RINO idiot: The GOP is becoming too conservative

RINO idiot: The GOP is becoming too conservative

Via Booker Rising, I came across this blog post from a moderate Republican — a.k.a., RINO — who claims that the Republican Party has become too conservative over the last decade, and this is why we’re losing elections.

Over the past decade, a disturbing shift has happened. After two major losses in a row, the Republican Party, rather than take a more moderate shift, is doubling down on the more extremely conservative direction of the last decade. As was discussed on this blog last week, there is a movement afoot to create a litmus test by which one can be considered a Republican. They think a Republican Party with a more ideologically pure direction will be a stronger party.

This, not to put too fine a point on it, is dumb. What these Republicans are advocating is like nothing that has ever existed outside the fringe of American politics. They are advocating a party that resembles the Libertarians or the Green Party, or the type of narrowly defined Parties that exist in most other democracies. They want a Canadian, or Mexican, or European-style political system.

His entire post, not to put too fine a point on it, is dumb.

First of all, I’m curious as to what planet this guy lives on which has a Republican Party that has become more conservative over the last decade. It’s been the exact opposite. The party of Reagan has become the party of McCain, the party of Bush. The GOP has been abandoning conservative principles. The party that used to be fiscally responsible is no longer. The party that used to claim to fight for small government is no longer. Republicans want smaller government than Democrats do. They’re better about spending than Democrats are. But they are by no means fiscal hawks. Republicans are more concerned lately with being labeled as moderates, as mavericks, as bipartisans. They’re so desperate to be liked by Democrats and the mainstream media that they’re forgetting the principles which do in fact make up the GOP.

It isn’t that moderates don’t have a place in the Republican Party. But the past decade has showed what moderates, and not conservatives, can do. And it’s nothing good. The incompetence of moderates is profound. Embracing increased spending, amnesty, government-run health care, open borders, and a bigger government is not going to win Republicans, whether they are moderates or conservatives. The biggest difference between moderates and conservatives seems to be (to me, anyways) social issues. But the Republicans in power over the last decade have not been betraying us on social issues for the most part. Domestic policy issues like smaller government, free market capitalism, decreasing spending, lower taxes and defending Constitutional rights (like the right to keep and bear arms) should be the backbone of the Republican Party. These are the things that should be a requirement to be a Republican. Social issues like abortion and gay marriage, those things we can compromise on. Is it extremist to say that? I don’t think so, because how can you be a Republican and vote for the stimulus package? How can you be a Republican and fight for open borders and amnesty? Like it or not, this isn’t the Meghan McCain ideal world, where the GOP can just be everything to everyone. We have to have some idea of what we stand for and what our principles our. We have to have a clear message to give to voters, or they won’t vote for us. There’s a reason we’ve lost the last few election cycles. Why would voters want to vote for Democrat-Lites, when they can just pick actual Democrats? If voters are confused about where we stand, then they won’t feel confident and secure in voting for us. I know that Meghan McCain thinks that it’s a good idea to just let anyone be a Republican, regardless of where they stand on the issues, but it’s just about the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.

The problem isn’t that the GOP has become too conservative and less inclusive. It’s the exact opposite. The GOP has become too moderate, too similar to Democrats, and too inclusive. We need to get rid of the Olympia Snowes, the John McCains, and the Lindsey Grahams. We need real Republicans who can stand up for Republican principles and bring us back to a United States with a smaller government, less spending, lower taxes, and closed borders. We have no room in this party for people with no principles. So, if you’re a Republican who thinks otherwise, then, I hate to break it to you, but… you’re just not a true Republican.

And until we get a party comprised of true Republicans with a strong, clear message about what we stand for, we will not win elections — no matter what idiotic RINOs like this blogger and Meghan McCain say.

republicancauseX

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27 Comments
  • Dave C says:

    If only W. would have taken that pledge..

    Liberals hiss at him like he was the Emmanuel Goldstein of conservatism but if you look at the major legislation that he signed.. No Child Left Behind, Medicare Part D… He did more reaching across the isle than John ‘Maverick’ McCain ever did.

  • POWinCA says:

    100% correct. I spent 8 years of the Bush presidency wondering where the real conservatives were. Bush was at his best when he baved like one, and his popularity proved it. When he reached across the aisle, he was stabbed in the back repreatedly, like Caeser from Brutus. Hearing leftists decry Bush as a “neo-con” was the most laughable thing I ever heard. They didn’t even know what a neo-con is.

    Conservatives would not have allowed this economic, diplomatic, military, and social catastrophe to happen.

