Republicans and the base
I'm not normally a huge fan of Newsweek, but their political commentary is sometimes quite telling and is often reflective of larger political trends. In an article this week, Marcus Mabry points out with numbers and quotes that the GOP's evangelical base is badly cracking. It isn't just the evangelical base, but traditional Catholics are also less enthusiastic about the GOP than they were two years ago.The reason for this change in enthusiasm isn't because these groups have suddenly become rabid liberals, as we've discussed here before. Evangelicals and traditional Catholics feel the same way as other members of the conservative coalition do: The GOP has failed to address their concerns. Spending is through the roof, while a war with no end in sight continues to be waged with no realistic exit strategy. All the while, the ambitious conservative agenda that brought George W. Bush to power languishes in a dusty "to do" box somewhere, never to be touched again.
Conservatives have a right to be angry, and it is understandable that some would decide not to vote in November. Yet I will vote, and I will vote Republican.
Some have asked "Oatney, why will you vote Republican when you admit that you've been disappointed by this Congress." Its simple-the national Democratic Party is a party of plenty of talk and no action. They tell us they have an exit strategy from Iraq-what strategy? I've heard many different stories from Democrat candidates about what the Democrat strategy is, but nothing firm. I have heard nothing from Democrats about how they plan to cut spending, and this is likely because they have no plan to bring spending under control that they can all agree on. I love how certain Democrats are even trying to sound conservative, but their voting records paint a different picture.
This Congress has been a disappointment, and I can't blame conservatives for their anger, I don't even blame those who want to stay home, I certainly understand their reasoning. The thought of "Speaker Pelosi" is enough to motivate me to the polls, however-and it should be to every concerned conservative.
Every conservative needs to vote November 7th.
Labels: Federal politics
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 5:44 AM
4 Comments:
David, when one party stays in power too long they get stagnant, history has proven this. The ideas dry up, the get more concerned about staying in power, bringing the pork to their districts and living charmed lives.
The revolution of 1994 ushered in a powerful and very sucessful era in Washington, but its not 1994 anymore.
It can be defined in many different ways. Blame can be placed or shared, but the bottom line is were off course.
Every so many years people want a change, they want to see if someone else can do any better. Its why we have elections.
If the guy does a good job you re-elect him if he doesn't you vote him out. If you just don't care for any of them then they haven't earned your vote.
Anon;
The stakes in this election are too high not to vote. Even if you vote for an independent candidate, they are too high for your voice not to be heard.
Re: "This is not 1994." No indeed. I don't like the situation in Washington any more than you, on that much we agree...but the thought of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House is enough to make me vomit. Lucky for me, I have no problem with our Republican Congressional candidate David Davis (in this District, that means he is already Congressman-elect) his record in the State legislature has been solid, consistent, and respectable. He deserves to go to Washington, I just hope it doesn't change him too much the way it does some others. I have equally no problem with my former Congressman Jimmy Duncan, who can stay in the House until he collapses on the floor as far as I am concerned-I wish every member of Congress were like Duncan, we'd be a better country if we had that kind of principled leadership.
Under this "throw them all out theory, does that mean you are ready to vote Republican in General Assembly races, since the Dems have had control in Nashville since before any of us were alive? I hope so...we wouldn't want a double standard, now would we?
I'll give you the spending, Dave... it's ridiculous, and that problem needs to be fixed. With all due respect, however, and I know we disagree with the war, how does a public "exit strategy" benefit our fighting men and women in Iraq? I have no doubt that the Bush administration has a detailed exit strategy, they just choose not to publish it. While it may be politically rewarding, it is militarily dangerous and emboldens the enemy. The MSM has been allowed to define this war, and as a result our morale on the home front has suffered. In speaking with troops, and I'm directly connected to 2 marines on the front lines in Iraq, they understand their mission and find it rewarding.
"Conservatives have a right to be angry..."
Yes, they absolutely do regarding spending and certain policies designed to appease leftist groups.
"...it is understandable that some would decide not to vote in November."
I feel that this is not a valid statement. Some of the successes we have had with the most recent congress is the ability to appoint our judges, and get some (albeit minor) tax reform. The House has consistently championed conservative principles, and following a victory this November should have an authentically conservative leader. The Senate has been obstructionalist and mostly useless, however, keep one word in mind: judges.
If I find one conservative that doesn't vote this November, with the stakes being so high... well... I'll be quite upset.
The problem Charles is that we need to listen to our troops, especially our Guardsmen and reservists who are the citizen-soldiers bearing the brunt of this war. I can't speak for Ohio's contingent, but talk to some of the men, especially the NCO's, from Tennessee that have already done a tour-in some cases two-and are beingf asked to go back again. They do not want to and they feel the situation is a quagmire.
It is for many reasons, and one is that we started this war without giving these men and women the resources they needed for victory. We did not put enough troops on the ground to begin with, and the ones we did send in for round one were poorly equipped and ill-prepared. We have not done justice by these men and women. They deserve better.
If the GOP loses this election, we will have done it to ourselves because we failed to use something that Ronald Reagan used often when it came to military matters: Common sense.
Post a Comment
<< Home