservative
To listen to some Republicans, not to mention, the braying of media outlets such as MSNBC, and even, here and there, a few economic libertarians, you would think that traditional conservatives, the defenders of the unborn and the integrity of marriage as a venerable and ancient institution, were responsible for two wars gone sour, over-spending at a level to embarrass Lyndon Johnson, the largest expansion of entitlement spending since the Great Society, numerous cases of GOP corruption and betrayal of the public trust centering around earmarks and political favors and the miserable results in the presidential and congressional elections just passed.
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, not this writer's first choice for the job of vice president, has now become the target for patronizing comments by the chattering classes who can't tell a moose hunt from an Easter egg hunt. For some of these enlightened minds, Governor Palin's loving acceptance of her new baby with special needs and her stand-up support for her teenage daughter seem to count for nothing at best or even a big negative. They view her selflessness as trailer park behavior rather than a loving parent's defense of life and love in her family.
"To love the little platoon we belong to in society, is the first principle (the germ as it were) of public affections," said Edmund Burke.
Listening to these outcries, one might believe that the global economic meltdown, the single biggest reason for Senator McCain's defeat, was the result of a worldwide conspiracy of the Right to Life movement, pro-marriage activists, Mormons, Evangelicals, Mass-attending Catholics, oh yes, and the NRA.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
Yes, their complaints are so nebulous. EXACTLY which positions don’t the critics of “Social Conservatives” like?
Social Conservative is code for anti-abortion.
Yep and what he failed to realize is that the average voter doesn't really care about "earmarks" (and without a line-item veto there's not a whole lot a president can do about them if he wants a budget) and he never understood how to counter Obama on taxes.
This past election campaign McCain did NOT talk about: Life, Abortion, Guns, God, Marriage, Israel, personal responsibility, self-defense, our obligation to our troops, crime, treason, JUDGES, Scotus.
And that probably cost him the election because it meant that Obama never had to talk about them either and Obama knew that the average voter would never side with him on these issues.
Are we talking about the same election? Because the last time I remember a GOP presidential nominee running an a platform that paid anything more that lip service to social conservatism was in 1984.
Sarah Palin was talking about these issues, but McCain certainly wasn't.
That, and traditional marriage (viewing homosexuality as aberrant and abnormal behavior); loose divorce; out-of-wedlock childbirth; etc. See too, end-of-life and the view in general that life is a sacred gift.
Then there is the educational component, to teach liberty, to despise democracy and favor a republican form of government. To recognize that government is a necessary evil, and should be kept small. The Republicans are just as keen on micromanaging the economy as the DEMs are. The differences between the parties are more a matter of style and degree, than of principle.
I'd even throw in the avoiding of foreign entanglements, to the "social conservative" bucket.
PLEASE....As a drunken sailor of vast experience, I resent being compared with these vile Congress Critters. At least I was spending my own money, not the taxpayers!
I defy the folks who decry the Social Conservatives’ influence on the party to come out and argue AGAINST any of those position. They don’t have the guts.
What these election wraps tell me is that no-way, no-how did the ass-whipping in 2006 and 2008 create consensus on the right.
Each sub-group within the right is still convinced that "the other guys" are the problem.
And there is plenty of smug ITYS attitude among Rinos/CINOs and conservapurists to keep us in the Marxist wilderness permanently.
Useful idiots the lot of us.
Not once did McCain invest energy in issues important to social conservatives.
Consider me a useful idiot. I don’t care.
The republicans and their recent campaign make me sick.
Spend a few minutes reading up on what happened to the Whigs in the 1850s and the answer becomes fairly clear.
The Whigs couldn't agree on slavery (which, but for the slaughter of 50 million babies, would be the most critical social issue in American history), so the anti-slavery social conservatives left and formed the GOP. Within a few years the Whigs had disappeared and the GOP became the dominant party for decades.
Which shows that he really didn't care about any of these issues. Even Mitt knew how to fake it.
I agree. Social conservatives should seriously consider leaving the GOP.
OR the man transforms the gatherings and those that don't make him feel comfortable go to the corners, or leave.
The Pubs have tried the mushy, emotional, middle and found that the moderates are not worth having as allies. Now is the time to take back control and push conservative Republican ideas ie., LIFE, LIBERTY and the opportunity to PURSUE HAPPINESS.
The Pubs need to be reminded that the GOP thrives in states with growing economies. The states that fit this description are right to work states. IOW, don't help your enemy destroy you, don't bailout GM & Ford.
Also, the Pubs thrive among married couples with children. The grass roots organizing and promotion of state amendments supporting marriage should be intensified as well as abortion laws and tax benefits to being married and having children.
I’m not so sure she is pro-amnesty rather than not bucking McCain. She will need to rethink that argument. I’m a S. Texan, born and raised on the border (Brownsville), I have never supported amnesty in any form, our sensible and more than fair immigration laws must be enforced and adhered to.
If you know of a politician that has made amnesty his bedrock issue let me know, they’re all running scared. I would love to see ANY ONE of them come to S. Texas and stand up and say to them “NO AMNESTY!!” before several thousand jeering Mexican flag waving Hispanics as I have seen, I want to see that. Just once.
I go back to border law enforcement, working around other local, state and federal agencies since ‘73, now I’m in Central Texas after retiring working in the court system. With our defendants, if they are illegal aliens (there’s that “racist” label again...), we put INS holds on them and the INS does their duty and transports them for deportation. The system works if it is used.
The Ramos and Compean and the Edwards County (Texas) deputy cases are an injustice that will never be rectified properly, clearly, we have lost it all at this point. It will be long after 2024 or so before we start seeing some turn around and at my age, I wish you the best, fight for my seven granddaughters after I’m gone okay?
Operation Chaos II:
All GOP elected officials join the DNC, all Republicans register as Democrats.
Imagine the ensuing chaos in the drive-by media!
A very successful party needs only ONE plank in its platform: Rein in government.
Operation Chaos II: Imagine the ensuing chaos in the drive-by media!
I've graduated to being a useless one! There is plenty to do to make an honest living, teach the young, worship, and live life to God's fullest intention - while at the same time shunning politicians who don't measure up.
Some decent people somehow get past the GOP's filter, and run for office as Republicans. I support those with time, money and my vote. OTOH, I've written off the GOP and RNC as organizations.
True in 1980. Now, when the size of govt has reached a tipping point to become a Democratic contituency? Not so much.
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.