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What Conservatives Must Do Now (back to the grassroots)
The American Spectator ^ | December 31, 2008 | Peter Ferrara

Posted on 12/31/2008 6:26:21 AM PST by St. Louis Conservative

As we close out a disastrous 2008, a year in which Western Civilization essentially suffered a nervous breakdown, conservatives now must turn to two fundamental goals. First, we must stop the destructive policy initiatives of the Obama Administration and the liberal left now ruling in Washington (first prediction for 2009: the loony, far left Congress will consistently make the ultraliberal Obama Administration look moderate by comparison). Secondly, we must lay the foundation for our political comeback. Here is what we must do to achieve these goals:

Return to the Grassroots

First and most important is to build up mighty, grassroots networks across the country. This is something that conservatives must do, not Republicans, who need to work on their own grassroots party network. Conservatives have become too good lately in lecturing Republicans on what they must do. We need to lead by building a powerful political movement, and the Republicans will then naturally follow.

The radical, liberal-left agenda is tailor made for generating grassroots firestorms in opposition. Included in that agenda is national legislation to remove all state restrictions on abortion, all parental notification, waiting periods, informed consent, and partial birth abortion restrictions. Instead we are slated for taxpayer funding for abortion on demand. Another beaut is national legislation to remove all state protections of gun rights, such as conceal and carry permits. Then there is the federal takeover of health care, the federal shutdown of proven, reliable energy production, global warming regulation to shut down what is left of the economy, the "fairness" doctrine to shut down talk radio, and national legislation to take away workers' rights to a secret ballot election to determine whether they will be forced into a union in their workplace.

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: activism; conservatives; ferrara; gop; grassroots; rebuilding; rnc; tas
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1 posted on 12/31/2008 6:26:22 AM PST by St. Louis Conservative
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To: St. Louis Conservative

The grass roots are a rotted mass of complacent, apathetic whiners.


2 posted on 12/31/2008 6:30:08 AM PST by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . Save America......... put out lots of wafarin (it's working))
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To: bert

Tell me about it. I’ve got enough to do. I don’t have the energy to mobilize my community. I guess that’s why all the people in power are the rich kids who lived off their parents during the years leading up to their elections.


3 posted on 12/31/2008 6:34:05 AM PST by demshateGod (the GOP is dead to me)
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To: bert
The grass roots are a rotted mass of complacent, apathetic whiners.

No, the grassroots sees the deck stacked against them - on both the left and the right. The left-wing activists came out in droves to get their liberal guy Obama elected - and in return, he gave them the third Clinton Administration term - just as the Bush Admin was hardly conservative in most regards. The institutional rot in DC is just that deep - in both parties.

4 posted on 12/31/2008 6:34:40 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: bert

And when an honest politican was put into the hopper (Palin), the media and the political establishment in both parties turned on her and savaged her and her family. It wasn’t just that they disliked Palin’s positions - she is as much a threat to the DC establishment as she has been to the Alaska establishment. It was a clear warning to her and those who would aspire to reform the DC swamp - and Joe the Plumber got the same kind of treatment. That is what we are facing.


5 posted on 12/31/2008 6:38:51 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: St. Louis Conservative
we must stop the destructive policy initiatives of the Obama Administration and the liberal left now ruling in Washington

Uh, we probably should have done a heck of a lot more to stop the destructive policy initiatives of the Bush Administration and the Compassionate Conservative Right that had been ruling Washington. The "conservative movement" got into bed with George Bush and the GOP and now lacks credibility. Someone--anyone--should have been saying "stop" over the past 8 years of Bush economics, which I really don't see being much different than Obama economics.

6 posted on 12/31/2008 6:41:41 AM PST by Opinionated Blowhard
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To: St. Louis Conservative
RE :"First, we must stop the destructive policy initiatives of the Obama Administration and the liberal left now ruling in Washington " How about the 'destructive policy initiatives of the Bush Administration and the Washington/Wall Street elite now ruling in Washington' ???, meaning takeovers of banking, home loans and auto industry. Seems GWB gave Obama a running start just like he promised.
7 posted on 12/31/2008 6:42:40 AM PST by sickoflibs (GWB : "Give me a 700B blank check to save the UAW until Obama takes office")
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To: St. Louis Conservative
RE :"First, we must stop the destructive policy initiatives of the Obama Administration and the liberal left now ruling in Washington " How about the 'destructive policy initiatives of the Bush Administration and the Washington/Wall Street elite now ruling in Washington' ???, meaning takeovers of banking, home loans and auto industry. Seems GWB gave Obama a running start just like he promised.
8 posted on 12/31/2008 6:42:44 AM PST by sickoflibs (GWB : "Give me a 700B blank check to save the UAW until Obama takes office")
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To: Opinionated Blowhard

That was my point in 7+8, nicely put.


