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The statement, “a political party can’t be all things to all people” was made by Ronald Reagan in the speech below. Read it and see what Reagan thought about the “splintering” of the GOP.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1735897/posts

The statement, “a political party can’t be all things to all people” was made by Ronald Reagan in the speech below

Ah, yes...1975...when Reagan also said:

If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. I think conservatism is really a misnomer just as liberalism is a misnomer for the liberals–if we were back in the days of the Revolution, so-called conservatives today would be the Liberals and the liberals would be the Tories. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is.

In other words, we have to keep government out of peoples' lives, and respect their personal wishes and preferences.

And as he said in the speech:

A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers.

I do not believe I have proposed anything that is contrary to what has been considered Republican principle. It is at the same time the very basis of conservatism. It is time to reassert that principle and raise it to full view. And if there are those who cannot subscribe to these principles, then let them go their way.

But guess what... I don't mind if you believe the same as the Clinton administration (against physician-assisted suicide, etc.), as long as you don't try to impose your views on me.

Wagglebee,

I loved Ronald Reagan. In fact, he is the reason I am a conservative today.

However, he too compromised on very touchy issues (e.g., early in his California governorship he had signed a permissive abortion bill that resulted in more than a million abortions). Yes, he was firm in his beliefs but he did little to push them through Congress (prayer in school and abortion). However, he did NOT make deals with terrorists and there is the foundation that cannot be splintered.

I agree that we need a steadfast foundation. But what should that foundation be? I am pro-life, I too thought that the Schiavo case was murder. But, and there is a big but here, there are many good people who think that putting Terri on life-support in the first place was “playing God” and that because of technology we kept alive someone that God wanted to take.

I am sorry but I do not think this issue should be the foundation of the party. We are at war. The very reason for government is to protect this wonderful country. Let’s concentrate on the real foundation and put the distractions aside.