Those who know me, realize I am not the kind of person who gives up. If it's something I am passionate about and believe in, I will fight for it until the day I die, that's just my nature. So when this idea was first suggested, needless to say, I wasn't impressed. It feels an awful lot like giving up, throwing in the towel, resigning to defeat. When it comes to something as important as my country, I find it very difficult to just walk away and give up. The 2012 elections dealt a major blow to Conservatives, it sent one of our most vibrant voices running for the hills in Jim DeMint, and the jubilant liberals are almost too much to bear these days. The left-wing of American politics has been emboldened like never before in history, and with this victory under their belts, will parade into the next 4 years with all the swagger and confidence in the world. There's simply no stopping the juggernaut, they will run roughshod over any conservative who dares to stand in their way.
Jim DeMint. This Jim DeMint?
(Excerpt) Last week, (March/11) Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) added his voice to the chorus while being interviewed on the Family Research Council’s weekly radio show. DeMint told host Tony Perkins that the size of government and the size of God exist in an inverse relationship – “the bigger government gets, the smaller God gets”:
DeMINT: Some are trying to separate the social, cultural issues from fiscal issues, but you really can’t do that. America works, freedom works, when people have that internal gyroscope that comes from a belief in God and Biblical faith. Once we push that out, you no longer have the capacity to live as a free person without the external controls of an authoritarian government. I’ve said it often and I believe it – the bigger government gets, the smaller God gets. As people become more dependent on government, less dependent on God. (End)
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/03/15/150676/demint-big-govt/ There is a video at the link.
Conservatives once had faith that most of the country was conservative and would ultimately prevail over the creeping liberalism, but the recent elections demonstrated that we're apparently not as conservative as conservatives believed. Now, granted, this is largely due to the fact that conservatives fragmented their votes by running to libertarianism, while liberals consolidated support through a coalition effort of mostly special interests. But the fact remains, you can't argue with the results. Liberals rule, and conservatives drool. Liberals have used the media to successfully turn Conservatism into a pariah, and instantly tarnish anyone who is associated with Republican politics. Republican Conservatives, in ANY debate these days, is kind of like the wife-beating husband trying to compete for Man of the Year. They don't stand a chance, and there's not a thing in the world they can do about it now. They've been forever stigmatized, branded for life, and no matter what they say, think, or do, they are Republicans, so they must be wrong.
No, Dixie, the country is not as conservative as Conservatives believed. And no, Dixie, the media didn’t turn Conservatism into a pariah. The Conservatives did that all by themselves.
(Excerpt) It is nothing new for conservatives to dress their political ideology in religious language. Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) justified his opposition to controlling greenhouse gases because “you can’t regulate God.” Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) accused Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) of “disrespecting” Christians by considering keeping Congress in session in order to overcome GOP obstructionism. Rep. Steve King (R-IA) even went so far as to compare Democrats to Pontius Pilate, the ancient Roman official who sentenced Jesus to be crucified.[End] (Same link)
The Liberals are likened to the dude who sentenced Jesus to be crucified? Talk about trying to turn someone into a pariah!
So what can we do as Conservatives, to revive our message, to turn things around for Conservatism?
To start, change the message!
(Excerpt from the same link) For someone supposedly espousing Christian ideals, DeMint’s notion that God’s power can be limited by the federal government is a surprising argument. Indeed, one of the main tenets of Christian belief is that God is all-powerful – Matthew 19:26 is just one Biblical reference to God’s omnipotence. DeMint is vastly exaggerating the nominal increase in the size of government over the past two years.
DeMint then went on in the interview to make another outlandish statement: “We’ve found we can’t set up free societies around the world because they don’t have the moral underpinnings that come from Biblical faith”:
DeMINT: “You cannot have a free society that way. We’ve found we can’t set up free societies around the world because they don’t have the moral underpinnings that come from Biblical faith.”
In fact, the world’s largest democracy is India. The third most-populous democracy is Indonesia. Japan and Turkey are also high on the list. Despite not having the “moral underpinnings that come from Biblical faith” – Christians make up less than three percent of citizens in all these countries – these countries are clearly capable of maintaining free societies. (End)
See, Dix, one of those great Conservative men you admire, DeMint, that great Conservative message you praise, is……..is nuts! Wacko. Loony. Crazy. Off the wall. Bizarre. No, Dixie, thank God the American people are not as “conservative” as the Conservatives thought if conservatism means wacky, loony, crazy, off the wall and bizarre.
If you believe in the messages those buffoons put out then conservatism is dead. There will be no revival. Controlling greenhouse gases is like regulating God? Was Rep. Joe Barton on his 6th scotch and watching Monty Python when he thought of that?
I think the problem lies with the people who believe in conservatism but have never looked at the Republican Party. Republicans = conservatism so vote Republican. They’ve never actually studied the Republican Party. The actual members running for election. They couldn’t have because no one, absolutely no one, would vote for people who said things like that. It’s the ranting of mad men.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “To get along, you go along.” If the Repubs resign themselves to a passive position, which is highly unlikely to happen, they will never get votes next election.
We know the people are supportive of the ObamaCare ideal if not ObamaCare, per sé. Imagine if the Repubs spent time working on improving ObamaCare. I mean honestly and seriously improving it. I’m talking about a full government run medical system. Scrap Medicare and Medicaid and roll it all into one comprehensive plan. Maybe a little less home care but benefits starting at 60 instead of 65. Catch illnesses early. Or maybe more home care if it is less expensive than having people hospitalized (which it usually is). Or maybe government sponsored nurses aid courses so there will be people to check on the ill and infirm at home. Send a Conservative Rep to England and one to France and one to Australia and one to Sweden and one to Germany and one to Norway and one to Canada (Please, the most liberal of the lot) and have them find out what works in those countries and when they return sit down together and have a pow-wow. What politician doesn’t like sitting around and talking?
Then put their ideas forward. While Obama gets credit for ObamaCare the Repubs will get credit for fine tuning it. The Repubs save face while taking nothing away from the Dems. And, besides, as the old saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” ObamaCare is here to stay. Join the rest of the industrialized world and finally get a comprehensive medical plan. It’s going to happen so here is the chance for the Republicans to jump on board. But a serious plan. No old, tried, worn out ideas. No sneaky, little tricks. They may as well get some mileage out of something that is going to happen eventually and they will have the goodwill to bargain with on some other Democratic proposal.
This is one thing the Repubs can do and the people will back them. It just may be the spring board to a ’16 win! Show the people that the Romneys of the world have no place in the Republican Party. Show the people the Republicans really do give a damn. That's all. Just show the people that those who wish to be leaders really do give a damn about the people they want to lead. It's as easy as that.
