If I wasn't clear before, let me be perfectly clear now: SUPPORTING LIBERAL REPUBLICANS (aka RINO's or "Moderates") FOR 'BIG TENT' STRATEGY IS ABSOLUTE INSANITY.
Gingrich, Steele, and many others backed the NY Congressional House District 23 Republican Scozzafava, a self proclaimed Moderate Republican. On the surface this seems harmless enough, but once one delves into her true colors, it is any wonder why she is a Republican at all.
HD23 in New York has been held by Republicans for 120 years. It is a conservative stronghold in a liberal state. To win in HD23, you must be a Republican. In this case, democrats are disguising themselves as republicans in order to win votes, and even using party rules and assemblies to win support of the party without the electorate's support of the values which they represent.
Scozzafava the "Republican" was anti-gun, pro-abortion, pro-govt. healthcare, pro-Obama... which is no wonder why Charles Schumer and Rahm Emanuel successfully counseled her to support THE DEMOCRAT in the race after withdrawing over the weekend. That is right, the "moderate" Scozzafava endorsed the very liberal Democrat Bill Owens over the NY Conservative Party candidate Douglas Hoffman.
I reject the argument that we should embrace moderates where conservatives can't win to "build a big tent"...lest we end up with liberals where a conservative best represents the republican values.
To be a Liberty Republican is not to be a radical Right Wing Extremist. Rather it is to embrace the radical concept of freedom from government, freedom of self determination, freedom of property protection, and freedom of personal protection.
A "moderate" social conservative may be an acceptable candidate if they can adequately build a case based on liberty and limited government. To show an understanding of the principles of Liberty and the backbone to defend them at all costs makes you a liberty republican... Not just because you place an "R" behind your name on a ballot.
Enough is Enough. 2009 elections are going to reflect the anti-big-government sentiment in the US, and will fan the flames for Tea Party progress moving forward into 2010.
Goldwater reminded us that "extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!"
Is it so extreme to ask our Republican Leadership to listen to the grassroots Liberty Movement and help give Liberty a Second Chance in America?
Or, shall we be so resigned as to accept that even the Republican Party believes that Big Government, more taxes, and more regulation are the only answer to America's future.
If so, I offer you an America with one party rule. The price of the Big Tent, indeed.
Showing posts with label Goldwater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goldwater. Show all posts
Monday, November 2, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
To Regain Power, or Regain Right? The Republican Predicament
Predicament indeed. There has been much talk over the last 100+ days of the Obama administration and the filibuster-proof Senate and the radically Left House... and the stampede towards 2010 by the GOP. Along the way, the GOP has been leaderless in effectively stopping the Left from Nationalizing Industry and further bankrupting the nation... two policies fully supported by GOP leadership under George W. Bush.
The question becomes this: Does the GOP aim to regain power, or regain the right?
The way this simple question is answered will determine the future of the party - both for attracting next generation members and retaining those members with a current stock in the party.
If the aim of the GOP is to regain power for power's sake, then we are no better than when we were governmentally whorish under Bush. The last eight years saw the largest expanse of the US government, the power of the government over the people, and the largest buildup of debt ever. This has become the brand of the Republicans. We may claim that we were simply unable to stop the Democrats from spending - but facts show that earmark after earmark came from the right just as much as from the left... The holes in the sinking ship were drilled by both parties, with their respective special interest.
If the national party aims merely to regain control without first obtaining the clarity needed to lead, we may succeed as a party for the short term, but lose as a nation in the long term.
Our focus must be on regaining the right. I have commented in the past on guidelines needed as we clean house in the GOP - but perhaps it is simpler than that... simpler than "radicalizing", as I called it... it is simply returning to the basic Libertarian ideals that drove this party forward (though in the minority) under Goldwater. We regain our big tent status not on the back of the Christian Right, but on the principles of Liberty...
