Lessons from Britain and Canada Could Save the GOP

Town Hall ^ | November 21, 2008 | Matt Lewis

[yongin]

Much has been written lately regarding how the Republican Party might re-form itself into a winning operation. Of course, this debate has been around for a long time, but our recent losses have reignited the debate. This time, however (perhaps having learned from liberals that “progressive” sounds better) -- the moderates have re-branded themselves as “modernizers”, “reformers”, or “pragmatists”. And to give their revolution some historical credibility, they have given themselves a new hero: British Conservative Party Leader David Cameron.

In their minds, Cameron is the crusading moderate who wrested control of the Conservative Party from…well…conservatives -- dragged it kicking and screaming into the 21st Century -- and now stands ready to become Prime Minister in the 2009 Election. They are right on two counts: the first being that Cameron is a moderate and the second being that he is a political genius.

Indeed, there is much we can learn from Mr. Cameron, and even as a staunch conservative I think that elements of his template could be the keys to future Republican victories. However, the idea that he would be on board with their reverse-RINO-hunt is complete and utter rubbish -- and it shows great ignorance of how Cameron has revitalized British conservatism. If we really want to implement the Cameron model, we must first understand the details of what he did…and what he did differs starkly with the ideas currently being floated by angry moderates hungry for conservative blood.

[Frantzie]

Huh? Cameron is pretty liberal and Boris loves Obama. Harper in Canada I think is more conservative.

As soon as Harper won the Canuck Libs pulled a fast one with a coalition to kick him out of office a immediately. They used the Obama template and were assistied by Obama people.

[surely_you_jest]

. . . the moderates have re-branded themselves as “modernizers”, “reformers”, or “pragmatists”.

A/K/A "faggots".

[Past Your Eyes]

"...angry moderates hungry for conservative blood"

ROFLMAO!! That's a good one. "I'm so mad I could crush a grape."

[goldstategop]

I'm in favor of establishing a new Conservative Party here. Republican sounds like a boring label. Let's be proud of being conservatives!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[goldstategop]

In left-wing Canada conservatives have recovered by emphasizing their conservatism, not by trying to moderate or water it down. They have kept on gaining seats and winning in places that haven't elected a Conservative for a generation. Therein lies the lesson for the American Right: being Democrat Lite is not a prescription for victory.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[SmokingJoe]

Britain and the US are quite different in lots of ways. Conservatism on Britain is not the same as conservatism in America. While conservatives in America are strongly pro life for example, plenty of conservatives in the UK are for abortion.
Not to mention, the UK is totally fed up with the sleaze and corruption of the Labour Party, that has been in power for 10 years, and the public blames the Labour Party for the financial meltdown in Britain, just as the public in America(wrongly) blamed Republicans for the financial meltdown here, because Bush has been in power for 8 years.
Conservatives will win next year as part of the normal cycle of politics, hereby one party is in power for some time, screw up, the public gets fed up with them, then throw them out and vote for the other party.
It would be wrong to read too much into anything that Cameron has done, as the cause of the Conservatives turn around in the polls.

[Frantzie]

Good point. I may start to sound like Alec Baldwin and decide I want to move to Canada if this Indonesian citizen of British/Kenyan birth gets sworn in.

[SmokingJoe]

“In left-wing Canada conservatives have recovered by emphasizing their conservatism, not by trying to moderate or water it down. They have kept on gaining seats and winning in places that haven't elected a Conservative for a generation. Therein lies the lesson for the American Right: being Democrat Lite is not a prescription for victory”

you are exactly right.
And the author of this article is quite wrong on his analysis.

[yongin]

Things stink right now. But to put it in perspective, we did have a nice run in the past 28 years. We had the White House from 1980-1992 and 2000-2008. We had Congress from 1994-2006. We also held the majority of the Governorships durng that period. We are could be entering a period where conservativism is burnt out in need of a break. Obama was elected because too many people just wanted to try something new. As bad as things are now, I am confident that we will bounce back. The success of Brit Cameron and Canadian Harper are proof of that. The question is will it take 4 years or 12 years?

[goldstategop]

The moderates abandoned the bipartisan Republican, the one they said could work with Democrats and endorsed and voted for Obama.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[fanfan]

[goldstategop]

I think it will take a generation. The New Deal lasted from 1932 to 1980. The Reagan Era lasted from 1980 to 2008. So these shifts come and go in cycles. We're now entering a period of liberal ascendancy.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[sinsofsolarempirefan]

It would be wrong to read too much into anything that Cameron has done, as the cause of the Conservatives turn around in the polls. It would be wrong to underestimate his influence as well. Michael Howard (the last party leader) singularly failed to re-vitalise the Conservative Party and make it electable the way Cameron has done, despite the fact that in the 2005 election, Nu-Labour and Tony Blair were extremely unpopular because of the Iraq war and nanny-statist policies, but the Conservative Party was still not seen under Howard as a party that was worth trusting with government.....

[JSDude1]

It’s not “conservative” that is burnt out: it’s he Fake Conservatism associated with RINOS and Bush that haven’t gone far enough to actually live up to their promises to re-direct America into a Conservative nation (aka roll-back the New Deal& Co).

[alex]

The funny thing is that the great majority of "true conservatives" here did and do support nation building efforts in Iraq.

I suppose it is time for every nation builder get off his/her high conservative horse first, before we ever had a chance to have a meaningful discussion about moving forward.

[SmokingJoe]

I am willing to bet, we will gain plenty of seats in the House come 2010, so far as we elect a proper conservative RNC Chair, boot out the amnesty loving, anti-ANWR drilling people that the Bush/McCain cabal have left us with, and work hard to nominate strong conservative candidates to stand in the 2010 elections in seats that are currently held by the Dims. If the Bush RNC was not been asleep and had worked to remove Stevens and put in a solid, non-corrupt Republican candidate, we would have the US Senate seat in Alaska by now.

[pallis]

Looking at the examples RINOs present, it is more clear than ever that they will never lead the party to victory, and even if they did, (in their fantasies) it would be a losing proposition.

[goldstategop]

The Conservatives are learning the much of the Green agenda is political poison. People want the environment protected but they don't want pay more to do it. I think their their sweeping wins last fall, they stressed bread and butter themes. David Cameron is discovering what works and what doesn't.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[goldstategop]

We have to stop writing off Blue States. We'll have to invest resources, time and money to build a strong grassroots in the Northeast, Illinois and the Left Coast. It may take a generation but we will only be a majority party can when conservatives can win all across the country.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus