Purity or Strategy: The Debate We Need To Have: Would you rather put up with a RINO, or a Democrat?

Pajamas Media ^ | 02/22/2014 | Andrew Klavan

[SeekAndFind]

^[1]

Last week, there was one of those mommy-and-daddy-are-fighting moments on Fox News as two powerhouse conservatives debated one of the most important issues facing the right. In one corner, was the dagger-sharp and stunningly beautiful and did I mention beautiful Ann Coulter. In the other corner, was the valiant, good-hearted and, you know, perfectly presentable in his own way Sean Hannity. No one can doubt either the patriotism or the fearlessness of these two. You may sometimes disagree with one or the other, that’s fine, but it seems undeniable that both have the good of the country first and foremost in their minds. Plus Ann’s really attractive.

You can watch the video to hear the whole thing but the gist is this. Ann thinks we have to stop “shysters” who pretend to represent the Tea Party from luring us into endless primaries against “establishment” Republicans. The thinking behind this (as I’ve heard her say elsewhere) is that there is only so much campaign money to go around and it needs to be focused wholly on defeating Democrats, winning a Republican majority in both houses and using that majority to “repeal Obamacare, repeal Obamacare, repeal Obamacare.”

Sean took a more purist Tea Party line, saying there are some Republicans who “should be defeated,” and endorsing the idea that we should primary the RINOs where we can and — my words here not his — we should end the civil war within the Republican Party by winning it for the true conservatives.

What a swell party this is!

Just to let you know where I stand emotionally, here’s a true story. The first time I made a speech before a Tea Party crowd, I felt as if I were floating two feet off the ground. I respected, admired and agreed with the Tea Partiers so completely, that my heart rose up and I began to believe that despite the Obama debacle, the country would ultimately be fine. As I was leaving the rally, I got a call from a friend asking me to come by for a drink with a couple of the highest-ranking Republicans in Washington. It was me and them, having a glass together, eye to eye. By the time I left that gathering, I was so depressed by the establishment GOP’s blindness and philosophical corruption I could barely see straight. I phoned Andrew Breitbart for moral support. “I’ve just had a drink with [blank] and [blank],” I began. And he responded immediately, “Are they ***holes or what?”

All my sympathies, in other words, are with the Tea Party. And I would truly love to see the RINOs skewered on their own horns.

And yet… In general, Tea Party candidates tend to do well in congressional races where small, homogenous districts are in play. In Senate races where you need votes across an entire state, a primary victory for someone like Christine O’Donnell or Todd Akin may briefly fill the conservative heart with joy, but the loss of a Senate seat that could have been won is simply too high a price to pay for that momentary triumph.

We need to talk this out with good sense and without pompous ranting. Politics is the art of the possible. Writing belligerently purist articles, blog posts or comments is relatively easy. Winning elections is hard. Barack Obama is one of the most destructive presidents this country has ever seen, but a talented politician. If stopping him in his tracks requires stomaching some RINOs here and there, it seems a no brainer: It must be done. Ann may have put her case a little too forcefully in the debate above (she’s not exactly given to dithering!), but surely she’s right in the general principle that strategy — and victory — have to come before purity.

I’d rather put up with frustrating RINOs than continue in the minority with our country under attack from within. But let me know what you think.

[ScubieNuc]

I don’t believe in going along with the “lesser of two evils” theory, because essentially what you are saying is both are evil. I will no longer knowingly vote for a known evil, like a RINO. I will only spend my vote on someone I believe is working for the side of God and good. Unfortunately, those people are probably no longer running for national political office. Saying I am no better then a RINO is ridiculous, but that’s where compromise has gotten the GOPe.

[Nifster]

I won’t argue with you there

[Gaffer]

And I am equally surprised that your thought I would expect that any more than from the Republican establishment.

[INVAR]

I think at this point, the reality of 'winning' elections is moot in a post-coup MarxoFascist Amerika.

But if it wasn't - some points to address the fallacy of your arguments:

On energyhealthcare...climate change there are huge differences.

I have heard nothing but silence or clever massaged rhetoric from the Ruling Class Republicans on each one of those issues.

Not a single effort to stymie Obama's EPA shutting down coal plants - not a word to the public outside of campaign sound bites. They are silent. And silence is acceptance.

And I think winning by losing is absurd.

As opposed to the formula of continuing to support Rino/Vichy/Treasonous Republicans? We heard this same stupid and inane argument with Dole, with Bush, With McCain and with Romney. Choosing losing candidates because the Establishment says it's their turn and they support Big Government Statism is EVEN MORE ABSURD.

Obviously standing on principles means 'losing' to people like you. This is how a people sell their soul to Satan.

I’ve seen some posters already willing to throw in the towel on the 14 election if they don’t get their way.

As if elections matter anymore. Obama flouts the Constitution and your party leadership is AWOL. Obama trumps the law by decree and SILENCE from your party bosses. The 2012 election was so fraught with fraud that even hardened Soviet Communists blushed - and CRICKETS from your party leaders. So when another election cycle is stolen by this rigged game set up by the Ruling Class - what does it matter if anyone votes or not? Obama could declare himself president for life tomorrow, and your party bosses will be silent and make small innocuous remarks for their constituents that 'this is not right' - and say and do nothing more.

