Right isn’t right enough
Moderate Republicans are AWOL in the run-up to November’s vote.
Virginia moved firmly into the purple column with statewide Democratic successes last year, one reason there’s been a lot of soul-searching going on in the national Republican Party.
Not in Virginia’s. Party regulars at the state Republican convention will see only bright red in May, when they pick their slate for statewide offices in the November election.
March 5, 2013 - 7:29 AM
I find it amusing when liberals tell conservatives what to believe! They really only want us to be more like them.
“You and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well I’d like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There’s only an up or down—[up] man’s old—old-aged dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. And regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would trade our freedom for security have embarked on this downward course.”
Those are the words of Ronald Reagan in “The Speech”, Oct. 27, 1964. The speech that launched him onto the national political stage that eventually changed the direction of our nation for decades and still reverberates today. Even Obama compares himself to President Reagan.
This speech needs to be reviewed by those that believe conservatism needs to change.
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/reference/timechoosing.html
Conservatives do not need to change what they believe, conservative principles are timeless. Conservative Republicans need to look past Washington and communicate conservative principles to the people. This is already happening, about 30 states now have GOP governors and state legislatures dominated by the GOP.
Polls show the majority consider themselves “conservative”. Most people innately understand that they cannot spend more than their income for long. Most people believe in traditional marriage and consider themselves pro-life.
This nation was founded on freedom for the individual and Americans are by nature self reliant. We are not cast in the same mold as the Europeans.
Well, since you think we should all listen to Reagan: “We’re going to close the unproductive tax loopholes that allow some of the truly wealthy to avoid paying their fair share,” he thunders to a crowd in Georgia. Such tax loopholes, he adds, “sometimes made it possible for millionaires to pay nothing, while a bus driver was paying 10 percent of his salary – and that’s crazy.”
Preacherlike, the president draws the crowd into a call-and-response. “Do you think the millionaire ought to pay more in taxes than the bus driver,” he demands, “or less?”
The crowd, sounding every bit like the protesters from Occupy Wall Street, roars back: “MORE!”
The year was 1985. The president was Ronald Wilson Reagan.”
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-gop-became-the-party-of-the-rich-20111109#ixzz1dFM9HVKh
Reagan was a pragmatic politician not a bitterly partisan conservative. That is simply the truth. That is also why he appealed to the masses as opposed to only the GOTP.
#1…Good post, John. We all know this, but the `downhill party` won`t let it into their bubble. Fine. I`ve decided that it can`t be an issue anymore…Doesn`t matter what the left believes. I and the majority of this Nation will continue in our conservative practices/principles, from the way we do business to our worship…And there isn`t ONE thing the left can do about it….except get angry and worry…thier favorite pastime. Go forth, fellow conservatives…there isn`t ANYTHING stopping you…now or EVER .
How can you posit that “the majority of this Nation” is conservative “like you”? 2008 and 2012 elections say otherwise. The majority of this nation may even “say” they are conservative, but they are not right wingers and there remains a difference.
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http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2012/feb/24/marco-rubio/majority-americans-are-conservative-marco-rubio-sa/
As my post said, I suppose, for you, I`ll have to say it again….We will continue in our conservative principles/practices until the cows come home and there isn`t a thing you can do about it….except,of course, get angry. Now, if you`ll excuse me, I`m off to pray, clean my guns, and then prepare for a `home-closing`so that I can collect my oh-so evil profits. As far as the `right-wingers` in this Country, they blanket the landscape and will ALWAYS be here…..And I know that makes you as happy as you could possibly be. If you want to waste your time trying to change us, oh well, its your time,
Ah, those evil tax loopholes!
The problem is that one man’s tax loophole is another man’s legal incentive to promote a good cause. For example, Obama claims the tax loopholes he wants to close are those that favor the rich and big corporations. Yet he supports giving a tax break for R and D. Those tax breaks would reward companies, stockholders and wealthy executives as well as promote the nation’s economic competitiveness and create jobs, e.g. alternative energy sources.
Is it a tax loophole to encourage a company to build a new factory in the US rather than go overseas? How about ending subsidies for rich developers that encourages them to build affordable housing? What about millions of dollars for subsidies for electric cars?
Obama said he’s for dumping tax breaks for big oil and gas, hedge funds, corporate jet owners, foreign tax credits, and more. So let’s do it, eliminate all those evil tax loopholes and while we’re at it, let’s eliminate most or all tax breaks, even those that advance social programs. Let’s even replace the graduated income tax with a flat tax with few or no deductions. Boy would the libs howl!
A tax loophole is a legal tax deduction to promote a particular service, product, or activity. Careful what you ask for!
A Gallup poll taken in January 2012 found conservatives remain the largest ideological group in the US. Political ideology in the US held steady in 2011, with 40% of Americans described their views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal.
Obama got less of the popular vote in ’12 than he did in ’08. He only won by about 2% more than Romney, hardly a mandate. Almost half of the electorate voted against him. His last approval rating that I saw had him at about 46%. Not overwhelming!
Remember the GOP controlled the Congress from 2003 to 2006 as well as the WH. We believed liberalism was dead! Then the Dems regained control of Congress in 2006 and the WH in 2008. The Dems thought conservatism was dead. But in 2010, the The Tea Party led the GOP to a great comeback.
