Johan Klaus

Jeb may have assumed that all politicians are to be held to the oath they made, but you are right. He probably should have affirmed that.

Why do libbies feel this need to offer us advice? As if anyone with intelligence is going to bother listening to them anyway.

Libbies: Buffoons and children–the lot of them.

Matt Helm on March 11, 2009 at 7:39 AM

Are you implying that liberals don’t actually have the best interests of the GOP at heart when they say we should just be quiet and kneel before the Obamameister?

As for not practicing the ‘politics of personal destruction,’ – it certainly seems to be working for the Left but yet once again the Right is told we should play nice.

This ‘loyal opposition’ should base its policies on the two pillars of conservatism – a bedrock belief in limited and efficient government and a passion for reform of the services government must provide.

The most important pillar was omitted; strict adherence to the U.S. Constitution.

Mav, you have just articulated my feelings much better than I have been doing! Nicely stated, as usual…

With a “loyal opposition,” conservatives will regain the confidence of the American people by offering creative, 21st century, reform-oriented policies that adhere to our longstanding principles of limited and efficient government. This ‘loyal opposition’ should base its policies on the two pillars of conservatism – a bedrock belief in limited and efficient government and a passion for reform of the services government must provide. Our guiding principles should be that government should not grow faster than people’s ability to pay for it, that it is immoral to indebt the next generation to pay for things in the here and now, and there is always a better, improved way to deliver government services.” Putting these principles into practice isn´t easy when so many are clamoring for the federal government to “do something” about every problem that exists, regardless of how it was caused or who is responsible for fixing it.luntly, taxpayers should not be forced to abandon their personal goals – whether it is saving for college, paying off the mortgage, starting a new business or taking the vacation of a lifetime – to pay for a skyrocketing growth in government just because elected officials didn´t have the courage to say no. A belief in limited government should not be confused with eliminating government altogether. Where government plays a role, it needs to get a lot better. Developing a zeal for reform will reinvigorate the conservative movement but, more important, our success in transforming government will usher in an era of prosperity that will improve the quality of life for all Americans. J.Bush

I get skiddish whenever I hear “reform” where I’d rather have REPEAL. If government burdens our lives with a monstrosity that misses hitting any of its intended goals, ELIMINATE that monstrosity from the record; and knowing what fails, start with a clean slate. THAT is the only way to keep things efficient and effective within reasonable costs paid by taxpayers.

Re: education

conservatives should advance proposals that enhance accountability for student achievement, …Bush

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Given accurate texts and teachers that “appropriately” present lesson materials in a thorough and timely fashion, the ACCOUNTABILITY for learning rests within the STUDENT and the parental input leading their child’s homework efforts even MORE than folks admit. PTA, volunteers and school websites are there to help. There will always be a population segment that refuses to fulfill their own obligations to do all that it takes themselves to gain knowledge. THEY need to accept their own obligations either to get with the program and LEARN THEIR LESSONS, or be directed into specific training to productively serve society. Ultimately, age limit per provision of public education needs to be obliterated, as Adult Education should be part of the public education. Adults are paying the taxes; age should not be used to discriminate against a student ready to learn.

HEALTH CARE
problem: affordable insurance
“promote prevention and control costs by drastically reducing the need for more expensive medical treatments that come from chronic and possibly preventable illness.”

“Promote prevention”
Tax the “bad for your health” products to specifically pay for treatments required?

INSURANCE skyrockets cost of medical treatment. Eliminate insurance and lawsuits, the middle men, and deal directly between the patient and the medical treatment.

THAT is even less likely to happen than the projected education reform.

“Reinventing Conservatism” is like reinventing the wheel.

Into this vacuum have swooped faux conservatives like Brooks, Chris Buckley, Noonan, Frum, and even a couple of people on this site – those who blame our losses on conservatism when conservatism wasn’t even tried the last eight years. The truth is, they’ve always hated conservatives, especially social conservatives, whom they see as simple, stupid and beneath them. They’re just as ingenuous as the liberals who are ramming socialism down our throats, citing the false claim that capitalism caused the current financial mess.

Phildorex on March 11, 2009 at 3:14 AM

I’m down with that statement Phildorex… A real source of my frustration is wrapped around those within our own party who have attacked Conservatism & Capitalism, while also attacking Rush Limbaugh for having the nerve to explain and educate the masses while pointing out the successes of the Reagan administration. Why so much time and energy devoted to attacking the foundations of our Democracy? Why aren’t these people attacking Liberalism-Socialism-Communism?

Plants? The enemy within campaign? Or did these people sell out their own principles and values and become part of the Liberal movement as a result of their own skeleton’s in the closet.

Conservatives will need to band together to defend one other to succeed in changing the tone of the debate.

I do like the way he said this. I agree that the Rush thing is getting old. But, in fairness to Rush, he has been defending himself from other Republicans, as well as Dem nitwits.
So,, we do need to just get over this and get a united front.

doriangrey on March 11, 2009 at 8:29 AM

100% correct, every single word. This is precisely the situation we’re in, and face. Maybe it’s time someone like Rush turns his attention from explaining the errors of the lib’s ways, and starts broadcasting the warning. Surely his life’s goal, to wake people up, has been accomplished, at least as far as it’s going to go.

Yesterday around 5 am we had a power failure. Because the clocks had been turned ahead, and it was rainy outside, it was particularly dark when it was time to get up.

I didn’t know if it was the normal, local-type problem, or “the big one.” My kids enjoyed the flashlights and candles and left-over pizza for breakfast, but I was stung with what might be happening, and how woefully unprepared I still was (no heat source for example, recently purchased oil lamps, but no lamp oil, only two wicks, flashlights with dead batteries–you get the picture. Few will really survive what might be coming. How many people truly can provide themselves with food and shelter off the grid if it ever comes to it?

…then the lights will start going out as one by one the true John Galt’s of America walk off the job and leave the immature emotionally crippled athensboys to run the show.

This summer, dorian. This summer.

Our guiding principles should be that government should not grow faster than people’s ability to pay for it,

I wouldn’t care if the American people could afford A 10 trillion dollar federal budget. That is not the issue. Government is too big and has its hands in too much.

Come on, Jeb, you were supposed to be the smart one.

They were purposely misled by their leaders, who used them to attain power. But it’s an old story, about a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

JiangxiDad on March 11, 2009 at 8:21 AM

True, but I doubt their leaders will escape unscathed, either.

I know this site has a running joke about “alphas” and “betas”, but if you think about it, there are a ton of “alphas” out in the world who’ve channeled their energy into business because they don’t like the messiness and compromise of politics, nor the political correctness of it. The very stereotype of the alpha male is a hard-driving businessman, not an IRS auditor or EPA bureaucrat. Now, a bunch of “beta” politicians are destroying that which the “alphas” built. Sure, the “betas” have the force of law behind them now, but I doubt that will endure. So, how could that possibly end well for the “betas”?

now is not the best time for a Bush to be casting his net into the political waters.–Matt Helm

Matt,
Like you, I appreciate the good achievements from each of our Bush politicians. So far as the public is concerned, get over your own hang-ups without laying them on Jeb’s shoulders.

GWB and the first Pres.Bush are silent by choice. Whatever Jeb has to say is his own right. If Jeb has thoughts to share, then take them for consideration. The aspiration motivating the article centers from contemporizing Reaganism, building the conservative movement’s momentum. Take Jeb’s advice in the reading and the thinking of conceptual applications; get past the personality for the moment. And don’t censor who has a right to speak from a warped public perception of name association. Hell, why shouldn’t a Bush project conservatism at this already infamous Obama-50-Day point in American history?

“Now” is the time for discussion, and Jeb’s article is part of that discussion in the Washington Time’s series, “Reinventing Conservatism.”

I fear it’s going to be so ugly, that even those who survive are going to avert their eyes in shame. But if there’s an alternative, I still haven’t found it.

JiangxiDad on March 11, 2009 at 8:06 AM

What I find frightening is that so many people either cannot or refuse to understand that when you make a deal with the devil it always cost you your soul.

So many on the left, like athensboy, are so profoundly narcissitic that whenever they dont get what they want their single and sole response is to lash out in rage and hatred.

I have a sister in law who voted for Obama out of hatred for Republicians, she didnt know a single thing about Obama except that he wasnt a Republican and she hated republicans so she voted for Obama.

Well quite frankly, good honest decent hardworking well balanced emotionally mature people can only endure so much of this constant hateful abuse before they say enough is enough.

When the time comes the last billboard sign warning probably isnt going to say “Who is John Galt”… It’s far more likely to say… “I am John Galt” and then the lights will start going out as one by one the true John Galt’s of America walk off the job and leave the immature emotionally crippled athensboys to run the show. And yes, when that happens it’s going to get really really ugly.

But this current breed of Obots and turnips…there’s no talking to them…no reasoning with them…they’re a religious cult–pure and simple.

Matt Helm on March 11, 2009 at 8:15 AM

They’re intoxicated. But it will wear-off, and the hangover won’t go away.

The ironic thing is, it didn’t have to come to this.
venividivici on March 11, 2009 at 8:12 AM

They were purposely misled by their leaders, who used them to attain power. But it’s an old story, about a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

On some level, I can understand that–rage, with no place to direct it specifically, gets directed indiscriminately. But it also blinds him to the consequences of tearing down the society and pushing people beyond their tolerance level. I fear it’s going to be so ugly, that even those who survive are going to avert their eyes in shame. But if there’s an alternative, I still haven’t found it.

JiangxiDad on March 11, 2009 at 8:06 AM

Funny thing is–I get along great with “old school” liberals–those in the Kennedy, LBJ, Humphrey, Stevenson, Roosevelt traditions. Yeah, we have some pretty passionate disagreements with each other over cigars or briars when the subject turns to politics, but we can still part as friends and pick up the discussion the next day. But this current breed of Obots and turnips…there’s no talking to them…no reasoning with them…they’re a religious cult–pure and simple.

A minority of producers, and taxpayers. Atlas is gonna shrug baby, and the interwebs turn off. Good luck scrounging for food.

JiangxiDad on March 11, 2009 at 7:22 AM

The ironic thing is, it didn’t have to come to this. They keep pushing and pushing for more and more of our money (which is really to say, more of our labor and time), beyond all reason. As Caesar said of the dead Romans who opposed him lying on the battlefield, “They wanted this”. Well, they’re gonna get it.

And the funny thing about it, you could put a giant “Who is John Galt” billboard in their front lawns and they still wont see it coming.

doriangrey on March 11, 2009 at 7:59 AM

Correct. I wasn’t threatening athensboy. I was warning him, as I’ve warned my own family. They aren’t listening either, but my conscience is mostly clear.

A minority of producers, and taxpayers. Atlas is gonna shrug baby, and the interwebs turn off. Good luck scrounging for food.
JiangxiDad on March 11, 2009 at 7:22 AM

Don’t forget the soldiers. I’d love to see the butt-first pansy patrol lead by Rear-Admiral Athensgirl and his ACORN comrades.

TMK on March 11, 2009 at 7:49 AM

LOL! And the co-leader of the patrol shall be non other than the buggering senator from MA. the “honorable” Barney (Backdoor) Frank!