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Social Conservatives Fight for Control of the Republican Party
LA Times ^ | 10/28/08 | Peter Wallstein

Posted on 10/28/2008 11:00:34 AM PDT by lewisglad

A focal point of the GOP fight is the selection of the next chairman of the Republican National Committee -- the party's power center for fundraising and strategic thinking.

Conservative champion Rush Limbaugh, who often provides the rallying cry to the party's most ardent supporters via his radio program, last week laid out a similar warning, suggesting that a McCain win would do little to deter conservatives from pushing for major changes.

"One step at a time," Limbaugh told his listeners. "We're going to drag McCain across the finish line -- then we start rebuilding the conservative movement. It's going to happen whether he wins or loses, but especially if he wins too."

Party insiders are pushing for the party to name Michael Steele, the African American former lieutenant governor of Maryland, as its chairman to help the GOP broaden its appeal.

Both meetings are precursors to the Republican National Committee's winter meeting in January, when the new chairman will be elected by the committee's approximately 160 members.

"There is a new blood in the party that is interested in communicating the message of the party -- the conservative message," said Kim Lehman, executive director of the antiabortion group Iowa Right to Life, who in July defeated a state legislator for one of the state's seats on the national committee.

Former California GOP Chairman Shawn Steel, a newly elected committeeman, described his colleagues as "mostly dynamic and frustrated conservatives that really want to see a dramatic change for the RNC in the way that it communicates to Americans."

Even in a year of Democratic strength, there are some positive signs for conservatives. Gay marriage bans, for example, stand a chance of being approved by the voters in two big states, California and Florida

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: christianvote; gop; homosexualagenda
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To: GOPGuide

Not all the NRO types are bad. Most of those guys are great. David Frum, however, is not one of my favorites.

I think it’s clear at this point that the David Frum and Michael Gerson-inspired “compassionate conservatism” has been a disaster for the GOP. Under Bush, the GOP lost its identity as a small government party. I would prefer people like Dick Armey, Newt Gingrich, Jim DeMint, Sarah Palin, and Fred Thompson be in leadership positions.


21 posted on 10/28/2008 11:16:45 AM PDT by St. Louis Conservative
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To: misterrob

This whole argument is stupid. Most social conservative are also limited government/fiscal conservatives. There is no huge gulf. The problem here are the Bush/Romney Republicans.


22 posted on 10/28/2008 11:17:16 AM PDT by Minus_The_Bear
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To: 1L
I'm not sure Huckabee (even on the top of the ticket) would have engaged the base any more than Sarah Palin already has.

And it seems now from the polls the independent voters are starting to come home to McCain....

23 posted on 10/28/2008 11:18:42 AM PDT by lewisglad
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To: lewisglad

Once this election is over, we need to start planning how to take back our country.
Over the past several years we’ve watched people trying to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance and In God We Trust off our money.

We’ve watched retailers stop saying Merry Christmas, Nativity scenes banned from public display, educators take words out of books and teachers trying to indoctrinate our kids.

Bit by bit, they’re taking away our religion, our freedoms, our guns, our constitution and our youth.

We need to organize and put a stop to it or we’ll see this years election scenario repeated again in four years.
They are NOT going to stop and we need to fight back and fight hard.


24 posted on 10/28/2008 11:22:45 AM PDT by Unkosified (What do Osama and Obama have in common? They both have friends that bombed the Pentagon.)
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To: lewisglad

Social conservatives? What a load of crap.

Either someone is a conservative or they’re not.

Conservatism is based on PRINCIPLES, not this or that pet issue.

That’s part of the PROBLEM with the GOP. We’ve looked at all kinds of ISSUES as our cause(s) instead of underlying principles.

-end rant


25 posted on 10/28/2008 11:27:06 AM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: 1L
...conservatives that have been staying home in droves since 1992. To answer this trend, what does the Republican party do? It nominates John McCain to run — the exact OPPOSITE of what it should have done.

Do you suppose that the conservatives staying home in droves might have something to do with a non-conservative getting the nomination?

Your arguments don't hold water, FRiend.

You claim that conservatives have been staying home since 1992, presumably because of the two Bush presidents, and that "The Republican Party" nominated John McCain.

...except that it was the Republican voters who nominated John McCain. Remember the part about him winning the primary? Did the party somehow fix the election? The voters chose him, not "The Party".

Oh, and the same goes for Bush I and Bush II. The voters put them in the White House, not "The Party".

The Republican Party is the way it is because of how the voters within it are. That's an obvious statement, of course, but you seem to be ignoring it anyway.

"The Party" isn't some vague and distant "them"; it's us. The majority of we, as a group, including you, nominated and elected Bush I and Bush II, and nominated John McCain.

