Republicans MIA on Social Issues, Conservatives Must Lead

Conservative HQ ^ | 7 Sep 12 | Richard Viguerie

[xzins]

In-your-face liberalism was on full display in Charlotte this week. Democrats offered a truly radical vision of the future that would fundamentally remake American society, and challenged Republicans to engage them on issues from abortion on demand to abolishing the Biblical definition of marriage.

Anyone watching and listening to the Democratic National Convention would have thought that social conservatives run Washington and that we are a vote or two away from stopping this vision of the liberal “progress” the country would make under President Obama.

The reality is Republicans have yet to offer a contrasting vision, and probably won’t.

As always, the GOP establishment, firm in its belief that the only way to win is to run a content-free campaign, and uncomfortable talking about matters, such as abortion, that rarely enter the conversation at the country club, appears prepared to once again cede the high ground in the culture wars to the Democrats.

Today’s iteration of the Republican Party’s national leadership, true to their business and Chamber of Commerce roots, may be good on some parts of the conservative economic agenda, but they don’t seem to grasp that America does not live by bread alone.

Governor Romney, as well as inside-the-Beltway consultants who run his campaign, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, Washington’s GOP insiders, and Republican congressional leaders – none of them are going to engage the Democrats on the radical social agenda that came out of the Democratic National Convention.

If this debate is going to take place, and be won, we conservatives must think of ourselves as the leaders in the culture debate and provide the alternative to the in-your-face challenge offered by the Democrats and their hard left secular liberal allies.

At the Republican National Convention, aside from Rick Santorum’s early evening speech, there were no speakers on the right-to-life or who were strongly associated with the values voter movement. Republicans seemed almost embarrassed to mention the social issues, even as their platform was “the best yet” on the conservative agenda.

Where were the Republican alternatives to the prime time speaking roles given to free contraception advocate Sandra Fluke, and the Democrats’ longtime allies abortion on demand advocates Planned Parenthood and NOW?

This lack of stomach for the battle on the cultural issues has large, and negative, consequences for the establishment Republican Party. In 2006 and 2008 millions of conservative voters abandoned the GOP, and the Party’s popularity plummeted, because these voters saw a Party led by people lacking in principle and unwilling to fight for the conservative agenda.

That didn’t change in 2010 – establishment Republican leaders were almost invisible in the 2010 election, new small government constitutional conservatives were the face of the GOP.

The Tea Party wave that swept Republicans back into control of the U.S. House of Representatives, and elected thousands of down ballot candidates, was led by new principled conservative faces – candidates like Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and Senators Marco Rubio, Mike Lee and Rand Paul – while polls showed the established Republican Party itself remained less popular than the Democrats.

Americans are looking for principled leadership that will defend and advance the values that made this county exceptional. The social issues aren’t the province of one religious group or voters in the small states of the Bible Belt.

Millions of Americans are deeply troubled by the Democratic Party’s advocacy of same-sex marriage and abortion on demand. The Romney campaign has thus far made a grave error in failing to make defense of traditional American social values part of its day-to-day message and to recognize the bottom-up power of those issues with center-right voters across the country.

Since liberals began the culture war in the 1960s establishment Republicans have been largely MIA, with grave consequences for our country. This year Democrats have offered an even more in-your-face challenge to Republicans to engage on the cultural issues – to date, the GOP has ignored it.

The silence of Republican leaders during the Democratic convention demonstrates that the Republican establishment has no intention of providing leadership or engaging on those issues.

While we are waiting for new principled conservative Republican Party leaders who share our views and values, it is up to us to be the leaders we have been waiting for. It is time for conservatives to head for the sound of the guns in the culture war, to fill the holes in the ranks left by the Republican establishment and to lead the battle against Barack Obama’s radical secular liberal vision for America.

[xzins]

This lack of stomach for the battle on the cultural issues has large, and negative, consequences for the establishment Republican Party. In 2006 and 2008 millions of conservative voters abandoned the GOP, and the Party’s popularity plummeted, because these voters saw a Party led by people lacking in principle and unwilling to fight for the conservative agenda.

We must vote for conservatives in down ticket races. We've got to be there for them.

Even for those disenchanted with our selection at the top of the ticket, it is WRONG to forego voting in some kind of temper tantrum. There are other conservatives running for other offices, and retaining the House and capturing the Senate is a priority, rinos notwithstanding. And let's not forget state, local, and judicial races, not to mention issues on the ballot.

[gorush]

I promise I’ll vote for every conservative on my ballot.

[muawiyah]

The temper tantrum was on the part of the GOP-e.

I suppose we could expell them from the party ~ actually we need to do that as soon as possible. First, clean the big donor's pockets, then expell their nancy boys!

