The third party problem
Conservatives have a problem, and the NY-23 congressional race is only making it worse. Don’t get me wrong, I am pulling for Doug Hoffman, and if I lived in the district I’d certainly vote for him. But, there is the dilemma – stick with the GOP or go third party. The Republican Party has moved to the left, and conservatives are understandably feeling abandoned, after all there hasn’t been a real conservative candidate in over 20 years.
We must be careful though, we’ve been down this road before.
Remember, we all thought Bush 41 was going to be alright; he’d been the Gipper’s VP for eight years. But, that “no new taxes” campaign promise… I can still see those Saturday Night Live skits; Dana Carvey’s spot on, “it wouldn’t be prudent.” It was because of that broken promise many of us voted for Perot in 1992; good or bad, had we all stuck with 41, he’d have served a second term.
Here’s the problem, the Democrats own their base. The Republicans have sold theirs out. If you’re a liberal, you’re a Democrat; if you’re a socialist or a statist, you’re a Democrat. If you’re pro-choice, pro-union, pro-gun control, you’re a Democrat. If you’re a conservative, you might be a Republican, or a Libertarian, maybe Conservative Party member, or the American Conservative Party, or perhaps you’re a Constitutionist, or maybe you’re none of the above.
I know there are exceptions to the rule, Joe Liberman, Zell Miller, etc. The point is the Democrat Party has moved toward its money base, and the Republican Party has moved away from its. And yes, unfortunately, it is about the money.
You can say it’s about principal and not party, and to a certain degree, you’re right. But, at some point you have to look at party affiliation, it does serve its purpose. Without party affiliation there is no majority; without a majority there are no committee chairmanships; without committee chairmanships there is no agenda. If conservative groups write off the GOP, they must either find a way to band together into one major affiliation or risk remaining in the minority for another 40 years.
But then again perhaps the NY-23 election is a warning shot across the bow that turns the GOP ship around. I guess only time will tell.
- Author: Judeo-Christian Values Attacked on All Sides July 31, 2010
- Debris in Relief Well Sets Back Work On Gusher July 31, 2010
- Obama Decries GOP Over Small Business Lending Bill July 31, 2010
- US Casualties in Afghanistan Soar to Record Highs July 30, 2010
- Signs of Oil Spill Recovery Entering New Phase July 30, 2010
- House Approves Bill On Drilling, Oil Spills July 30, 2010
- Ariz. Governor Considers Changing Immigration Law July 30, 2010
- White House Urges Halt to Spilling of War Secrets July 30, 2010
- Incoming BP CEO: Time for 'Scaleback' in Cleanup July 30, 2010
- Arizona Sheriff Not Relenting After Court Ruling July 30, 2010
Obama is probably the most centrist president we have had in the last 10 administrations. You need to look at what he is doing and not the way it is spun on TV. The crime here is that Americans have become so hypnotized by the box in our living rooms that we no longer think about the actions of our leaders. Obama is just as plugged into the Military Industrial Complex as Bush was. Obama is continuing almost all of the Bush era policies (except for Nukes and Gays in the Military). He is even expanding Afghanistan and now opening up more oil drilling of all things. Americans need to get informed rather than hypnotized.