Part of a Republican form of government is that individuals don't always get to see their man in office. That's no different now than it has been for over 200 years. To see whomever you believe is the "right" man in office, you need to campaign for him and convince the majority that you're right.

Welcome to politics.

26 posted on 10/28/2008 11:27:17 AM PDT by TChris (So many useful idiots...)
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To: Unkosified
Time for Sarah to go hunting for RINO's.


27 posted on 10/28/2008 11:27:23 AM PDT by lewisglad
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To: lewisglad
One moderate contender for party chairman, Jim Greer

The Republican Party will be over if this guy is the next chairman. He has ruined the Party here in Florida.

He absolutely hates anything conservative, and does his best to hamper conservative candidates running for office here in Florida.

Allen West asked for his help, and the answer was a loud and clear: NO!

Once West got support from Steele, Thompson, and Hunter he finally came around and donated $500 to West's campaign..... two weeks before the election.

When the biggest donors in Florida asked Greer why he wasn't supporting West his answer was: "You people don't see the big picture. I'm working on the big picture and West isn't in it."

28 posted on 10/28/2008 11:28:34 AM PDT by Fox_Mulder77
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To: lewisglad

Time for Sarah to go hunting for RINO’s.

>

You betcha. And we need to join her and back her up 100%.


29 posted on 10/28/2008 11:29:18 AM PDT by Unkosified (What do Osama and Obama have in common? They both have friends that bombed the Pentagon.)
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To: Minus_The_Bear
Most social conservative are also limited government/fiscal conservatives.

I don't know about that- there is definitely a strain of social conservatives who are okay with big government, so long as they are in charge.

Look at the last 8 years- Bush rode to power on the shoulders of the Christian Right. The rest of the party came along, but that was his base contituency within the party. And we've spent 8 years expanding the government and its spending at the behest of that wing of the party.

The problem here are the Bush/Romney Republicans

Bush and Romney draw their support from different wings of the party. W is clearly a product of the social conservative/Christian Right part of the GOP. Those are the people who got him elected in 2000 and 2004.

30 posted on 10/28/2008 11:30:29 AM PDT by Citizen Blade (What would Ronald Reagan do?)
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To: misterrob

Social conservatives almost always support limited government and fiscal restraint. However, a lot of NE Republicans abandon the social conservatives every chance they get.


31 posted on 10/28/2008 11:35:05 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (It's Joe the Plumber vs. Bill the Bomber!)
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To: Fox_Mulder77

Ditto that Fox. I can’t STAND Greer. Please spare us from him or we really WILL have to start another party. They simply don’t seem to get it.

How are you Fox? How’s our guy West doing in the polls?


32 posted on 10/28/2008 11:39:41 AM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: SE Mom

Doing good SE Mom. West is doing good as well.... I haven’t spoken to them since the Michael Steele, Fred Thompson, Duncan Hunter fundraisers.... I’ve been working on getting Wexler defeated the past few weeks.....

We might not be able to get him this time round though.... but he’ll be definitely gone two years from now ;-)

Fun stuff


33 posted on 10/28/2008 11:59:42 AM PDT by Fox_Mulder77
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To: SE Mom

You mean like “First Principles”?

:p


34 posted on 10/28/2008 12:01:30 PM PDT by Politicalmom (President McCain: "Ok, Ted, I want your list of supreme court nominees on my desk by Monday.")
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To: Fox_Mulder77

Ugh- Wexler :( He and what’s her name Wasserman-Schultz...they make me sick.

Is it looking good for West? I hope so- we need him in the House.


35 posted on 10/28/2008 12:04:31 PM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: Politicalmom

~~Sigh~~ yep, exactly :)

Did you see the terrific video Fred did? Miss him- now more than ever :(


36 posted on 10/28/2008 12:06:23 PM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: SE Mom

It’s close for West..... tons of undecideds..... so it can go either way easily.....

His opponent isn’t doing anything publicly.... he isn’t even attending Obama rallies!!! Cancelled all debates and forums..... and polling shows his name id is below 40%.

So the West race is going to come down to Party id.


37 posted on 10/28/2008 12:16:58 PM PDT by Fox_Mulder77
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To: Fox_Mulder77

Party ID? In that area? ....mostly Dem, isn’t it?


38 posted on 10/28/2008 12:32:39 PM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: SE Mom

No, more Reps. then Dems.

If more indies go Rep. then West wins..... if they go Dem. then Klein wins.......


39 posted on 10/28/2008 12:41:13 PM PDT by Fox_Mulder77
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To: SE Mom

If 10,000 more indies go Dem. then West loses....... right now there are 10,000 more Republicans then Dems. in this district..... but most indies sway Republican.....

So, it comes down to which Party indies identify with...... it’s gonna be close.....


40 posted on 10/28/2008 12:46:22 PM PDT by Fox_Mulder77
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