Conservatives aim to rally around a candidate for '08

Baltimore Sun ^ | June 16, 2005 | Paul West

[MikeJ75]

WASHINGTON - Some leading conservative activists say they plan to screen 2008 Republican presidential hopefuls, perhaps as early as this fall, in hopes of finding a candidate they can endorse as a group.

[snip]

Among early contenders vying for the nod of religious and social conservatives are Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee and Sens. Sam Brownback of Kansas and George Allen of Virginia. All have been active, both publicly and behind the scenes, in wooing religious, social and cultural conservatives in advance of the next presidential contest.

[snip]

Longtime activist Weyrich expressed optimism that the group would agree on a candidate, though he said he did not expect that to happen until sometime in 2007.

"There's a sense in the movement that we really have got to back somebody, or else we're going to end up with somebody we really don't like" as the nominee, he said, putting McCain and former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, a social moderate, into that category.

[Gipper08]

I have spoken to some of these leaders and they agree that being a social con is not enough.Weyrich and Perkins will be looking for someone who is also a fiscal conservative.I expect Mike Pence to come up from Darkhorse status to win the support of this group.He can unite the whole Reagan wing of the party.

[Gabz]

George Allen PING!!!!!!!!!

[RockinRight]

Mike Pence! YES!!

[RockinRight]

Bush is a social conservative, and look where that's gotten us as far as domestic spending.

[Tanniker Smith]

Can anyone tell me when the last sitting Senator was elected president? I know that no sitting Congressman has made the leap. Obviously, sitting governors aren't a problem, nor
sitting VPs.

[ElPatriota]

"There's a sense in the movement that we really have got to back somebody, or else we're going to end up with somebody we really don't like" as the nominee, he said, putting McCain and former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, a social moderate, into that category.

YES!... exactly right. Communications have changed politics. Why in heck should we wait for some bunch of b**s (party bosses) to choose the candidates for us?

NO WAY, we should be active right now!... checking and finding good candidates we - conservatives - can support. We should be working in tanden with conservative organizations such as AFA.NET (American Family Association) to find the candidates we - conservatives - can support. We should be already working on doing exactly this to find Senate candidates for 2006. I see the day when politicians will actually pitch directly to the most important websites/Forums, such as this one. So that we, the people, could ask them point blank on all the issues important to us.

[TNCMAXQ]

Another name I would put forward is Gov Tim Pawlenty. Hard to believe there could be a president younger than I am but it is time for a new generation. ;)

[Gipper08]

That is why Weyrich and the others convinced Perkins that the candidate must be both a fiscal conservative and a social conservative.Phylis Schafly,who is one of the most important members of this group,introduced Pence before he spoke at the Eagle forum convention last Thursday as a "future president of the United States." They all unanimously agree that the candidate must be staunchly Pro-Life.

[Gipper08]

Garfield was a congressman. So was Lincoln but he wasn't "sitting"

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Bill First ? This gelding couldn't punch his way out of a wet paper bag.

[gopwinsin04]

Rudi or Jeb would be fine. I don't think any of the oters have the national appeal to win, they are more running for VP at this point.

[television is just wrong]

I will NEVER vote for McCain. Under any circumstances, that darn RHINO, working with Ted Kennedy.

[Non-Sequitur]

Can anyone tell me when the last sitting Senator was elected president?

Kennedy, 1960.

[moose2004]

Jack Kennedy

[pageonetoo]

This one is high on my list...

this bill is, IMO, one of the ways I want my tax money spent. If they're gonna take it, then they oughta spend it where it counts.

May 26, 2005

WASHINGTON, DC - This afternoon U.S. Senator George Allen (R-VA) and U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) announced their introduction of the HOPE at HOME Act (Helping Our Patriotic Employees at Helping Our Military Employees), a bill that would provide a tax credit to businesses that continue to pay employees who are activated for National Guard or Reserve duty. Senators Allen & Landrieu were joined by Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA) who introduced companion legislation in the House.

In addition, the HOPE at HOME Act would require the federal government to fill the pay gap for its activated employees and would offer a tax credit to small business owners who hire a temporary worker while activated Guard and Reserve employees are on active duty.

Senator Allen made the following remarks concerning the HOPE at HOME Act:

"As a former Governor, I understand the need to have a strong National Guard; it is important for recruitment, retention and appreciation for their service that we help lessen the financial burden that Guard and Reserves and their families face when they are serving their country.

"Of the nearly 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserve, some 120,000 are also federal employees. As of January 2005, more than 43,000 federal employees had been activated since September 11, 2001, and right now more than 17,000 are on active duty. These are men and women who are serving courageously for our freedom and security.

"The Department of Defense recently conducted a survey which revealed that about 51 percent of members of the National Guard and Reserve suffer an estimated loss of $368 of monthly income as a result of this pay gap. This is $368 that goes into putting food on the table, paying the mortgage, the utility bills and making the car payment.

"This legislation would help dissolve this pay gap in several ways. The HOPE at HOME Act would require the federal government to make up the pay gap for federal employees to active duty. In addition this bill would provide a 50 percent tax credit to businesses in the private sector who continue to pay the salaries of Guard and Reservist who are called up for active duty and offers small businesses a credit of up to $6,000 for hiring a temporary worker for a Guard and Reserve employee that has been called to active duty."

[steve-b]

Yep. Fiscal conservatism must take priority.

You don't need a single social rightist in government to not look at porn, to not get an abortion, to not use foul language, etc. You do need a government run by fiscal conservatives to not get your lungs pulled out your nose at tax time and/or to not get your retirement reduced to penury by the effects of long-term debt.

[Doohickey]

With George Allen you get the best of both worlds - a social and fiscal conservative. Senator Allen was also a governor and therefore has executive experience as well.

[Tanniker Smith]

Garfield was a congressman.

Really? I have to file that one away in Ye Olde Trivia Box.
Thanks.

So it's been over four decades for the Senate. Should make life interesting.

TS

[SpringheelJack]

Everytime I've seen Allen on TV he comes off as stiff and Al Goreish.