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Conservatives Won't Win Elections by Refusing To Compromise
Townhall.com ^ | May 28, 2014 | Dr Ben Carson

Posted on 05/28/2014 6:28:32 PM PDT by Kaslin

More discussion on the topic of pragmatism and politics is critical. If conservatives decide to take their marbles and go home rather than fight to the bitter end because they feel their principles have been compromised, they will needlessly subject future generations to untold misery.

Voting for someone who agrees with you 90 percent of the time is far superior to voting for someone who disagrees with you 100 percent of the time. This is exactly what will happen if people refuse to exercise their civic duty and boycott elections because they feel betrayed. Personally, I am not supportive of abortion at all, but I can support people who feel differently if, in the gigantic scheme of things, they can help put an end to the murder of innocent babies. This is especially true of those who are personally inclined to save and protect life.

Perhaps an illustration is in order: Two armies are engaged in a war. Let's call the good army that is trying to defend an entire society the red army and the bad army that is trying to invade and pillage society the blue army. The blue army occupies a superior strategic position and is composed of slightly more troops, putting the red army at a distinct disadvantage. Some in the red army feel that they are right and, therefore, should simply march directly into battle with the blue army because right always wins.

Fortunately, some members of the red army are wise and have a better plan. They send a battalion of troops to the base of the mountain occupied by the blue army to distract them while the vast majority of red troops approach the mountain from the backside. They descend upon the blue army by surprise, completely vanquishing them and winning the war. The decoy red battalion may have sustained some casualties, but in the long run, the war was won, and the entire society was saved.

I hope this illustration is useful in helping some to understand that achieving a critical mass of conservatives and RINOs (Republicans in Name Only, as some call them) in office will ensure that we can get non-activist Supreme Court and federal judges in place who respect the U.S. Constitution. It is essential to achieve a critical mass of individuals in the U.S. House and Senate who can join with a president in upholding the Constitution. These representatives must believe in personal responsibility and creating a business-friendly environment, understand the balance between abundant fossil-fuel development and environmental safety, and yearn to elevate the government-dependent 47 percent rather than make them more dependent. They also must be totally pro-life and believe that the rule of law can undo a host of damaging regulations and restore the value system that made this nation great.

In the long run, with the help of God, we will be in a position to save millions of babies who otherwise would be slaughtered. With this kind of responsible empowerment, energizing a sluggish economy, bringing stability to a leaderless planet and facilitating innovation will not be that difficult. To sit helplessly by and pray for deliverance when the tools to achieve victory are in our hands is not useful. God helps those who help themselves.

Conservatives and those who share their values are the last bastion between freedom and tyranny. If the secular liberals, who are very clever, succeed in dividing us during the next two national elections, America as we know it will be gone. We can stop this, but we must work together. I disagree with those who think it is going to take decades to undo the damage that already has been done. Americans are exceptional and extremely resilient. We cannot allow ourselves to be defined by those who wish to fundamentally change our society.

I am convinced that Americans with common sense will soon regain power. It is essential that we not use the opportunity to exact revenge upon the liberals. Rather, we must govern by the Constitution in a way that is fair for all. It is not reasonable to have favorites and to enforce laws selectively. Most importantly, it is not the place of our government to rule the people; the government must always remember that it is in place to serve the people.

I believe that when people who were being manipulated by the secular liberals, including the media, have an opportunity to see how much better off they are when the proper relationship between the people and the government is restored, they will adopt a different attitude. This will empower them and the entire nation.

Now is the time to rise above partisan politics and recognize the incredible blessings God has bestowed upon our nation. It is time to elevate common sense, decency, honesty and compassion to their proper positions. Rather than simply repeating the words, we must actually achieve "one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2014midterms; abortion; compromise; pablum; politicalparty
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To: FreeReign; narses; Salvation

I simply don’t trust this argument anymore, and I’m dismayed that Dr Carson is using it. He should have been astute enough to recognize that this kind of appeal leaves a very bad taste in the mouth of conservatives.

This is the approach that has been used to wind up at full scale sell out.

So, don’t talk to me about “the principle of compromise”.

Tell me the exact compromise you have in mind, and I’ll tell you if I go along with it. If your article mentioning abortion is an indication of where you think compromise should take place, then forget it.

And politician who doesn’t understand that you can’t run around indiscriminately killing people is not worthy of office no matter ANYTHING else he says. If he’s in favor of killing, he go back on anything.


41 posted on 05/28/2014 7:14:41 PM PDT by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
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To: Kenny
I detest all liberal republicans. I want to see them lose.

And as long as your party has its much beloved open primaries, it does pertain to me. I can and sometimes do vote for republicans.

/johnny

42 posted on 05/28/2014 7:15:02 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Kaslin

I will NOT vote for a “lesser of evils” establishment RINO again.


43 posted on 05/28/2014 7:15:50 PM PDT by Proud2BeRight
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To: Kaslin

Dr. Ben Carson, you are confused.

Winning elections is not what this is all about. If we wanted to win elections then we all could just join the democrats, boost their numbers, and then we would win elections. Or we could all be RINOs move to the left and compromise all our principles.

But this is about principles.

Sometimes, it is important to take a stand on principle. On principle we may need to fight. On principle we could lose our life. On principle we could lose an election. It is for us to do our duty, then let God determine how He will use us. Win or Lose. Let Him use our principled duty to Him.

We would not be in this mess if on principle we did not compromise. Compromise is what got us where we are. Therefore, we will not compromise with you. If you are not a principled conservative Christian and a principled conservative Constitutionalist, then we don’t want you.

Patrick Henry said on principle, “Give me liberty, or give me death.” He did not compromise. He was given liberty.


44 posted on 05/28/2014 7:16:24 PM PDT by ForYourChildren (Christian Education [ RomanRoadsMedia.com - a classical Christian approach to homeschool])
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To: Kenny
And the article is about conservatives... not republicans. Big difference.

/johnny

45 posted on 05/28/2014 7:17:23 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Kaslin

Dr Carson, I have a newsflash for you. The Tea Party candidates who are winning left and right are NOT running on an agenda of “compromise”.


46 posted on 05/28/2014 7:18:24 PM PDT by Bryan24 (When in doubt, move to the right..........)
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To: JRandomFreeper
I can and sometimes do vote for republicans.

Not trying to rile you up but you obviously aren't in the fight to win back the Senate and keep the House. That's the fight we have to win.

47 posted on 05/28/2014 7:21:58 PM PDT by Kenny
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To: Kenny
Winning the Senate is meaningless when the liberal republican Senate leadership gave Reid the critical cloture votes required to remove the debt limit.

The House hasn't used it's power to reduce government spending one cent, and they can without the Senate or the President.

/johnny

48 posted on 05/28/2014 7:25:11 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Timber Rattler
because they feel betrayed.

There's no "feel" about it. Conservative HAVE BEEN betrayed, for YEARS, by the very party that expects them to once again to supply their votes.

49 posted on 05/28/2014 7:25:16 PM PDT by workerbee (The President of the United States is DOMESTIC ENEMY #1!)
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To: nathanbedford

Reagan may have had clarity in his political philosophy and achieved most of his goals, but he didn’t achieve them without a great deal of compromise along the way. One has to know when and how to compromise, what can be compromised on and what can’t. But we can’t 30 years later forget about the fairly extensive Reagan compromises done to achieve his ends. I think that’s what Dr. Carson is alluding to in his commentary.


50 posted on 05/28/2014 7:25:41 PM PDT by EDINVA
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To: Kenny
I would love to see majority conservatives in both houses of congress. The fastest way to do that is start by getting rid of liberals. All of them. Including republican liberals.

/johnny

51 posted on 05/28/2014 7:27:40 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Proud2BeRight

Nor will I. I voted for Dole. I voted for McCain. I voted twice for Bush
and I voted for Romney.

And have nothing to show for it.
I’m done with voting for RINO’s.


52 posted on 05/28/2014 7:28:53 PM PDT by tennmountainman (Just Say No To Obamacare)
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To: EDINVA
The problem is that modern republicans want to compromise foundational principles. That's something Reagan didn't do. And he caught hell from the establishment because of it.

/johnny

53 posted on 05/28/2014 7:29:22 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: EDINVA

The GOPe fought tooth and nail not to compromise for Reagan, he muscled that nomination on his third presidential run.


54 posted on 05/28/2014 7:30:21 PM PDT by ansel12 ((Ted Cruz and Mike Lee-both of whom sit on the Senate Judiciary Comm as Ginsberg's importance fades)
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To: Kaslin

RINO’s are not 90% ‘with’ me.
They are more like 90% ‘against’ me.

When it comes to issues that truly matter to me, down to the very pits of my soul... issues that define my beliefs, my culture, my identity, and compel me to the voting booth... RINO’s are no different than DEMS.

In some ways, they’re even more vile. They’ll be out campaigning on the stump, mouthing conservatism, saying they’re for fiscal responsibility or against amnesty or against homo-marriage... but once safely in office, they reverse their position, stabbing you in the back. They are contemptuous beyond words. The duplicitous enablers of the Dems and their leftist march. It is they who have helped the lib scum turn America into the putrid, socialist, degenerate sewer that it has become. Damn them all to hell.

I’ll never vote for a RINO. Those days are long over.


55 posted on 05/28/2014 7:31:56 PM PDT by greene66
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To: JRandomFreeper
I would love to see majority conservatives in both houses of congress. The fastest way to do that is start by getting rid of liberals. All of them. Including republican liberals.

Not gonna happen in 2014 so here's our choices, we either work for a Republican majority to keep SCOTUS from going off a cliff and keep some form of the Constitution or we sit back and let the Democrats take it again and the whole damn country will go off a cliff as Dems use the Constitution for toilet paper.

Those are the facts.

56 posted on 05/28/2014 7:33:33 PM PDT by Kenny
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To: Kaslin

Anybody beginning to suspect that this guy is a plant?


57 posted on 05/28/2014 7:35:45 PM PDT by dagogo redux (A whiff of primitive spirits in the air, harbingers of an impending descent into the feral.)
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To: Kaslin

Compromise with voters, yes. With Democrates and their business... hell no.


58 posted on 05/28/2014 7:35:58 PM PDT by lavaroise (A well regulated gun being necessary to the state, the rights of the militia shall not be infringed)
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To: Kenny
It's not going to happen quickly, that's for sure. But getting conservatives to vote for pro-abortion, anti-gun, socialized medicine republican candidates isn't going to happen either.

The GOP needs to wake up and smell the coffee. They are going to get conservative or get destroyed. And lots of us don't care which.

That isn't to say that I'm not willing to compromise on non-foundational issues. I'm willing to allow the EPA 5 years to wind down, instead of close immediately.

But those foundational issues, that the republican party includes in its platform, like abortion, 2nd amendment, socialized medicine... those can't be compromised on.

/johnny

59 posted on 05/28/2014 7:37:52 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Sans-Culotte

“Scratch another guy off the list.”

I think that when you carefully look at all the candidates, you can scratch them alll off the list.


60 posted on 05/28/2014 7:39:33 PM PDT by staytrue
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