I’m trying not to be snarky here, but I once was (a few years ago before bush the lesser!) a conservative and today I feel betrayed, so my disappointment and (sometimes) anger might come out snarky.
I was reading the latest installment about the Young Republicans election of their new chairman written by John Avlon, “Bullying Behind GOP “Racist” Win, and he states, “The Young Republicans faced a stark choice at their convention in Indianapolis yesterday as they chose their next leader: a center-right twentysomething interested in greater outreach, or a self-described “true conservative” who is almost 40 and spent last week dealing with Daily Beast reports about her beliefs, which are, at best, often hateful, and at worst, downright racist. The delegates, in a vote of 470 – 415, chose the latter.”
Calling the newly elected chairman a “true conservative,” made me wonder anew what that title means. I suspect it has a different meaning for different people and that just might be one of the biggest challenges facing The Republican Party today!
Does a “true conservative” mean a person must want Roe v Wade overturned? Does it mean a person must want every citizen armed to the nth degree? Does it mean a person must believe love knows a gender and that nonsense about marriage only being between one man and one woman (at a time)? Does it also mean you can’t appreciate, enjoy, and welcome what our taxes do to make our country one of the great civilizations envied by many? Must we stop thinking and follow a strict dogma that says no taxes are good and no government is good in order to be part of this exclusive “true conservative” movement?
Does being a “true conservative” also give license to stoop to new lows in order to be elected? Read the referenced article and learn the tactics used (and evidently approved by the majority of voters) to get Audra Shay elected — sexual innuendos, voter intimidation, near-fisticuffs. Must a “true conservative” approve of this nastiness, and be for electing people so divisive?
Look at how many “true conservatives” back Sarah Palin who is divisive in her every word, every action.
Is this what the GOP has been reduced to? Or just the “true conservative” arm of the GOP?
fnord
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
Remember when limited government included staying out of my bedroom and out of my uterus? Remember when the freedom to choose how one worshiped or practiced religious beliefs was a hard-won freedom that was cherished?
Although I don’t agree with Frank Rich in his assertion that Palin broke the GOP — I think Rove pushing the neocon and religious right agendas in order to get bush the lesser elected did that — I do agree with most of what he writes here:
Hah where do I begin? The term “true Conservative” is for the most part and oxymoron these days.
What was true of conservative has been pushed aside in favor of social issues.
Logic and awake thoughts have given way to childish concepts and emotional gut reactions.
So caught up in the partisan fight that they fell into a free fall as to morality and common sense.
Assured that their ideas of governing were so right and all they have to do is do what ever it takes to get in power and elected. By the time they do they can not remember what it was they wanted to do in the first place. So focused on the path and the battle that once they get there they are lost and have no idea why they wanted to get there in the first place.
Which would be more important to you, saving your child from a burning building or making sure that you do not go bankrupt? That is what has become of the Conservatives in that their focus is on single issues and the rest is unimportant. You can either think of how your are going to save your child or you can think of how not to go bankrupt. They make the decision and can not be concerned with the other.
As to why they seem so subject to following some moronic idea or outdated concept? We will deny it but even as adults we long for parental guidance. Not having to think about the adult world and wanting someone to tell us what to do. That is what causes people to become institutionalized in Prison and why they have such a hard time when released. Told what to do, when to get up and what to eat, the “true Conservatives” are not having to think about their actions as they are following a preset path and thought process.
The hardest thing to do when needing to change directions is to accept when you were cock sure that you were on the right path, then admit you are on the wrong path and need to go a different direction.
For the Social conservatives that involves having to deal with thinking it was the way of God and his word. If your way is wrong then its the same as saying your entire religious understanding is wrong. That’s saying God is wrong and that involves a much deeper self reflection then simply saying, “Ahh I was wrong!”.
The same goes for the Neo-cons, you came to the conclusion that you were smarter and have the big picture well in mind. To admit that you were wrong is the same as saying I am dumb as dirt, when all along you were telling everyone you are the smartest person on earth. Again they are cock sure of being right beyond any reason or logic.
I have already made the decision, no offense but not ready to go “D” but the “I” is there already.
