In a theological sense, but in a political sense some are a little better than others. I wouldn’t vote for Sen. Vitter. He is no better than a Democrat. Besides that, I am just venting.
Republicans suck, but Democrats suck more and longer, with much bigger straws.
Donna, I think you’d like Sharyl Attkisson’s book, Stonewalled. She’s done investigative journalism for many, many years, and would very definitely agree with you that all politicians deserve scrutiny. And scrutinize she does. Most of the flack she takes, though, comes when she scrutinizes the Ds.
There’s a good reason the subtitle of her book is My Fight for Truth Against the Forces of Obstruction, Intimidation, and Harassment in Obama’s Washington.
Interesting discussion on yesterday’s news/politics thread on the Beck story.
Solar, great points you made / questions you raised. If everyone I know who is disillusioned with the Republicans but keeps voting for them anyway would vote on principle for a true, constitutionally-minded conservative, it would be the people who think the R party is wonderful, and vote accordingly, who would be siphoning off the vote from the real conservative candidates.
Interesting FB post showing virtually every Republican either running now or thinking or running or maybe might run, including Rand Paul, Ben Carson, et al — asking who people like (this was a conservative page)
None of the above! ALL LOSERS. were popular answers, though some Dems were weighing in, too, warning that voting republican will ensure a return to the Bush era; Like this guy:
“Anybody who votes for any of these republicans is handing America another George Bush and all the damage he caused. If you love America, please vote democratic. They care about you and try to pass bills to help, not hurt the American people.”
Off hand, I’m guessing we will have another Democrat president as conservatives are in such a tailspin.
But whatever the end result, I’m afraid 2016 just won’t be pretty.
6 arrows, there needs to be either a viable conservative 3rd party (no where near happening yet, from what I can see) — or an independent that can do better than Perot or Nader or whoever. I suppose it *could* happen, but not sure it will.
And, again, not all conservatives fall into the libertarian category. So in some ways what you have is a genuine split between traditional/social conservatives (and even moderates) and libertarians.
Conservatives need to bridge the divide because frankly, there ain’t enough of either group to win much of anything. Politics rely, to a great extent, on coalition building. We may not all be on the same page on every issue, but as a group winning is possible.
Without it, conservatives will only be a permanent minority when it comes to governing — and passing legislation and appointing justices and deciding on war and peace — all to the good or ill of our neighbors living in this moment, in this year, in this land.
Donna, there isn’t a viable conservative 3rd party yet because most conservative voters wring their hands about the Republicans and then continue to vote R anyway. 🙂
The Constitution Party is worth checking out. I’m not out to argue or try to convince anyone, but they are worth a look. If I can convince my husband, who can’t stand politics and says of politicians, “They’re all crooks!”, to vote CP (and he has the last several elections), then I am encouraged and will invite others to join the coalition. 🙂
Bob, just pointing out that “here we go again” with everything being Bush’s fault. (And for the record, I thought he was a good president and, compared to most, a decent human being — no one’s perfect, in hindsight some of his decisions wound up keeping us in overseas hostilities too long and with little in the way of an outcome we wanted; but I most definitely miss him).
I wish the conservative movement as a whole were more coherent and united. But it’s not.
Perhaps as the campaigns ramp up, more leadership qualities will be apparent in one of the candidates … It will be hard enough to unite and lead the country as a whole — let alone just the disparate conservative factions we now have.
Someone needs to be able to better articulate a conservative vision — but it needs to be someone who also has the political qualities to unite people and get elected.
So far I’m not seeing any one of the candidates who meets that standard, although it’s early and I haven’t been paying full-time attention to it. But the Ds will be vicious, you can depend on a full assault on whomever is nominated. I’m afraid it will be a year of fierce mudslinging, probably on both sides.
But if we wind up with another 4 years under the kind of liberal leadership we’ve had for the past 8 … well, I don’t even know what to say about that, it’s a daunting thing to even imagine! 😦
Oh, and get ready … Al Gore — He’s back! And many on the left love the guy still. Go figure.
And I see the Constitution Party has been around since 1992. More than 20 years.
Plenty of time to have become a major force, I’d think?
Yet I’ve barely heard of them (maybe on this blog 4 or 8 yeas ago?) and had completely forgotten the party’s existence.
The Greens have also been around for many years, of course, as has the Peace & Freedom Party (although I think many of the PFs wound up migrating to the Greens). There also was the American Independent Party (?) on the far right. I think they may still exist, but I’m not sure.
A 3rd party may someday be successful enough — if it has a broad enough voter appeal, which again is key, it’s just the reality of getting elected — to become a viable part of the political landscape.
But so far none of them, either on the left or right, have ever been able to do that.
That’s not to say voting for a 3rd party doesn’t have personal merit, if one truly feels that they absolutely cannot support either of the major candidates.
They’ve changed our primary system here to where the “top 2 vote getters” in the primary go into the runoffs. Typically, where I live, that means 2 liberal Ds will appear on the general election ballot. I’ve chosen sometimes to just skip voting for either one, sadly. It’s frustrating to not vote for some of those offices, but on those occasions I’ve felt there just was no viable choice for me.
A 3rd party has to have a broad enough appeal to become competitive in the system the U.S. has had for so many years; and so far none of them have achieved that, probably because they’re appeal is quite narrow.
In the presidential race, where you have two candidates representing the 2 major parties, one of whom WILL become president, I’m of the belief that a vote to move the country — even minimally or marginally, if that’s all we can get — in the right direction is the most viable and conscientious choice to make.
I don’t have to be head-over-heels in love with a candidate or even agree 100% with his or her positions to cast a vote for the person I feel is *closest* to what I think is the better way to go for the nation.
One of 2 people is going to be president. One is always closer than the other to my core beliefs.
I just think a better way to go for people of strong conservative and liberal convictions is to work within the parties for greater influence.
But that’s me.
And the electorate is often fickle — many people don’t vote so much on core values, but rather on a host of other things that somehow appeal to them, for some reason or another.
Race, gender, looks, age, clothing, personality — all are some of the more superficial influences that can elect a president.
Wandering Views 
I know nothing and I’m very happy.
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Every time I say that Democrats lie and cheat I hear crickets in response. My father told me that silence is agreement.
Therefore, why would any Christian or honest person vote Democratic?
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All politicians — D or R, or L or I — deserve the scrutiny of all of us.
I’ve been a reporter too long, I have no illusions about these guys. 😉
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Donna,
“…all have sinned…”
In a theological sense, but in a political sense some are a little better than others. I wouldn’t vote for Sen. Vitter. He is no better than a Democrat. Besides that, I am just venting.
Republicans suck, but Democrats suck more and longer, with much bigger straws.
LikeLike
Donna, I think you’d like Sharyl Attkisson’s book, Stonewalled. She’s done investigative journalism for many, many years, and would very definitely agree with you that all politicians deserve scrutiny. And scrutinize she does. Most of the flack she takes, though, comes when she scrutinizes the Ds.
There’s a good reason the subtitle of her book is My Fight for Truth Against the Forces of Obstruction, Intimidation, and Harassment in Obama’s Washington.
LikeLike
Interesting discussion on yesterday’s news/politics thread on the Beck story.
Solar, great points you made / questions you raised. If everyone I know who is disillusioned with the Republicans but keeps voting for them anyway would vote on principle for a true, constitutionally-minded conservative, it would be the people who think the R party is wonderful, and vote accordingly, who would be siphoning off the vote from the real conservative candidates.
LikeLike
Interesting FB post showing virtually every Republican either running now or thinking or running or maybe might run, including Rand Paul, Ben Carson, et al — asking who people like (this was a conservative page)
None of the above! ALL LOSERS. were popular answers, though some Dems were weighing in, too, warning that voting republican will ensure a return to the Bush era; Like this guy:
“Anybody who votes for any of these republicans is handing America another George Bush and all the damage he caused. If you love America, please vote democratic. They care about you and try to pass bills to help, not hurt the American people.”
Off hand, I’m guessing we will have another Democrat president as conservatives are in such a tailspin.
But whatever the end result, I’m afraid 2016 just won’t be pretty.
😦
LikeLike
6 arrows, there needs to be either a viable conservative 3rd party (no where near happening yet, from what I can see) — or an independent that can do better than Perot or Nader or whoever. I suppose it *could* happen, but not sure it will.
And, again, not all conservatives fall into the libertarian category. So in some ways what you have is a genuine split between traditional/social conservatives (and even moderates) and libertarians.
Conservatives need to bridge the divide because frankly, there ain’t enough of either group to win much of anything. Politics rely, to a great extent, on coalition building. We may not all be on the same page on every issue, but as a group winning is possible.
