I.E. “Vote Republican, but don’t expect any Republican support for your issues.”

I can’t help but notice the Democrats don’t treat their left-wing supporters like this.

Purge or just put them out to pasture for their excesses inside the Party in the 90’s? Hmmm, I think soc-cons have a place in the Party –just not piloting the ship. If we go back to the days of TeriSchiavo, FlagAmendments, FMA, EnglishOnly, build a wall, protectionism and making elites the boogeyman of trailer park residents, we won’t grow in 2010 or 2012. The lessons of the 2008 races and 2006 races is that going farther to the Right leaves more Americans moving farther to the Left… and that ain’t good for the Party or the conservative movement.

We can’t run knee-jerk, hardcore, bible thumping soc-cons everywhere in the US of A. We can run fiscal conservatives. We can run strong military hawks. We can run those who support limited govt. We can win with people who preach Newt’s and Kemp’s Opportunity Society tenets. We can cut through to new voters with a strong, honest anti-tax messages. And we can run candidates who believe the Constitution is pretty good for now and the future, judges shouldn’t legislate from the bench, the 2nd Adm is supreme and federal term limits are a way to stop the corruption of money & seniority in Washington.

And we need a way to run candidates in areas that aren’t strong GOP bases, allow them the flexibility from Party doctrine that will attract their own special voters, and accept that being GOP isn’t a one size fits all or we expect the culprits to hit the road.

Collins and Snowe have 70+ and 80+ approval ratings inside their home state. It’s time for alleged GOP-sympathizers to appreciate that fact and understand the Party’s first obligation isn’t to advance conservatism… it’s to win elections. First and last. Only. And it can and will be done without losing the Party’s soul. Reagan used conservatism to win elections, to win policy debates, to attract voters disaffected with the Left. He used the movement… it wasn’t meant to replace or co-opt the Party.

Soc-cons in the GOP, purge or put ‘em out to pasture? Nawh, just don’t let them near the levers of power again; we did that and it was horrible. The culture war shouldn’t focus on the Left… it needs to focus on radical Islam.

And just try to get rid of me, moderate RINOS.

Regards,
Peter H.

What the Party does need to do is remind the less-than-faithful minions with their own battle axe to grind, that a few years ago those same people with the same advice about the GOP’s death rolls were likely trumpeting the fact that conservativism had killed the welfare state, turned the corner on socialism, spread its philosophy to Europe, SAmerica and beyond and the Democrats would be a 3rd Party… not even loyal opposition anymore… in short order of that insight being pronounced.

My, what a difference a few years, a little corruption, ego-drunk powerhogs and a fleckless attention to the “basics of building a Party” rather than “purging a Party” can do, eh?

And, frankly, some STILL haven’t learned with the calls from the farRight (probably from folks outside the Party, btw) for the Party to now make Collins, Specter and Snowe walk the plank ’cause they be RINOs, argh. Silly ol’ pirates need to get a new hat, new act and a new line. Because for GOPers to toss electable GOP Senators from blue states is about as low on the “they don’t get it” totem pole of politics as those angry, pitchfork ready toeheads can get.

Present company excluded, of course.

Local and state parties are not generally in shambles, unless you’re part of the status quo who is under attack (rightly so, I think) for the taking the Party far, far away from what it ought to be about –winning elections– and for some of the status quo state Party leaders it’s about purity tests on specific, single-issue matters or taking the Party to an even more conservative niche on the political spectrum or in playing personal kingdom-maker… all silly.

We’ve got a great set of GOP farm teams doing the heavy lifting right now. Most state parties have excellent candidate and campaign training programs for the novice or untested candidate –if the candidate will drop the lion-sized ego, get some training, take some advice, find the right crew and work toward election… rather than working toward proving they are always right or some other motive than winning on Election Day. Running a “high moral ground” campaign is what advocacy groups do… not political parties.

The simple truth is that for the GOP to win elections it must attract the greatest number of voters, work within the media outlets favored by those voters and beat the crap out of the ideas of the Left at every single frickin’ turn. No taking hostages. No polite demurs. No gentleman politics. Building coalitions of willing voters is how we’ll win; along with tirelessly pointing out the Democrats are in this for the other guy, not for the voter or America’s taxpayer.

Not to discount the problems at the national level. The national party can’t articulate what it stands for, and I suspect it doesn’t even know. Liz Dole’s tenure at the RSCC was an unmitigated disaster — spending millions to support a RINO like Lincoln Chaffee while letting Talent, Burns, and Allen lose in very narrow races where the money could have made a difference. And then there was John McCain’s disastrous, disorganized, dyspeptic and tone deaf campaign. The only reason he was the nominee was because of open primaries. What kind of party lets the other party choose its candidates for them? Idiocy.

To give the GOP HdQtr guys a pass and expect them to work around the ego-centric info-tainment world of talk radio show hosts is to miss a fundamental reality of the information marketplace and 21stC public square. Yeah talk radio is important for a segment but unless you listen to it with a religious fervor, you don’t realize that most people don’t even tune in the AM band in their cars anymore.

Can they do more in the area of talk radio availability, the netWebs and other forms of communication? Sure. But it ain’t going to bring the bacon home on Election Day and it won’t attract independent voters and moderate anti-tax Democrats who are still watching/reading conventional MSM outlets. We need the message tailored to greet those potential voters –without tossing the baby out with the bath water.

As for the idea that state and local Party officials need some boot camp time? Frankly, anyone who’s worked with the rank and file GOP leaders across the country will tell you that the local & state guys get “it” a hell of lot faster and with greater effect than the fatcats inside the beltway. They can also marshal the right argument with the correct spin faster and with deadly accuracy because they’re generally speaking from conviction and hard-won political fights. They don’t need CATO or the Club4Greed to tell them what matters.

If you want to send some folks to bootcamp, try sending the staffers of House and Senate GOPers who still haven’t found the passion or inclination to fight for the long term interests of the Party when in conflict with protecting their Master’s backside.

The problem isn’t at the grassroots levels, V.

The problem continues to be inside the beltway and its caustic, adverse impact on local and state parties. Nearly every state GOP party organization, save Alaska, has very good candidate recruitment schools. There isn’t a shortage of experienced, enlightened, passionate people at the local or state levels to help them wage a campaign and win an office. The problem is the GOP fatcats inside the beltway branding the Party adversely… and no counterpoint from GOP HdQtrs when some of those beltway boys stray from the fold and try to cover their asses or take the Party for a ride on, what I call, the Fringe Bus.

Whereas when libtards get their wittle feewings huwt, they turn into screaming drama queens (hi, ADD) and get in people’s faces using “hard reaction” as opposed to light. Sure enough, the TV mikes and cameras are in their faces too.

What we as conservatives need to go is get in people’s faces as well. Unfortunately, the DNCMSM will either do a Joe-the-Plumber job on us and pull out the skeletons in our closets, or incorrectly portray us as right-wing-nutjobs just a few degrees away from the KKK or John Birch Society.

Either way, it’s a lose-lose situation.

As for me, I prefer to go down fighting. And yes, I will get in their faces.

Regards,
Peter H.

If I were to recommend a strategy for the GOP to rebuild it would include the following:

1. Figure out what Republicans stand for, and use those principles to formulate solutions to a short list of high priority national challenges.

2. Send local and state-level party leaders to boot camp to teach them how to talk about the issues and present solutions; and how to debate with liberals.

3. In addition to a net, radio, publish strategy hold lots of townhall meetings to tell people what the party’s positions are, and challenge Democrats to debate at every opportunity. Groom the most gifted speakers for prominent roles as communicators and party representatives.

Thank God, Newt is still around.

http://www.americansolutions.com/General/?Page=01607eab-e608-4f34-8ca7-367da48a1430

When exactly do these guys finally hear “Go”?

Even the MSM leftwing outlets live off controversy and conflict… MichaelSteele and GOPHdQtrs needs to give the MSM that soundbite they want… he did a good job during the Sunday morning tak shows, but that’s kind of speaking to those who are “inside the ballpark politics” wonks. He’s gotta reach… teach and reach big.

Steele has to get the message out beyond that… he needs to get into the Democrat-ally base and work it. Hard. He needs to talk to independents worried about their kids’ future. And he needs to stop spending time talking to Hannity or Rush… that’s not where the message needs to be voiced -those guys do it nearly every second they are on the air.

It’d be great to see him resurrect Bill Proxmire’s Golden Fleece Award and nominate a single $100m plus item in the Democrat 2009 Spending bill each day… like the Amtrak spending package that will waste $1.3b on a Democrat constituency program that didn’t make it out of the last century in the black… what a frickin waste.

Get a schtick. Get a prop. Do SOMEthing NOW, Mr GOP Chairman. You can worry about ordering the french cuffed shirt links later… start earning your salary and offset the face/voice of the GOP –which right now is Collins, Specter and Snow.

He voted “Present” 127 times.

See how the liberal mind works? Not pretty.

Regards,
Peter H.