9 posted on 12/31/2008 6:43:56 AM PST by sickoflibs (GWB : "Give me a 700B blank check to save the UAW until Obama takes office")
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To: demshateGod

Then you foreit any right whatsoever to complain about anything. Ever.


10 posted on 12/31/2008 6:46:23 AM PST by St. Louis Conservative
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To: St. Louis Conservative

It’s sad it’s come to this. Grassroots have better things to do, like work, raise families, go to church, go bowling. Now we have to spend time cleaning up a mess created by our “leaders”.


11 posted on 12/31/2008 6:46:49 AM PST by LiberConservative ("I, you know, can see, you know, upstate, you know, from my house, you know.")
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To: dirtboy

Yes, they did try to take Palin out; she is a Christ-Bearer and a speaker of the Truth. Yes, this is what we face in fighting for conservative principles. The road is hard, but it is really nothing to the task the Patriots faced in 1774. The best things in life are always difficult; they always take time; they always impact our ‘normal’ lives. And yet, what is life worth if we do not face those things head-on?


12 posted on 12/31/2008 6:47:38 AM PST by bboop (obama, little o, not a Real God)
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To: sickoflibs

Its not just the recent stuff. There were grumblings about Bush’s spending binge from his first year in office, but conservatives gave him a pass. Then there were his massive expansions of entitlements like the “Free Drugs for Seniors” Bill and other double digit increases in spending. Yet no one really challenged him. His last year in office really shouldn’t surprise anyone. He is like his daddy, a Rockefeller Republican when it comes to government spending. He has been a disaster for fiscal restraint.


13 posted on 12/31/2008 6:47:51 AM PST by Opinionated Blowhard
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To: LiberConservative; St. Louis Conservative

In 2010, republican candidates should campaign together, similarly to the Contract with America. They should promise that, if Republicans regain control of the U.S. Senate and House, they’ll pass about five bills, including tax cuts, to their 1988 rates; spending cuts, to obey the 10th Amendment; and better immigration laws, to build a brick wall, on the Mexican border and increase fines for employers who hire illegal aliens.


14 posted on 12/31/2008 6:51:26 AM PST by PhilCollins
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Comment #15 Removed by Moderator

To: gost2

You are a clown. Why waste your time here at Free Republic?


16 posted on 12/31/2008 6:55:50 AM PST by St. Louis Conservative
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To: St. Louis Conservative

Yeah and the Founding Fathers were chumps in your book too.

Kiss your wife and kids today and know that they have no future.


17 posted on 12/31/2008 6:58:44 AM PST by gost2
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To: gost2

I recommend an SSRI, or perhaps Wellbutrin buddy.


18 posted on 12/31/2008 7:00:17 AM PST by St. Louis Conservative
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To: dirtboy
"And when an honest politican was put into the hopper (Palin), the media and the political establishment in both parties turned on her and savaged her and her family. It wasn’t just that they disliked Palin’s positions - she is as much a threat to the DC establishment as she has been to the Alaska establishment. It was a clear warning to her and those who would aspire to reform the DC swamp - and Joe the Plumber got the same kind of treatment. That is what we are facing."

This is probably the best short commentary I've read on FR regarding the dramatic socio-political change that has swept accross America. One wonders if conservatives living in America will even survive the onslaught against religion, decency and morality, let alone find power again in this cesspool we've become. In all generations of U.S. history, the only exception being this twisted one we now live in, the Palins would be considered by almost everyone to be a truly great American family, one to look at with admiration and pride. Yet they are being savaged and torn at by beasts who hate everything that is good, and the Party they tried to represent is joining in the blood fest. Truly, good has become evil in our country, and we haven't hit bottom yet. May God save America, because 'conservatives' sure won't.

19 posted on 12/31/2008 7:01:05 AM PST by rangeryder (If a man says something in the woods, is he still wrong?)
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To: gost2
America is dead.

Seccesion won't happen, because it should of happen already. Wake me when the shooting starts. This country is a joke. I'm holing up and watching the show. This ought to be good.

20 posted on 12/31/2008 7:01:07 AM PST by central_va (Co. C, 15th Va., Patrick Henry Rifles-The boys of Hanover Co.)
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