Free Republic
Browse · Search
Smoky Backroom
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Michael Reagan: The GOP Should Dump Its 'Litmus Test'
Front Page Magazine ^ | Feb 16, 2007 | Mike Reagan, the eldest son of President Ronald Reagan, heard on more than 200 talk radio stations

Posted on 02/16/2007 8:30:44 AM PST by meg88

The GOP Should Dump Its Litmus Test By Michael Reagan FrontPageMagazine.com | February 16, 2007

The philosopher Diogenes is said to have wandered around ancient Greece holding a lantern and seeking to find an honest man.

My fellow Republicans, sans lanterns, are now wandering around the political landscape seeking to find the perfect Republican presidential candidate.

I don’t know if Diogenes ever found that honest man, but I do know that those Republicans are never going to find the perfect candidate, simply because he does not exist.

Some Republicans insist that the only perfect candidate would be a clone of my Dad, Ronald Reagan. Aside from the fact that there is no such thing, it’s important to recognize that Ronald Reagan, as he often admitted, was anything but perfect.

One of the criticisms about former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney focuses on his record concerning the abortion issue. We are told by the modern day Diogenes clones that he can’t be trusted to fight abortion because he once, more or less, supported a woman’s right to butcher her baby.

It may come as a surprise to these purists, but Ronald Reagan once supported abortion too. Yet nobody ever questioned his strong pro-life credentials after his conversion to Republicanism. They accepted his sincerity. Why can’t they accept Mitt Romney’s?

Romney’s record shows he should be totally acceptable to all conservatives, yet because of one dubious question concerning the validity of his conversion to the pro-life side, he is deemed unsuitable to carry the conservative banner.

The same is true of Rudy Giuliani. On every major issue, he is a solidly conservative and extraordinarily adept executive, but because he backs abortion and some form of gun control, America’s mayor -- the hero of 9/11 and the man who did the impossible by cleaning up New York -- is all but ruled out as a 2008 candidate.

Not one of the major candidates is free of some real or imagined flaw that offends some conservatives.

This is madness, and if it does not stop, the GOP is going to lose the presidential election in 2008. In the search for the perfect candidate we are going to end up with an imperfect candidate. Keep in mind the truism that agreement with someone on most issues and disagreement on others is seen as normal, but should you agree with someone on every single issue imaginable … well… to put it plainly, psychologists say you’re nuts.

I recently got a letter from a conservative Christian organization that asked me if the current GOP candidates are the best the Republican Party has to offer.

“Is it possible that GOP conservative ranks are this thin?” the letter writer asked. “Has the GOP nothing better to offer? Should not pro-family pro-life voters also want a low taxes and limited government candidate before they vigorously support him? Increased taxes and expanded government hurts everyone. Was Ronald Wilson Reagan an anomaly and did he represent the values of his party?

“These GOP candidates,” the letter instructed me, “are little better than Bob Dole, Gerald Ford, or [George] H.W. Bush. Did anyone notice they all lost?”

This makes me wonder if anybody can stand up to the litmus test these people are applying to candidates.

Ronald Reagan had one litmus test he applied to candidates. Were they Republicans? If they were he backed them all the way. He would let the party choose the candidate and he would support and vote for the candidate. He didn’t go sniffing around trying to find some flaw in their character or their past. Once nominated, they were his choice.

And nobody was more candid in admitting that he was anything but perfect than my Dad. He knew that like all men, he had his flaws and he spent a lifetime combating them. Had today’s GOP litmus test been seriously applied to him, he could not have passed the test.

The Democrats don’t have litmus tests. If the nominee is a Democrat, they support their candidate all the way, and if they lose it isn’t because they didn’t fight like demons for their man or woman.

If we want to win in 2008, Republicans had better wake up, and quit talking Ronald Reagan and start being like Ronald Reagan.


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: 1issuelosers; 2008; 2008election; 2008gopdisaster; 2008gopmeltdown; 2008waytowin; 2liberalparties; 2moreconservative; 2socialistparties; 2thanthou; abortion; abortionbigdeal; abortionlover; absolutedisaster; asolutists; charlatans; conservativesout; dumpconservatives; fake; forgetprinciples; frauds; giuliani; gop; gopmeltdown; guaranteedloser; howtolosebigin2008; iam; ifweloseitsyourfault; isupportliberals; itsjustafetus; leftofhillary; liberalgop; liberallosers; liberaltakeover; libgopspam; lifedoesntmatter; mediascandidates; mediasellouts; michaelreagan; michaelreagansright; mittromney; mr38percent; nocorevaluesforme; nominee; paleosexposed; partysplitters; partyuberalles; phonies; politicsvsprinciple; primaries; reagan; republicans; republicrats; rinobait; rinodroppings; romney; ronaldreagan; rudygiuliani; rudyhappens; screamingstuckpigs; sellouts; sharkjumpers; singleissuevoters; tearuptheplatform; time2change; vote4liberals; weresoscrewed; whoneedscorevalues; zeroprinciples
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 561-580581-600601-620 ... 681-700 next last
To: nopardons

Sorry, kiddoo. I see, now, you were already in the thread.


