Thread: GOP Candidates And Office Holders Beware

GOP Candidates And Office Holders Beware
By Thomas D. Segel
February 15, 2008

If the GOP candidates and office holders don't wake up and face reality soon, the party will be able to hold next year's convention in a telephone booth. For the past six years those wearing the party brand name in Congress have ignored those principles that helped them win office. They have pandered to the special interests, lobbyists and congressional elitists to the point where grass roots Republicans have turned away in disgust.

Those who failed to listen to calls from a return to solid conservative principles now see the handwriting on the wall. They will not win reelection in November. Instead of admitting the error of their ways and promising to return to the winning ways of past GOP election victors, we now have a mass exodus of those who abandoned traditional party values. We are fast approaching three dozen members of Congress who are no longer willing to face voters and defend their dismal record of non-achievement.

There is one hard fact that is impossible for those seeking office to ignore. When those claiming to be Republicans operated as conservatives they won time and time again. When they accepted the guidelines established during the Reagan Revolution, they won time and time again. When they signed the pledge to support the Contract with America they won in a landslide. Then, once in office long enough to be tainted by the elitism that contaminates most of Congress, they fell from grace...and the party has been losing, losing, losing.

Last week the GOPUSA Eagle published what it calls the 'Contract with Conservatives'. It lists those principles of governance that have won for the GOP in the past, and will again in the future, if candidates can honor the words of that document. The GOPUSA Eagle also placed a petition online to have conservatives sign. The number of signatures is growing daily. In brief, it says that those conservatives will support the presidential nominee and other candidates for high office, only if they uphold the Contract for Conservatives.

That contract calls for Immigration Reform that will secure America's borders, enforce employment laws, and not grant amnesty to those who are in the United States illegally.

It calls for tax reform including making the Bush tax cuts permanent, reducing taxes for business and individuals, and simplifying the tax code by moving toward a fair tax or flat tax.

The size and scope of the federal government is addressed. The contract calls for reducing the size of the federal government, reforming entitlement programs, respecting states rights and limiting the reach of the federal government as stated in the Constitution.

It charges candidates to cut spending, support a balanced budget amendment, eliminate ear-marks and support stand-alone spending bills.

On judicial appointments, the contract calls for those holding office to vigorously nominate, and support the confirmation of judges who follow the law and not those who legislate from the bench. It further calls upon them to wage a real fight against left wing attempts to block judicial nominations.

On life issues it calls for respect of the rights of the unborn and to promote laws, which will protect innocent human life. It calls for overturning Roe vs. Wade and block any efforts to fund or promote embryonic stem cell research.

Finally, on free speech the contract calls for those in office to repeal the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Act and embrace First Amendment rights.

Candidates, including John McCain and Mike Huckabee will need to sign this contract and accept these solid conservative principles if they are to stand a chance of success.


Even though it is now presumed McCain will win nomination, he will not see a party energized enough to help him win the Oval Office, should he decline to accept the Contract for Conservatives or the basic principles it contains. The same obligation should be placed on every candidate running under the GOP banner.

They ignore the contract words at the risk of seeing a huge body of conservatives ignoring them in November. The Democrats are already seeing twice the number of people at their primary elections as Republicans are bringing to the polls. A repeat of such a turnout in November will see a future for Republicans that is no more than a shadow on the wall in Washington D.C.

Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.

http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/tsegel ... 2151.shtml

Well..that was good..but as far as I'm concerned the GOP deliberately sabatoged itself. The Elites don't WANT any conservatives. They want socialism. The GOP was infiltrated before Reagan with the neo cons..to pull the Republican Party to the left. The only answer is to crash it and find a good conservative third party and build it up. There is the Libertarian Party who are steadfast on the Constitution and the Constitution Party. If people hang with the gop and try to change it from within...we will be the North American Union before they can get it done and we won't HAVE a constitution because they will burn it. The sooner everyone comes to this reality..the sooner we can get rid of the elites.