[Servant of the Cross]

It’s almost conventional wisdom now that presidential candidates woo the party faithful in primary contests and tack to the middle in the general election to attract more-moderate voters.

Eliana was quite obviously too young to experience President Reagan. He was not 'conventional' but he most certainly was wise. Conservatism is an idea, a vision, a philosophy that is attractive all by itself to a multitude of people. You don't need 'tack' and pander to groups or interests, whether in the primary or the general. The message is always the same. You passionately and effectively articulate its great principles and the people come to you. I think Senator Cruz gets this very well. His philosophical fusion is the same as President Reagan's.

Conservatism's political power derived from its ideas, not the other way around.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

From your link:

".....While factions will always exist, leaders of such single ideological perspectives necessarily will be viewed as partisans of that faction and will not be accepted as movement-wide leaders. Only one who internalizes the necessity of both liberty and tradition can make it work. That was Reagan’s secret to success and the only path forward. He was not a carpenter of stools but a synthesizer of Western wisdom, recognized as such by a sufficient number to be granted power. What the conservative movement needs most today is more philosophical debating clubs and less talk about power. If it gets the former right, the latter will follow."

Good stuff! Thank you for linking the article.

[nathanbedford]

Ted Cruz has just demonstrated for those who choose to look that the establishment Republican party has utterly betrayed the faithful who have so recently installed them in power. In the wake of this villainy Ted Cruz has virtually as the only path forward to the White House for him to abandon the establishment Republican party as a drowning man would let go an anchor.

The question is not whether a distinct group of committed conservatives such as are found here on FreeRepublic will abandon Mitch McConnell and John Boehner for a real Ronald Reagan style crusade led by Ted Cruz, the question is whether there will be enough to win. In other words, the rupture between the betrayers in charge of the Republican Party in Congress and The Tea Party base is complete. The problem is, it is unknowable whether there is enough of us to prevail.

Judging from the media coverage it will be very difficult for Ted Cruz to make clear to Republican voters the extent of the betrayal which our Rino opponents have just committed. For example, Bill Bennett's cowardly diffidence during his radio show this morning in even articulating the idea of betrayal indicates the degree to which the media establishment, even further left than Bennett, will simply smother Ted Cruz. We have seen that clearly in the reporting on television and in the press comparing the principled stand of Elizabeth Warren against the self-aggrandizing posturing of Ted Cruz. If we all get a fair hearing from Bill Bennett, we are left with few outlets.

But here's a dilemma for the Republican establishment, if they cannot seal over this rupture will they will have planted the seeds of their own defeat in 2016, which is, of all the global motives animating this crowd, perhaps the least obnoxious. They can plead that they are trying to show the country that they can govern so that they can win in 2016, while all the while we know they are doing the bidding and pocketing the cash of Wall Street and K St. But the point remains, if this rift is not healed, the GOP will likely lose because the base will either run a third-party or stay home.

It is up to us as committed conservatives to demonstrate to the typically unengaged voters in the Republican ranks the degree of this betrayal and the hopelessness of an establishment candidate putting things right. Jeb Bush out, Ted Cruz in, or no support from us. The media will make it very difficult to get this message out. Ted Cruz alone, as good as he is on his feet, cannot do it.

But if the establishment and the rest of the party does not nominate an acceptable conservative for the White House, the Rino is very likely to lose for lack support in the base. It is much less likely that the party will come to understand the affirmative need to put up a true Ronald Reagan conservative such as Ted Cruz.

We are operating as principled players at a very severe disadvantage to the establishment Republicans because we want to prevail men the country and they want to keep their sinecures even at the expense to the country. They are willing to lose this election for their personal advantage and that means they will put up, if possible, another Rino for president.

Our job in this forum to educate is clear.