Posted on 01/24/2011 12:54:08 PM PST by John R. Guardiano
...Foreign Policy magazine’s John Rogin reports that Grover Norquist wants to “‘start a discussion’ about leaving Afghanistan among the ‘center-right.’” He wants to “educate the conservative masses about the costs of the war in the hopes of shifting conservative opinion” and effecting an American defeat.
Oh sure, Norquist didn’t say he wants America to lose in Afghanistan, but he might as well have: because that’s what an American withdrawal would mean: an American defeat...
The conservative coalition, of course, includes three distinct types of conservatives: defense and national security hawks, social and cultural cons, and economic or free-market conservatives.
Norquist is decidedly in the latter camp and seemingly antagonistic of late to cultural and defense cons.
Thus, in addition to suggesting that it might be OK to lose in Afghanistan, Norquist also has joined the advisory board of the homosexual advocacy organization, GOProud, which seeks special rights and privileges for lesbians and homosexuals.
But not even David Frum, the supposed beta noire of “real conservatives,” wants to jettison two-thirds of the conservative coalition.
Frum instead wants to modulate conservatives’ political approach, not abandon conservatism altogether. Frum, in fact, is a conservative, albeit an iconoclastic and unconventional conservative.
Here’s my proposal to which I welcome Norquists’ response: How about a “conversation” about raising taxes to help reduce the deficit?
Or maybe we can have a “dialogue” about the “public option”? Or better yet, what do you say we “talk about” how to enforce “fair trade” on China, Chile and Mexico?
Now, I’m not saying we should do any of these things, mind you; I’m only saying that we conservatives need to start talking about these things!
Of course, I rather doubt Norquist would welcome a “conversation” about these matters. He’d rightly say these subjects are off limits...
(Excerpt) Read more at johnrguardiano.com ...
I appreciate the author's attempt to inject humor into his otherwise dry topic, but I think he needs to work on making his punchlines snappier.
Why not just post it here?
Norquist has been pushing this for years. He has also been subverting the War on Terror since day one, by helping CAIR infiltrate teh GOP and Bush administration. His wife is a Palestinian Muslim, and he likely converted.
FUGN!
One might argue that a conservative application of military power must be an effective one.
Norquist is married to a Palestinian Muslim.
Not exactly the person I want to take advice from these days.
The ‘movement’, was hijacked years ago. And it wasn’t by Norquist.
The only Ron Paul fans I know are the ones riding around here in Austin Texas with bumper stickers "911 was in Inside Job" next to their "Ron Paul 08" stickers.
When you park the B-52s and begin unilaterally respecting the borders of countries that exist only because we support them you really aren't interested in winning.
Agree
Norquist certainly is no conservative. He supports the homosexual agenda and has known ties to Muslim extremists. Does he even qualify as a Libertarian?
He is on the board of the NRA too. Has anyone noticed the nosedive into conservative political irrelevancy the NRA has taken lately under his influence?
The sooner real conservatives jettison poseurs like Norquist from the conservative movement, the better.
Norquist is married to a Muslim woman and is a total shill for Islamists, apologizing for them and working for the advancement of their way of life in America. Real conservatives need to back away from this sell-out and his “conservative” organization (read: phony front for Islam) - Americans for Tax Reform.
HG nice job. Post number 3.
What garbage. There's plenty of folks on the right, including myself, that think we should get the hell out of Afghanistan.
I don't see the sense in staying any longer or sacrificing one more life, especially considering who the current Commander in Chief is. Can anyone claim that Obama is serious about any kind of end game? The man refuses to use the word 'victory' for crying out loud.
Bring the troops home from Afghanistan.
“Influential Right Wing Leader” is a bit of a stretch. Norquist is just another talking head editorialist/opinion writer. And one who’s pretty far down the totem pole in terms of influence and popularity. Rush, for example, could generate more conservative action and support on an issue in five minutes than Norquist could in five years.
He's just another person who wants influence -- just another wannabe.
He can't purge anybody any more than you or I could.
My fellow wannabe, it's hard not to notice that you're talking about Norquist wanting to put "defense and cultural cons" on the back of bus, but the evidence you provide doesn't have much to do with social or cultural conservatism.
Is that manipulation on your part? Are you trying to tie your own agenda into something much bigger to overcome objections to it?
I wish you were right, but alas, Norquist is an extraordinarily influential Washington, D.C.-Capitol Hill activist.
(He’s not an editorialist or an opinion writer, though he occasionally pens an editorial or an opinion piece every now and then.)
Norquist may not have Rush’s cultural clout, but he has tremendous D.C./Capitol Hill clout and influence.
Are those Wednesday meetings still well attended or has he lost some there also?
Given what I've read above regaring his positions maybe not so much anymore in the Tea Party era. But, hearing what you disclosed, I'll bet he's got McCain, Lugar and McConnell on his speed dial.
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