That is to say, success as a party needs to begin with identifying State's Rights, Small Government, Fiscal Conservatives who are Socially Libertarian - believing that a TRUE small government does not dictate social values - especially at the federal level. Those candidates who truly believe that the Federal Government was intended to be a limited body, yielding all powers NOT granted in the Constitution back to the People and the States, respectively... words directly pulled from our Bill of Rights.
Our party has lost its way, falling for the liberal idea that government is the answer... In fact, succumbing to this mindset and using government to force social agenda has backed the GOP into a corner of constant "moral crisis" when any member of the party falters in their personal life - garnering more media attention than, say, criminal violation of federal tax laws by top level Democrats in Obama's administration (violations that would make Al Capone blush).
Government is NOT the answer - and never should be. That should be the Republican Mantra. We should promise to cut the size of the government by X% each year at the federal, state, and local level until they return to the roles of delivering the basic services for which their services are required. We should embrace a flat tax, a balanced budget Constitutional Amendment, and the elimination of unnecessary government agencies - such as the IRS, DHS, Dept of Educ., etc...
We need to communicate to the American people the importance of a Small Government Party... and we need to live up to those commitments - not create departments such as DHS.
We need to right this ship by doing what is right... not using the democratic tactic to push our social agenda against the left's. When Republicans act like Democrats, they lose every time. When Democrats act like Republicans, they win... We can take this back by being Fiscally Conservative Socially Libertarian Republicans... The way Goldwater intended us to be.
The question becomes this: Does the GOP aim to regain power, or regain the right?
The way this simple question is answered will determine the future of the party - both for attracting next generation members and retaining those members with a current stock in the party.
If the aim of the GOP is to regain power for power's sake, then we are no better than when we were governmentally whorish under Bush. The last eight years saw the largest expanse of the US government, the power of the government over the people, and the largest buildup of debt ever. This has become the brand of the Republicans. We may claim that we were simply unable to stop the Democrats from spending - but facts show that earmark after earmark came from the right just as much as from the left... The holes in the sinking ship were drilled by both parties, with their respective special interest.
If the national party aims merely to regain control without first obtaining the clarity needed to lead, we may succeed as a party for the short term, but lose as a nation in the long term.
Our focus must be on regaining the right. I have commented in the past on guidelines needed as we clean house in the GOP - but perhaps it is simpler than that... simpler than "radicalizing", as I called it... it is simply returning to the basic Libertarian ideals that drove this party forward (though in the minority) under Goldwater. We regain our big tent status not on the back of the Christian Right, but on the principles of Liberty...
That is to say, success as a party needs to begin with identifying State's Rights, Small Government, Fiscal Conservatives who are Socially Libertarian - believing that a TRUE small government does not dictate social values - especially at the federal level. Those candidates who truly believe that the Federal Government was intended to be a limited body, yielding all powers NOT granted in the Constitution back to the People and the States, respectively... words directly pulled from our Bill of Rights.
Our party has lost its way, falling for the liberal idea that government is the answer... In fact, succumbing to this mindset and using government to force social agenda has backed the GOP into a corner of constant "moral crisis" when any member of the party falters in their personal life - garnering more media attention than, say, criminal violation of federal tax laws by top level Democrats in Obama's administration (violations that would make Al Capone blush).
Government is NOT the answer - and never should be. That should be the Republican Mantra. We should promise to cut the size of the government by X% each year at the federal, state, and local level until they return to the roles of delivering the basic services for which their services are required. We should embrace a flat tax, a balanced budget Constitutional Amendment, and the elimination of unnecessary government agencies - such as the IRS, DHS, Dept of Educ., etc...
We need to communicate to the American people the importance of a Small Government Party... and we need to live up to those commitments - not create departments such as DHS.
We need to right this ship by doing what is right... not using the democratic tactic to push our social agenda against the left's. When Republicans act like Democrats, they lose every time. When Democrats act like Republicans, they win... We can take this back by being Fiscally Conservative Socially Libertarian Republicans... The way Goldwater intended us to be.
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