    It’s tough when a district is liberal to ask whether we’d rather have a RINO or a leftist. I can say from experience that guys like Schwarzenegger are far better than the Demon Rat alternatives. Holding some of our values is better than holding none of our values. Still, we never should have coddled people like Arlen Specter when there were conservatives who could have won there.

  • JadedByPolitics says:

    What we have here is a failure to communicate and the RINOs are just JFK Democrats whose party is hardcore left and now they want to change the GOP so they have a home. BOTTOM LINE 40% say they are Conservative 21% say they are Republican if those 21% want to take back this country from the left they had BETTER get behind the Conservative candidates because 2010 is going to be a CONSERVATIVE REVOLUTION!

  • Larry Sheldon says:

    There certainly be a place for the so-called “moderates”–I will not support a move to deny them the right to have a place to speak.

    The place is called “The Democratic Party”.

    May it ever thrive.

    In second place.

  • EXCELLENT post, and let me just mention that it shouldn’t even be up for debate, as to whether the GOP has been moving to the right or left. It’s quantifiable that it’s been moving to the left, and not just a little–it’s been moving WAY to the left. We posted some figures at RemoveRINOs (if you want to check them out, just go to the following link: http://removerinos.com/CedingPower.html ) based on ACU ratings. Not only has the party moved to the left, but it’s the leftward movers who have been getting whooped. I can tell you right now…the myth-busting has only just begun.

  • proof says:

    Right on the money, Cassy! The public rejected the bland center/left Republicanism of McCain, the left of center Republicanism of Scozzafava, and others perceived to be “Democrat Lite”.

    The country is ready for a center/right conservative, not another Democrat wannabee.

  • Scott says:

    Excellent post. I agree 100% that the reason why the Republicans lost in 2006 and 2008 is because Bush and Tom Delay abandoned conservative principles, not because they went too far to the right. How anyone believes that putting the costs of two foreign wars (and Medicare Part D!!) on the national credit card, rather than requiring people to scarifice in the form of paying higher taxes to support the war effort, is being too conservative is mind boggling.

  • Benson says:

    I agree to a great degree with the author, however there is no need to shun social issues for fear of losing anyone. The polls show that this is still a conservative nation and if voting against gay marriage in California is any indication the majority of people feel that gays have overstepped by demanding this. Marriage is not a right it’s a tradition, going back hundreds of years, mostly religious and meant to propagate the species. Political correctness aside (as it should be) I want someone who will stand up for moral and fiscal policy if that’s what they believe. Unless their interested in making the U.S. into a Monarchy like the socialist now in the presidency we have no fear that they will try to force their personal beliefs onto everyone. Fear of moral beliefs are touted by leftist as reason to fear a person. They know they are wrong so anyone who dares to stand up for what is right will receive their condemnation. It’s fear mongering best left to the left. Conservatives should know better.

  • Awesome post, Cassy. Love your take-down.

    Slightly OT, but is anyone else running into a problem with that particular post of his with Firefox? His own weblog doesn’t seem to comprehend a post whose title contains the ellipses (…).

    Tried to comment with the following…which I’ll reproduce here…
    ——–
    Let’s see here…the democrat party:

    1. Tries to propose bad ideas that don’t work, in fact that have been tried out, and have failed repeatedly (socialism, gun control supposed to reduce gun deaths, minimum wage supposed to make life better for middle class, Obama supposed to make America more well-liked by the world)…

    2. When the ideas don’t work yet another time, they claim the problem was that not enough was done (stimulus wasn’t big enough, minimum wage wasn’t hiked enough, et al)…

    3. Claim that anyone who opposes their bad ideas that don’t work, for whatever reason, must be a Bad Person (racists, sexists, homophobes)…

    The moderate Republicans:

    1. Bad ideas: See Dave C‘s list.

    2. When the ideas don’t work, claim the problem was that not enough was done. Yep, they’re just like democrats here too!

    3. Claim that anyone who opposes their bad ideas that don’t work, must be Bad People. A three-fer.

    Gosh ya know, to me…just because someone calls himself a “moderate” and you disagree with him about what to do, doesn’t necessarily make you an extremist. To say Republicans shouldn’t act precisely like democrats, doesn’t make you an extremist.

    In fact — YOU…

    1. Bad idea: Don’t define anything. Reject principles. Reach across the aisle. Been tried before. See McCain, John, Candidacy Of, 2008.

    2. When bad idea fails yet again, claim not enough was done. Yep, you got that goin’ on too.

    3. Claim that anyone who opposes doing more of what didn’t work, for whatever reason, must be a Bad Person. “This, not to put too fine a point on it, is dumb.” How clever, all you opposition is automatically stupid. Just like you’re a liberal.

    It seems we’ve reached a fascinating chapter. “Extremist conservative,” far from becoming an entrenched and vanishing minority, and far from being anything extremist, is a label that has now swelled up to engulf anyone who possesses the temerity and audacity to say “Er, this idea we’ve tried oh-so-many times before, doesn’t seem to be working…maybe we should stop doing it.” It’s become the polar opposite of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

  • redpens says:

    Right on Cassy! We need true conservative Republicans, not mushy middle McCain Republicans. John McCain and Bob Dole are not what we wanted or needed in presidential candidates. We need more Ronald Reagan and Sarah Palin.

  • Rosemary says:

    One reason people think the GOP is becoming too conservative and that “moderates” are the norm is their lack of historical perspective. They really don’t seem to know where we come from!

  • Vthockeydad says:

    I wish this person would go back and read the speeches of JFK. He was to the right of the current republican party.
    The dems have moved so far to the left it is sad.

  • Brother Bob says:

    Wow. That may have been the best piece I’ve seen you write, Cassy. Please forward this on to any sites that allow guest posts.

  • Kordo says:

    Nothing like a True Reagan Fetish Post from someone who was probably nine when the guy left office. Let’s break it down, shall we?

    “The party that used to be fiscally responsible is no longer.”

    Um, when was this? Eisenhower? He’s the last Republican I remember even trying to bring government spending under control, and he only did it on his way out the door (“Military-Industrial Complex; Google it.)

    “The party that used to claim to fight for small government…”

    Sorry, I gotta stop you right there. Do you re-read this stuff before you post it? The “..party that used to claim..”? I used to claim that I gave a crap about Female Literature Studies 101, so I could get laid. Does that make me a Feminist? No, it makes me a opportunistic jerk (hint, hint)

    “Republicans want smaller government than Democrats do. They’re better about spending than Democrats are.”

    Mentioning the Dept. of Homeland Security, and the next 4 (defensively useless) aircraft carriers we’re building right now would be crass, wouldn’t it?

    “The biggest difference between moderates and conservatives seems to be (to me, anyways) social issues. But the Republicans in power over the last decade have not been betraying us on social issues for the most part.”

    If by “…not been betraying us on social issues…” you mean “using these same social issues as a dog-whistle so’s they can get a bunch of illiterate hill-billies to run screeching to the polling booth, only to goose-step smartly away from any action on those issues as soon as they get elected.”, then that paragraph is accurate. Sorta.

    “Social issues like abortion and gay marriage, those things we can compromise on.”

    Well, then you really are an island unto yourself, sister; As far as I can tell, Teh Gay Butsecks is the only thing Republican office-holders have any passion about (insert Mark Foley/Larry Craig joke here). I’m down with you on the fiscal responsibility front, though. Now all we hafta do is come up with a way to eliminate Greed from the Human emotional spectrum, and we’re good.

    “We need real Republicans who can stand up for Republican principles and bring us back to a United States with a smaller government, less spending, lower taxes, and closed borders.”

    Yeah! And ponies! Wait, closed borders?? You think that lawn’s gonna mow itself? What do you think, all that cheap plastic Chinese crap is gonna teleport into your local Wal-Mart? I know the Brown People freak you out, ’cause your from South Tumbleweed, Utah, or whatever; Here’s a hint: You are the grand/child of an immigrant! You and your whole family were, at one time, the New Folks in Town. Granted, it was awhile back, but C’mon!
    Anyways, I enjoyed reading your blog. You sound alot less rabid than some of your fellow-travelers. Sorry about the “South Tumbleweed” crack. You just seem to have this idealized version of the Republican Party in your head, & it’s never actually existed.
    If it makes you feel any better, Republicans haven’t been drifting into Dem-lite positions, so much as the country has been drifting away from hard-line Republican stances, and all politicians want to get re-elected. You can holler all day about fiscal responsibility, smaller government, and low taxes; But, if you’re standing next to a bunch of kooks who only really care about getting control of people’s bedrooms, and coming up with a newer, poorer foreign nation to bomb the shit out of, you gonna hafta realize that your somewhat-saner message is gonna get drowned out.

  • fozzy says:

    Kordo, you are an asshole. You left too much stupid behind to go into so I’ll just pick on a couple of things.

    1. “Sorry about the “South Tumbleweed” crack.” No, you are not. If you were sorry you wouldn’t have gone on to click the post comment button. You are lying, so how can we believe anything else you say?

    2. When you make fun of people for being uneducated, you have to make sure that your spelling and grammar are immaculate.

    – “it makes me a opportunistic jerk (hint, hint)” Period at the end of a sentence and yes you are a jerk.

    – “next 4 (defensively useless) aircraft carriers”, “seems to be (to me, anyways) social” You don’t when to use ellipses. Stop.

    – “hill-billies, dog-whistle, goose-step, office-holders, re-elected, fellow-travelers, somewhat-saner” You are not being paid by the hyphen.

    – “eliminate Greed from the Human emotional spectrum, Teh Gay Butsecks” Not sure when to use capital letters? Your local bookstore will have ‘The Elements of Style’ by Strunk and Whyte. It’s been the writers bible for fifty years.

    You are also ignorant about the use of the semi-colon, you used your instead of you’re and you started a sentence with ‘and’.

    Try to learn, bigot.

  • So Bill Maher’s screen name is “Kordo.” Who’d a-thunk it.

    This has had me confused for awhile. Republicans are so self-evidently all of these things: undereducated hillbillies; white racists; homophobes; goose-steppers. If it’s so self-evident, then from where comes all this urgency to say so? The people who profess this belief, always have to get in the last word. No exceptions.

    If something is so true you have to be an idiot to fail to see it, it shouldn’t be necessary to get the word out about it each & every single time something contrary has been stated.

  • Kordo says:

    What!? I’m not getting paid by the hyphen? crap…

    It’s true, I’m an asshole. No, I’m not a bigot. I detest all human beings equally. You gotta admit the “South Tumbleweed” thing was kinda funny, though.

    I’ve never had the pleasure of perusing the work of Strunk & Whyte. I’ve been too busy smoking pot, and bad-mouthing my country, fer all that thar book-learnin’. (another f%#$ing hyphen I’ll never see a dime for…)

    I was serious about enjoying the blog, too. Cassy and I have a great many (ok, three) common interests: guns, tits, & ranting about politics on the InterTubez. Plus, she’s dating? married to? a Marine, so she’s gotta have some redeeming qualities, ya know?

    Anyways, I will try to learn more about Rainbow Fantasy Reagan & His Band of Merry Supply-Siders, as you suggest (godamit, just typing those hyphens makes me feel like I’m gettin’ ripped off now. Frakkin’ Socialists…)

    Question for the thread:
    Which handle is dumber?

    fozzy, from the Muppet Show, I’m guessing (capitalize proper names, dude! Jeebus, what would Strunk & Whyte say…)

    or

    Kordo, an old name i dug up out of Everquest’s Fantasy Name Generator. I was gonna go with “Neelazarybian”, but frankly it was a bit too LARP-ish for my tastes…

    Discuss! =;)

  • fozzy says:

    Whoever is sock-puppeting Kordo is hilarious. Just in case it is the real Kordo, I will give a serious reply.

    No, I did not suggest you learn anything about Reagan in my post, not sure where you pulled that one from. I said you should learn grammar and punctuation before you call other people illiterate, and fozzy is not a proper name.

    Now who has the dumber handle you ask? Mine is a favourite character from a classic TV show. Your name is from Everquest.

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You’re kidding right? Your cool name is from a Dungeons and Dragons name generator? OK, from now on I’ll call myself Davril Dragonsoul. Now I’m awesome.

  • Larry Sheldon says:

    The Republicans can make their tent as big as they want, and put it where ever they want to.

    But they need to understand that if they want my vote again they will have to present candidates I can vote for.

    I am done with voting for Nota S. Badas.

    I’m not going to hear any more “you Republicans were in office for …. and we still have the ….”

    If we are going to have big, spend to oblivion, sell out to enemies government, I’m going to help insure they all sign with (D- after their names.

    If I have the gasoline to drive the 24 miles to vote.

  • Kordo says:

    Dude, my handle is SO much dumber! Oh, wait, you already agreed with me there, sorry. Though, now that you bring it up, Davril Dragonsoul would be an awesome LARPer/D&D character name.
    As to learning grammar and punctuation, it’ll hafta wait til me & ACORN (ACORN and I?) get done rigging the 2010 elections.
    Morgan, I’m hurt. Bill Maher? That guy’s comedic timing sucks! I would destroy that guy any open mic night at the Improv! He has a hard time getting laughs out of people who agree with him, whereas I could get a belly laugh (I miss my hyphens…) out of Dick Armey.

    Hehe, “Dick Armey”…

    “If something is so true you have to be an idiot to fail to see it, it shouldn’t be necessary to get the word out about it each & every single time something contrary has been stated.” -MKF

    Amen! And yet, we still had eight years of the Cheney administration. Go figure. Maybe it’s that some things are so obvious that they are hard to see. Take Pres. Obama; He spent two and a half years telling everyone he met that he intended to “finish the job” in Af/Pak. True story, it’s prolly on YouTube. But as soon as he tries to keep his campaign pledge, BOOM! Mikey MooreBurgers is on DailyKos wailing about the cruel, cruel butthurt he’s suffering as a result of the guy he voted for actually doing what he said he was going to do. Reagan raised taxes 5 out of the 8 years he was in office, and did things to the national debt that would make a kleptomaniac blush with shame. He’s known in some parts these days as an anti-tax (hah!) crusader, and a fiscal hawk.

    What’s the commonality here? Magical Thinking! “I like Person A, and I’d like to see Policy B enacted, therefore Person A supports Policy B”. It’s the same sort of squishy logic that causes things like Cassy’s post above, and political parties in general: “I like these policies; my party has pursued these policies diligently for years, and gotten it’s ass handed to it on a plate as a result; Ergo, my party has not pursued these policies ENOUGH. If we just double down on this busted inside-straight, everything will be cool.”

    It’s not like I’m all that invested in the thing, anyway. I’m a radical techno-anarchist, and I’m looking forward to the day when the Nanny-Staters and the Galtians are all fighting it out over canned food and antibiotics in the burned-out shells of WalMart Superstores. I figure I get a Coleman stove, and some heavy firepower, and I’m good to go.

    People; The Other White Meat. Yum >;)

  • I still say you’re Bill Maher.

  • Elfleaf Faggydragonname says:

    “I’m a radical techno-anarchist” means, “I’m an adolescent wanker who fancies himself a badboy. When the revolution comes and society is in chaos, I am going to be raped and then barbecued by roving gangs.”

    Only morons are anarchists. Laws and order didn’t form by accident, there will always be some form of government. You can have Switzerland or Somalia. Your choice.

  • I’m still trying to get over the idea that Republican party got its nose bloodied in the last election because it was too strident.

    If John McCain wasn’t a sufficiently moderate leading candidate for that year to upset that applecart, who in the world would be? Seriously. Just answer that one question.

    In 2008, the Republicans tried taking the moderate route, watering themselves down and equivocating. More so than any other election year in my lifetime, certainly. That experiment turned out to be a failure. Period, full stop, case closed.

  • Hi there!
    I’m the dumb blogger you talked about in this post. Your post was a wonderful takedown…but unfortunately, it took down a post that I didn’t write.

    I’m not calling for the Republican Party to be less conservative. I’m calling for the republican Party to do exactly what you called for in this part:

    “Domestic policy issues like smaller government, free market capitalism, decreasing spending, lower taxes and defending Constitutional rights (like the right to keep and bear arms) should be the backbone of the Republican Party. These are the things that should be a requirement to be a Republican. Social issues like abortion and gay marriage, those things we can compromise on.”

    This is the core of what I’m fighting for on the site. Check out our “Where We Stand” page. It’s exactly what you called for in this message.

    I came to the Republican party because of the pledge you have posted on this page.

    If you think we’re going in the wrong direction on the site, let us know. Write an article for us. Our only guidelines are the issues on the “Where We Stand” page.

    I’d happy to stick around and refute what y’all are saying about the 2008 campaign. But, suffice it to say, I don’t think it was Mccain’s “Moderation” that lost the race. (1) America was tired of Republicans after the Bush years and wanted something different (2) Obama ran a slick campaign, (3) McCain’s campaign was a mess. If you recall, he barely made it through the primaries. It wasn’t ideology that won or lost the race. It was good old fashioned bad politics.

  • Norris Hall says:

    “Social issues like abortion and gay marriage, those things we can compromise on.”

    Sorry, buddy, but you lost me on that one. If you think we can compromise on abortion, gay marriage, illegal immigration, stem cell research, and any other social issues….FORGET IT!!!!
    You are way off base and barking up the wrong tree.
    You are making the same mistake that McCain made when he came out in favor of catering to Mexican vote on illegal immigration and to the liberals on global warming.
    Your “We are Repubican’s because….” is a middle of the road compromise to moderate Repubicans who think that the only way we can win elections is to compromise on social issues.

    The base of the republican party ARE THE SOCIAL ISSUE REPUBLICANS

    NO COMPROMISE ON ABORTION!!!

    Your

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