Surrendie is highly amused this Friday. While he generally enjoys when Democrats surrender, it is almost as fun for him when those in the GOP lose their minds as well: 3 Successful Republicans Caution Against a Move to the Right
Senator Collins, Senator Alexander and Representative King were among Republicans who defied the odds in a terrible year for their colleagues. Their re-elections provide a possible road map for how the party can succeed in a challenging political environment. The answer, the three veteran politicians agreed, is not to become a more conservative, combative party focused on narrow partisan issues.
Right, because we wouldn’t want to do the same thing that the Democrats did, especially starting in 2001, and we wouldn’t want to actually stand for anything. Let’s just become the same as the Democrat Party.
“What doesn’t work is drawing a harsh ideological line in the sand,†said Ms. Collins, of Maine, who early in the year was a top Democratic target for defeat but ended up winning 61 percent of the vote while Senator Barack Obama received 58 percent in the presidential race in her state.
Worked for Democrats over the past 8 years. Oh, and it worked really, really well for that guy elected president in 1980.
“We make a mistake if we are going to make our entire appeal rural and outside the Northeast and outside the Rust Belt,†said Mr. King, of New York, who easily won re-election in a region shedding Republicans at a precipitous rate.
Well, if you stand for Conservative principles, shouldn’t be an issue.
“We can stand around and talk about our principles, but we have to put them into actions that most people agree with,†said Mr. Alexander, of Tennessee, a self-described conservative who was able to attract African-American voters.
That’s right, and the reason you lost was because you STOPPED BEING EVEN WISHY WASHY REPUBLICANS, much less Conservatives. It is a very simple proposition, spelled out millions of times by those in the base
- limited spending
- reducing the role of government in our personal and private lives
- increasing State’s Rights
- national security, which includes getting off your butts and securing the borders and making domestic energy production increases happen
- wise spending
- Constitutionality
That’s it. Simple. There are other issues out there, such as abortion on demand and gay marriage, that are very important to some Conservatives, but not for others. My personal opinion is that issues such as that should be left in the hands of the State’s and their voters. The Federal government has no place in legislating, except in terms of cross border. The morality push by the GOP is a loser issue.
But the GOP will not win by being Democrat Lite, but by having a coherent, adult, responsible, and simple policy stance. And the have to walk the talk.
If the Republicans continue to shift to the left, you will find conservatives like me to continue to look for candidates in 3rd parties that hold my beliefs. The party of Lincoln will go the way of the Whigs if they aren’t careful…
If only the Libertarian party was full of open borders folks, I’d be interested.
If the Republicans continue to abandon the center they risk becoming a party of the “elite”
John,
I don’t consider myself “elite” by any means. And by moving to the center and left the Republican cease to represent me and my beliefs. And they’ll find themselves without any support whatsoever… and welcome a new party reborn from former Republicans…
John, the Democrats HAVE abandoned the Center. But, the Conservatives/Republicans are not abandoning the center, which holds more principles to the Right: the elected Republicans have abandoned their principles, so the Center has lost faith in them.