We shall see what happens in 2014 and 2016. Obama and the Dems may just be over reaching to their demise.
#5 Awood, the last thing I would want to do is change you or any other “right wingers.” Pandering to y’all is what cost Romney the oval office and and George Allen a Senate seat. You’re the best thing for the Democratic Party right now. Keep it coming, the louder the better.
Oh you seriously mistake me Awood. I would not ask, expect or even dream of wanting you to change a thing. The more “conservative” and right wing you are, the better it works for me. The absolute last thing I want to do is “change” you.
How was transportation funding a compromise? The governor wanted to reduce the gas tax and raise other taxes. Instead, it was all tax increases!
I remember very well that “the GOP controlled the Congress from 2003 to 2006 as well as the WH”. I never will forget it. It had a lot to do with what put us here.
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No one is advocating removing all “loopholes” but surely even you can see that some need to go? How deep an abyss do you support?
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In what realm is even 40% “the majority of this Nation”? Does the failure of Romney register when you see that with 40% of the nation declaring themselves as “conservative” and only 21% declaring to be liberal, he could only garner 47% of the vote?
I can support removing some loop holes…tax breaks to Hollywood for making movies in your state…those gotta go. But we do not have a revenue problem…We Have A Spending Problem! Got to cut spending! Maybe Obama will go through the budget and look at every line to get rid of pork. He did commit to that right?
One thing I’ve learned from this blog is that there aren’t any “loopholes.” Every loophole is actually a “perfectly legal activity.” Why would we want to get rid of those?
Actually Al, in truth we also have a revenue problem. Facts are facts.
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“Tax revenue will total 16.9 percent of gross domestic product this year, the CBO predicts, compared with 18.5 percent of GDP in 2007. It looks as if it will take another year, until 2014, for tax revenue to get back to 18 percent of GDP, which has been the average level since 1973.”
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http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/2013/0304/Tax-revenue-to-hit-record-this-year.-So-is-spending-the-problem
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We cannot only cut our way to balance, equality, or prosperity.
And some people need to realize that for a nation and budget of our size, a lot has been cut:
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“The spending cuts that began to take effect Friday, known as sequestration and totaling about $1 trillion through 2023, come on top of $1.5 trillion in reductions that Mr. Obama and Congress committed to in 2011, mainly from the accord that averted the nation’s first debt default.”
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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/03/us/politics/cuts-to-achieve-goal-for-deficit-but-toll-is-high.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
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At some point, the tired old lines will no longer work with even the faithful right wingers. Predictions are for some better times a comin’ and I have no idea how some of you will cope.
“that for a nation and budget this size, a lot has been cut.”
If there have been cuts, there would be no need for a qualifier-”for a nation and budget our size..”
First we haven’t HAD a budget…WHY? Imagine trying to justify the spending of the last 4 years at $3.6T per. It’s ridiculous. Obama’s trial balloon budgets have had not 1 supporting vote in the dem controlled senate the last 2 years..they are that far our of whack.
In 2005 we had roughly 2.6 million federal employees- now it’s over 2.8 million. The federal governmment spending I believe is on track to reach over $6 trillion by the early 2020s.
Talk about what “people need to realize…”
Tell me BUD who believes that he “realizes”, what difference does a budget make? Did presenting a budget stop Bush from spending for items not even in the budget? Did it stop him from spending at all? He famously proclaimed “a fiscal straightjacket for Congress” but did he deliver? Or even try to deliver spending cuts?
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“Subtly deceptive reasoning or argumentation” like yours above is called “Sophistry”.
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http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?id=CEU9091000001
Sandi….
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From your article
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“Federal tax revenue is forecast to hit a record $2.7 trillion this year, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).”
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“There’s no level of tax revenue or federal spending that’s automatically the “right” level. Yesterday’s averages don’t tell us what tomorrow’s should be.”
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From the White House web site:
Outlays were $1,788 trillion in 2000 and $3,603 trillion in 2011. And you are telling me spending is not a problem?
No Al, I have never told you that “spending is not a problem”. But spending is not the only problem and like taxes, the amount of the revenue is not the issue, the revenue is down as a percentage of GDP at a time when spending is up due to the economic need (among others).
And did you know that in 2000 we spent 449 billion on Social Security and in 2011 we spent 775 billion?
On Health Care we went from 352 billion to 858. On Defense we went from 358 billion to 878 billion. An on Welfare we went from 176 billion to 472 billion. Chickens eventually come home to roost. Eight of those years had NOTHING to do with President Obama either. Doubling in a decade is not an accomplishment anyone can be proud of but blaming it all on the government wanting to spend is just simplistic.
Jobs, especially secure jobs with good wages and benefits dried up from 2000 to 2011 too. Do you think that had an impact on spending? The wars from 2003 till now, did they have any impact on spending? The economic crash after the housing financial bubble burst, did that have any impact on spending?
I have no problem agreeing that spending has grown too exponentially but I have a serious problem with anyone pretending it is all about the Dems and spending because that is just what we do, or that revenue as a percentage of the GDP should be ignored.
Yeah Sandi! We do agree spending has grown too fast. I knew we could find some common ground.
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I remain convinced taxes are high enough and we must live within our means.
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How much of my hard earned money should I be forced to hand over to the government? If you have a number in mind please share. But do not say enough to keep or maintain government programs etc.