Like Fnord I am only holding out till the primary because I want to help in giving Tiahrt a bloody nose. I will vote for Moran though the hope may be a day dream that he is better then Toddy and even if Moran wins I think he is possibly more beatable by a Democrat than Tiahrt.
LOL the day I would decide to make it a D I would expect Thunder bird and I to have a drink together! But it would have to be a soft drink as I stopped the good stuff years ago.
I could go on about the True conservatives but then this is already “War and Peace”.
Being a ‘fiscal conservative’ is completely different than today’s accepted meaning.
The neo-cons are fighting a class warfare, something completely different. Guns, xenophobia and creationism in schools. No thanks on these issues.
Conservatism has morphed into today’s GOP, the Party of No.
No to global warming.
No to abortion.
No to taxes.
No to diplomacy.
No to regulations.
No to gays and lesbians.
No to affirmative action.
No to environmental standards.
No to stimulus.
No to women (unless they are Palin.)
No to immigrants, illegal or legal.
No to any religion other than their version of Christianity.
No to liberals or moderates.
No to education.
No to any gun controls.
No to Democrats.
No to President Obama.
Well, I don’t know exactly when conservatism lost it’s way, but it was on the date that they aligned themselves with the so-called silent majority, Moral Majority.
It was at that time that they began to demonize anything and everything that they disagreed with, including a vast portion of America.
Sarah Palin has stated that she “wants to unite America behind a conservative philosophy.”
T’ain’t gonna happen – liberals and moderates out number the Republican base by about 80/20.
My only worry is the many apathetic people who are disenchanted, scared, ill informed and may fall for this new face (a very pretty one!) who sounds like them so they put confidence in her promises.
We need to be aware!
Personally I would like the conservatives to stay out of my pants and the liberals to stay out of my wallet.
Ya know, when conservatism was defined as being about small government, low taxes and a strong defense it had something on which I could agree with it, but when it started extending its reach beyond the public sphere into people’s private lives, bossing them around, despite what The Constitution dictates, and when conservatism turned into big GOP government protecting big business interests and espousing white male resentment, I lost any affiliation with conservatism I could find or stand.
Exactly when did the GOP stand for true fiscal conservativism?
Was it during the Reagan years when he started the war on the middle class? Or when Reagan proved that deficits don’t matter?
Was it during the Bush years, both Daddy Bush and Junior Bush, when both of these men had out country engaged in war?
Now, I have to admit, Junior Bush was worse than his father – but he did have two terms to do his best to ruin our country – and he nearly accomplished that feat.
So, I guess I left to wonder – just exactly when was the GOP really promoting the true fiscal conservativism they always preach about?
Lilac, I’ve lived a bunch of years and I think that “fiscal conservative” line is an urban legend, or maybe a dream someone once dreamed and is still hoping will come true.
Everyone is fiscally conservative until they get access to someone else’s money.
The Republican Party itself has not been able to gain support of the majority of Americans since, at least, the 1920’s , without having a devout or politically reactionary voting blocs in it’s midst.
While these Americans were pandered to they were not ever actually catered to, instead, the gentrified and business interests have commanded the policy activities of the Party, when in charge.
The effect, has been to string along the other voters by giving them continued hope for the societal changes the religious wish to see and at the same time doing very little to satisfy the other Republican voters who want Immigration Laws redefined and enforced harshly.Still other Republican voters who interpret the 2nd Amendment in a fashion that would allow any and all firearms and other arms are left to worry that, at any time, the 2nd Amendment would be eliminated, save for the Republican protectors of the Constitution.
Real Conservatism is one of those definitions similar to freedom, open to interpretation, resulting in nearly as many definitions as their are individuals.
The only reality is times change, this nation has too.
Not only in modernization, but, in its constituent make-up.
It is there, where the Republican Party has failed to keep pace.
While the Republican Party continues to define itself with the thoughts, actions, and policies that defined the last third of the past century.
If time stood still the Republican Party would be a dominate force, but, time “keeps on slippin into the future” as Steve Miller observed.
The ironic image of the President of the Young Republicans, a 38 year old woman, old enough to be elected President of the USA herself, is a telling sign of the ossification of Republican politics on the National level.
Ummmm Racism?
http://curlymorris.wordpress.com/
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