Nov 02 2009
WSJ Agrees With AJStrata
A lot of people (me included) are sending out the warning signals to those ‘true’ conservatives who botched 2006 and 2008 and gave us the liberals in DC. The WSJ now joins those ranks:
Saturday’s decision by Republican Dede Scozzafava to drop out of tomorrow’s special Congressional election in upstate New York is a potentially big political moment that could help to return the GOP to first principles—or could lead to internecine ruin. Much will depend on how GOP leaders and conservative activists respond.
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But that lesson will be for naught if conservatives conclude that their victory is reason to challenge any candidate who doesn’t agree with them on every issue. The truth is that some conservatives are as bloody-minded and intolerant of all dissent as the hard left is at the Daily Kos. A majority political party requires a far more diverse coalition than the audience for your average right-wing blogger or talk show host.
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If conservatives now revolt against every GOP candidate who disagrees with them on trade, immigration or abortion, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will keep their majorities for a very long time.
My previous warning shots:
Palin Is Not Far Right – More Likely A Centrist Surprise
Liberal Verses Moderate Conservative
AJ:
Palin supported Hoffman in NY23. Do you think she is a far right loon?
I mean for heavens sake, Dede was supported by ACORN and Planned Parenthood, she is not a moderate. I don’t even know why she is a Republican. I am not a fan of a lot of people on the right. I tend to think Beck is an opportunist who is latching onto the Tea Parties for his gain. I am not talking about right wing pundits either, but I do think that there is a swing back to the right as the voters try to balance what they see as a shift to the left by Democrats.
AJ, I personally think we’re muddling the definitions up. While our definition of conservatives is similar, you regard the centrists between the GOP and the Democratic parties. Since we have a hard time telling the difference between these two parties, I tend to move the Dems to as far left, then the GOP in the middle, then the conservatives to the right.
And quite frankly, I have no idea what “far right” or “ultra right” means anymore. Some people called us far right or ultra right when we don’t see ourselves far right or ultra right. We just consider ourselves conservatives.
I still think that centrists and moderates fall between the left and right. Here is why…because they swing their votes to a Dem or Rep just because they happen to like the candidate of their choice.
And I don’t think that conservatives will challenge any and all candidate that they do not think are that conservative, there are not that many Dedes or Hoffmans out there. I do think they will be looking for weak people to target, but if the moderate is seen as fiscally conservative and if there is no credible alternative I think they will hold their noses and vote for them…that is why Christie is looking better in New Jersey right now.
lurker:
I agree with your statement about centrists and moderates, and often times they are people who can be swayed by events as much as by ideology. So, if the Democrats start looking crazy then all of a sudden the Republicans and a lot of conservatives in general start looking a lot better to them.
Hi, Terrye, there are more reasons why I think the centrists and moderates fall between the Dims and Reps. Think back on what Rush Limbaugh says about the centrists and moderates. I tend to agree with him.
If you watch the Rush – Chris Wallace interview last night, you’ll see that Rush told Chris that he voted for McCain. I consider him a conservative. Rush criticized both presidential candidates last year but vote the American and this American was the best of the two evils.
AJ, I posted in the Sarah Palin thread with a request….I really don’t think ANYONE really knows what “far right” means. If the Founding Fathers were alive today, I would put them in the “far right” group, btw.
AJ. Congrats to you and the state of VA. on the blowout in tomorrow’s election.
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=22eb96c2-b56c-4846-b25d-08a1aa177fb2
I have a unique thought for you, Aj… Why not reach out to the “true” conservatives instead of dumping on them every time you start typing on the subject?…
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Wouldn’t that fit the big tent philosophy?
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I sent my $$ this month to Doug Hoffman instead of the RNC. The RNC sends out dopey questionnaires as if they really listen … but … it’s really just a ploy to get you to donate $$.
When you get a survey, write down a message that you will not donate one penny to them unless they work on their image by endorsing conservative candidates.
AJ, you do realize that Dede makes you look like flaming wingnut conservative, yes?
