Thread: Have Conservatives Thrown in the Towel?

http://www.federalobserver.com/archive.php?aid=9818



Have Conservatives Thrown in the Towel?
By Alan Caruba



An interview with Pat Buchanan in the May 17 edition of The Washington Times has evoked a lot of discussion on the various message boards that self-identified conservatives visit. “The conservative movement has passed into history,� said the three-time presidential candidate, commentator, and magazine publisher.

He’s right.

As a movement, a unifying force, the conservatism that mobilized people to vote in sufficient numbers to give control of Congress to Republicans in 1994 and, with the exception of eight years with Bill Clinton in office, has put Republicans in the White House has lost its momentum.

Since then, the Democrat Party has drifted so far to the left that it needs to change its name to something like, oh, the Socialist Party. Worse yet, what passes for the Republican Party today has drifted to the left with them. Not as far, but enough to become the party of Big Government and Big Spending.

And here’s where it gets fuzzy when one defines “conservatives.� Much of Buchanan’s lament was devoted to the erosion of moral standards. “American culture has become toxic and poisonous,� he said, referencing the garbage coming out of Hollywood and seen on television, although he also noted the reduction of the power of the States as enumerated in the Constitution. Today, the States are in the grip of the federal government thanks to sweeping judicial decisions that deny them the right to decide their own policies.

Today, when people think of “conservatives�, the popular perception is that of religious fundamentalists concerned with moral issues. While they are among the most vocal, there are many more conservatives for whom religion is merely a component of their lives. For them, the traditional conservative issues such as Second Amendment and property rights, privacy, fiscal prudence, and national sovereignty arouse their ire because they have very little traction in Washington, DC these days.

In the popular mind, conservatism is too often about right-to-life and other ethical issues. As the commentator, J. Grant Swank, Jr., put it, “Pat does not recognize the force of Judeo-Christian and other moralist advocates very much alive and well in America.�

I suggest, however, that he does, but he also realizes they have relatively little, real political power. Pointing to last year’s Republican National Convention, Buchanan noted that among its featured speakers were Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gov. George E. Pataki, and former New York City Mayor, Rudolph W. Giuliani, all social liberals. Nor does Buchanan include the neoconservatives who he dismissed as “Wilsonian interventionists abroad; they are big government at home.�

One can hope that government reflects the nation’s traditional moral values, but that is not the primary mission of government. It must, first and foremost, protect the nation against invasion and its people against harm. The current Republican majority in Congress and in the White House has done nothing about the one issue that will decide the next election or two, illegal immigration that is undermining the provision of education and medical care. It is a major contributor to crime in America. It takes jobs from native-born and naturalized Americans and it exports billions of US dollars abroad.
Conservative think tanks and organizations have watched helplessly as the Republican Party has sucked up every available dollar to insure the reelection of its candidates. They have suffered a disastrous loss of support as conservatives conclude that they are no longer able to have any impact on legislation they favor or oppose.

The irony, of course, is that conservative talk radio has never been more popular, the Fox News Channel continues to gain new viewers, and authors of conservative books are thriving. Yet, when I was on radio recently, successive hosts asked me why conservative issues cannot get a hearing in a Congress hell-bent on spending money on more so-called “entitlement� programs and which continues to throw billions at the failed Department of Education.

That is why Buchanan is right. Conservatism cannotâ€â€

This pretty much sums up my personal feelings.........he sure did hit the bullseye for me.

YES

It must, first and foremost, protect the nation against invasion and its people against harm. The current Republican majority in Congress and in the White House has done nothing about the one issue that will decide the next election or two, illegal immigration that is undermining the provision of education and medical care. It is a major contributor to crime in America. It takes jobs from native-born and naturalized Americans and it exports billions of US dollars abroad.

I urge you all to contact whatever party you are a member of and tell them you will no longer support them monetarily or at the polls until they deport the economic terrorists in our Country. The RNC has finally gotten the message from me. They finally called me and I gave them an earfull. The letters I sent apparently did no good so they called. I told them flat out -- NO WAY!! Stop economic terrorism and I will be glad to make a donation. Until then, nothing. Nada. Zip. Not one cent!!!

And when election comes again, I will vote for whomever has done something about removing these economic terrorists from our Country! I told her that and she said she couldn't believe I meant that. I told her I couldn't believe they thought we could continue paying for them when we couldn't afford paying for our own. I told her to send the troops to the border to protect it, put the terrorists in tent camps until they can be deported and stop this nonsense. I asked her if she understood what I was saying she said yes and I said Good bye, don't call me again until you have done this. I did ask her to send this clear consie message to our President in case my numerous faxes and emails were not sending the message loudly enough!!!

I was polite because you catch more flies with honey, sugar!

Too many Republicans in the party have become RINOS. I would actually consider voting outside of the party if anyone were serious about controlling spending and tackling illegal immigration.

Too many Republicans in the party have become RINOS. I would actually consider voting outside of the party if anyone were serious about controlling spending and tackling illegal immigration.

Illegal Immigration? What's that? We no longer have that.

We have ECONOMIC TERRORISTS &

ECONOMIC TERRORISM!!!

Today, the States are in the grip of the federal government thanks to sweeping judicial decisions that deny them the right to decide their own policies.

Those of us who have long espoused the rights of the states, have over time seen our rights driven into the ground, beginning with the American Civil War. Prior to that this country was a Confederation of states (as in the United States of America, not the United State of America). Most people in those days viewed their state as their country. The Civil War gave far greater power to the Federal government and it has increased over time. The power of the central government has primarily benefited the social leeches and as long as people can vote themselves entitlements, especially the ones who pay little or no taxes, you can expect the trend to continue - more big government, more taxes, more feeding, clothing and providing healthcare for the hordes from across the border. Don't it make you proud?

I'm so proud I've had to buy bigger bras cause my chest is so poked out with pride!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scarecrow-Well said.

good12me-There is nothing wrong with being proud.