[abercrombie_guy_38]

LOL - the 2006 and 2008 elections were NOT lost because social issues Republicans didn’t go to the polls. The 2012 election will not be won entirely on social issues, either.

[xzins]

While we are waiting for new principled conservative Republican Party leaders who share our views and values, it is up to us to be the leaders we have been waiting for.

The above line in the last paragraph is so well said and so true.

If not conservatives, then who?

[353FMG]

The GOP are a bunch of numbnuts afraid of their own shadow that they not even cast. All they can bring up is the economy, economy, economy....

You mean to tell me that that is the only problem America has — the economy?

Sheesh what a mess.

[xzins]

I saw numbers the other day that disagree with you. If I can remember where I saw them, I’ll post the link and ping you. Is that ok?

[entropy12]

To heck with it...just let Obama & democrats win and see how bad it will get. May be then moderates will wake up. With 2 or 3 more justices appointed to SCOTUS by Obama could start a revolution?

[John D]

Right now that is the biggest problem. Let us tackle that problem, then move on to social issues.

[dalebert]

No leaders Chris Cristie seems to be leading the scare them campaigne and anti Eastwood campaigne just fine while patting himself on the shoulder.

[GeronL]

Illegal immigration is a social issue? Its bankrupting us.

Abortion is culling the future workforce.

social issues and economic issues are not separate things

[xzins]

Illegal immigration is a social issue? Its bankrupting us. Abortion is culling the future workforce. social issues and economic issues are not separate things

Bullseye! Your post is SOOO right on the money! Thanks, Geron.

[353FMG]

Can’t we handle, or at least mention both problems simultaneously, without confusing the American voter?

The dhimmicrats are not afraid to mention social problems.

No, we just have the wrong leaders in the GOP and Romney is one of them.

Yet, hold your noses and vote McCain — oops I meant to say, Romney.

[jch10]

I don’t think Conservatives are going to give up on our country. We intend to fight as hard as we can to save this beloved nation. Haven’t you seen the success of the TEA Party?

Why are you so willing to lose when the cost is so high?

[redgolum]

The GOP doesn’t care. They only care money.

The GOP is trying to jettison social issues as fast as they can. Just like they are trying to get rid of the TEA party.

[greene66]

When I was waiting in the long line during that Wednesday of the Chick-Fil-A “buycott,” I stood back and intently listened to folks, who were all animated and very vocal with each other despite being strangers. People were fired-up, talking about liberal indoctrination in schools, the country in total moral decline, the Tea Parties, Huckabee and Palin’s websites/facebook pages, etc.

I didn’t hear anyone mention Romney, nor the economy. All that energy to be tapped, but it’s going to waste. The GOP is too embarrassed by social conservatism and traditional values, it seems. Quite a change from 20-25 years ago. The assumption is apparently that the anti-Obama sentiment is automatically going to transfer into an avid pro-Romney groundswell, but I wouldn’t bet the farm on it. From what I see, it’s just creating a more angry, more alienated anti-politician attitude, and folks who increasingly believe they have no voice.

[ConorMacNessa]

As far back as I can recall in my life, the Republican Party has treated Conservatives like some red-haired stepchild. They have been too embarrassed to stand for the values that made our Nation great. They have sought instead to adopt positions that offend no one. Thus, they stand for nothing.

The Tea Party stands for the ideals that I hold dear:

Individual Freedom,
Sacredness of Human Life – at all stages,
Freedom of Speech,
Freedom of Religion,
Limited Government,
Fiscal Responsibility
Strong National Defense

I’m supporting the Romney – Ryan ticket in this election because I believe that our Beloved Nation would be irreparably damaged by another four years of the Obama Regime. In the future, the Republican Party should not rely on my vote unless it acknowledges and takes ownership of the Conservative Agenda that I support.



Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[muawiyah]

Geron, sorry, there are a bunch of TEAParty purists and Libertarians who think the economic issues lead everything ~

That's why they won't miss us at the polls.

[Elendur]

#17
AMEN!

[Elendur]

Anyone watching and listening to the Democratic National Convention would have thought that social conservatives run Washington and that we are a vote or two away from stopping this vision of the liberal “progress” the country would make under President Obama.
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the left controls most of the media.
i’m watching the media talk about how women will be forced to do home abortions and segregation will return.
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Romney and the GOP-E, turn their back on the Tea Party.
this results in nothing except:
1) NO change in how the liberals portray the GOP. NONE!
2) it makes Romney more bland, and seemsing to stand for NOTHING.
3) lowers the enthusiam and turnout of the conservative base!
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...stupid stupid strategy.