Now I’m wondering, out of curiousity, what you think of Dede’s temper tantrum in throwing her support to the Dem candidate. Are you going to call her out for trying to set fire to the “big tent” and exile conservatives into the wilderness?
Write on the false survey you will not send them one damn dime un til they close their primaries and quit allowing liberals in liberal states pick our candidates .
Until then I send my money to the candidate of my choosing and it is the more conservative choice most times.
AJ, you have GOT to see this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT7xfoSiH5Q
This is the BEST video I have seen in a very long time. Particularly the last part of it. It is inclusive, it has the “Reagan” communications formula. This guy needs to be before the nation more often. This is a powerful message.
The Democrats would say that anybody who professes to be a Christian, against abortion, thinks gay marriage is not exactly the same as heterosexual marriage, any one of the above or all of the above, are right wing conservatives. Rarely do they think that small government, lower taxes, etc makes a right wing conservative.
GREAT VIDEO – CROSSPATCH !!
SENDING TO MY ADDRESS BOOK – THANKS !!
“LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD” !!
lurker9876
AJ, I personally think we’re muddling the definitions up.
You’re right.
I’ve always considered myself ultra conservative, but never “radical far right” whatever that is.
Believes strongly that the Constitution and Bill of Rights is what makes our Country great and makes us unique in the world.
Freedom and Liberty
Traditional family values
Faith in God
Strong defense
Secure Borders
Limited/small government
Celebrating American values and traditions.
This is my short list definition of a conservative.
There will always be radicals on both sides of the isle, just like heels on a loaf of bread and they seem to get all the press coverage because I guess it is good for ratings, sad but true that will never change.
Seems lately we are so spun up on red and blue states, lets not forget we are all Americans and we all seem to have the same concerns about where we are headed!
God Speed to all the “Conservative Candidates” in tomorrows election!
AJ, really like your blog, lots of thoughtful posts.
Red State has an excellent critique of the WSJ article, showing how over the top it is.
http://www.redstate.com/hogan/2009/11/02/wall-street-journal-editors-should-explain/
Sorkad,
You know as well as I do the problem is not what you believe in, it is how you treat others who may differ here or there in the solution to the problems.
For example, many on the far right dismiss the Medicare Prescription Drug benefit Bush initiated because of one irrelevant fact – Bush got Ted Kennedy on board.
The model is perfect for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. It is an alliance of government and private industry and the free market. Unlike the dying and bankrupt medicare and medicaid programs, it is thriving because the market sets the prices and those who can pay into do so. Only the truly poor get subsidies.
But the short sighted ‘true conservatives’ completely miss how important that model was for peeling democrats and independents into coalitions to fix the other government programs. With that model working we can show how a government controlled model with fixed prices fails and one leveraging the free market thrives.
If the self destructive ‘arrogant ones’ would just get over their pettiness Bush left us the perfect model to not only fight liberalism, but fix the messes left by previous liberal idiots.
AJ, I think we agree on where we stand; just that we are confused on the terms. The more you use “centrists and moderates”, yet, you share our ideology and refer to “true conservatives”, the more confused some of us, counting me, are.
There will always be some true conservatives that are extreme in their treatment of others but both sides do have some extremes.
Part of the problem is that the Democrats painted the far right as the intolerant “bible thumpers” Christians as well when that is not true for most Christians.
WSJ is a pretty liberal paper. The only exception: The Op/Ed Pages.
The prescription drug plan is a success? Not for me. I am 77 years old and for years I have purchased my Arthritis, high blood pressure and thyroid drugs from a reliable foreign pharmacy ( located thru drugbuyers.com) for less than my copayment on a doctor’s visit. Now the government mandates I pay a $26 monthly premium to AARP’s drug plan (it’s the cheapest available) which has a $300 deductible and $25 per prescription copayment. All that do good plan has done for me is cost me money for something I will probably never use. My mother is 104 years old and I can count on one had the number of times she had been to see a doctor. And she is paying for a prescription drug plan she never uses too. Just how many others are being taxed to enrich these ins. companies or subsidize those who abuse the medical system?