The McCotter Challenge: Why is there a Republican Party?
posted at 5:35 pm on November 5, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter asks and answers the question in a post-election essay that should be must reading for all Republicans this week. Jeff Flake gave us a road map for the GOP to find its way to a unifying, resonant message, but McCotter aims to recover the lost GOP soul. He argues that we have hit Republican Rock Bottom, and that the time has come to build anew:
Dead is the self-indulgent imbecility of “re-branding” — as if the Republican Party was a corporate product to be repackaged, not a transformational political movement to be led. Despite what the media will tell you, and what so-called “conservative leaders” will discuss ad nauseam during “secret” meetings, this situation is not a crisis. It is an opportunity. Today, we are as the Great Emancipator proclaimed during another time of national trial: unbound by the tired dogmas of the past; and free to think and act anew.
First, we must not mindlessly mimic the momentarily triumphant Left. Sleek, detached, media savvy non-entities posing as existentially anguished leaders are neither in our nature nor our future. We are not teeny-bopper, pop-star politicians or the ideological dinosaurs of wealth redistribution.
At heart, we Republicans are flesh and blood and backbone, the proud servants of people. If we re-orient our vision, renew our purpose, and reaffirm our principles, the times will demand us — not as we were, but as we must be!
McCotter demands a return to First Principles, as did Flak, and he calls them the “enduring principles” of the Republican Party:
1. Our liberty is from God not the government.
2. Our sovereignty rests in our souls not the soil.
3. Our security is through strength not surrender.
4. Our prosperity is from the private sector not the public sector.
5. Our truths are self-evident not relative.
Where Flake is more pragmatic, McCotter is more philosophical, but the two are singing in harmony today. We need to focus on these principles and apply them to all our policy positions. We cannot be taken seriously as a small-government, private-sector movement if we back ever-expanding bailouts or if we pursue pork-barrel politics.
In the wake of this loss, the Republican leadership in Congress will certainly need to change in order to demonstrate leadership on these principles. McCotter and Flake should be part of any new Republican leadership.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 3 4 Next »
Uh. Ed. Aren’t you the one that applauded McCain’s plan to spend $300 billion to let government renegotiate mortgages?
Consistency. Just a little. Please.
lorien1973 on November 5, 2008 at 5:38 PM
“Buy the Truth, and Sell it not.”
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on November 5, 2008 at 5:39 PM
Tonight on my blog I’m going to draft a proposed agenda for the next few years for the GOP. I’m calling it the “Freedom Agenda,” as it’s about positioning conservative policies as a means to preserve and restore individual liberties. I’m glad to see that other members of the movement are thinking along the same lines.
Tacitus_SGL on November 5, 2008 at 5:39 PM
McCotter YES!
ps. PJTV needs to redesign its monstrously ugly website, then get these guys on there post haste.
RushBaby on November 5, 2008 at 5:40 PM
It is time not to remake the Republican party, but to regain the Republican party.
Take it back from the ones that stole it…
Don’t do what the Democrat party did, they allowed their party to be hijacked by leftists…the democrats of today are not the Democrats of yesteryear.
We are the conservative party, we need to reclaim not only that title, but the deeds that go along with it.
right2bright on November 5, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Amen
Meric1837 on November 5, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Flake Boehner and Thaddeus
God help the GOP.
lorien1973 on November 5, 2008 at 5:41 PM
No not rock bottom … rock bottom would have been Hilalry Clinton in charge with a 60+ seat senate behind here.
DJ Rick on November 5, 2008 at 5:42 PM
Is Manly Rash still here? He owes me a Ruth’s Chris dinner. He’s pretty popular with several losers on here. Where is he?
jay12 on November 5, 2008 at 5:42 PM
here’s a set of 5 points simpler than the contract w/america:
1 – no new taxes.
2 – no oil drilling bans.
3 – no earmarks.
4 – no defense cuts.
5 – no retreat.
call it: THE FIVE POINT STAR FOR THE GOP AND AMERICA
reliapundit on November 5, 2008 at 5:43 PM
Now let’s see some policy proposals.
Big S on November 5, 2008 at 5:43 PM
He was a professional poster, the election was over so he left. Just like many of the liberal posters, they were hired guns also.
You didn’t catch on?
right2bright on November 5, 2008 at 5:43 PM
If McCotter had hair, I’d vote for him.
portlandon on November 5, 2008 at 5:44 PM
It’s gonna be Boehner, Cantor and Hensarling.
But these guys will get some love, too. Don’t worry.
DJ Tablesauce on November 5, 2008 at 5:44 PM
No, I think he said his last post on this site was last night.
Rick on November 5, 2008 at 5:45 PM
that huge, freckled forehead doesnt do it for you, either, huh? LOL
lorien1973 on November 5, 2008 at 5:45 PM
What I backed was government action to fix what government broke, specifically the mortgage-backed securities that Congress mandated from Fannie and Freddie. That could have been done in one of two ways: either buy back the MBSs or stabilize the mortgages. What I don’t back is bailing out automakers, insurance companies, and the like, nor stupid stimulus packages.
The government demanded the issuance of the MBSs and gave investors the strong impression that they were as safe as government bonds. That’s not a free-market failure.
Ed Morrissey on November 5, 2008 at 5:45 PM
You know what I actually see as a good sign… there are too many of these “we are strong, and we will be back” type of articles/posts to ever read.
People are still out there, yearning to throw off the chains of liberalism and embrace the freedom that the human soul strives for. And because of that we will continue fighting and we will prevail.
Abby Adams on November 5, 2008 at 5:45 PM
No argument from me. It’s the road to a brighter future for our country.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on November 5, 2008 at 5:46 PM
All of the soul-searching is good and necessary but until we can find a way to combat the MSM, we will never win a majority (and probably the WH) again.
The MSM gave this election to an empty suit.
stenwin77 on November 5, 2008 at 5:46 PM
Refreshing!
Got up. Looked in here a bit. SSS’d. Ate a big breakfast at IHOP. Went to the range. Got home and made some queso. Munching now as dinner marinates. A day off from heaven.
After dinner I’ll look in the mirror and make sure my head is still screwed on straight. Tonight I’ll plan my day off tomorrow. Maybe visit city hall and get the schedule of meetings.
Seems like a good place to start the reconstruction.
Limerick on November 5, 2008 at 5:46 PM
The Republican leadership needs to be shown the movie “Old Yeller”. Specifically, the end of the movie.
Gromulin on November 5, 2008 at 5:47 PM
Hell yes.
Texas74 on November 5, 2008 at 5:49 PM
Yes, I agree. You backed a government sponsored fix to a government caused problem.
That’s my point. The “small government” people here recognized this was not the apocalypse and said keep out of it. Let it fix itself.
Many “conservative” bloggers said government needed to step in and fix the problem they made. It turns out, that the bailout wasn’t even necessary. Money was still being lent at essentially the same rates as before the bailout.
And McCain said, “hey you know what’d rock? Killing the free market.”
Right as he said it during the first (?) debate, half the chatroom on this site collectively yelled “NOOOOOO!”
Next morning, this blog is like. “Hell yeah! Free market sucks anyways. Government can fix this.”
I think, before asking the GOP to stand up to those 5 principles, maybe you look inward and do it yourself.
Not trying to be harsh, Ed. But, really, if you believe in these 5 principles, you should really show it. You did not during the election.
lorien1973 on November 5, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Is Manly Rash still here? He owes me a Ruth’s Chris dinner. He’s pretty popular with several losers on here. Where is he?
And people had the gall to question MY conservative credentials, when I was just trying to keep this place HONEST?????
This is worse than Obama winning.
jay12 on November 5, 2008 at 5:51 PM
Manly Rash made a bet with me and I think other posters that if McCain wins we would have to leave and if Obama wins he would. True to his word it appears he’s gone for good.
Ric on November 5, 2008 at 5:51 PM
Hopefully McCotter and Flake are keynotes at CPAC.
jbtripp on November 5, 2008 at 5:51 PM
I wish these people had been a little more forceful in 2006…
That being said, we have a healthy bumper crop of conservatives in the House who are finally angry enough to stand up. We have Mitch in the Senate who will continue to make life difficult for Harry Reid (or Dick Durbin).
gippergal1984 on November 5, 2008 at 5:52 PM
These are going to do nothing for the average voter. What they want are a list of 5 things that a Republican win means for them.
pedestrian on November 5, 2008 at 5:52 PM
You lost me at “our liberty is from God.” How are you going to win over more educated voters if you can’t let go of the God stuff? There are strong cases to be made for free markets and limited government, none of which has to do with God.
Enrique on November 5, 2008 at 5:53 PM
You left some important points out:
All human lives have full rights in America – from the moment of conception.
No false limits on campaign contributions — that constitutes an infringement on freedom of speech. Instead, put limits on campaign spending.
Voter fraud convictions may nullify an election.
Limit government involvement in our lives to what is constitutionally required.
Suggested amendment to the constitution: The American economy is based on Capitalism, not socialism, communism, or any other -ism.
Anyone else?
stonemeister on November 5, 2008 at 5:53 PM
Introspection is never a bad idea, but Dr. Helen had an interesting post up on what went wrong:
I was just watching numerous young Obama fans celebrating on the Fox News channel and read the stats scrolling across the bottom of the page. They stated that over 60% of voters who were worried about the economy voted for Obama. That, for me, summed it up in a nutshell. So many right-leaning types are trying hard to figure out what they did, what the Republicans did, and why they lost. Each election cycle, there’s always a theme. For the last two elections, it was Iraq and national security.
Now those issues are in the background and this time around, it’s the economic crisis, with a little (or a lot) of help from the media in pushing it to the forefront in people’s minds. Why is this important? Because rather than think the country is going through some incredible demographic shift of Republican-hating left-wing ideology, it is rather comforting to know that the major reason people voted for Obama in this election was the economy. McCain was actually polling pretty well right before the economic crisis. Next election cycle, it will be something else. It might favor the Republicans or it might not. But to think that the entire philosophy of individual rights, small government, national security and gun rights is lost on a new generation of voters based on this one election is not only foolish, it shows a degree of cynicism that may not be accurate. The next two or three election cycles will need to be evaluated before we can can say that America has rejected the ideas of free markets and free minds
Terrye on November 5, 2008 at 5:55 PM
Absolutely correct.
Big S on November 5, 2008 at 5:55 PM
I would add another to the list –
- Seek out and fight corruption at every level –
GOP nominees that start coming up the ranks need to keep their noses clean – no bad $, no freakin’ affairs, and no tuggin’ on pant legs in bathroom stalls!!!
jagdpanther on November 5, 2008 at 5:55 PM
OK, I take that back, it’s not really worse than Obama winning. But I’m sure that if it would have gone Manly Rash’s way he would have insisted that I be in NY this weekend with a credit card. And I would have.
jay12 on November 5, 2008 at 5:55 PM
Yeah, the bet was a graceful way to slide out of the picture if Obama won. He sure filled a need for some, there at the last. lol.
a capella on November 5, 2008 at 5:55 PM
This is a good start, but I would like to add two more things:
1. Do the opposite of whatever Allahpundit says.
2. Kick Frum, Buckley, Noonan, Parker and Will out of the movement.
Norwegian on November 5, 2008 at 5:56 PM
Yeah, he needs a leadership position now.
Iblis on November 5, 2008 at 5:58 PM
As there should be. Its been said many times before, the conservative spirit is not one that exists because we believe everything is, or ever will be, perfect in the world. That’s the reason we don’t riot in the streets when we lose elections, that’s the reason that we won’t have protests where we burn Obama effigies and American flags. We are American first, and Republican second. As McCain says, “Country First.” We want to improve ourselves not out of selfishness, but because we believe a strong conservative movement will be the best thing for the country.
jimmy the notable on November 5, 2008 at 5:58 PM
They’ve already kicked themselves out.
Iblis on November 5, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Can we keep him in the back room…and maybe put someone alittle more,well better looking out front?
dangitt on November 5, 2008 at 5:59 PM
I vote for voluntarily rescinding ManlyRash’s bet. The point was made, his honor kept intact.
ManlyRash….come on back here, ya perv ;)
LimeyGeek on November 5, 2008 at 5:59 PM
What? Those aren’t meant to atract the average voter …
darwin on November 5, 2008 at 5:59 PM
I think to an extent its taken the drubbing to unleash these people like Flake and McCotter but there was a glimmer of hope back with the ‘revolt’ on the house floor during the recess.
I sure as hell don’t like it, I hate having to be utterly defeated to make that hard shift back to core principles but here we are, no where to go from here but up.
Texas74 on November 5, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Manly, as per his bet, is indeed gone. If you want to contact him, his email is in this message he sent me. For the convenience of everyone missing him – for whatever reason, including your types who are gloating that he’s gone. I guess this is my good deed for the day.
Bleh.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on November 5, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Relatedly, I assume that Jim Treacher is at this hour reviewing his bookmarks.
paul006 on November 5, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Frank Luntz says the GOP can forget about claiming any principles in the next several elections. The GOP has no credibility anymore, as they have compromised themselves in a way that can not be repaired for a generation.
jay12 on November 5, 2008 at 6:01 PM
Now these guys show up? Where were they six months ago? We didn’t see the direction this was heading in? Love what they have to say, though. We need some bulldogs as Minority Leaders…enough of this “we pledge to work with our colleagues across the aisle” crap. Our collegues across the aisle hate what made this country great because it challenges their egotisitical sense of moral and intellectual superiority. Why would we want to work with people who are more interested in maintaining power than supporting this nation?
AmericanUnderground on November 5, 2008 at 6:01 PM
Check out mine if you get a chance.
huckleberryfriend on November 5, 2008 at 6:01 PM
The Republican Party needs two things to win.
We must win the suburbs and the cities. This is the future and it must be done with boots on the ground. TV ads won’t make it happen. We must win at the precinct level. Freedom always sells. Let’s sell it.
We must have an environmental policy that is easily understandable. Drill here drill now is not going to work. How about reestablish the Coast Redwoods in California and the bison in the plains. Rehabilitate wild lands to what Native Americans would have seen. Stop saving the tree and save the forest.
Give people a vision and a goal to work for and you will win.
MHatch on November 5, 2008 at 6:02 PM
Naw, we don’t have to get back to the basics.
The liberals will overplay their hand again. They can’t help themselves. They’ll propose gun-control and gay-marriage initiatives and lose power again.
John the Libertarian on November 5, 2008 at 6:03 PM
Jim’s still here, he’s posted multiple times today.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on November 5, 2008 at 6:03 PM
Thanks, but nobody is gloating. I thought he was a permanent fixture.
jay12 on November 5, 2008 at 6:03 PM
Sadly no. Seems to me he was the type to push the chances, but also one to always pay his debts when chance pushed back. Bet the bank and lost big, this time, but he was willing to follow through.
C’est la vie.
You can contact him via that link and make arrangements for the payment of your debt. I trust you’ll have little trouble.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on November 5, 2008 at 6:05 PM
@ lorien1973 on November 5, 2008 at 5:38 PM
He was also the one that was off by over 150 electoral votes in his prediction. How can you be that wrong and still hold a job?
muyoso on November 5, 2008 at 6:07 PM
Gotta agree with you here.
GinaE on November 5, 2008 at 6:08 PM
huh
Paul talked about those same things months ago and no one listened
offroadaz on November 5, 2008 at 6:08 PM
Still makes you inconsistent. You should have promoted a free market bailout plan. Here is the Austrian Plan.
Tim Burton on November 5, 2008 at 6:09 PM
Before any environmental policy is even set forth, someone in the GOP needs to actually conduct a public debate about Global Warming (or sorry, climate change) to show that it largely amounts to political alarmism. The GOP has lost this issue because it has been carried like a baton by the media and is now taught as gospel in the schools.
Until someone sits Al Gore’s fat arse down in a chair in a public debate in front of TV cameras and forces him to eat the science that shows he is wrong, policy and money will be wasted on a fool’s errand to save the earth.
jagdpanther on November 5, 2008 at 6:10 PM
That’s how it’s enshrined in our Charters of Freedom. As atheists, we must recognize that, salute that, cherish that, and defend that.
Whether you think it’s ill-designed or not, understand that this concept is the last layer of chain mail resting next to your skin, or maybe the shield of your enemy dropped on the battlefield, now the last item you may ever have to protect yourself with.
Time for intellectual parlour games is over. This is a REAL battle for REAL survival. If you’re not on the side of liberty, say so now so you can be marked as an enemy and treated as such in these pages. If you are on my side, you’re not carrying that bauble into battle.
RushBaby on November 5, 2008 at 6:10 PM
Ed,
I’d also have cut Capital Gains tax to zero and the corporate tax from 33% to 2%. Then watch what would happen without a dollar from the taxpayers.
Tim Burton on November 5, 2008 at 6:10 PM
I agree whole-heartedly. We are proud Americans and no apologies for it. We are proud conservatives and no apologies for it. We have paid the price for our follies in pandering to the center-left. The Dems own that demographic and they are loyal to the Dems.
We must continue to be a right leaning party, but not so far right that we are fascist. We must strike a balance that does not compromise our liberty for an artificial sense of security.
We must understand that while the free-market is the proper regulator of private business, there are some situations where government regulation is needed. Keeping business from being destructive to our economy and our country out of pure greed is important. There are some oversight and regulatory responsibilities that need to be done that are not really against free-market philosophies.
For example, many credit card companies have artificially delayed posting of payments in order to justify charging late fees and raising the interest rates of their customers to ridiculous levels. We need to go back to a national usery law to cap interest rates something below what loan sharks charge. We also need to enforce fair business practices in posting payments in a timely manner. There is a difference between encouraging a fair and free market versus just having economic anarchy and usery.
Most of all, we just need to be sensible about how we proceed. I have seen that going too far in either direction is bad.
Hawthorne on November 5, 2008 at 6:11 PM
Hope that’s your buffer e-mail on there as well – - don’t want all the crazies harassing you…
Rick on November 5, 2008 at 6:11 PM
@ reliapundit on November 5, 2008 at 5:43 PM
The last two aren’t conservative ideals. Why would not retreating be on a list of what the GOP must do? Why would no cuts in defense spending be on there? We are wasting SO much freaking money on our military now. I don’t think you understand how much money is just plain WASTED in the military. We should be the party of efficiency, not high spending. Your principles are what is wrong with our party.
muyoso on November 5, 2008 at 6:12 PM
McCotter has a bright future in my opinion. It’s amazing that people tell you there is no conservative leadership to replace Reagan, since they magically start to pop up once we begin to look.
DFCtomm on November 5, 2008 at 6:12 PM
Done and done. I emailed myself a link to your blog and I’ll check it out when I get home from work.
Tacitus_SGL on November 5, 2008 at 6:13 PM
It seems like the only reason for the Republican Party is because some people hate abortion and gay marriage.
Speedwagon82 on November 5, 2008 at 6:13 PM
These guys are “re-branders” themselves.
I’m pretty conservative, but the principles just enunciated above sound like drivel. No substance. For example, it doesn’t matter where our cherished liberties comes from — what matters is that we, by inaction, will lose it. Whether liberty is organically given by God, or created by ourselves, is immaterial. Drivel.
I could carry on further, but if the above is the best Republican thinking, I think I’ll just continue to call myself an independent conservative.
unclesmrgol on November 5, 2008 at 6:14 PM
Sounds alot like Gov Palin and Fred. surprised Allah posted it. oops not Allah it was Ed should have known. allah only post the marx manifesto or other garbage
unseen on November 5, 2008 at 6:14 PM
Thanks, maybe after I regain an appetite. The bet’s off.
jay12 on November 5, 2008 at 6:14 PM
Exactly. Read Jeff Flake over and over. The Repubs violated their two core principles and the American voter chose Obamaian Socialism instead. Who can blame them. If their money was going to be pissed away they might as well get a chunk via “free” health care, phony tax rebates and a host of all the other jibjab that is coming.
Repubs have to claw their way back seat by seat in 2010, 12, 14 and 2016. Then, maybe then, they will get their self respect back as fiscal conservatives and small government Reps. If not they will remain what they have been these last 10 years–faux Dems.
patrick neid on November 5, 2008 at 6:15 PM
I’m pretty conservative, but the principles just enunciated above sound like drivel. No substance. For example, it doesn’t matter where our cherished liberties comes from — what matters is that we, by inaction, will lose it. Whether liberty is organically given by God, or created by ourselves, is immaterial. Drivel.
I could carry on further, but if the above is the best Republican thinking, I think I’ll just continue to call myself an independent conservative.
unclesmrgol on November 5, 2008 at 6:14 PM
You have no idea do you? If the rights come from God government can not take them away. If they are given by government they can be taken away. The where they come from is the bedrock of the rep party. We believe Freedom is a right given to us by GOd. not government. We will be free regardless of what a gov says. We will fight and die for that belief
unseen on November 5, 2008 at 6:16 PM
That is in important idea. If our liberty is not “inalienable” than it can be taken away. If liberty is nothing more than a philosophical construct of the human mind then it becomes negotiable. After all, what makes your ideas any more correct than those of somebody else. By having our liberty granted by God, no man can remove it legitimately.
Hawthorne on November 5, 2008 at 6:17 PM
Your implication is that only dumb as a stump, uneducated and hillbillies believe in God?
How do you know professing that “our liberty is from God” won’t attract people? Just because you seem to exhibit the common flaw of human hubris doesn’t mean all educated do. I just find it striking that God is now person non grata in conservative circles. You want to rebuild the Republican party you don’t act like a liberal and exclude God in your framework.
darwin on November 5, 2008 at 6:17 PM
Yup, have to rebuild alright. How about starting by purging ALL the RINO’s out of the party? We currently have one in the White House, and one just ran for President under the Republican banner. I guess the Republicrats just haven’t learned the lesson yet. I would hope noses have been bloodied enough to wake everyone up!
GFW on November 5, 2008 at 6:18 PM
Frank Luntz can pretty much go ahead and eat the corn out of my ****.
BigWyo on November 5, 2008 at 6:18 PM
Or perhaps the Republicrats are just masochistic.
GFW on November 5, 2008 at 6:19 PM
This is the kind of rubbish which ruins Republicans and sounds better coming from the Dalai Lama.
Liberty is not from God. If it were from God everyone would have it. Most don’t.
Sovereignty is a defined term… not some whispy component of the soul.
The prosperity line is good but why not say commerce instead of making it a point of contention.
If Republican truths were self evident they would not get their asses handed to them on a plate by the electorate.
Try competent government rather than going on about the size thing. Try accountability. Try good stewardship of the economy. Try empowering people to succeed and getting government out of people’s private lives. Talk about essential American things like fairness and a level playing field.
Leave the worthless mantras alone. Be a political party rather than trying to sound like a religion club.
lexhamfox on November 5, 2008 at 6:20 PM
I must take issue with you on one point. The idea that our rights are inalienable is not a Republican ideal. It is an American ideal. I would remind you that Thomas Jefferson was the nominal founder of the Democrat party. The fact that they no longer cherish this ideal only serves to how how far they have strayed from their founding ideals.
Hawthorne on November 5, 2008 at 6:22 PM
@ jagdpanther on November 5, 2008 at 6:10 PM
You do know that global warming IS real right? Its just whether it is man made that is the question. The GOP should NOT debate that issue, we already look like the anti-science party because we have been taken over by the religious right. The GOP should have a simple platform going forward, something that a majority of Americans agree with.
-Lower taxes
-Cut spending
-Reduce the size of government
-NEVER again have no-bid contracts going to contracters
-Make the military efficient, and reduce spending
-Cut corporate tax to entice business to stay in America
-Cut taxes for everyone
-Pay off ALL foreign debt
-Use any surplus to invest in building nuclear plants, researching solar, hydrogen
Those are some simple ideas, and they would resonate with the American people. Keep out the issues like gay marraige, stem cells, abortion, and any other issue that will get the religious right in a tizzy. They are voting for us no matter what. We aren’t going to attract Americans to our party while we look like a bunch of morons who are against any advance in science, we deny things like evolution, we are against abortion in the case of rape or incest, and we are against stem cell research. A majority of Americans look at republicans like a bunch of morons for touting some of those ideals, and frankly we are. You will not win an election with them. No woman, unless REALLY religious, is voting for Palin, when Palin says “no abortion in the case of rape or incest”. Women look at that and think Palin is a crazy religious freak.
muyoso on November 5, 2008 at 6:23 PM
We need to completely disband the RNC so that absolutely ALL RINO’s and those who would nominate RINO’s are completely purged from party leadership positions.
The RNC needs to be replaced with a new organization that is governed according to the founding principles enumerated by McCotter.
Nothing underscores this necessity better than the combination of the 700 Billion Dollar Bailout Plan’s failure (already!!) and the failure of Replublican voters to show up at the polls, leading to a disasterous loss to a totally unqualified socialist candidate.
landlines on November 5, 2008 at 6:24 PM
MHatch on November 5, 2008 at 6:02 PM
But these are mere tactical things, mere trappings, and what is to prevent anyone else or party from doing the same regardless of political philosophy?
Having been through those groves of trees, giants, you mention, and having walked with bison on the Plains, I can easily say ANY true Conservative today would certainly be in favor of saving those precious gems among others.
As for drill here and drill now…the only reason the price of oil is in a downward direction today is that there is a market projection of less not more demand as economies start to tighten their belts and do with less. Thus, the overriding concern about foreign oil is not gone…at any time OPEC, or Putin or any oil tinpot can stop the flow at any point at will selectively…and we will still be sending US dollars overseas to a lot of folks who don’t like us…you’ve heard that little truism a few times in the past few months.
But addressing a few individual things…trees, bison, oil wells, doing a bit of botox here and there…isn’t going to establish what is needed to get Conservtism back on the road and out of the swamp.
What the GOP or what Conservatism needs to do is not cosmetic change but foundational change. I can easily imagine a few years or less down the road, when we are up to our asses in alligators at home and abroad most will have already forgotten our mission was to drain the swamp. Seems a few have already forgotten that, just one day after the Election.
But at the same time there will be a few Americans, quite a few of them, who are very very passionately happy with Obama today who will be far far less happy about him in 2009 or 2010, surely by 2012.
Maybe all of us should head over to the YAF website and start a personal tutorial…as a first step…and then spend a bit of time getting educated on the Greats of Conservatism and what they said, did, or espoused that made them great and our Nation far better than when they found it…and then start learning how to apply real Conservative principles to problems in our daily lives…and then from the ground up add more to our ranks and actually rebuild the Party, not just give it a face lift or botox.
Save the Coastal Redwoods? Sure. Why not? Bring back the Prairie Bison? Of course.
But it’ll take foundational change first in order to be able to do that under a Conservative majority….
coldwarrior on November 5, 2008 at 6:24 PM
LMAO. I hate that Fat F*CK! Where did he get those morons that he “tested”? Eat it, fat boy.
HornetSting on November 5, 2008 at 6:24 PM
That’s BS in my opinion. If you give people true conservative ideals and people who represent them – people will flock to them like a thirsty man to water (i.e Reagan)
I think after a bit of “spread the wealth” around – more than a few people are going to be pissed as hell that their hard earned money is going to lazy people who have never worked an honest day in their life.
Give the people a reason to come back and they will
gophergirl on November 5, 2008 at 6:25 PM
@ Speedwagon82 on November 5, 2008 at 6:13 PM
That is what it has turned into, and until that changes, we will not win another election.
muyoso on November 5, 2008 at 6:26 PM
But how would that go over with the womens vote?
jay12 on November 5, 2008 at 6:27 PM
Scram, taunter.
RushBaby on November 5, 2008 at 6:28 PM
@ gophergirl on November 5, 2008 at 6:25 PM
Wouldnt you like to win an election for real? Kind of like Obama just did? I have had enough of voting for the republican because it was a vote against the other guy. This is 3 elections in a row that I have done it. Gore, Kerry, and Obama. I have voted against all three of them. I didn’t like Bush the first time, I hated Bush the second time, and McCain was a load of garbage. How about we get someone like Reagan that I can vote FOR?
muyoso on November 5, 2008 at 6:29 PM
I second that.
He was honorable and kept his bet and now people are claiming that he was a hired gun and that it was all just a clever ruse to be able to disappear when the election was over.
It’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t, so I figure we should at least have the pleasure of his company.
JadeNYU on November 5, 2008 at 6:29 PM
Enter “The One” who speaks for “us”. Get lost. I’m here to stay.
jay12 on November 5, 2008 at 6:30 PM
So you are saying that the Declaration of Independence and many of the founding ideals of this country are just religious mantras? Maybe the problem is more that you have lost the ability to value those things that you do not entirely espouse. Just because you do not personally believe in something does not make it worthless or undesired.
I am sorry, I will opt to take the timeless philosophy of Jefferson over your faddish interpretations.
Hawthorne on November 5, 2008 at 6:30 PM
If this is Republican principle, I hope the party stays out of power for the rest of my lifetime. I am no one’s servant.
JDPerren on November 5, 2008 at 6:31 PM
Republicans used to be the party of intelligence, competent government (can’t say that enough), and fiscal prudence. That’s pretty much it. Keep it simple and straightforward and the party can regain voter appeal beyond uneducated white people. Eventually the public will forget the last eight years.
lexhamfox on November 5, 2008 at 6:32 PM
McCotter’s best work isn’t philosophical, it’s sarcasm. I like the interpreting Democrat speech he gave. I think it’s on youtube so look it up. He also made a knock off of a music video.
DFCtomm on November 5, 2008 at 6:33 PM
Hawthorne on November 5, 2008 at 6:22 PM
never said it a rep idea. i said it is the bedrock of our party.
unseen on November 5, 2008 at 6:34 PM
Exactly. The Republican Party will never see enduring success so long as it’s perceived as being the vessel of, or at least pandering to, Christian Fundamentalism. Americans might be largely religious, but they generally don’t respect institutions of religion, and they are pragmatists in the way they live their lives. McCotter’s plan could serve only to win back the Religious Right–a faction which never left.
If there’s to be any hope of staving off collapse into the mediocrity of European Continental socialism, it will require a Conservate movement expressed in secular, libertarian terms that resonate with the common American, whose concern is not God, but the simple realities of career, retirement, family and bills.
Be as religious as you want. But don’t delude yourself that your religiousity will ever serve to justify your policies to the typical American voter.
Blacklake on November 5, 2008 at 6:35 PM
@ lexhamfox on November 5, 2008 at 6:32 PM
Exactly. THAT should be our message. But it won’t be, because the candidates cannot even be considered unless they come out against things like gay marraige, abortion, stem cell research, etc. That will automatically assure that at least 50%, probably 55% of the country will never vote for us. So we begin the battle fighting uphill, by our own stupid design.
Leave those issues out. Just be CONSERVATIVES.
muyoso on November 5, 2008 at 6:35 PM
Sez the acolyte of “The One”. We’ll see.
RushBaby on November 5, 2008 at 6:35 PM
It’s nice to have some posts with substance and encouragement on hotair.
aikidoka on November 5, 2008 at 6:35 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 3 4 Next »