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How Conservative Candidates Can Give Us a RINO Nominee
American Thinker ^ | October 5, 2011 | Selwyn Duke

Posted on 10/05/2011 1:32:48 AM PDT by neverdem

While I certainly understand the frustration of those who complain of RINO primary rise, it's important to accept the reality of how it happens. It is not, as some would say, a matter of the "Republican Party giving us another John McCain." Nominees aren't appointed; they're elected. It is not the result of a New World Order conspiracy bent on keeping the Ron Pauls of the world from power. Voters may sometimes have chips on their shoulders; there are no controlling chips in their brains. Of course, the media can and do shape public opinion, but they only truly sing in unison when their candidate (read: any Democrat) has his hide on the line during the general election.

To truly understand why a RINO (Republican in Name Only) will likely win the nomination, we only have to consider the following poll numbers: Mitt Romney, 25 percent; Rick Perry, 16; Herman Cain, 16; Ron Paul, 11; Newt Gingrich, 7; and Michele Bachmann, 7. What is notable about this list? Romney, widely viewed as the most liberal of the major contenders, leads the pack. Is this because the Republican base now reflects the Massachusetts GOP?

Or is it because too many are dividing up the traditionalist-vote pie?

Note that every listed candidate but Romney is seen, generally speaking, as being of the right. Of course, many will point out that Perry and Gingrich are RINOs as well. But the critical factor is perception. The Texas governor is largely viewed as a conservative who has had dalliances with the Democrat devil; Gingrich is considered a conservative with too much personal and Beltway baggage; Paul is seen as a rightist libertarian with some outside-the-box views. But it's one thing to be a conservative who occasionally attends a liberal masquerade party.

It's quite another to...

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: 2012gopprimary; backstabberromney; conservativism; gop; loserromney; rinoromney; rinos; spoilerromney
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To: Vevey
How the heck are conservatives supposed to try to talk to ANYONE and try to change their minds. For years I talk politics to friends, neighbors, co-workers, family. They all know my position on immigration, spending, etc.

Do you really expect a conservative, after telling a family member how much you disagree with how our govt. has handled immigration to then come back to same person and say “support McCain”?

Conservatives. always. have. voted.

This is a war, and the people on the ground have no ammunition when you run with Dem lite. As a matter of fact, talking to others to get them out to vote would make me a big ole hypocrite. If you think I will do that to myself for the GOP, guess again.

I do what every other conservative has done. Get bullied on boards like this by people like you. Keep my mouth shut, my head down, and vote. I have no other choice.

Also, I don't trust the GOP in the primary process. For years they sat back knowing ACORN was getting fake registrations to use to steal elections. Did they do anything about this? Not until a couple of young people exposed ACORN to be such an embarrassment they had no choice. They may not be as corrupt as the dems, but they sure are willing to sell out their base and look the other way. Time and again.

61 posted on 10/05/2011 6:25:29 AM PDT by magglepuss (Don't tread on me)
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To: behzinlea
Anything else would be a vote for Obama, and he infinitely worse than the worst Republican alternative.

He is only slightly worse than Romney.

62 posted on 10/05/2011 6:37:50 AM PDT by Tonytitan
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To: Texas Fossil
The relevant experience for serving as president is to have served as an executive in a republican form of government. We've got 50 such governments in the union. It's not too much to ask that someone who wants to be president should prove himself first.
63 posted on 10/05/2011 8:42:39 AM PDT by Huck (Save a pretzel for the gas jets!!)
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To: grumpygresh

Maybe we can get Simon Cowell to host “Conservative Idol.” We can have Mark Levin, Laura Ingrham, and Micheal Savage as the judges. I would have included Ann Coulter but she supports Christie hence she forfeits her conservative credentials.

So we get 3 or 4 candidates a week to get up there and say I’m pro-life, deport all illegals, Americans have a constitutional right to machine guns, we must get om a gold standard, mandating vaccacinations for public school students is unconstitutional, the Fed is unconstitutional, Obama isn’t really American, abolish the Departments of Education and Energy, etc. Then the audience votes for whoever they deem to be furthest from a RINO. Then when a wacky witch is nominated viola, we get to have a tea party.


64 posted on 10/05/2011 9:59:28 AM PDT by Vevey
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To: Tonytitan

“He is only slightly worse” than Obama. Really? I accept Romney care is a train-wreck. But it’s Mass., so really who cares. The Gov’t medical program was a fait accompli with or without Romney.

Let’s take Romney care off the table. On what positions about which you care is Romney only “slightly” better than Obama and on what do you base your assertion?


65 posted on 10/05/2011 10:06:20 AM PDT by Vevey
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To: neverdem; All

“Of course, though, for good or ill, the also-rans will always be with us. Thus, to eliminate the traditionalist vote-dilution factor would require a total revamping of our system. We would have to institute rules stating that if no prospective nominee captured 50 percent of the vote in a state, there would have to be a run-off between the top two contenders. However, the chances of our dispensing with our current system in favor of the above are about as great as those of the also-rans dispensing with their campaigns.”

It would require more than that. “Open” primaries need to go away. In Missouri where I reside, you don’t have to be registered by party....you chose which ballot you want during the primary. That is just wrong!


66 posted on 10/05/2011 10:09:36 AM PDT by Sola Veritas (Trying to speak truth - not always with the best grammar or spelling)
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To: xzins

Those are all excellent. And I think we have to present them in a positive, optimistic light. That was really Reagan’s secret, that he believed the basic principles and was confident in the fact that they were what made America great and he wanted everybody else to share in this.


67 posted on 10/05/2011 10:18:00 AM PDT by livius
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To: Vevey

“Maybe we can get Simon Cowell to host “Conservative Idol.”

Maybe you would prefer a rino panel with David Brooks, David Frum, Joe Scarborough, and Colin Powell as judges.
Anyone could participate including Dems,no-labels types and the media. Union thugs could act as ushers. Rinos would look for nuanced stances that everyone could agree on. State run health care is good for MA but might not be for the nation. Flip-flopping on issues such as global warming and abortion are a sign of critical thinking. We really shouldn’t cut anything unless we can come to an agreement with ‘our friends’ across the aisle. And then voila, we have a wacky Mormon warlock.
Then we can have a coffee party.

Romney sucks.


68 posted on 10/05/2011 10:58:37 AM PDT by grumpygresh (Democrats delenda est)
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To: Vevey

‘Let’s take Romney care off the table.’

Let’s not. Romneycare is the template for 0bamacare. You might not like Frankenstein, but you don’t mind his creator? Can you trust romney, a guy with more positions than a Hindu sex god?


69 posted on 10/05/2011 11:09:19 AM PDT by grumpygresh (Democrats delenda est)
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To: xzins; neverdem; P-Marlowe; wmfights; betty boop
I will NOT for any reason vote for Romney. I will vote the the sane, pro-life conservative who is running for president.

I'm doing my best to give all the candidates an opportunity and avoid boxing myself in, but any hesitation on Pro-Life ends all consideration. In the end my Lord will judge me and I will not fail Him on protecting children.

Romney may sing a different tune now (I don't no if he is or not) but when he was in a position of power he was Pro-Abortion, Pro-Homosexual and anti-family. I can't vote for this guy even if it comes down to him or obama.

70 posted on 10/05/2011 11:23:42 AM PDT by wmfights (If you want change support SenateConservatives.com)
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To: Huck; Texas Fossil
How about some two-term governors? Someone who has actually been an executive in a republican (small R) system of government?

FWIW, you're pointing at Perry.

71 posted on 10/05/2011 11:29:30 AM PDT by wmfights (If you want change support SenateConservatives.com)
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To: samtheman
Let’s say at the end of the primary season there are 2 contenders, A and B, with close to equal amount of delegates, but neither having the winning number.

