the one way to move party people like me that understand you get things done thru one of the two major parties; that US history is quite devoid of successful 3rd party movements and that the shortest path to saving America is a Reagan-like conservative re-takeover of the GOP is to

go dem lite like this Jeb Bush NCNA seems to be moving towards.

If there is no hope that the center right majority in the country can have sway in either party and so that we have to no hope to save America in the SHORT run, then long term strategies might make a 3rd party try more palatable.

But as I have said before, I never totally discount the possibility that we may have to have another Jefferson expected revolution from time to time…

But I am also not afraid of any Bush or Frum and if we have to fight for the soul of the GOP while the economy destroys the dems and makes Obama ripe for the picking in 2-4 years with the Jebs oblivious and intent on making us look just like them, then I’m game for both fights.

I especially like the part where we advocate conservative principles in an unabashed and unapologetic way. The DC GOP era of NewTone™ is over.

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Activists Taking Action: Unified Patriots

NCNA:

Healthcare: Building a 21st Century, Patient-Centered System

No one doubts that our nation’s health care system is in need of reform, but we must strike the right balance that builds on what works and fixes what is broken. All Americans deserve access to high-quality, affordable care.

The 2008 Republican Party Platform:

Republicans Believe Patients Should Choose, Not Bureaucrats

Republicans believe the key to real reform is to give control of the health care system to
patients and their health care providers, not bureaucrats in government or business. (P. 37.)

Republicans Oppose Unconstitutional Socialized Medicine

Republicans support the private practice of medicine and oppose socialized medicine in the form of a government-run universal health care system. (P. 37.)

I like the Platform better, don’t you?

Thank you.

Smokin!

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Activists Taking Action: Unified Patriots

“President Obama, candidate Obama’s credit, he waged a 2008 campaign that was relevant for people’s aspirations, whether you agreed with him or not, it was not a look back, it was a look forward”

DIDN’t look back HELL the man lived in the past every action President Bush took in the WOT was denigrated and slung around like a cowbell on Bush’s neck. The people’s aspirations were FREEBIES..what can you give me Imitation Christ?

Healthcare is NOT a God given right nor is it the place of the Federal Government to give it to every man, woman and child. The States have clinics for those who cannot afford healthcare and OBTW 29 million of those without are in between jobs or CHOOSE not to purchase it ie: 18-30 year olds who PREFER to spend their money on FUN!!! the next 20 million are ILLEGAL and have NO RIGHT to anything paid for by the American tax payer NOTHING!!

When these IDIOT’s are done SLOBBERING over the American Idol President and use their BRAINS to actually do something then I MIGHT pay attention though I DOUBT IT….what a absolute WASTE OF TIME and I am sure donated MONEY!!!

and I agree 150%. I freaked out when I saw reports and then muted response here was confusing me…. I am happy I am not the only person thinking that way… Proof I am not going nuts. That’s a relief

Making a case for good ideas is different from saying we don’t have any. I get a feeling the race for 2012 has already started….

Thank you for this Great diary…

at this moment, before the NCNA usurps all other voices. Words have specific meanings, and when we look to the “past”, they become all the more meaningful. I remember when Bush 41 during the 1980 presidential primary called Reagan’s policy initiatives “voodoo economics”. We all know how well those policies worked in the 80′s. But the point is that people, especially politicians, rarely change their stripes. It should have come as no surprise that Bush 41, after invoking that famous quote, would years later cave to Democrats and renounce his “no new taxes” pledge.

It would behoove us all to remember how Bush 41 was no Ronald Reagan, and to pay heed to the current spoken words of people like his son, Jeb. Those who are a danger to the Republican party are those who claim to be conservatives, but run from its principles as fast as they can- phonies like Frum and Brooks to name but two.

“Listen, Learn, Lead”. For over the last 20 years I know of one conservative who Jeb should be listening to, learning from, and following his lead. He is someone who has never waivered from his conservative ideals and beliefs, and who, despite disagreements, has never thrown a contending Republican leader under the bus the way that Jeb and Mitt just did to Palin at the NCNA. I think we all know who I’m talking about, but for those in Rio Linda, it’s Rush.

Bush’s words in the Wash Times connected with some hidden reserve of anger I have buried deep under my usually calm exterior… the result was this blog… enjoy…

http://publius772000.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/is-ronald-reagan-destroying-the-republican-party/

Mr. Gamecock, I usually get an idea about a diary to write no sooner than you get on the recommended list with that same idea worded much more eloquently than I ever could word it!

Thanks for saving me the thinking!

There is indeed nothing new under the sun. Vanity, Vanity, All is Vanity

The “Big Tent” analogy isn’t the correct one…the correct one is a MAGNET…we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what’s going on in Washington—Fred Thompson

but never focused on. The talk about conservative principles and then in the next sentence they go on to some other topic, tent size, tent poles, moderate, blah, blah, blah… “Okay, there, I paid lip service to principles now we can move on to how to best reshape the party.”

Is there any wonder that so many conservatives continuously bring up Ronald Reagan? Has there been a Politician, of any party, that was a Standard Bearer of Principle since he left office? A true Leader? Not just someone who stumbled or more likely, weaseled his way into a Leadership position.

I was young in the 80′s, but I don’t ever remember Reagan saying one thing and doing another, he lived his Principles. Principles CANNOT be compromised and still be a principle. Not compromising your principles would be the definition of integrity, my father always told me “Integrety can never be stolen, only given away.” There are too many in the Republican Party who have done exactly that.

For myself, that is what I am promoting when I “look back” and invoke Ronaldus Magnus. That is also what I firmly believe the Republican Party needs to be successful, Principles and people strong and confident enough to stand by their Principles. Doesn’t matter how big the tent is as long as it is filled with Principled people. Announce our Principles to the Nation, Live by those same Principles and let come who may! If they don’t come, well the quote in my signature speaks to that…

GC, thanks for this diary. Too many people are drinking the NCNA koolaid. When are we going to learn that every time we try the centrist Republican approach, most recently with McCain, we lose. The only reason this most recent election was not a landslide was because of Sarah Palin.

My biggest problem with the NCNA was their wholesale abandonment of fiscal conservatism. They named a couple of principles at the beginning of their statement and this was not one of them. I read their statement over several times and could not find even the slightest hint that they had any intention of returning to this fundamental Republican conservative Principle that had defined the Republican Party from long before Reagan and even before Goldwater and probably had its origins in opposition to the New Deal. Not any acknowledgement that one of the main reasons the public threw them out of power was because of their prolifigate big government spending habits over the past 8 years. It is clear to me that they have not learned anything and their main objection to the current situation is not that they want to spend less money so much as they want to be the ones directing how it is spent. Despite their claims that they want to “listen” it is clear that they have no real intention of listening. Else, how could the miss the roar of the “TEA Party Movement” which at the core was about fiscal conservatism.

So many times lately I get so angry and frustrated that I start to lose hope.Then I read a diary like this and remember we simply can’t give up-there is too much at stake for our nation and my grandchildren.It is simply beyond me that so-called conservatives would rather cave to the sirens of the MSM who attempt to marginilize us as fringe elements so as to insure the GOP becomes a faint shadow of the Democrat party.Even on this site we read the capitulative comments of those who would rather push the moderate cause of the Ridges and McCains of the party rather than trumpeting a call to battle.Why can’t we win with a conservative message followed by conservative action?Only when we have done just that have we emerged victorious.Thanks for the inspirational lift,Mike!

All that this says is that 1) Repubs haven’t been listening before now. While I generally agree with this, and believe that it should be acknowledged by out “leaders”, it’s just awful self-advertisement, and only reinforces negative types surrounding the Republican party, and by extension, the conservative/libertarian movement, by conceding the progressive framing of the argument. 2) It actively partitions the times when the party will “listen”. By having a listening tour, you are saying that you are incapable of listening AND leading at the same time.

Everything else I wanted to say has been said by others (the “New America”, so on), and I have to say that this is just reflective of the current state of the Republican party.

Great diary, BTW,

busy changing the locks. If they keep bowing down at the altar of the One, they will find the rules have been changed and no dissent will be allowed. Can you say police state?

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Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, No. 1, December 19, 1776

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

Abraham Lincoln