Posted on 11/14/2008 6:21:09 AM PST by rightwingintelligentsia
Four years ago, in the week after the 2004 presidential election, we were working furiously to put the finishing touches on the book we co-authored, "It's My Party Too: The Battle for the Heart of the GOP and the Future of America."
Our central thesis was simple: The Republican Party had been taken hostage by "social fundamentalists," the people who base their votes on such social issues as abortion, gay rights and stem cell research. Unless the GOP freed itself from their grip, we argued, it would so alienate itself from the broad center of the American electorate that it would become increasingly marginalized and find itself out of power.
At the time, this idea was roundly attacked by many who were convinced that holding on to the "base" at all costs was the way to go. A former speechwriter for President Bush, Matthew Scully, who went on to work for the McCain campaign this year, called the book "airy blather" and said its argument fell somewhere between "insufferable snobbery" and "complete cluelessness." Gary Bauer suggested that the book sounded as if it came from a "Michael Moore radical." National Review said its warnings were, "at best, counterintuitive," and Ann Coulter said the book was "based on conventional wisdom that is now known to be false."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I would argue that the upper class members like Whitman (which create the “party of the rich” stereotype) are far more of a problem for the Republican Party than social conservatives. Remember that Hispanics and blacks in California supported the anti-gay marriage ballot measure even more than white people did.
If the current brand of social conservatism turns off too many moderates, the answer to calls that the GOP wants to 'legislate morality' is to perform a subtle shift in methods (not a shift in conviction) - we direct our efforts more to stopping the government from legislating immorality, and couch the argument in terms of freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and so on. The same end folks - depravity only exists in such quantities by our sponsoring of it and its fruit. Failure is self-limiting when not subsidized. This is the core reason why the fusion makes sense - that we all agree that bad behavior (exists and) should not be rewarded or condoned, and that good behavior should be at least met with its natural rewards. Differences exist with the details, but we all agree on those grounds. The Democrats do not, the left does not.
This shift would not turn off moderates, and would help consolidate the other legs of the conservative movement (by highlighting policies at the confluence of our shared goals). A turn to federalism would further consolidate the party on all fronts, and be abstract enough not to cause mushy moderates to flee to the Democrats.
The main problem was (and is) that the GOP drifted on a host of issues, and self-proclamations of fiscal responsibility (for example) rang hollow - people hate hypocrisy, and the Republicans delivered it in spades on several fronts with trillions in DEFICITS (not even debts!!!). The media was handed trillions of rounds of ammunition, and bought from us miles of rope.
Smaller federal government, less federal spending, lower federal taxes, ample latitude left available to state governments, responsible and transparent monetary policy, and a renewed push toward personal responsibility. Opt-outs for entitlement programs, resetting federal policies on a host of morality issues to the null position (knowing full well that states occupied by moral people will adopt moral policies, while other states will wallow in filth and depravity without dragging the rest of us down).
If Obama follows a Clintonian style of not rocking the boat too much, the major problem the GOP will face is convincing the electorate that it can deliver on these fronts - and not instead deliver what it did when it recently controlled all branches of federal government - don't give me that BS about not having a filibuster-proof majority; those years were squandered, that political capital was wasted, that mandate was spent on bread and circuses. Two SC judges and a tax cut aside, it was 6 years of waste and 2 years of insanity.
That new style of "big-government" Wilsonian Republican party was a total failure, a throw-back to the Democrats of the 1960's. Back to basics, back to Reagan and Goldwater.
I always check the list when an alleged "R" is promoting something stupid. Generally speaking, I find them on that member list.
Absolutely. Take a look at the congress that sits right now. the Majority are big government statists. They wish themselves trillions of dollars, and deny all accountability. Freedom and Self Rule are strange ideas to them. They are at an all time low in public approval, yet they are rewarded with an even larger majority, and the executive to boot. Without real opposition, I might add, since the Republican party is factionalized enough to no longer be a stong opponent to those who wish to cut up this country and sell it at scrap value. The author of this article represents one of those factions, the 'democrat' faction. If we are this confused, I can't expect the electorate to be any better. But 'permanent minority', to me, is a grotesque term. I don't want anything to do with it. Time to get to work.
Thanks for sharing - I think I will check the list as well. Luckily Kentucky has not been invaded by these yellow Republicans.
I don’t get the moderates, at all. You cannot be a “moderate” on every issue; and if you are then you really have no core beliefs, imho. I realize the world is not “black and white”; but for the most part, it is impossible to be middle of the road of most political issues. If you are, you are just too weak to make up your mind.
Christine Todd Whitman can go any time she wants.
These are the people who we want to finance.
Riiight!
Rev 3:14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
ebay under her espoused Net Neutrality censorship.
ebay under her espoused the view that man is basically good. Just look at the behavior of the anti-Prop 8 folks and draw your own second opinion.
Ebay? Are you thinking of Meg Whitman?
Oh come on Christy I know you left out God and Guns. Please spare me.
Yes, you are correct. I was thinking of Meg...different RINO.
Coming from the woman who barley beat the hated Florio and then barley beat the closeted swish McSveevey.
The Falcon party looks great. I can’t discern if this is meant to be a “party within a party” to organize and try to push the Republican party back to the right, or if it will be a truly independent party.
Chris, I’d be more inclined to listen to the policy prescriptions of northeastern moderates if they were winning on their own turf. How’s that workin’ for ya?
You know, maybe Christine is right.
We SHOULD “free” the GOP. The conservative base, Reaganites, constitutionalists, “hockey moms,” and the rest of us “unwashed” should “free” the GOP of their support. They should be free to take a flying leap.
Mark
To say McCain lost moderates is a joke. He IS a moderate. We will never be a winning party again until we stop caring what moderates think.
I really think Right minded people should create a new Conservative Party and leave the moderates to the Republicans.
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