Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Rallying the Right
Townhall.com ^ | January 12, 2013 | Steve Deace

Posted on 01/12/2013 7:43:24 AM PST by Kaslin

Following the defeat of 2012, it seems as if everyone – yours truly included – has an opinion about where the conservative movement goes from here. But right now presents an excellent opportunity to rally the Right again.

Following the fiscal cliff fiasco, the next big battle inside the beltway will be the debt ceiling in March. Some Republicans who caved on the fiscal cliff are already talking tough. Take Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey, for example. After voting for the largest tax increase in 20 years, Toomey is one of several Republicans now saying the debt ceiling showdown may require a government shutdown if Democrats insist on more tax increases.

So with some key Republicans already throwing down the gauntlet now is the time for the conservative movement to re-assert itself. The time for the licking of wounds has past. The time for leadership has arrived. We’re at our best when we let our principles lead the way. The two times I can remember the right-of-center coalition of evangelicals, conservative Catholics, libertarians, and the pro-growth/limited taxation crowd being truly unified since the 2004 election were the 2010 midterm elections and Scott Walker’s recall in Wisconsin last year.

Why?

Because those elections were clearly about principles, and principles unite us. Unlike Democrats who join that party out of identity politics, we become Republicans because of principles like the ones found in the party platform.

And the Republican Party platform is clear about two things: the rule of law has the obligation to protect the God-given right to life, and the government big enough to give you everything you need is large enough to take away everything you have. We have been struggling for a message that puts both of these principles into practice simultaneously. One that bypasses the in-fighting plaguing our movement for years now, and mobilizes and energizes our grassroots to go on offense. The debt ceiling showdown provides us that opportunity.

Planned Parenthood received more than $542 million from the government last year, which means an astounding 45% of its revenue came from the American taxpayer. Every one of us would agree that is simply inexcusable. Some of us may believe that based simply on the sanctity of life, given that Planned Parenthood is one of the leading child killers in America. Some of us may believe that’s simply a terrible waste of the people’s money at a time we’re flat broke and a symbol of our misplaced priorities. Both of us recognize Planned Parenthood is one of the Left’s major political fundraisers. Regardless of the premise we all come to the same conclusion.

Thus, now is the time for all of us to use this issue as a catalyst that unifies our various factions behind a shared principle—absolutely no increase in the debt ceiling should even be considered until all money for the child killing industry is removed from the budget.

If we’re going to consider these things “private moral matters” then it is intolerable to ask the taxpayer to subsidize it, especially at a time when we’re flat broke and taxes are going up on everybody. If we wouldn’t ask the taxpayers to buy your next shot of tequila, jolt of trans-fats, or drag from a cigarette then we shouldn’t ask them to buy your next condom or abortion. If someone wants to get their freak on, they can buy their own birth control pills or dental dams.

This week on my radio show Dr. Thomas Woods, one of the most respected libertarian thinkers in the country, agreed with me. “Even if you’re a pro-abortion libertarian you don’t believe the taxpayer should be funding it,” Woods said.

If we cannot get Republicans to hold the line on this at this crucial time in our history, then there really is no point to having a Republican Party (or at the very least to having these Republicans). If the conservative movement isn’t willing to take the lead in forcing their hand, then there really is no point to our movement other than selling books and syndicating radio shows like my own. This is an easy first step to re-unify for the much bigger and longer battles that await us to return to constitutional government.

Concern over the growth of government, and the resulting loss of personal freedom, is what gave birth to the modern conservative movement. Concern about the sanctity of life is what swelled the ranks of the movement with Catholics who were once predominantly Democrats and evangelicals who previously didn’t even vote en masse. Regardless of which of those issues most trips your trigger, we cannot take back control of the Republican Party without each of them working in concert. And the Republican Party is worthless if we don’t wrestle away control from the cynical, feckless, and ineffective party establishment.

But we need a message to unify and mobilize us that is based on shared principles. This message does that. It allows us to walk and chew gum at the same time. Instead of both sides fighting each other for control of the movement, we unite a movement around a shared principle to fight the real enemies to liberty and morality. We are better together. We cannot win if we’re not united. But calls for unity for unity’s sake fall on deaf ears. We must lead on genuine principle to create genuine unity.

We must rally the right for such a time as this, and this is the simple yet principled message to do it. Either we hang together or we will all hang alone. If we can’t hang together on this one, then I’m not sure where we can.


TOPICS: Editorial
KEYWORDS: conservatives; debtceiling; gop; liberty; morality; pattoomey; plannedparenthood

1 posted on 01/12/2013 7:43:38 AM PST by Kaslin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

We must rally the right for such a time as this, and this is the simple yet principled message to do it. Either we hang together or we will all hang alone. If we can’t hang together on this one, then I’m not sure where we can.
*******
The vast majority of Americans are just not interested or motivated enough to rally, at least not until things get really bad. They’re like the proverbial frog in a boiling pot; the water is heating up but isn’t hot enough yet to get their attention. That moment will soon come however, probably in the form of an economic calamity (think 1930 following the Roaring 20’s).

