Posted on 10/29/2006 9:58:20 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Of the hundreds of thousands of words employed in this year's election campaign, none is more likely to have an impact on post-election politics than Dick Armey's characterization of Christian evangelicals in the Bush Republican Party as "thugs."
Armey is no outsider taking shots at a GOP in trouble. He was an architect of the 1994 GOP campaign that brought Republicans to power in Congress, was House GOP majority leader, and is an evangelical himself. But Republicans now in control in Washington are guilty of pandering to Christian conservatives, especially to evangelical leaders like James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, Armey contends.
As their power has grown in the GOP, Armey complained, evangelicals like Dobson have begun threatening to withhold election-day support from Republican candidates who don't obey their dictates.
"Dobson and his gang of thugs are real nasty bullies," Armey says in a new book, "The Elephant in the Room" by Ryan Sager. "I pray devoutly, but being Christian is no excuse for being stupid. There's a high demagoguery coefficient to issues like prayer in the schools. These issues are easy for the intellectually lazy."
Armey's comments echo those of former Missouri Sen. John Danforth, a Republican and ordained minister, and are important because they signal the beginning of a hard examination of what's happened to the GOP under George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. It is, by any measure, vastly different from the Republican Party of the past, even the recent past.
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
I have no idea about whether John Farmer is a typical liberal columnist, a disillusioned GOPer, or a raving moonbat. As far as Iraq goes, I think we need to find a way to emerge victorious, with all the terrorists dead, and go home.
It's too bad NJ.com must be excerpted, because I thought this was a good column.
PING!
Bye Dick, your so done in GOP politics.
Having known and observed Dick Armey for many years, I'd have to hear him say this for me to believe it.
What utter stupid things to to say. Ronald Reagan would of never been so stupid as too piss off the most activist, comitted part of his base. These people show up and vote. Armey shows for all his Conservative talking points, he really is just a good old DC boy RINO at heart.
What legislation has the GOP shoved through Congress in the last six years at the orders of Dobson?
You think he could name ONE INSTANCE of that happening?
So, let me get this straight. Moderate Republicans and liberal Democrats can push their agendas, but conservative Christians need to shut up. Other than pulling the lever for Republicans on election day, Christians aren't supposed to be involved in politics.
What a load of hogwash. EVERYONE has an agenda, including Dick Armey. The fact that he does or does not agree with my Christian agenda for social conservatism (as in, the banning of abortion, prayer in schools, etc) is irrelevant. I have just as much right as anyone else to vote and support people who think like me.
I saw him on CNN the other night and was shocked at the words coming out of his mouth.
Say it? He wrote it. It's in his book.
Armey is more libertarian than he is conservative. He's a money guy who tends to think that all virtue is defined by tax and spending policies.
Like many well-meaning libertarians his near vision is flawless, his distance vision nonexistent.
Perhaps the internet gambling ban, tacked onto a ports security bill, would count as one instance?
I heard him.....the ACLU has made into a Christian hater like all the rest.
could it be because we are in a war for survival and the left has done everything they could to cause us to lose?
I'd rather none of them did. We don't need a Federal Marriage Amendment OR gay marriage (or corporate welfare or agricultural subsidies or gambling bans or gun control or [insert piece of tyranny here]).
I agree with that statement. Duke Cunningham, Bob Ney, Mark Foley, etc. have made it a VERY different party than it was 10 years ago. Back then, the only thing the left had was empty criticism of Newt Gingrich. Today, many of these guys are very hard to defend.
Do you honestly think social conservatives give half a rats ass about internet gambling?
I almost forgot, in these times, to add Sharia Law to all those things we do not need...
farmer said it. maybe, maybe not Dick did???
Along with abortion and euthanasia, gay marriage is part of the left's suicide pact for America.
if not for social conservatives the GOP would be a permanent minority. Social conservatism is the heart and soul of the party. Get used to it.
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