Without it, conservatives will only be a permanent minority when it comes to governing — and passing legislation and appointing justices and deciding on war and peace — all to the good or ill of our neighbors living in this moment, in this year, in this land.
LikeLike
Donna, there isn’t a viable conservative 3rd party yet because most conservative voters wring their hands about the Republicans and then continue to vote R anyway. 🙂
The Constitution Party is worth checking out. I’m not out to argue or try to convince anyone, but they are worth a look. If I can convince my husband, who can’t stand politics and says of politicians, “They’re all crooks!”, to vote CP (and he has the last several elections), then I am encouraged and will invite others to join the coalition. 🙂
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donna j @ 6:29
What’s wrong with George Bush (W)? What did he do that was so bad or wrong?
He cheated to win?
He started an unprovoked war?
He was a Republican?
Only the last was true. I guess when he won the Dems are still mad that their cheating wasn’t good enough. Are they still mad about that?
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By the way Donna, I do get that was not you saying that, just quoting.
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Bob, just pointing out that “here we go again” with everything being Bush’s fault. (And for the record, I thought he was a good president and, compared to most, a decent human being — no one’s perfect, in hindsight some of his decisions wound up keeping us in overseas hostilities too long and with little in the way of an outcome we wanted; but I most definitely miss him).
I wish the conservative movement as a whole were more coherent and united. But it’s not.
Perhaps as the campaigns ramp up, more leadership qualities will be apparent in one of the candidates … It will be hard enough to unite and lead the country as a whole — let alone just the disparate conservative factions we now have.
Someone needs to be able to better articulate a conservative vision — but it needs to be someone who also has the political qualities to unite people and get elected.
So far I’m not seeing any one of the candidates who meets that standard, although it’s early and I haven’t been paying full-time attention to it. But the Ds will be vicious, you can depend on a full assault on whomever is nominated. I’m afraid it will be a year of fierce mudslinging, probably on both sides.
But if we wind up with another 4 years under the kind of liberal leadership we’ve had for the past 8 … well, I don’t even know what to say about that, it’s a daunting thing to even imagine! 😦
Oh, and get ready … Al Gore — He’s back! And many on the left love the guy still. Go figure.
😉
LikeLike
And I see the Constitution Party has been around since 1992. More than 20 years.
Plenty of time to have become a major force, I’d think?
Yet I’ve barely heard of them (maybe on this blog 4 or 8 yeas ago?) and had completely forgotten the party’s existence.
The Greens have also been around for many years, of course, as has the Peace & Freedom Party (although I think many of the PFs wound up migrating to the Greens). There also was the American Independent Party (?) on the far right. I think they may still exist, but I’m not sure.
A 3rd party may someday be successful enough — if it has a broad enough voter appeal, which again is key, it’s just the reality of getting elected — to become a viable part of the political landscape.
But so far none of them, either on the left or right, have ever been able to do that.
LikeLike
That’s not to say voting for a 3rd party doesn’t have personal merit, if one truly feels that they absolutely cannot support either of the major candidates.
They’ve changed our primary system here to where the “top 2 vote getters” in the primary go into the runoffs. Typically, where I live, that means 2 liberal Ds will appear on the general election ballot. I’ve chosen sometimes to just skip voting for either one, sadly. It’s frustrating to not vote for some of those offices, but on those occasions I’ve felt there just was no viable choice for me.
A 3rd party has to have a broad enough appeal to become competitive in the system the U.S. has had for so many years; and so far none of them have achieved that, probably because they’re appeal is quite narrow.
In the presidential race, where you have two candidates representing the 2 major parties, one of whom WILL become president, I’m of the belief that a vote to move the country — even minimally or marginally, if that’s all we can get — in the right direction is the most viable and conscientious choice to make.
I don’t have to be head-over-heels in love with a candidate or even agree 100% with his or her positions to cast a vote for the person I feel is *closest* to what I think is the better way to go for the nation.
One of 2 people is going to be president. One is always closer than the other to my core beliefs.
I just think a better way to go for people of strong conservative and liberal convictions is to work within the parties for greater influence.
But that’s me.
And the electorate is often fickle — many people don’t vote so much on core values, but rather on a host of other things that somehow appeal to them, for some reason or another.
Race, gender, looks, age, clothing, personality — all are some of the more superficial influences that can elect a president.
LikeLike