A 1980s meeting of President Ronald Reagan and Phyllis Schlafly at the White House.
Posted on 11/05/2008 2:50:10 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
Phyllis Schlafly was around for the beginning of the modern conservative movement. Now, in the aftermath of yesterday’s sea change election, the president of Eagle Forum and veteran conservative activist says the movement needs to start over again – from the beginning.
“The conservative movement will rise again, just as it re-rose in 1964 and nominated a little-known senator named Barry Goldwater, and rose again with the nomination and election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, and then, after (Bill) Clinton’s victory rose again and elected a big majority of Republican congressmen in 1994,” Schlafly told CNSNews.com in an interview.
1994 was the year Newt Gingrich and others developed the Contract with America, which inspired the election of a class of conservative Republicans, who took control of Congress.
“The conservative movement knows how to rise from the ashes, and we need to pick up the pieces of the movement, which was so badly dismantled and put in disarray by the George W. Bush administration. But we can do it. And we’ve got to get started immediately,” she said.
Schlafly lays the blame for Tuesday’s defeat of the McCain-Palin ticket – and a decline in the fortunes of the conservative movement – at the feet of the Bush administration.
“The disarray of the conservative movement is the fault of George W. Bush and his advisor Karl Rove,” Schlafly said. “I guess it turned out that he was not a conservative after all. He was a big government, big spending, globalist, ‘New World Order’-type of Republican.
Among other things, the long-time conservative leader said, the financial bailout bordered on socialism.
“A lot of people stuck with him beyond the time that they should have, when it became apparent that he did not espouse real conservative principles,” Schlafly said.
Schlafly rejected any suggestion that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin split either the GOP or the conservative movement.
“Sarah Palin is certainly a rising star – she was a breath of fresh air, and a lot of excitement to the conservative movement. I think she is a genuine conservative,” Schlafly added.
“I think that most of us are interested in rebuilding the conservative movement. She will have a role to play in that,” she said. “If we want to split off anybody (from the GOP) I would say that it is the multinationals who have given us this economic disaster, and who told us that globalism is the wave of the future. If you want to split them off, that’s OK with me.
“But I think we’re going to be looking for new leaders who express conservatism across the board – whether its sovereignty, limited spending, limited government, cuts in spending, cuts in taxes, the social issues – to simply reject these groups who are trying to muscle into the driver’s seat of the Republican Party, such as the multinationals with their ‘free-trade globalism’ agenda,” Schlafly added.
Does anybody come to mind?
“No,” she said, laughing, then adding, “We have about 30 very good members of Congress who are destined to become good leaders.”
Schlafly expressed confidence that the movement she had a hand in building will come back. But she’s no Pollyanna.
“Of course, I’m optimistic. I’m a Ronald Reagan optimist. But there’s a big job to do, and a lot of it is in the public schools, because so many people have been taught the wrong things about America and about politics and about what’s important in life and how things are done in the American constitutional system. I think we’re going to have to rebuild from the grassroots up,” she said.
- I like what Phyllis Schlafly says about Palin being an important part of the Conservative future.
- I totally agree with the schools problem and something needs to be done about it.
- On such a bad day I like this most of all: “Of course, I’m optimistic. I’m a Ronald Reagan optimist."
(just my two cents)
It can happen so long as people accept the fact the GOP is moving in the same direction as the socialist Democrats. Conservatives need to bring a party of their principles to the forefront to restore the two party system.
It will be like the legendary phenoix bird which died and came back to life again.
One thing about being the messiah - sooner or later you have to start producing some miracles.
Obama won’t be able to keep his promises. Conservatives just have to keep on pointing out his broken ones.
PUMA can now be officially the label of the Pube Party.
She forgot to add "elitist".
I am told that I am suppose to “work” with this guy (Obama and the crap crowd), to “help” him because a bunch of pathetic welfare cases, selfish and pathetic idiots voted for this crap and elected him President?
Are you kidding me?
I look at his supporters and his left wing media liars, and I know who they are, what they want to do to me and my family, and now I am suppose to “help” him which is the same as saying help my enemies – I don’t give a rat’s ass if 51% of Americans are this stupid and that too many Americans do not even know what American means, they can take this pile of crap and suffocate on it if I care, I am not going to follow him, or follow them, they can all go to hell.
I am going to spend every day fighting these losers, including the 51% every one of them, they can all go to hell because they are minions to those who are going to try and destroy who I am and what I stand for whether I help them destroy me in the process or not.