Instead they will join the Marxofascists and attack Conservatives like Cruz or Lee or Paul for stating what needs to be said and suggest that their 'extremism' is not welcome in the party or Washington.

The Ruling Class Republican leadership are those that have thrown in the towel and joined with the Democrat/Marxist Left.

The TEA Party is what remains of those willing to stand against it.

Stopping this MarxoFascist Juggernaut is not going to come from within a corrupted system - it must come from outside the system and from outside the Establishment parties.

Valerie Jarrett would squeal in delight if she read those posts. Playing to lose is for candy asses.

As if standing on righteous principles is a losing proposition to begin with. Is siding with the enemy is really 'winning' anything? I think not. The last two election cycles showcase these facts.

Good luck trying to 'win' without Conservatives - but then that is why your party is pandering for amnesty for illegal Alien Mexicans for their political salvation.

[TomasUSMC]

I’ll take a democrat. I never have to listen to them , and I feel natural working to destroy them. .......and don’t have to give them a dime.

Todays GOP = like picking between a cheatin wife and a cheating girlfriend.

[SunkenCiv]

Andrew Klavan:

All my sympathies, in other words, are with the Tea Party. And I would truly love to see the RINOs skewered on their own horns... but the loss of a Senate seat that could have been won is simply too high a price to pay for that momentary triumph.

Bingo. In addition, when one looks at the winners (and losers) who are considered Tea Party, the label "Tea Party" is meaningless. Thanks SeekAndFind.

[Nuc 1.1]

I will work to primary out RINOs when I/we get the chance. If I/we fail to unseat the RINO(s) then I will vote for the RINO in the general. Even a fifty percent pubbie is better than a democrat. For the people who lie straight to our faces, there must be consequences. IMHO the reason we have such evil in government is that we, the people, accept immorality and mendacity. Well I will not accept it any longer though I am cognizant of the danger any dim elected places the country in. Thus we clean up the pubbie party as often as we can realizing that it will take a number washings, while protecting the nation as well as we can from the marxist dims. Opting out is not an option though it may be personally satisfying. Please let the pubbie elite know we are not going away, we are smart enough that we don’t need leaders in the sense they understand, we cannot be bought or bribed, and we wouldn’t trust them anyway. We intend to have a moral, just, and responsible government. It really isn’t about money. It is about honor, decency, liberty and freedom. To sum up, God and Country. These are not buzz words to us. They are what we believe. And we are through being abused.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

i would rather a Blue Dog Democrat than a RINO GOP traitor. A Conservative Democrat (a few are left) would be better than a Vichey Republican RINO.

[Grimmy]

So, then, when the guy with the R, who won simply because he was a guy with the R and bent over and appeased the left at every opportunity, continues to bend over and please the left at every opportunity after he gets that seat, who’s gonna be surprised?

Vote for a quisling to support the occupation!

On the other hand, it does aid in giving the R just as disgusting a reputation of destructionism as the D. That makes it easier to blame politics in general, rather than having to go to all the trouble of addressing the fact that our politics is now dominated by those who have given their hearts, minds and souls to a mishmash of ideologies that demand our own destruction.

[Nuc 1.1]

We were fooled then. We are not fooled now.

[Nuc 1.1]

You are correct. At least until the dims become conservative.

[SunkenCiv]

So, voting for anyone else in order to support the election of the Democrat, who’s gonna be surprised?

[Grimmy]

Gotta start somewhere or it’s just business as usual and that business has got us now where but bad.

[Talisker]

The thing about a RINO is that they are going to do their damnedest to lose the race. If they screw up and actually win, then they have to pay back their failure by voting Rat, enabling Rat, and protecting Rat.

[itsahoot]

I liked it until he got to the; I like Sarah but....

We have danced to this tune before, we should know the steps by now. They lie.

[itsahoot]

But I won’t shed a tear if they get defeated in the general either.

If we are going to weep, weep for the Republic and not those that are destroying it.

[itsahoot]

they will generally vote conservative more often than a Democrat.

Especially when it doesn't matter. Watch how they vote when it actually makes a difference. These phony conservative ratings are useless, look at accomplishments not meaningless votes.

[itsahoot]

Voting for RINOs is the same as voting for any other Tyrant

Worth repeating, in fact worthy of a tagline.

[itsahoot]

the Republican party is much more conservative now then it was under W.

Those of us that tried to warn that W. was no conservative were shouted down. New World Order Compassionate Conservative indeed.

[pfony1]

As I rank probabilities,

“some chance” of a border fence is better than

“no chance” of a border fence.

You may disagree.

IMHO, voting for “no chance” is a kind of preemptive surrender.

IMHO, anyone who surrenders without a fight feels no need to actually DO anything about the border fence or other issues.

Instead, we find them lounging around, smugly enjoying their morally superior “feelings”.