[sittnick]

Who shall we then elect in 2008???? I think it fair to suggest that Dubya is not possessed by the spirit of the Great Society.

If the Great Society were a movie series, and Medicare and Medicaid were Godfathers I & II, the seniors' prescription benefit would be Godfather III.

I gave W a pass on that because it was in fact a campaign promise, we knew we would be getting it. The education bill and the "campaign reform" bills were not, however.

We have some potential problems in 2008. For the first time we have pro-aborts with a substantial (though not necessarily fervent) following in Rice and Giuliani. Bush's cabinet, which could have been a seeding ground for credentialing good pro-lifers, was mostly filled with half-hearted hacks.

If the Dems have any brains, and nominate a non-loony tune (Evan Bayh or Warner), 2008 might be tough for the pubbies to win. If McCain goes third party, it could be even worse.

[BlackElk]

It may well be that the GOP will have problems in 2008 but it will not be trouble emanating from the Ron Pauls or a handful of of members of Congress going off in directions suggesting a constitutional model long abandoned and not likely to be soon revived. Long before we see any relief on Medicare, Medicaid prescription drug programs, the size of the federal budget and of deficits, federal intrusion into many areas which ought to be the preserve of the states, the counties, the municipalities, and of the people themselves respectively, we are going to see a lot more negative "progress" and a lot more programatic degeneration from a constitutional scandal. We who have devoted much of our lives to overturning one SCOTUS decision (Roe vs. Wade) and its sibling decisions, ought to know more than any others how unlikely we are to win across the board on all conservative issues in our lifetimes.

There is certainly no salvation in politics as your tagline says. OTOH, God helps those who help themselves. Nowhere is it written that we must not organize societal victories. Forty years ago, many of us then young determined to elect Ronald Reagan. It took about sixteen years of genuine New Right movement activity, education, training and struggle but Reagan was elected. The bad news is that the movement dropped dead upon his election. What passes for a movement today (largely the GOP) is dominated by business and money concerns. That need not and ought not continue. It is the lazy man's GOP. Those who do politics by throwing massive amounts of money at the process may be depended upon to try to clear political problems by legislation costing massive amounts of money. Movement recruits (participants in the ground war of politics) are sharper, more knowledgeable and more passionate warriors. They are in it for principles not jobs or contracts. They want results and not excuses.

We need to train up a new conservative movement, acting through the GOP, concentrating on life, marriage, guns, taxes (on modest folks), the stupidity of much regulation, matters military and diplomatic, assimilation of newly arrived Hispanic social conservatives (puts on asbestos underwear)(I can dream, can't I?). We need more Jack Kemp and less Main Street Banker Cheap. Maybe someday we can cut the budget but it is not a top priority compared to the issues listed above.

In Demonratic primaries, Bayh stands not a chance. Warner probably does not either. In this respect, the Demonrats have no brains but the Demonrats would not be even vaguely competitive if the GOP were smarter than it is. Even with major money behind them neither Rice (who claims she will not run period) and Giuliani are NOT going to be GOP nominees. If McCain runs third party either he or more likely Madame Arkansas Antichrist will be the next president. He is not stupid. He knows that and probably will figure it won't be him. McCain will not be the first 68 year-old politician to realize that he is not going to hear Hail to the Chief played for him.

Patience, patience.