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[QUOTE][SIZE=2] HELP WANTED: RIGHTY FOR '08 By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN January 8, 2006 -- It's getting to the point where the conservative - dominant - wing of the Republican Party needs to take out a want ad in the newspaper or post a listing on Craigslist.com to find a candidate for president. In the field taking shape before our eyes, none of the top four contenders is likely to satisfy their delicate palates - made more arrogant and discerning by decades of victories. Rudy Guiliani? Pro-choice, pro-affirmative action, pro-gay rights, pro-immigration, pro-gun control Rudy? Righties will vote for him only if they have lobotomies first. Remember how the New York City Council prohibited the Boy Scouts from meeting on city property because they wouldn't let in gay scoutmasters? Rudy let it happen. Yes. There is a war going on and of course Rudy Guiliani is the man we should have had all along running Homeland Security. Obviously, he is the candidate Osama would least like to see in the White House. But has the religious right so abandoned its draconian agenda that it is willing to elect its ideological opposite president? Don't bet on it. Sen. John McCain? The McCain of the Kennedy-McCain bill to let illegal immigrants become citizens? Of the "anti-torture" bill to handcuff our agents when they question terrorists? Of the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance bill that the right wing hates? Of the Lieberman-McCain anti-global-warming bill that addresses a problem the right doesn't believe in? That John McCain for president? The right wing can't tolerate his apostasy even if he is the pro-life candidate that Rudy isn't. Mitt Romney, who was pro-life and then switched to pro-choice when he ran to become Massachusetts governor and now is switching back again as he runs for president? The Mitt Romney who said "I will protect and defend the right of Massachusetts women to choose?" The Romney who has flip-flopped on gay issues? Will the right wing back him? No way. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich? A man who has never valued the right-wing social agenda? And then there are the personal lives - the only one of these guys who hasn't had multiple wives is the Mormon - a church that's viewed dimly by lots of conservative Christians. Conservatives may think they are going to vote for Rudy, McCain, Newt or Romney - but wait until the negative ads start running. Part of the problem is that the agenda of the evangelical side of the party has expanded beyond religious issues. Somehow, the Christian right's litmus tests have widened to include opposition to illegal immigration, affirmative action and gun control along with antipathy to gay marriage and abortion. In the flush of victories since 1980, the movement has come to expect candidates to toe the line of their agenda . . . and to reject those who don't. But the Republicans have to nominate somebody and the Christian right has to have a candidate. Who will it be? We don't have any idea, hence the want ad. Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is articulate, a former Baptist Minister and an innovator. He even lost 100 pounds. But another Arkansas governor? Give us a break! Maybe Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas. Senator who? Or Rep. Duncan Hunter of California or former Virginia Gov. James Gilmore. Or whoever answers the ad. [/SIZE][/QUOTE]

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

If it's Brownback, I'll be pulling for whomever gets the Dem nod.

The article is right that it will be tough for most of the big names to appease the far right wing of the party. Personally, I think the GOP would be idiots to reject these guys because they don't embrace the far-right social agenda that a lot of moderate republicans aren't really on board with. Part of the message of the '06 midterms, I think, was that people are tired of that wing of the party having so much control. My opinion.

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

Yeah. I am defintly an economic conservative.... but socially I'm more liberal. I'm an athiest, pro-choice, don't really care what gays want to do, pro stem cell, etc....

As much as I might disagree with serious right-wingers, I find that economic issues are so much more important than everything else that I just have to put up with the rest of their stupid crap. ;)

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

^Economics is the central issue even when it is not. People interact through economics, through trade, through commerce. Its the only thing that wins in the end. In the final end.

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

[QUOTE=Lorn;431402]^Economics is the central issue even when it is not. People interact through economics, through trade, through commerce. Its the only thing that wins in the end. In the final end.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, although I've kinda developed the opinion that the economy is pretty much going to do what the economy is going to do, and there's not a heck of a lot that the government can do to alter that in a serious way. As such, provided candidates intend to stay within some range of reason, I don't vote based upon economics so much anymore if there are compelling reasons on the social side. Oddly, though, one of my biggest criticisms of Bush is that he's stepped outside of that range of reason with regard to [B]spending[/B] -- something I didn't think I'd have to worry about from a purported conservative. Whomever takes the helm next time around needs to get us back on track from that standpoint, because the spending in this country has been out of control for the last 6 years.

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

i've got so much to say about this 2008 election, but i'll just leave it at this for now: the republicans have become the democrats. and the democrats have moved farther left. there really is no true conservative that I think would run and have a chance to win. I think this is why I could see myself voting for the LP candidate this year. I think they stand where most americans feel and think. strong on civil liberties, strong on economic freedom.

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

if the fucking media would allow the libertarian party some press, i think 70% of the country would gravitate to them within a decade. i think we are the only party that still embraces common sense and the idea of fighting for something. but wolf blitzer and dick ebersol dont allow thier networks to cover us....

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

[QUOTE=thesightless;431447]if the fucking media would allow the libertarian party some press, i think 70% of the country would gravitate to them within a decade. i think we are the only party that still embraces common sense and the idea of fighting for something. but wolf blitzer and dick ebersol dont allow thier networks to cover us....[/QUOTE]

problem is that the people that are most vocal about being in the libertarian party are complete whackjobs. I'd consider myself a libertarian ideologically, but I just can't align myself with the party.

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

if ya listened, they tend to point out bullshit long before anyone else makes it a cause. (only one democrat voting against the war, then the dems making thier platform anti war, only after being pro war, but not really, but yeah.) or the idea of being for american jobs, but allowing the previous administration to send 3.2 million jobs to latin america. being for the afghan war, but openly against the iraqi war, and at the time, being chastized for it, but hey, look now.

im going to say this and im ready for a flaming.

anyone who thinks the democratic party has a viable candidate, and that the candidate will/can do a good job after 08, well, you are a complete moron who seems to be educated in bufoonery.(spelling,word?>) both parties are essentially limp dick lost souls, and you are severely disallusioned as to what life today is. the only chance the republicans have is if they can get rudy G, and mccain on the same page and running together. everyone else from that camp is evil, flat out evil, and the so called "party bus boy" obama.... he is a party line politician, even though he might be engaging as a person.

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

[quote=toasty;431470]problem is that the people that are most vocal about being in the libertarian party are complete whackjobs. I'd consider myself a libertarian ideologically, but I just can't align myself with the party.[/quote] whackjobs?

howso?

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

jimbo, you the man, but just gave the reason why our country is fucked. people are afriad to go out on a limb, you say you share the ideas of the party, but cant allign because of one or two vocal loudmouths>?? then how in the world did you align yerself with the dems in the mid terms... i mean, i think most of their vocal people are whackjobs...

clinton, pelosi, gore, kerry, schumer, etc etc.... pair em with bush, cheney, runsfeld, etc etc... they are all mirror images of each other.

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

[QUOTE=88Mariner;431488]whackjobs?

howso?[/QUOTE]

The guy that springs to mind is the guy that's been on the Daily Show a couple of times, pushing guns and cigarettes to children. Maybe "most vocal" was the wrong way to put it, maybe I should have said "guys that get the most press."

I also have a problem with the Libertarian party's all-or-nothing view on certain issues, like drugs and gun control. I do believe that some drugs ought to be legalized, but not ALL drugs. Moreover, I believe in the right to bear arms, but I do think that some rational restrictions are OK.

[QUOTE=thesightless;431492]jimbo, you the man, but just gave the reason why our country is fucked. people are afriad to go out on a limb, you say you share the ideas of the party, but cant allign because of one or two vocal loudmouths>?? then how in the world did you align yerself with the dems in the mid terms... i mean, i think most of their vocal people are whackjobs... [/QUOTE]

I wouldn't say I [I]aligned[/I] myself with the dems at midterms, I would say I [I]voted[/I] with them. I voted to castrate Bush, so a vote for anyone other than a dem would be a throw away vote. Election was too important to vote my ideology to make a point.

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

the so called party line stance from the libertarians in regards to illegal drugs is really only geared towards weed, considering the fact that our presidents were growing the plant until the mid 1930's when Dupont industries began paying congressional seats to protect thier cotton production. in regards to what we know as class A drugs, i dont think anyone is in favor of a 100% legalization.

"you are free do live life as you deem unless you commit, aid or perpetrate fraud,harm, or violence towards another"-- greatest politcal thought ever.

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

as long as the press continues to give time to the most "vocal" LP people (i.e. those that are extremist in viewpoint), it will continue to "harm" them in the eyes of many...a serious look at the LP would definitely give them more credibility...

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

the mainstream press are nothing other than lackeys to the two-party system. They've learnt well never to bite the hand that feeds them.

Re: Help Wanted: Righty For '08

And fed they are.