The False Myth of the 80% Conservative

Canada Free Press ^ | March 23, 2014 | Jonathon Moseley

[Moseley]

The danger is this: In the USA’s upcoming 2014 elections, Republican elites assume that everyone all now agrees that conservatives ‘must’ support non-conservative candidates to win more elections. The GOP is operating on the belief that everyone is on board, simply because insiders have officially decreed it to be so.

However, the grassroots in the USA remains unconvinced. Worse, the Republican establishment has no plan for truly healing the actual wounds. Elites want to avoid change more fervently than they do want to win elections. Elites violated trust by advancing liberal policies in the U.S. Congress, but they won’t apologize or reform. The GOP will do anything to win elections – except change.

It simply doesn’t matter what you or I think. Activists are going to sit on their hands whether you like it or not, whether I like it or not, unless the GOP fields conservative nominees. Elites can denounce such thinking all day long, but that changes nothing. So the Republican Party is heading into the 2014 elections with the establishment deceiving itself into thinking that grassroots volunteers agree with Party plans.

Also, the grassroots acts independently in the US. Washington insiders suffer from the delusion that the tea party follows tea party “leaders.” But the tea party came first. Self-appointed “leaders” later on tried to rush in front of the parade. Many tea party “leaders” are cooperative this year. But that does not mean grassroots activists, donors, and voters will fall into line with Republican Party strategists.

The crucial debate threatening to tear the GOP apart is this: Ronald Reagan said: “Somebody who agrees with you 80% of the time is an 80% friend not a 20% enemy.” Therefore, conservatives must bite their tongue and support Republican candidates and office-holders who are not conservative. That’s the thesis.

[mulligan]

We should try.

[Moseley]

I am not suggesting amnesty but we’re not going to be sending 20,000,000 back. We’ve got to be real.

We could if we wanted to. Bottom line: You don't want to.

Everyone of those people arrived here without help from the U.S. government. Why do they need any help going home again? They knew how to get here when it is illegal. How hard would it be for them to go home with official approval and encouragement for their trip home?

About a million illegal aliens left during the recession because they could not get jobs. Starting to see the recipe?

[Moseley]

Indeed. I can live with the 80% rule as far as politicians who share 80% of the following views

But what if Republican candidates LIE? What if they promise you that they will support 80% of those issues... but they lied? Then when they get into office, they turn around and stab you in the back?

Is someone "80% our friend" if they promise us what we want to hear, but then break their promises once in office (again(?

[Moseley]

80% of what I want is sure better than 0% (this would be Hussein Obama).

If a candidate PROMISES you "80% of what I want" do you imagine you will actually get it after the election and they take office? What does it mean for someone to agree with you 80% of the time if you cannot trust the promises he or she makes to you?

[Cyber Liberty]

Conservatives realize that “80% conservatives” usually vote only 50% conservative once in office. The problem is betrayal.

I disagree: THey still get the 80% ACU rating. It's that the 20% always seems to be on the votes for which they are needed the most. McQueeg is like that...he rolls over for the Rats right when we need him the most. That's "betrayal." Flake the flake set himself upon that path the instant the vote count declared him the winner in the November.

[smoothsailing]

And who cares?

Those who see voting as an obligation of good citizenship. Those who understand and practice the Buckley Rule. Those who appreciate and respect the rights they have as Americans.

If you don't count yourself in that number I will not insult you because of it. Go your own way, stay home. The Republic will survive without you.

[B4Ranch]

>>There is a difference in fundamental beliefs in the two parties. <<

Oh really? I notice there is a strong push to repeal Obamacare and balance the budget. Actually both parties are against these issues, strongly against them. I laugh when McCain support Obama and FReepers get upset. Where’s the party line? According to McCain, Lindsey, Issa and Boehner it is across the aisle.

I went to the Independent side of the voting line years ago. Republicans don’t carry enough KY Jelly for me to withstand being cornholed twice weekly.

[uncitizen]

Elites want to avoid change more fervently than they do want to win elections

because the GOP is not an opposition party, but a red herring party intended to fool people into thinking that someone in the establishment still represents them. They'd like to keep up this illusion going until the fundamental transformation is complete.

[meadsjn]

Maybe there was a time when a "moderate" Republican (i.e. liberal) was preferable to a Democrat, but not any more.

If the "moderate" Republican uses that 20% opposing votes to:

• vote away your language, culture, border;
• import visa workers and illegal invaders to destroy any future opportunities for your children and grand-children.
• empower un-Constitutional regulatory agencies to steal your land, impoverish your families, destroy your economy;
• disarm you against the roving bands of sub-human criminal elements, refuse to enforce laws against the same sub-humans, and criminalize your own self-defense;
• vote to destroy your health care system, tax you extra for the governmental elements planning your own extermination.
• etc., etc., etc.

