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The Idea of a Third Party Alternative to the GOP
American Clarion ^ | October 23, 2013 | Bob Ellis

Posted on 10/23/2013 6:56:33 PM PDT by WXRGina

Richard Viguerie at Conservative HQ examines the idea of starting a third party alternative to the RINO-led Republican Party–an idea that has been growing in popularity since the rise of the Tea Party movement four years ago, and even more popular now that the “Republican” leadership in congress has once again caved to Democrats in the fight against ObamaCare.

Since even Sean Hannity expressed support for a third party recently, Viguerie felt it was time to address the issue–and rebut it.

Viguerie reminds us of some GOP history and the war between liberals and conservatives in the Republican Party:

In the aftermath of the 1976 Republican Convention and the way the GOP establishment bought off the last few votes needed to hand the nomination to Ford, conservatives urged Reagan to launch “a full-blown national conservative movement” and run as a third party candidate.

To his great credit Reagan chose not to pursue that path.

Reagan’s answer to those, including some of his good political supporters, who wanted him to head this new conservative party, was to tell them “they were out of their minds.”

Reagan understood that if he was ever going to make progress in accomplishing the things he believed in, it would have to be within the Republican Party.

As Reagan saw it then (and he was right) the bulk of conservative voters in America are Republicans and they won’t desert the Republican Party for a third party. That is why I continue to operate in the GOP, but am first and foremost a limited government constitutional conservative.

I, too, feel the temptation sometimes to abandon the party I have held allegiance to since I was 13 years old. With gutless RINOs in charge of both the policy and purse strings of the GOP, it can be a daunting task to fight for the documented conservative values that forms the foundation of the GOP. It’s bad enough that conservatives have to fight not only the Democrat Party but also the “mainstream” media and academia; it’s a pathetic state of affairs when they have to fight liberals in their own party to advance Republican principles.

But as Viguerie points out, the RINOs wouldn’t just fold up and go away if conservatives started a third party. They have demonstrated that while they lack the will to fight the Democrat Party, they are more than willing to fight conservatives. And those who would remain in the GOP after such a theoretical split (both the mealy-mouthed “moderates” who lack the courage to be either a full-blown liberal or a conservative, as well as those genuine conservatives who would stay with the party out of loyalty) would continue to divide the effort to advance Republican and conservative values. That would leave an undivided liberal party in the Democrat Party to finish the job of destroying America.

Besides, it’s not their party in the first place (they’ve made that clear with their contempt for Republican principles), and I’ll be ****ed if I’ll let them have it without a fight.

Only if it became absolutely and totally impossible for conservatives to make a difference in the GOP would a third party alternative become necessary, in my opinion.

I believe the strategy Viguerie outlines is the best one, and it means conservatives must get off their rear ends and get involved in the primaries–something we hardly ever do!

If conservatives want to govern America we have to face the same reality Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan did when they heard the Siren song of those advocating the formation of a third party.

It’s the primaries stupid!

To win the elections necessary to govern America according to conservative principles there’s only one way to go; recruit the candidates and do the work necessary for conservatives to win GOP primary elections up and down the ballot.

Just as importantly, conservatives must get involved in the Republican Party at the precinct level, run for Republican Party office and take over the GOP at the local, state and national level to confirm it once and for all as the permanent political home of limited government constitutional conservatives.

It’s not easy. Most of us conservatives are just “live and let live” people; we aren’t naturally confrontational. We’re busy with families and church and our work and businesses. But if we want to preserve this last best hope of earth, we’re going to have to take the time to do what we can. If we all do a little, we can make it happen. The problem we have now is that only a few are doing anything, and most are doing nothing but complaining.

Conservatives, resolve that 2013-2014 will be the year you end the inaction and defeatism, and start doing whatever you can–big or little–to help conservatives win in the primaries, and win in the general election.

Isn’t what God has given us in America worth fighting for?


TOPICS: Government; Politics
KEYWORDS: gopcivilwar
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1 posted on 10/23/2013 6:56:33 PM PDT by WXRGina
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To: WXRGina

If Amnesty passes the House, the GOP is toast in 2014


2 posted on 10/23/2013 7:02:49 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: GeronL
Burnt toast. Irradiated toast. Toast in the sun's corona.

They are the new Whigs.