So to hell with Obama crap, I choose to fight every day and every way until true Americans defeat them, and this time I want more than a few to be held accountable if true Americans somehow come out of this and look right down into the face of those who did this to us.
I will not help in anyway, I choose to fight. And those who were so stupid as to gave us this crap and did this to us, when the entire crap pile blows up in their face I am not inclined to help them at all but tell them they did this to themselves and to us.
The Democrats have had the majority since 2006, and now Obama has just been elected – well it’s been about four hours since Obama won the election, and he hasn’t solved the economic toilet.
I mean, he is suppose to be messiah, so why hasn’t he solved the economic toilet yet? I mean, even if he’s not sitting in the White House yet, the same Democrats are sitting in Congress so how come Obama and the crap crowd haven’t solved the economic toilet yet?
Every single moment, I am going to talk about every failure that is coming and every failure they are responsible for.
That is why they want to put away me and those who are true Americans, and until I am put away I am going to spend every living moment I can pointing out every failure, every deceit, every lie, and no I am not going to “help” this piece of crap and those who did this to me and my family, I am going to spit in their face.
Welcome to America.
One thing about being the messiah - sooner or later you have to start producing some miracles.
Obama won’t be able to keep his promises. Conservatives just have to keep on pointing out his broken ones.
It did not matter what we did nothing stuck to this guy. I think things WILL HAVE TO GET BAD, VERY BAD before we can change anything. They’ll do what they can to keep him for 8.
Folks it never went away, not for the real grassroots like us.
The marriage amendments all WON AZ, FL and even CA (ignore the press it is stillup by 4 pts with 86% reporting)
This is a darn good start to the revolution. Obama is a big friggin whimp he is already whining ‘this is going to be so hard just too hard wahhh’
It is time to form a new party. The GOP is toast. I am as of now is a independent in that direction.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Obama is one and done in 4.
I hope you’re right. I don’t feel so optimistic.
Thank-you Phyllis....God bless you.
I don't think Governor Palin has much chance of being elected in 4 years if she remains in Alaska.
It will only rise again if we kick the Bush cabal out of party leadership. The Bush family always hated the Reagan revolution and have been trying to dismantle it for some time. Tonight they finally succeeded.
bookmark
The conservative movement is outnumbered by the liberals who now run the country and will destroy us all with the kyota agreement, carbon taxes, hateful lying and deceitful politicians ,more taxes and then more taxes yet. We are just another socialist nation and our time has past.
And keeping very good track of them, as well as documenting his socialism.
That's pretty easy to do for four years if you have absolute power and your goal is pleasing 50%+1 of the remaining population. Hitler did it. Chavez did it.
They’ll do what they can to keep him for 8.
Don't kid yourself. They'll do what they can to keep him for 28.
Ever heard of “buyer’s remorse” ? It will happen soon enough.
Yeah the Dem electorate secretly wanted a 3rd term for Clinton so what’s to stop them this time.
The Bush family distroyed the Reagan revolution.
Did the same thing.
This election, IMHO, was also about purging republicans, who have been unfairly or not, linked, by the complicit media, to the current economic downturn. The freespending republicans in the first six years of the Bush Administration, had a lot to do with our demise, albeit temporary.
Lastly, hold on to your wallets. Things are going to get worse before they get better, but we are strong and resilient. We have two years to to turn this train wreck around and we must. President Bush must also be applauded for doing his duty of keeping us free from any further attacks since 9-11. Up until about 4 or 5 months ago, our economy was fine under his watch. Pray for President Bush and God bless America!
You are right, there will still be division in this country.
This is where the home-school movement shines. I would venture to say that many of us are good solid, Bible believing, Constitutional constructionists, and we are teaching our children to be the same way. The hope for the future of this country is squarely at stake. Saying all that, I fully expect a frontal assault on home-schooling from those who would seek to keep Americans in servitude.
The most difficult challenge I foresee for the next three to six months is holding my tongue until his incompetence is undeniable. Then I'm going with "Why did you expect him to keep ANY promises? He started his campaign by breaking one."
Some people refuse to look at the numbers.Sadly,you post is
correct.
Now that it’s over, it can be said that McCain’s loss is the best thing that could have happened to the conservative movement. He would have been the face of the republican party and it would have muddied what conservatives stand for. George Bush times 10.
This way we have a fresh start for re-birth the way a forest fire clears out the deadwood and debris and makes it possible for new growth to emerge, uncluttered and unobstructed.
I’m betting Newt Gingrich will play a major role in our re-emergence as an intellectual standard bearer and I’m surprised Phyllis didn’t mention him.
I wish I shared the optimism of some of you folks...I just can’t. I held my nose twice to pull the lever for Bush. Got screwed in the process.
He kicked himself to the curb with that adultery thing.
Yes, along with others who allowed social conservatives to be pushed to the back of the bus.
Who cares. We lost 7 seats in the house but still had the majority. He kept us in power and probably set the path for us to stay there for 12 years. More importantly he pushed the president into adopting a conservative agenda Reagan would’ve been proud of us. We need ideas and its not coming from our existing leadership.
All very awesome.
The Republican Party is finished. The Conservatives should unite under ONE Conservative Party and the liberals /socialists/oddities etc can have theirs. A Conservative Party that actually starts at the grass roots & works up. Ronald Reagan’s gone but his ideals can live in a NEW Conservative Party.
Or, we can just surrender.....
One of the silver linings this morning is that no human being could live up to the buildup the media gave Mr, Obama. The letdown may open doors- just like Carter's dismal performance provided an opening for Reagan.
FDR was thinking along those lines back in the 40s. He and Wendell Willkie discussed the idea of forming a liberal party, but both Roosevelt and Willkie died before the plan could get started.
Forget it, Phyllis! The only way for the GOP to regain power is to show absolute fiscal responsibility. I am very sure that the worst things the GOP did to bring on this defeat started about 15 years ago when we broke our Contract With America. We lost out way. We became almost drink with the power we were given and gave away the farm. Now, let us face some facts. The nation as a whole is NOT as socially conservative as many of you would like. That is not going to change any time soon, if ever and we should get used to working from that fact. You can’t legislate morality, you can only suggest it! A norm of social behavior must be maintained but the ultimate level of morality is up to every single person and it can not be rammed down the throats of the population as a whole. Each government should suggest good moral behavior, as they see it but if the GOP is to ever regain power we must forget trying to rule with moral authority and let each person’s sole deal moral issues. More clearly stated, I will not impose my moral issues on you and I ask that you do not impose your moral issue on me. Like it or not, if we stick to fiscal issues we will at least have a chance to start rebuilding the GOP!
This is exactly where the problem took root.
It will take MASSIVE effort to penetrate this well-armored enemy stronghold.
It is time for the conservitives to go back to their roots.
“Conservative Movement ‘Will Rise Again,...”
Yeah, in 40 years...:/
I was shocked when McCain started winning. Who were these people who were voting for him?
With McCain as the nominee, we deserved to lose. We were barred from making illegal immigration an issue, which cost us working class votes in the Midwest. To make matters worse, the jackass was bringing up free trade in debates weeks before the election.
Jindal ‘12.
In 8 years of Bill Clinton, government spending expanded by about $400 billion, from $1.4 trillion per year to $1.8. Fedgov spending FELL as a percentage of GDP from 22% to 18%.
In 8 years of George Bush, government spending expanded by over a trillion dollars, from the $1.8 trillion level to a projected $3 trillion next year. As a percentage of GDP, fedgov spending grew from 18% to 20%.
I’m looking forward to once again having a party of smaller government in Washington, and I expect Republicans may rediscover the virtues of smaller government now that they are in the minority in Congress and have lost the White House. I expect we’ll soon hear the word “gridlock” again in mainstream media, and that’s music to my ears.
I also expect to once again see Republicans suspicious of executive power in areas like roving wiretaps, locking people up without a trial, and foreign nation building.
Thanks to open borders, you can kiss fiscal conservatism goodbye forever.
As for doing something about the schools, THAT is what caused this shift left in the first place. They left took over the schools and started the dumming down. That is part of the reason. You can forget the schools, they are gone forever. They have them. We will never get them back.
The first step is recognizing how Bush-Cheney departed from true conservative principles, expanded government and spending.McCain's failure to present the case for a definitive and persuasive conservative alternative. It becomes a contest to see who emerges as the leader of the conservative opposition to restore American freedom in 2012.
That’s true. People have been dumbed down by liberalism, secular humanism, and socialism in the schools. They were programmed to accept socialism and the anti-American and anti-Christian agenda.
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.