Posted on 01/31/2013 5:08:50 PM PST by xzins
The Republican Party needs to broaden its appeal by softening its edge on some volatile social issues and altering its image as the party always seemingly "eager to go to war," U.S. Sen. Rand Paul told hundreds of Greater Cincinnati Republicans Saturday.
"We do need to expand the party and grow the party and that does mean that we don't always all agree on every issue," the Kentucky Republican said at the Northeast Hamilton County Republican Club's annual pancake breakfast at the Sharonville Convention Center.
To help the party rebound from two successive losses in presidential races, Republicans must find new strategies and messages to reach voters who now often look askance at the GOP, Paul told a crowd of more than 500.
Toward that end, the party needs to become more welcoming to individuals who disagree with basic Republican doctrine on emotional social issues such as gay marriage, Paul said.
“We're going to have to be a little hands off on some of these issues ... and get people into the party,” Paul said.
Paul, a tea party favorite whose name is among those mentioned in the early speculation over the 2016 presidential campaign, expanded on that theme in a brief interview with The Enquirer after his speech.
“Even bigger to me than the social issues is the idea of war,” Paul said.
Republicans, he said, might attract voters put off by the party's hawkish image “if we had a less bellicose approach, if we were for a strong defense but a little bit less aggressive defense around the world”.
“If we didn't have to be everywhere all the time, if maybe we tried to reserve it for when our national interests were impacted or a vital interest of ours was - and if Republicans didn't seem so eager to go to war - I think we'd attract more young people”. wtsp.com
The story never changes nor do the principle adversaries. Jesus faced the same challenge from Satan in the garden. Right and wrong can’t be compromised upon nor has light have anything to do with darkness. I pray that Christians will awake to the fact that this has gone beyond politics. America was founded on G-d breathed principles and is collapsing before our eyes because politicians (and our society) have compromised with the Devil. I will no longer be a part of a political system that “goes along” to get votes. If G-d condoned such, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednigo wouldn’t have braved the firey furnace to save their souls. Be careful what political policies you support. Your personal choice is probably more important than you realize.
I believe you misread my post. There was no talk about amnesty. Merely following the Law, as it exists, and getting the gov’t out of the areas it has no Constitutional basis for being within. You are correct though, in that we should be more selective and thoughtful for whom we allow to stay; too many these days do not care to immigrate like my own great-grandparents (I’m only 3rd gen myself).
Interesting though. It’s usually at least ONE of the (L) positions, taken to the fringe, that ‘everyone’ uses to write off the Libertarians; then whine and complain when the GOPe bends them over, w/out a lube up, and/or reach-around. Odd, no?!
There is no (L) group in Congress pushing for MORE/legal immigrations. There is the GOP, though, that is willing, AGAIN, to grant amnesty to 20+MILLION ILLEGAL aliens in this Country right now.
Please stop bashing a group whom has almost NO power in Congress. Your own party hasn’t fought for the Constitution, nor followed the same, until the (well backed by We the People) bill to not pay Congress; then they all found Jesus and rose Holy Hell (excuse the phrases).
It’s only settled in Texas (and the other 30 or so states that have voted for marriage amendments) if our masters on the Sup Court allow the decision made by Texans to stand.
If Roberts and/or Kennedy side with the liberals and vote to strike down traditional marriage laws and amendments and impose recognition of gay unions, then the states would meekly obey.
I’d love it if I were wrong. It’d be great if a state like Texas simply refused to obey such a renegade decision. But I don’t think it would happen.
My point was Legal Immigration over the last 30 years, which is close to 20 million new citizens, plus another 10 million Green Cards, plus several million more “permanent” work visas.
I've been one of top immigration posters at Free Republic for almost 10 years.
In 2006-2007, during the Bush Amnesty, I got so disgusted with the Cato Institute I stopped reading it (and the WSJ editorial page, which I had read since the 1960’s).
If the mainstream “L” position on immigration has been modified, I apologize for not knowing that.
Your criticism of the GOP is spot on.
Uneasy alliances and political compromise is the price we pay for having any political power at all.
If you spend much time at Free Republic you will notice that Conservatives have never been more demoralized and fatalistic.
After the Gingrich implosion in 1996, after the Bush second term betrayal on immigration and Harriet Miers, after the McCain and Romney nominations, after relentless attacks from the likes of Chris Christie and Joe Scarborough, after the relentless incompetence of Boehner and McConnell, after 40 years of having no national strategy against the relentless attacks by the Hard Left MSM, many of the Conservatives here at Free Republic are at the point of walking away from the GOP, and, essentially, walking away from politics all together.
You are welcome, please remember Rand Paul is not Ron Paul. He is his own man and so far I like most of what he has to say.
NP, at least we’re able to have a civil discussion about the same; I’ve come across too many, even here, that think party over principle is the winning order of the day (defines insanity yet again :P).
Falling into the (L) party, I’ve been nearly consistently disgusted with the 2-party cartel. For me, it was always too easy to see that the Dems dominate and the GOP was happy to be in the minority while doing the 2-steps-forward-1-step-back Left shuffle; while still being called stalwarts of the Founders *spit*. Neither follow the Const., nor any of the Laws they themselves pass (and the base reason to be against the current amnesty push).
I’ve been more than shocked that the blinders are starting to come off, though I fear the downward trend of our Republic is too steep to recover from w/out a true Civil War (not the so called same from the past).
I’m glad to see these ‘awoken’ Citizens start to question our ‘leaders’ and walk away from the current parties; I can hope they at least stay in the political loop. But even I am afraid, as noted previously, that even the ballot box these days is not the final solution any longer...
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