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?
/johnny
Amen, Amendment 10!
The Republican Party started as the alternative to the Whigs. The two currently main Parties are not sacrosanct.
That’s what needs to happen.
After 25 years of spouting that crap, you'd think they'd get a clue that IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
Yes, but at that time, our Republic was still intact. At this point in time, our Republic is hanging by a thread--and some would argue that it's dead. Today, we don't have time to sit back and let a third party go through numerous defeats, because in the meantime, the communist Democrats will fully solidify their unstoppable tyranny, if they haven't already.
ping
The Republican Party is a division of the Democrat Party. It functions as the designated opposition and will be maintained in existence so long as the Democrats feel a need for the appearance of Opposition. The Republican hopes that the Democrats will eat them last will be resolved spectacularly in the show trials,
We are at that point now. The RINO's are trying to push amnesty at a time when they should be pounding Democrats on Obamacare. The GOP is an absolute tire fire right now, and I don't see any hope of getting things changed. 30+ years after the Reagan example given in this article, and it looks like no progress has been made at all.
“Sitting here awaiting the inevitable arrival of the “A third party would be suicide” crowd,”
_______________________________________
You are late. I have already said it.
bump
The Republican Party is compromised to the point of no return, too dirty to clean up.
Too many saboteurs and traitors....as evidenced by Gov Palin’s two Republican “aides” that were sent by McCain to keep her muzzled.
These two "aides" have now been hired by MSNBC.
I don’t think they understand that...they have no clue that amnesty is the one straw that will absolutely destroy that pathetic party and relegate them to a permanent minority status in the house starting in 2014 ....that’s when a pathway to citizenship goes from being 10 years to happening February 1, 2014 ....a not seeking re-election Obama+ a Dem Senate+ a Dem House = the end
bump
So what will Conservatives do...seems a third party is the only way to go IMHO
And while the third party works to get legs, the communist Democrats will fully solidify their power with the divided Republican and conservative third party--IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY.
Think!
Here’s the thing.....It doesn’t seem to matter whether many of the elected officials have a “D” or an “R” next to their names. The same type of “unstoppable tyranny” is happening, supported by both parties. The only difference I’m seeing is in the packaging.
I think without a third party there will never again be a Conservative in the White house.
I think everybody in the GOP claiming a third party is a disaster are wrong.
I think this argument is getting old, the alternative does not work.
I'll continue to only vote for Conservatives and there will always be some deluded fool telling me my vote is wasted...I think I'm smart enough not to buy that loas of BS..
“Let’s get a Second Party, first.”
Yep. “They” are all on the same team.
We are the 2nd party.
Good luck with that, FRiend.
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