581 posted on 02/16/2007 3:00:37 PM PST by Alia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 514 | View Replies]

To: Roland Hand

Spot on and Rudy is FOR all of those things.


582 posted on 02/16/2007 3:00:48 PM PST by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 508 | View Replies]

To: mockingbyrd
As you may have noted in history class, we had a heck of a time getting Rutherford Hayes into the White House. It was worth it. He abolished greenbacks by paying them off in gold at full face value, abolished the unconstitutional federal income tax, balanced the federal budget and ended reconstruction. What could he possibly have done for an encore? So, he went home to Ohio.

Viva! Ole!

Thanks for your kid words.

583 posted on 02/16/2007 3:01:37 PM PST by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline of the Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 564 | View Replies]

To: wagglebee

Ouch!


584 posted on 02/16/2007 3:03:14 PM PST by Reagan Man (Conservatives don't vote for liberals.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 577 | View Replies]

To: BlackElk

Hey thanks. Now when people ask me who my favorite president is I'll have a new answer.


585 posted on 02/16/2007 3:03:35 PM PST by mockingbyrd (peace begins in the womb)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 583 | View Replies]

To: Reagan Man; onyx

I tend to be on your side on the social issues. So does Onyx. You are not handling this well. Do I have some obligation to comment on your every post?


586 posted on 02/16/2007 3:04:52 PM PST by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline of the Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 573 | View Replies]

To: Reagan Man
LOL You're always bored.

Does it seem that way to you? Heck, you're not even my favorite pinata....lol.

587 posted on 02/16/2007 3:06:22 PM PST by onyx (DEFEAT Hillary Clinton, Marxist, student of Saul Alinsky & ally and beneficiary of Soros.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 579 | View Replies]

To: Reagan Man

Maybe he's been busy reading up on William Henry Harrison's "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too" campaign.


588 posted on 02/16/2007 3:06:49 PM PST by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 584 | View Replies]

To: Reagan Man; onyx

RM: That makes four!


589 posted on 02/16/2007 3:07:07 PM PST by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline of the Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 579 | View Replies]

To: BlackElk

LOL! You're quite the wonderful gentleman, Black Elk.

((( HUGS )))


590 posted on 02/16/2007 3:07:53 PM PST by onyx (DEFEAT Hillary Clinton, Marxist, student of Saul Alinsky & ally and beneficiary of Soros.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 586 | View Replies]

To: Go Gordon
He's a protectionist and a BIG GOVERNMENT SPENDER.

If he makes past next February, it will be surprising; VERY surprising.

591 posted on 02/16/2007 3:07:59 PM PST by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 555 | View Replies]

To: onyx

Now we know who your DADDY is......


592 posted on 02/16/2007 3:10:45 PM PST by PSYCHO-FREEP
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 590 | View Replies]

To: freedomfiter2

That isn't what you said and as for the rest...........it's PRESIDENT BUSH and has been since 2001. Yet the same complaints and vicious, vile, specious, spurious claptrap was hurled at him, right here on FR, in '98, '99, and most of 2000.


593 posted on 02/16/2007 3:11:38 PM PST by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 563 | View Replies]

To: Roland Hand
Roland Hand? Not THE Roland Hand?

You're the only newbie newer than me!

594 posted on 02/16/2007 3:11:50 PM PST by MilesBennell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 507 | View Replies]

To: Paul Ross

The so called "11th Commandment" is applied so conveniently to so many things. He actually used it as a defensive manuever. Let's be blunt here -- Reagan could say some of the nastiest things about his opponents....cutting them to the quick....but he did it in the most deft, pleasant way and with a smile....so artfully that most never noticed.

Now the 11th commandment is conveniently used by mostly moderates and RINOs to protest any ideological disagreement.


595 posted on 02/16/2007 3:13:26 PM PST by ConservativeGadfly
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: Peach

And the CONSERVATIVE pundits, who used to use FR, daily and quote posts, as though they were their own research and/or words, and now running away from here as fast as they can.


596 posted on 02/16/2007 3:15:23 PM PST by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 568 | View Replies]

To: Alia

I am now, but came late to it. Thanks to you and your ping, I came to this thread, when I logged in. :-)


597 posted on 02/16/2007 3:17:53 PM PST by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 581 | View Replies]

To: Joan Wilder

I hated LBJ, but I already know I hate Hillary more.

Stay focused: Hillary must be defeated.


598 posted on 02/16/2007 3:18:07 PM PST by onyx (DEFEAT Hillary Clinton, Marxist, student of Saul Alinsky & ally and beneficiary of Soros.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 561 | View Replies]

To: BlackElk

LOL I'm handling this fine, but you're not. You didn't even bother to get all the facts before you reached your conclusion. I get it. You see only what you want to see. Fine.


599 posted on 02/16/2007 3:18:50 PM PST by Reagan Man (Conservatives don't vote for liberals.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 586 | View Replies]

To: PSYCHO-FREEP


Indeed and I'm proud of it and of him!!!


600 posted on 02/16/2007 3:18:59 PM PST by onyx (DEFEAT Hillary Clinton, Marxist, student of Saul Alinsky & ally and beneficiary of Soros.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 592 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 561-580581-600601-620 ... 681-700 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Smoky Backroom
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson