Posted on 11/09/2012 5:24:02 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
It’s been less than 24 hours since the polls closed and already the first shots in an emerging civil war within the conservative movement are being fired. Right-leaning pundits have been taking turns beating up on Mitt Romney and blaming him for the loss last night. Donald Trump just tweeted, “Congrats to @KarlRove on blowing $400 million this cycle. Every race @CrossroadsGPS ran ads in, the Republicans lost. What a waste of money.” And GOP leaders are already taking to the barricades on either side of the divide, which basically comes down to this question: Were Romney and the GOP too conservative or not conservative enough?
Steve Schmidt, a top Republican strategist who ran John McCain’s 2008 campaign, invoked the term on MSNBC this morning. “When I talk about a civil war in the Republican Party, what I mean is, it’s time for Republican elected leaders to stand up and to repudiate this nonsense [of the extreme right wing], and to repudiate it directly,” he said.
But on the other side of the fight, Herman Cain, the former presidential candidate who still has a robust following via his popular talk radio program and speaking tours, today suggested the most clear step to open civil war: secession. Appearing on Bryan Fischer’s radio program this afternoon, Cain called for a large faction of Republican Party leaders to desert the party and form a third, more conservative party.
“I never thought that I would say this, and this is the first time publicly that I’ve said it: We need a third party to save this country. Not Ron Paul and the Ron Paulites. No. We need a legitimate third party to challenge the current system that we have, because I don’t believe that the Republican Party … has the ability to rebrand itself,” Cain said.
Fischer, a social conservative leader, noted that he predicted this summer that if Mitt Romney loses, evangelical conservatives would start a third party. “If Barack Obama wins this election the Republican Party as we know it is finished, it is dead, it is toast,” Fischer said in September at the Values Voter Summit in Washington.
Rush Limabugh, two months ago, echoed the sentiment. ”If Obama wins, let me tell you what it’s the end of: the Republican Party. There’s gonna be a third party that’s gonna be oriented toward conservatism,” he said.
“It is more viable today than it has ever been,” Cain told Fischer today of a third party.
After the GOP’s crushing 2008 loss, there was lots of talk about a new third party. When the Tea Party emerged, this talk almost became a reality. Instead, the conservative activists opted for a hostile takeover of the GOP. It’s still very unlikely that Cain or anyone else could start a viable third party, but his comments underscore the cleavage within the conservative movement in the wake of the defeat last night.
Yeah...they nominate a Massuchusetts liberal and yet they lost because he and the party were too conservative. LOL!!
The social conservatives are going to have to take a back seat in the upcoming several election cycles, because at the rate our fiscal situation is deteriorating, the future of the US is rapidly coming into doubt. It is pointless to worry about social issues if we’ve surrendered our national sovereignty to China and other lending nations, or the economy implodes.
Sadly, the social conservatives are so certain of their moral righteousness that they care more about their moral preening rather than whether or not we still have a country, or we end up under someone else’s thumb, the way Greece now is.
One part of me wants to go with Cain's idea, and if it can be done with the right leader, I'm switching parties.
Here is the folly is all of it. We already have how many sects/parties under our tent? None of them will BACK THE OTHER EVER, too stiff necked to see the horizon.
They will still cling to their PRINCIPALS, no matter what or whom we elect in a primary. That's the problem.
What Obama doesn’t understand is that it is DISHONORABLE to keep pulling out the old credit card and swiping it time after time; then demonizing the “rich” because they’re “rich” and not “paying their fair share”.
It’s evil. Sloth is one of the 7 deadly sins. - If I want a scooter, I’ll get me a used scooter. If I want a cellphone (which I don’t), I’ll get myself hooked up with a provider. We’re not rich; and I’m not bragging, but this is evil. - Oh, and I’ll raise and buy my own food and dowdy clothes! House is paid for after 20 years.
You don’t need an organization in all 50 states. You need to think about this a bit more cleverly than that.
For example, you’re never going to take NY, NJ, MA, CA, WA, OR, HI, RI, CT, etc. Don’t even bother with those states at first.
If you want to attract the attention of the GOP and make them come to the table, then you need only create a party to give them competition in states where they’ve taken people for granted. Wyoming is a great example - no one even wonders whether or not WY will go GOP - it is just assumed, no matter what.
Well, what happens when they can’t count on those three electoral votes? Or the EV’s from other “dependable” GOP states? Suddenly, their presidential aspirations go up in smoke. They have to deal.
People need to start thinking more creatively about how to make these people come to heel.
I don’t think we have that much time... I’m betting the bubble is about to burst and all hell is just around the corner now.
Well stated. the social conservatives are too STIFF necked to see the horizon. We've got to GET INTO the promised land first, then work from there to improve things.
How do you make them understand that principal? I'm stumped.
You’re right - I think we have, at most, three years now.
Romney and Ryan might have given us one or two more years, at most.
Our media will run ever better against a 3rd party. They will run better against any party, any candidate other than democrat from now on.
In Michigan, the tea partiers showed up at the state convention and formed a conservative coalition and removed our entrenched RINO former state chair and national committeeman, Saul Anuzis.
They negotiated an acceptable compromise among tea party, Pualists, and GOP conservatives. They replaced Anuzis on the national committee with Dave Agema, an established conservative GOP legislator. Agema isn’t perfect but he is a truly vast improvement over Anuzis.
Thanks for the Mark Levin article, I will reread it often.
That’s already been tried - the idea of running third party-candidates that have no chance of winning in their own right, but who will serve to snatch up electoral college members, and tie the Electoral College, allowing the third party to act as kingmaker and make demands on one of the two major parties.
The progressives tried it in 1924, with La Follette’s Progressive Party. It failed.
In 1948, the Dixiecrats tried it. Failed again.
In 1960, another effort was made, this time with the infamous “unpledged” elector slates. It was a flop.
And finally, in 1968, the Independent party made another push to tie the Electoral College. It didn’t go anywhere.
Something tells me I’m going to be listening to Herman Cain when he starts his show on Janurary 21st.
Steve Schmidt was one of Sarah Palin’s biggest antagonizers in the McCain canpaign. Can’t stomach the guy.
There is a joke in here about him teaming up with Patreus and Trump, but I am too tired to work it.
“Yup. 3rd party’s fail utterly in the United States. We hear this nonsense about forming new ones around election time every year and nothing is going to come of it. Our winner take all system with no possibility of coalition government is just not suited for 3rd party’s.”
Not discounting the validity of what you say, but to me it looks like the Pubbies will neither be winnin’ nor takin’ much at all if things keep going the way they’ve been going...
They are right. A new Party must be considered. The GOP just isn’t very grand anymore. It must be rejected and a new 3rd Party started. Trump is right on this—I believe. BUT, this must be well thought out—not done with emotion or frustration—well planned and thought out. What are our options?
1. Take over an existing small party that has established itself. Such as the Constitution Party in New York. Or Ross Perot’s old Reform Party. Have lots and lots of folks join up and change it to meet our terms.
2. Try to take over the GOP—but I don’t think that can be done—even with the likes of Sarah Palin and others in the Tea Party.
3. Start a new Party —a Tea Party—but call it the Liberty Party —our symbol a Liberty tree with lanterns on it—and other symbols of the Revolution. Ever see the movie Johnny Tremain?
4. We could drop the whole party thing and start a Movement that would exist outside of party. A new Tea Party thing—only this time a bit edgy and—taking a page from the enemy—go face to face with the Liberals—The Sons of Liberty. Burn our enemies in effigy— publish an underground newspaper like Thomas Paine—We must become ‘The Resistance’ This would appeal to the young people. When ever we see Obama’s smiling face—paint a “V” over it.
5. Join radials who want to separate—states from the Union—session! raise the Stars and Bars or Bonnie Blue. Join parties that want a free Texas or Free Alaska. Like our friends in Quebec, we can use this leverage to get our message out. The Threat of Civil War might cause a crack down that will tarnish the Leftists in power. Pull away the mask of compassion from their evil faces.
These are but a few things that can be done. I bet you can think of other ways to resist.
A third Party must NOT try to run a president—Ross Perot proved this—We must start small—a few seats here , a few seats there. A state government here a state government there. It must be built up slowly from the grass roots up. We must take over towns and counties, school boards and municipal organizations—dog catchers to supervisors! Only after we have made inroads should a president run. And we should select a War Hero! Someone young, bright, an Alpha Male. Our stands should be clear—like Reagan— No abortions! (focus on Late Term abortions—no one likes them) Work not welfare etc... National service for all—not a draft so much as a year to 18 months to help out in National parks , in inner cities, and in other ways (military—if they want it). Any illegal—should be able to earn citizenship though service.
I do as well. Matter of fact it is past time. The "R" Party has made it clear that it will not swing back to the right again no matter how bad they get beat down. They just keep going left more and more often. Its time conservatives start to cut them loose and move beyond them.
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