/johnny

3 posted on 10/23/2013 7:05:05 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: WXRGina
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/10/soldiers-at-fort-hood-told-that-christian-and-tea-party-groups-threat-to-nation-any-soldier-donating.html

Those doing the fighting will not be invoking God, per the latest deployment briefing, e.g., no TEA Party or God or you face UCMJ action/prosecution for any participation or support. Does that extend to attending a church service, giving to your church in the plate, or attending a TEA party meeting or sending in a political donation. The administration has effectively moved to halt dissent.

4 posted on 10/23/2013 7:05:13 PM PDT by Jumper
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To: WXRGina

It ain’t gonna happen. Conservatives don’t have the balls to conduct a revolt. If they did, Obamacare woulda been toast in this last shutdown-showdown.


5 posted on 10/23/2013 7:05:47 PM PDT by Kevmo ("A person's a person, no matter how small" ~Horton Hears a Who)
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To: WXRGina

Let’s get a Second Party, first.


6 posted on 10/23/2013 7:06:59 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: WXRGina

I nominate the 2016 candidates for the new party:

Sarah Palin and Ted Cruz.


7 posted on 10/23/2013 7:08:37 PM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network
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To: WXRGina

Well, perhaps we can get the Democrats to run a third party.

Call it the “Democrats not trying to destroy American party”.

Pity there would be so few Democrats that would join it.


8 posted on 10/23/2013 7:08:55 PM PDT by donmeaker (The lessons of Weimar will soon be repeated.)
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To: WXRGina

I’d like to see a Taxpayer Party for those who pay all of the taxes that keeps this joint running.


9 posted on 10/23/2013 7:09:15 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Hold on to your burrito! Here comes amnesty!)
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To: Kevmo

The Republicans started as a second party after the self-demolition of the Whigs. The Whigs wanted to get along with the Slave Power. After the Slave Power Democrats proved that they could not be trusted, The Republicans immediately became a majority party and had the Speaker of the House.


10 posted on 10/23/2013 7:10:50 PM PDT by donmeaker (The lessons of Weimar will soon be repeated.)
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To: JRandomFreeper
agreed RINO's are Democrats. Both parties have the same goals and the same owners. Possibly they are actually the same party in all but name.
11 posted on 10/23/2013 7:11:00 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: WXRGina

While I would love a party with Tea Party principles, I think, as a third party, it would be suicide.
My dream would be a Republican party that is under control of Tea Party people.
I question, however, if there will even be an America, after three more years of the scumbags.


12 posted on 10/23/2013 7:11:01 PM PDT by AlexW
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To: WXRGina; All

Thanks for referencing that article WXRGina.

Regarding the article, we don’t need no stinking 3rd party.

What patriots need to do is to get low-information voters up to speed on the federal government’s constitutionally limited powers.


13 posted on 10/23/2013 7:11:13 PM PDT by Amendment10
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To: WXRGina

I no longer care wtf the Republicans do. I am forever done “holding my nose” when I vote. I will reward only conservatives in the Ted Cruz / Sarah Palin mold with my votes. Period.


14 posted on 10/23/2013 7:13:55 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: donmeaker

I know that. The original republicans had balls. The current slate of GOP officeholders is filled with eunuchs, for the most part.


15 posted on 10/23/2013 7:14:39 PM PDT by Kevmo ("A person's a person, no matter how small" ~Horton Hears a Who)
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To: WXRGina

The Left’s dream scenario. Divide and conquer.


16 posted on 10/23/2013 7:16:13 PM PDT by MNnice
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To: WXRGina

Thanks to Jim DeMint’s efforts we won’t have to go third-party in 2014.

That man may save the country. Hope he runs for president in 2016.


17 posted on 10/23/2013 7:16:30 PM PDT by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat Party!)
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To: donmeaker

Insert “Debt and tax-slavery” before “Democrats” and you desribe the situation today.

It can’t stand.


18 posted on 10/23/2013 7:20:32 PM PDT by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat Party!)
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To: MNnice
The Left’s dream scenario. Divide and conquer.

Yep!

19 posted on 10/23/2013 7:23:47 PM PDT by WXRGina (The Founding Fathers would be shooting by now.)
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To: WXRGina

When the GOP leadership sides with the Dems, we the people have but one choice


20 posted on 10/23/2013 7:24:15 PM PDT by Java4Jay (The evils of government are directly proportional to the tolerance of the people.)
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