No, these bastards don't deserve a vote. They deserve a fair trial, and a fine hanging.

[MCH]

I've been unaffiliated since the "R" party nominated McCain for president. They've only doubled down in most cases since then. If the "R" party, a.k.a. the Stupid party, doesn't put at least a semi-conservative up for any election in which I can participate in for the future, I can *guarantee* I'm voting third party or not at all if there's no better individual nominee. The elitist libtards running the GOPe can go to hell along with their "D" party brethren. The "you have to hold your nose and vote for the liberal Repub or you're really voting for the Dem" argument has run its course.

[ansel12]

To do so would be to dishonor all of those Americans who have fought to defend and preserve our liberty and our rights.

You mean not wanting to support a pro-abortion candidate who gave America gay marriage, and who had been campaigning to homosexualize the military for almost 20 years, and who had refused to enlist and had dodged the draft as his father ran for president during wartime, claiming the military had "brainwashed him", and as a member of a family line who had never had a male serve our nation in uniform during it's entire 170 year history here, and who's own five sons were refusing to serve as he ran to be a wartime commander in chief himself?

[smoothsailing]

The Buckley Rule; “support the rightwardmost viable candidate”

My candidate didn’t make it out of the primaries. In the General Election Romney was the rightwardmost viable candidate. And as distasteful as it was for me to vote for him, I took solace in knowing that it at least was a vote to deny Obama a second term. Staying home in righteous indignation would not have been. It would have accomplished nothing.

[gitmo]

The False Myth of the 80% Conservative

As opposed to the True Myth?

[Rodamala]

1) follow the fundamental laws set forth in the US Constitution.
2) fight tooth and nail to limit the size and scope of the Federal Government.
3) leave social issues up to state/local governments and wage the conservatives vs libertarians fight at that level.
4) if in doubt see #1.

If “conservatives” keep being distracted on the Federal level by trying to change the behavior and legislate the morality of the unwashed masses, we are going to lose this republic.

[ansel12]

Some veterans would find fault with the way you chose to use their service to sell your pro-abortion, draft dodging, America hating guy.

Do you know how Mitt Romney reacted to Reagan’s ascendancy in the party and that wave of American patriotism and success?

[Moseley]

And who cares? Those who see voting as an obligation of good citizenship. Those who understand and practice the Buckley Rule.

But your expression of hope or your belief IS NOT A PLAN. Hope is not a plan.

The Republican Party could either:
1) Just hope that conservatives conform to what you are expressing, or
2) Actually provide candidates that the grassroots would get excited about giving up time with their family and hobbies to campaign for

One the GOP has control over: Fix itself. The other is just an empty hope.

So you sit there (not alone, at least) fervently hoping that millions of conservatives across the country will see it the way you do, will pound yard signs along highways, make phone calls, walk neighborhoods canvassing for candidates who insult their beliefs, etc., etc.

But that is just an empty hope, isn't it?

Now, if that's all you've got, you have to make the best of where you are.

But there is another alternative available: The GOP could stop breaking its promises, stop lying, stop betraying the grassroots.

The establishment faces a "Come to Jesus" moment of decision: Do they want to win elections by changing and reforming and reconciling with the grassroots they betrayed? Or do they want to whistle past the graveyard and PRETEND there isn't a problem?

[boycott]

What does it mean for someone to agree with you 80% of the time if you cannot trust the promises he or she makes to you?

---

That’s true with every politician. If that’s the case, you should never vote.

[boycott]

We could if we wanted to. Bottom line: You don’t want to.

---

I would be perfectly fine rounding up every illegal and sending all 20,000,000 back home. Common sense says that’s not going to happen.

[smoothsailing]

Some veterans will find fault with any given thing on any given day. Just spend an afternoon at my VFW hall and you’d know what I mean.

As a veteran it is my personal belief that I should unleash the power of my right to vote every chance I get. I don’t have to like the choices in order to vote for who I think will do the least damage to my country.

As I see it, complaining about the unfairness of it all and staying home on Election Day is not a constructive exercise.

[smoothsailing]

I’ve presented my point of view, my personal philosophy of voting, that’s all. Whether you approve of it or not is your choice, I’m not looking for converts.

I’ve certainly offered no plan for the Republican Party to attract conservative voters or strategy for conservatives to influence the GOP. That seems to be your passion, and I’ll leave you to it.