Comments on: As people flock to conservative/libertarian banner, fewer politicians seem ready, willing & able to carry it into battle

By: GayPatriot » Despite 2008 Election, Americans Still Moving Right

GayPatriot » Despite 2008 Election, Americans Still Moving Right — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:44:17 +0000

[...] As people flock to conservative/libertarian banner, fewer politicians seem ready, willing & abl… [...]

By: GAY PATRIOT: “…conservative ideas are in the ascendancy.” But where is our leader?

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:01:37 +0000

[...] GAY PATRIOT: “…conservative ideas are in the ascendancy.” But where is our leader? Posted at July 6, 2009 As people flock to conservative/libertarian banner, fewer politicians seem ready, willing & abl… [...]

By: The Tea Party Movement Still Going Strong « Tai-Chi Policy

The Tea Party Movement Still Going Strong « Tai-Chi Policy — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:56:05 +0000

[...] wonders who will carry their banner forward. So do I – and I know just the legislation to carry forward to: the [...]

By: Buford Gooch

Buford Gooch — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:06:12 +0000

I would really like to see some top level gay conservatives run for Congress. I’m not gay, and am dead against what is known as the gay agenda, but am in favor of equal treatment under the law. Having gay conservatives run for office would be good for the country, and it would make leftie heads explode.

By: mockmook

mockmook — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:38:20 +0000

turtle,

McCain chose to stay on public financing even though Obama broke his pledge to use public financing — McCain crippled his campaign.

By: Mike K

Mike K — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:28:04 +0000

There are two paths for Palin. One is to spend more time with the lower 48 voters and get away from the guerilla war the national Democrats were waging with phony ethics complaints. They drove Gingrich from Congress with the same tactics. NOT ONE of the complaints thus far has gotten any traction but they all cost money and time to fight. Now she is no longer vulnerable to that tactic.

IF she really wants a career, this may be her plan, just as you suggest. Do fund raising events for Congressional candidates and not run for anything herself.

Next, she is an energy expert from her experience in Alaska. That is a perfect position to attack the absurd Obama energy plan. By 2010, if there is any economic recovery at all, gas will be $6 per gallon and, if Waxman/Markey passes, electricity will double or treble. Obama’s policies just don’t make economic sense.

While she is fundraising and making loyal allies in the party, she can be getting a personal think tank education like Margaret Thatcher did. I think Cheney would be a good man to set it up for her.

The other path is to make some money and retire from politics.

By: Warren Bonesteel

Warren Bonesteel — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:23:12 +0000

Don’t wait for a leader.

Don’t look for a Great Leader.

Be a leader.

By: Duffy

Duffy — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:02:24 +0000

Who would want to run as a Republican after the way they treated not only Palin but her entire family? Not me. When I was young and stupid I thought I might run for public office some day. Now I know better. Not only must you endure the most horrible slander but now your family is fair game too. No thank you. Combine that with the BS at the local level where you must run for every local office first before they’ll even consider giving you a shot at statewide let alone national office. Again, no thanks. Lastly, until term limits (2 max for any national office) are in place nothing will change in Washington. Corruption is directly proportional to time in Washington irrespective of your party.

By: vladtheimpaler

vladtheimpaler — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:20:48 +0000

Several helpful things to vent your anger (at the right people and place):
1. Cancel all newspapers and cable (propaganda).
2. Attend TEA PARTIES or organize one in your area.
3. Avoid purchasing non-essentials.
4. Save as much money as possible.
5. Attend local government meetings and FORCE them to stop accepting matching Federal Funds for projects they can’t afford.
6. Call your Senators and Representatives EVERY time you are mad about something. Tell them we don’t need them if they let OBAMA run the country.
7. Tell all your friends and relatives to do the same.
8. Subscribe to power organizations like NRA and Heritage Foundation.
9. Vote Independent and Republican (where you can stomach the candidate). Vote with a HEAVY BIAS against Democrats and LIBERAL Democrats especially.
10. Contribute money to defeat Pelosi, Dodd, Frank, Waxman and their ilk in 2010.
11. Learn about the Climate Change HOAX and GREEN SHOOTS HOAX being foisted upon us. Challenge everyone you meet to become informed. Google Milankovitch Cycle.
12. Avoid buying union made products, especially cars.
13. Pressure your state government to FIRE UNNECESSARY employees BEFORE RAISING TAXES. Get citizens to review what is going on or not going on.

By: turtle

turtle — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:16:14 +0000

This flocking sounds nice in theory, but nothing will happen until more people are active in the process. This may be harsh but sometimes I think that GOPers are the laziest of constituencies. I know that a lot of the people that read this blog would probably say that they’ve worked on a campaign, gone to a tea party, fundraised, etc. but what about the other 98% of GOP voters? Think about this: McCain got (ballparking) 55M votes in Nov but had to go on public financing of his campaign? If every voter had pitched in $10 that would have been a $500 M warchest. Yes there were a lot of fence sitters who wouldn’t give but I gave a lot more than $10.

By: Wells

Wells — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:18:03 +0000

How many republican politicians are really small government conservatives? I mean, not their rhetoric, in their heart of hearts?

People become politicians because they want to exert power. It’s hard to find a Cincinnatus who is willing to invest ten years into being a politician, to have his wife and children become targets for jokes, attacks and threats, to get to the point where they can relinquish power. And if someone does get there, who would work on his staff? Who would be his ally?

It isn’t surprising that this Libertarian Awakening we’re experiencing is terrible for conservative politicians. First, they’re vulnerable; they depend on the lip service they give to the movement being believed. Second, they’re vulnerable to attacks from the other party and the media. Finally, for the movement to be effective, it must seize control of a political instrument; the GOP is the obvious choice, which means displacing the current leaders.

What’s interesting is that this is a true grass-roots movement, with all the attendant flaws of one. No central leadership will cause the movement to fracture when it tries to actually accomplish anything. It leaves the astroturfers room to move in to paint the movement in a bad light. It makes coordination difficult. I’m not sure how much the tea partiers can actually accomplish, but if its only effect is to permanently break the power of the MSM, it might have been enough.

By: veronica

veronica — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:15:20 +0000

Great article…you are totally correct about the void of leadership. That’s the reason Palin still lingers as a possible candidate…I love her but she can’t get it done when it comes to laying out new solutions

By: NKI

NKI — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:57:13 +0000

Why should we want professional politicians of any stripe to “carry that banner into battle”? Legitimacy? In what way are the members of the present ruling faction– by which I include people involved in ANY party as a method of advancing a career in government– suitable for fairly representing ideas which run contrary to the very “ideals” that make them seek positions in government then spend the majority of their efforts securing their tenure?

I do not believe it will be possible to fix what is wrong with our government at any level by doing more of the same. Starting a new party will be as ineffective as trying to “use” any existing party. What then shall we do?

By: Tyrone Slothrop

Tyrone Slothrop — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:51:27 +0000

Comment by Tano @ 10:45 am:

“Telling yourself fairy tales again?

I think you should look at these numbers:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

and then reconsider your own personal fairy tale

By: Mitchell Blatt

Mitchell Blatt — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:45:38 +0000

Congrats on the Hot Air link!

By: Tea Parties in the absence of leadership… « The Tiger in DC

Tea Parties in the absence of leadership… « The Tiger in DC — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:08:36 +0000

[...] Gay Patriot notes that while conservative ideas are more popular than ever, there is a distinct lack of leaders able [...]

By: Steve Ducharme

Steve Ducharme — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:07:00 +0000

First off I’m new here. Great Blog. A few thoughts. The standard model in politics is that leaders need money and are therefore beholding to their financial backers. Right now most of the BIG money (Soros et al) is behind a larger nanny state (regardless of the general public’s wishes.) The Tea Parties will definately have a large influence on this and the “victor remains unclear.

Who the new “leaders” will be does not matter at the moment. Hillary had been around forever. It only took Obama one great nationally televised speech and BOOM! he became a candidate overnight. The leaders are out there they just haven’t fount their “stage”yet.

By: Uniblogger

Uniblogger — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:02:59 +0000

Don’t believe those phony polls you see in the MSM. They are weighted to favor the ‘Dear Leader’. The only one that is objective is at the website below. You may have to scroll down to see the Presidential Approval Chart.

The Rasmussen poll was also the most accurate during the last natural election.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

By: Letalis Maximus, Esq.

Letalis Maximus, Esq. — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:50:20 +0000

Tano:

Don’t confuse personal popularity with support for programs. People can still like Obama personally, but think his health care proposal sucks.

By: Letalis Maximus, Esq.

Letalis Maximus, Esq. — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:47:16 +0000

True conservative/libertarian ideas mean less power, money, tenure in office, prestige, perks, and authority for politicians. How can you expect them to favor that outcome? They may talk a good game back home, but the corruption (the scandal is not what is illegal, it is what is legal) and pernicious influence of The Beltway is simply more than they can stand – and that presumes that they were telling the truth back home, which I doubt.