Monday, January 30, 2012

So, Where Is the 'True Conservative' In This Race?


We Have a Good Reason Why The GOP Can't Center On a Conservative Choice... There Really Isn't One.


     For months now, there has been a central debate going on inside and outside of the Republican Party as the battle for the nomination has gone on: Where is the Real Conservative??  It seems like almost every candidate in the field has claimed the title at one point or another.  Yeah, lots of Republicans are conservative to a degree, but conservatism is not 100% of being a Republican.  While it makes some in the party cringe at not being Ultra Right (politically, that is), there is a solution - join the Conservative Party.  Yes, one actually exists, although they usually choose the GOP candidate anyway.  Then again, you can learn a lot about football by watching from the sidelines too. Eventually, you have to get in the game...


    That gets me to my next point: those who have recently gotten into the game.  Yes, the Tea Party movement is a subgroup within the party, but trust me, it is NOT the complete makeup of the party.  It's kind of like the little brother in the family that yells and screams for attention, but doesn't have any power over it.  Need proof? Listen to all the jeers when Newt Gingrich's supporters talked about beating 'The Establishment'... Uhh, Newt is pretty much as Old School establishment as you can get.  It's all pretty laughable. My advice to the Tea Party is this: the sooner you realize that 'idealism' doesn't work in the real world, the better.  Our government is a two-party system, and Democrats will NEVER do 90% of what you are demanding, and Thank God for that.  Shelby Foote had a great saying.. "Many Americans like to think of themselves as umcompromising, but it is our ability to compromise that has been our greatness."  True...


    Back to our original point. Why has there been such trouble in finding the True Conservative.  Simple.... There is none.  Don't believe us?  You don't have to. just look at the indecision in finding one.  But, for those of you who prefer proof, we'll go one-by-one, and figure it out together...


Mitt Romney
    At first, he tried to put his conservative street cred card out, but even he quickly gave up.  Smart move, because the worst thing you can do is try to be something you're not.. Easy call here.  Romney pushed through Universal Health Care in Massachusetts, which is diametrically opposite of Conservative thought.   Fiscally, he had been slightly conservative, but that gets knocked out by being Mormon. If there is one thing Conservatives hate, it's a guy who believes in a snake and a burning tree... C-


Newt Gingrich
    So, what exactly is a Reagan Conservative?  It's a nice tag. Thats about it.  A Reagan Conservative is about the same as a Reagan Democrat..  Compare a Reagan Conservative to a Goldwater Conservative, and there is a real difference - the difference between winning and losing.  Gingrich has a few checks on his side for conservatives: his Contract With America, which cut welfare and helped balance the federal budget.  Problem was, Bill Clinton got more credit for it than Newt. Add to that his moderate stances with Global Warming, Cap & Trade and Immigration (which is realistic), and the Real Conservative tag is BS.  C


Rick Santorum
    On social issues, Santorum's conservative base can't be questioned.  He's not only talked the talk, he's walked the walk.  Good enough, right? Well.... Yeah, he was in Congress when the budgets were balanced, but Gingrich was more in the leadership position then, so Santorum loses there.  The bigger problem was he was in the Senate when the Republican Party lost it's way with spending.  Things like Medicare Part D were part of 'Compassionate Conservatism', which basically was an oxymoron.. And even conservatives don't like when you lose by 18 points. Only in the 6th SC District do they put up the same loser over and over and over and over.... C+


Ron Paul
    Paul drives me crazy sometimes... I listen to him on some issues, and he makes total sense.  Small government, balanced budgets, keeping the lines of communication open with Cuba and Iran... He makes a lot of sense, which is a nice change of pace from the tough talk the others do, but have no idea how to do. Then, he goes off the ledge on The Fed, Income Taxes, Drug Legalization and ending almost every branch of government... Conservative?  Not quite.  Ron Paul is a strict Constitutional/Libertarian. Like most of them, they use the Republican Party becuase no one wants 4% of the vote.  C-.


    Now to answer the question you are asking: 'Hey Mr. Smartass, so WHO is the Real Conservative here?  The answer is there is none... Why? Because you cannot be in a position to run for President without having some sense of moderation politically.  Even Senators have to play the game from both sides... What about the rest?  Rick Perry? Nope, check his immigration, then check to make sure you have a heart.. Herman Cain?  No record whatsoever.... That leads us to our last choice, and our case in point: Michelle Bachmann.  


   Yep, if you were looking for a Real Conservative, then you should have voted for Bachmann.  That's the problem.  First off, Bachmann and the term 'bat shit crazy' seem to go hand in hand.  Why, because Bachmann never had a real plan, except for nice 10 second quotes.  That is why you never see anyone above Congressperson as part of the Tea Party movement - their views don't work for anyone that has to actually run anything.  Strict Conservatism doesn't play on the large scale, which is why none of the field left quite fits the bill.  None are abject failures, as evidenced by their grades, but none made the Honor Roll.  It may not make some of you happy now, but it'll be a nice 'compromise' in November.... Can't stand that word, can you??

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2 comments:

earlcapps said...

Just more proof we should have run you, right?

Thoroughbred 401k said...

Hell no... I only got a C.