Let’s also say there’s a third candidate C still in the race but obviously out of the running with a chunk of delegates that could put either of the 2 front-runners over the top.

If candidate C says to his own delegates: “I direct all of you to vote for candidate B”, what happens next?

Are the delegates of candidate C required to vote for candidate B? Are they very likely to vote for candidate B?

How much influence does candidate C have over what his own delegates will do if he clearly can’t win at the convention?

IIRC, released delegates are as free as the wind.

72 posted on 10/05/2011 11:29:49 AM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: xzins; livius; wmfights; P-Marlowe
8. Others?

8. A strict constructionist judiciary.

9. Property rights protection from courts and govt.

10. Entitlement Reform, done in a way in which decision making is in the hands of the individual not some govt employee.

73 posted on 10/05/2011 11:34:22 AM PDT by wmfights (If you want change support SenateConservatives.com)
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To: neverdem

That’s what I thought but I wasn’t sure.


74 posted on 10/05/2011 12:11:10 PM PDT by samtheman (Palin. In your heart you know she's right.)
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To: ballplayer

I have been intrigued by the lack of the GOP candidates NOT referencing their pitches to what the Founding Fathers intended and set up with the Constitution. I do remember Cain some time past doing such and seem to remember Bachmann expressing such. However, of late it seems all are prone to reference needs in a today’s frame of reference, fair enough but doesn’t strengthen the root. This just keeps this Nation on the same step that leads away from the Constitution. I want a candidate that is not ashamed to mention what the Founding Fathers intended and did, every day not just the 4th of July.


75 posted on 10/05/2011 12:32:30 PM PDT by noinfringers2
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To: Huck
Who said anything about DC? I didn't. How about some two-term governors? Someone who has actually been an executive in a republican (small R) system of government?

I don't know how many terms Huntsman and Johnson have had, but they're not going anywhere so far. That leaves Perry who won't get anywhere just for his comments about the border and illegal immigration, IMHO.

Instead, they latch onto a gadfly congresswoman and a franchise restaurant operator who couldn't win a GA primary.

Cain was also chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. How many blacks have won statewide elections in Georgia? Racial/ethnic voting patterns can't be ignored.

76 posted on 10/05/2011 12:39:50 PM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: wmfights

Sadly, I agree with you. By process of elimination. Makes me think of Peggy Lee....is that all there is??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe9kKf7SHco

And if he doesn’t get his act together, all there is is...Romney.


77 posted on 10/05/2011 12:41:28 PM PDT by Huck (Save a pretzel for the gas jets!!)
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To: Theodore R.
This is right on target; Republican primary voters in the Midwest in particularly have been nominating “moderate” congressional candidates for years under this same scenario. I don’t think the Republican primary voters can ever learn. Most are so uninformed that all they know to do is ratify the popular liberal press choice.

We have a lot of opn primaries where independents and sometimes even rats can adulterate the vote according to the state. BTW, Senator Lugar from Indiana has a Tea Party challener.

78 posted on 10/05/2011 12:51:25 PM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: neverdem
Huntsman and Johnson have no shot. Not even worth a mention. I think I'd take Huntsman over Romney, but he has no shot. Johnson is a good libertarian, which means he also has no shot.

Cain will fade. Perry better suddenly become a motivated, coherent politician, or else it'll be Romney.

79 posted on 10/05/2011 12:58:42 PM PDT by Huck (Save a pretzel for the gas jets!!)
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To: Sola Veritas
It would require more than that. “Open” primaries need to go away. In Missouri where I reside, you don’t have to be registered by party....you chose which ballot you want during the primary. That is just wrong!

See comment# 78. You might not believe it, but NY has a closed primary. I used to be registered as a Conservative here, but switched to the GOP to vote in its primary.

80 posted on 10/05/2011 1:05:30 PM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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