Despite the rapid deterioration of our country, even the Tea Party has largely been on the sidelines. It’s going to be tough rallying the Right IMO as most are just interested in going about their own personal business. Its really amazing how docile a population can be.


2 posted on 01/12/2013 8:02:58 AM PST by Starboard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

That fact that Obama wasn’t impeached during the last four years and then got even one vote last November shows America has gone over the cliff. If the GOP wants to give me something to rally about then fine. But I’m tired of doing it for nothing.


3 posted on 01/12/2013 8:03:30 AM PST by ILS21R (Everything is a conspiracy. No? You're living in one.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

A shut down is not a shut down. Money comes in every day. We service the full faith and credit of the US. We pay medicare and social security (that is already the law) and we send bureaucrats and begging foreign countries home. Military bases overseas shut down (What are we doing in these countries?) . This is what we want!!! SHUT IT DOWN!!!


4 posted on 01/12/2013 8:10:14 AM PST by willardwx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Starboard
the next big battle inside the beltway will be the debt ceiling in March

How out of touch is this guy? The next battle outside the beltway is the one that's even more important and it's going on right now with regards the 2nd Amendment.

Unless, however, the actions by Obama-Biden re current gun laws are a clever distraction to eliminate real conversation about financial issues?

I'm really at a loss to understand what's really going on. I guess we'll know some time this coming week. My guess is that the administration has opened this war on two fronts, hoping that the American people cannot successfully fight both, counting on distraction to get their way on at least one issue; part of their incrementalism approach?

5 posted on 01/12/2013 8:25:10 AM PST by Real Cynic No More
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Real Cynic No More

“Unless, however, the actions by Obama-Biden re current gun laws are a clever distraction to eliminate real conversation about financial issues?”
**********
You’re absolutely right. The fabricated gun debate is a convenient smoke screen masking the far more serious economic storm on the horizon. We are rapidly approaching a tipping point when the bond vigilantes (including our foreign creditors) are going to refuse to finance American debt at these low rates — while being paid back in a severely devalued currency. At that point, rates will rapidly rise and America will struggle to pay its debt. Obama needs political distractions like the gun debate to keep people from focusing on this looming disaster.

The resulting hyperinflation (from more money printing) will hurt everyone and that’s when we’ll start to see the politcal pendulum swing in the other direction.

You may enjoy this video. The esteemed Jim Grant sarcastically commenting on the state of our debt:

http://www.valueinvestingworld.com/2013/01/james-grant-on-cnbc.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ValueInvestingWorld+(Value+Investing+World)


6 posted on 01/12/2013 8:47:06 AM PST by Starboard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Before the last election, the polls (the ones in the news anyway) said that the majority of Americans were against abortion. Yet, being for abortion proved to be no penalty to the Democrats. Why? Did the media fool us? Or, do people tell pollsters they are against abortion, but vote for abortion in the privacy of the voting booth? I think there is a tremendous, and unnecessary, fear of overpopulation in this country.


7 posted on 01/12/2013 9:18:39 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blueunicorn6

I think it’s hard to get a straight answer on that issue. People may generally say they believe it’s murder, but if it’s suddenly them, or their daughter, or wife, etc. who would be forced to carry a rapist’s offspring to term....


8 posted on 01/12/2013 11:04:06 AM PST by Trod Upon (Civilian disarmament is the precursor to democide.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
(Art.) Toomey is one of several Republicans now saying the debt ceiling showdown may require a government shutdown if Democrats insist on more tax increases.

Republicans "talking tough" like this about a government shutdown are the people who empower the 'Rats, by allowing the 'Rat propagandists to assert that the Republicans brought up the subject first -- if and when the Dems decide to shut down the Government again, to jerk their new clients' chains, to make government-assistance tax eaters into diehard Democrat tax eaters.

"Republicans took your Government checks away!" has been a favorite Democrat lie since the Great Depression. Lyndon Johnson used that one in 1964 against Barry Goldwater: Goldwater was going to take your Social Security and welfare checks away! Bill Clinton said the same, when he and Beastwoman and Tom Daschle shut the government down in 1995 and blamed Newt and Dole.

I'm glad Toomey is so bright -- he's walking right into what Obama wants him to do next.

The GOP needs to hire a consultant on game theory, to help them figure out what Obama is doing. Oh, and by the way -- this isn't Obama, its a whole brain trust, a politburo, of Commie-'Rat b*stards doing this, that Barky just fronts for.

9 posted on 01/12/2013 2:38:06 PM PST by lentulusgracchus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson