THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume VIII, Issue # 243, December 13, 2006
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
POSTURING "MODERATES" COULD SABOTAGE
GOP PROSPECTS IN THE 2008 ELECTION
By Christopher G. Adamo
THE DANGEROUS POLITICAL ENEMY WITHIN THE WOMB OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY: UNSCRUPULOUS POLITICAL
OPPORTUNISTS WHO POSE AS "MODERATE REPUBLICANS," SEEKING TO CAPTURE CONTROL OF THE GOP, OBTAIN THE
REPUBLICAN NOMINATION OF MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN FACTION AS CANDIDATES FOR THE PRESIDENCY & CONGRESS,
WIN CONTROL OF THE U.S. NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, & PURSUE A LIBERAL LEFTIST PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA QUITE
SIMILAR TO THAT SUPPORTED & PROMOTED BY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY -- GOP "MODERATES" & THEIR SCHEME TO
PREVENT GENUINE CONSERVATIVES FROM BEING NOMINATED AS CANDIDATES BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY & TO
THEREBY LOCK CONSERVATIVES OUT OF THE NATIONAL PUBLIC POLICYMAKING PROCESS -- A SURE ROUTE TO REPUBLICAN
DEFEAT IN THE ELECTION OF 2008
FULL STORY:
Prominent grassroots Conservatives were dismayed this week to learn of a
1994 letter written by Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney when running for
the U.S. Senate, a letter in which he voiced his support of “gay rights,” to the
point of claiming to be a stronger "gay rights" ally than Ted Kennedy. His stance on
abortion was little better, assuring pro-aborts that he would do nothing to
infringe on current Massachusetts law.
While not as thoroughly indicting as John McCain’s tirades against the
Christian Right back in 2000, this information represents a clear disconnect
with the constituency Romney now seeks to court.
Ever since the mid-term elections, he has sounded like a citadel of
traditional values. But as the details of his past are revealed,
Conservatives around the nation find it increasingly difficult to join the
Romney camp. In truth, none of this is really new. Certainly those
Conservatives living in Massachusetts, few in number though they may be, are
not surprised.
The Bay State has been at the epicenter of such radically amoral movements as those seeking the
establishment of same-sex “marriage” as a legitimate institution and public school “sex education”
programs designed by homosexual advocacy groups. To ensure that little Johnny
arrives at adulthood properly pre-programmed to accept this countercultural
ideology, schools have presumed the authority to teach on such subjects
without parental knowledge or consent.
In none of these circumstances has Romney led the charge to return to
traditional values. Nevertheless, he recognizes the necessity to garner
support from the vaunted “values voters” whose antipathy towards the
Republican Party proved decisive in this past election. So now Romney is
presuming to carry the torch for faith, family, mom, and apple pie.
Far from being outraged at the recent revelations of Romney’s moral and
philosophical inconsistencies, Conservative movers and shakers ought to be
extremely thankful this information came to light long before the 2008
primaries. The timing of this controversy affords them the opportunity to
find another, more worthwhile candidate around whom they can rally. And some
such individuals may indeed be entering the presidential fray.
In the meantime, it is critically important that Conservatives do not entrap
themselves with their own version of John Kerry. In 2004, Kerry was the
presumptive winner of the Democratic Party nomination early on, despite being unable
to muster any voter enthusiasm other than being an alternative to President George W.
Bush. The ploy did not work.
Nor has such an approach ever proven successful for the Republican ticket,
especially in recent decades, after social and moral issues had risen to
prominence. Any Republican candidate, who does not possess a clear track
record of actively and enthusiastically championing such causes, can be
virtually guaranteed to lose in the 2008 general election.
The real lesson of the 2006 elections, despite the incessant “spin” being put
on them, is that the Conservative base of the Republican Party will not support Leftwing Liberalism from
either party. But while Democrats can appeal to their Leftist fringe as a
suitable substitute, Republicans who lose Conservative support will
ultimately be hung out to dry.
Those latecomers to the Conservative bandwagon, who then seek to ingratiate
themselves among the Conservative camp by talking the talk, despite not
having “walked the walk” over the years, can count on being exposed at some
point. The press will see to it.
In Romney’s case, his cover was blown by Conservatives such as Paul Weyrich,
who primarily operate at the grassroots. Ideally, old-media types would have
preferred to keep the lid on such revelations until just prior to the
general election. At that point they could be stridently exposed and
Conservative voters disenfranchised, but with no alternative available. Thus
the Liberal Democrat would win by default.
Despite the disturbing 2006 election results, the constituency known as
“values voters” is not going to disappear from electoral politics.
Furthermore, their presence severely complicates the political scene since
their numbers are great and their interests are comparatively inflexible.
Those who have either undermined or dismissed them in the past will find it
extremely difficult to gain their trust, now that the pivotal nature of
their support has become inarguably obvious. If mere “spiritual” sounding
verbiage could qualify a candidate, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, and even John
Kerry would be in the fold, since all have occasionally dabbled in pious
rhetoric and sanctimonious posturing.
Until recently, the field of Republican candidates has appeared devoid of
any real Conservative who could rally the grassroots and generate true
enthusiasm. So the “fall back” position among Republicans has been to
attempt to generate momentum for one of the presumed “moderates” already in
the race.
In only the past few days, Senator Sam Brownback (Republican - Kansas) has announced that
he is considering a run for the Presidency. Admittedly, Brownback has much
catching up to do. In the areas of fund-raising and name recognition, he is
far behind those whose names have been bandied about by party insiders for
some time. Yet, he possesses the sort of long-standing Conservative pedigree
that can inspire the grassroots.
It is abundantly clear from all of the contrived media hype over Barak Obama
in the past few weeks that the Democrats intend to run an eminently capable,
experienced, and invincible candidate in 2008. This is not to say that Obama
actually qualifies on any of these fronts, but only that the political cabal comprised
of the mainstream media, Liberal ideologues, and Democratic Party politicians incessantly tells us that he does.
Against such fabricated stardom, any “business as usual” Republican will be
obliterated at the ballot box. If the GOP hopes to compete, it cannot afford
to settle for anything less than a true Reagan Conservative who carries no
baggage and makes no excuses for past Liberalism.
Whether the Republican nominee is indeed Senator Brownback, or some other
individual who has not yet announced, Conservatives had better begin
immediately to define the 2008 presidential race by endorsing only to a candidate whom
they can enthusiastically support as a champion of true Conservatism.
Anything less will set the stage for a Democrat in the White House in 2009.
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
American Politics & Political Competition
American Government & the U.S. Presidency
The American Political System:
Politics & Government in the U.S.A.
The American Political & Cultural Left:
Liberals, Statists, Socialists, & Other Leftists
Liberalism Versus Conservatism in American Politics
-------------------------
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY & POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES:
COMPETING SYSTEMS OF POLITICAL THOUGHT
Conservatism
Traditional Conservatism: Questions & Answers
Conservatism: Attitudes, Types, & Present Status
Constitutional Conservatism: American & British
Liberalism
Classical Liberalism: Intellectual Foundations
Classical Liberalism: Conservative Liberalism
Manchester Liberalism & Social Darwinism
Modern Social "Liberalism": Statist "Liberalism"
Radical & Totalitarian Ideologies
Radicalism, Utopianism, & Totalitarianism
Christopher G. Adamo is a freelance writer who lives in southeastern Wyoming and works in the field of industrial instrumentation.
He is actively involved in Wyoming's political process, serving as a delegate to successive Wyoming State Republican Conventions
and as a member of the Wyoming State Republican Central Committee. He has assisted Republican candidates for local and state
legislatures and for the United States Congress. His articles, which appear regularly in The Progressive Conservative, U.S.A.,
and on a number of other websites, reflect a major concern with the damage being done to Conservatism and Conservative causes by
the Liberal Leftist faction in the Republican Party as well as by the much larger and more powerful Liberal Leftist faction in the
Democratic Party. During the early and middle 1990s, Adamo was Editor of the Wyoming Christian Coalition's official news organ,
The Wyoming Christian.
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Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
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