Comments on: What Does the Lord Require of Republicans? http://republicansunited.us/2009/11/what-does-the-lord-require-of-republicans/ Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:05:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: wj http://republicansunited.us/2009/11/what-does-the-lord-require-of-republicans/comment-page-1/#comment-394 wj Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:27:57 +0000 http://republicansunited.us/?p=2075#comment-394 I find nothing odd about you holding the ideals that you do, and also being a Republican. But I am also unsurprised by the reactions you get. I have lost count of the number of my friends and acquaintances who have said something like "I know you are a Republican/conservative. But you are a <i>tolerant</i> one!" The obvious implication being that most Republicans and/or conservatives aren't. And that is a real problem for the Republican Party: a large segment of the population, perhaps even a majority, appears to believe that we are primarily intolerant bigots. Even when, on a large number of specific issues, they might well agree with us. And that perception makes electoral success a real challenge. It doesn't have to be true (that's a whole separate discussion) -- if enough people who would otherwise join us believe it, we are in real trouble. And the only way out is to return to the big tent approach; drop the insistence on ideological purity above all else. The only question being, how many elections do we have to lose, and how badly, before we figure that out. I would hope that it doesn't take us as long as it took Britain's Conservatives....but I wouldn't bet the ranch on it. I find nothing odd about you holding the ideals that you do, and also being a Republican. But I am also unsurprised by the reactions you get. I have lost count of the number of my friends and acquaintances who have said something like “I know you are a Republican/conservative. But you are a tolerant one!” The obvious implication being that most Republicans and/or conservatives aren’t.

And that is a real problem for the Republican Party: a large segment of the population, perhaps even a majority, appears to believe that we are primarily intolerant bigots. Even when, on a large number of specific issues, they might well agree with us. And that perception makes electoral success a real challenge.

It doesn’t have to be true (that’s a whole separate discussion) — if enough people who would otherwise join us believe it, we are in real trouble. And the only way out is to return to the big tent approach; drop the insistence on ideological purity above all else. The only question being, how many elections do we have to lose, and how badly, before we figure that out. I would hope that it doesn’t take us as long as it took Britain’s Conservatives….but I wouldn’t bet the ranch on it.

]]> By: Bill G. http://republicansunited.us/2009/11/what-does-the-lord-require-of-republicans/comment-page-1/#comment-375 Bill G. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:56:38 +0000 http://republicansunited.us/?p=2075#comment-375 Good article. We ultimately must reconcile (if Christian) our actions with Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, the only doctrine ever directly given by him: "Blessed are ..." ... or at least that is how I try to manage my life. Good article.

We ultimately must reconcile (if Christian) our actions with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, the only doctrine ever directly given by him: “Blessed are …” … or at least that is how I try to manage my life.

]]> By: Thurman Hart http://republicansunited.us/2009/11/what-does-the-lord-require-of-republicans/comment-page-1/#comment-322 Thurman Hart Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:37:23 +0000 http://republicansunited.us/?p=2075#comment-322 A few nits: 1) "fiscally conservative" is essentially meaningless unless one is discussing how much risk their portfolio can withstand; 2) Chris Christie, in New Jersey, is not a conservative - in fact, he refused to say whether he was conservative or moderate during an interview with Wolf Blitzer. Furthermore, his main claim to conservatism is that he wants to make irresponsible tax cuts, he is "pro-life," and against marriage equality. However, I have to say I like this article. I've been reviewing Frank Meyer, particularly his essay "A Rebel in Search of a Tradition." Although I'm not conservative, I feel a certain kinship with him. But rather than chasing down the strains of whig-ism, I found my inspiration in the words of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Thomas Dewey. It's true that the Palin/Beck line of thinking (which is historically reminiscent of the anti-masonic party and the know-nothings) are very powerful right now. I don't think the author of this article expects to be welcomed with a red carpet. I surely don't. But it is a fight that needs to be engaged. The Republican Party has been dragged to the right since Rockefeller disgraced the liberals by married his campaign worker and Nixon disgraced the moderates by being a criminal. They need a counterbalance. A few nits:
1) “fiscally conservative” is essentially meaningless unless one is discussing how much risk their portfolio can withstand;
2) Chris Christie, in New Jersey, is not a conservative – in fact, he refused to say whether he was conservative or moderate during an interview with Wolf Blitzer. Furthermore, his main claim to conservatism is that he wants to make irresponsible tax cuts, he is “pro-life,” and against marriage equality.

However, I have to say I like this article. I’ve been reviewing Frank Meyer, particularly his essay “A Rebel in Search of a Tradition.” Although I’m not conservative, I feel a certain kinship with him. But rather than chasing down the strains of whig-ism, I found my inspiration in the words of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Thomas Dewey.

It’s true that the Palin/Beck line of thinking (which is historically reminiscent of the anti-masonic party and the know-nothings) are very powerful right now. I don’t think the author of this article expects to be welcomed with a red carpet. I surely don’t. But it is a fight that needs to be engaged. The Republican Party has been dragged to the right since Rockefeller disgraced the liberals by married his campaign worker and Nixon disgraced the moderates by being a criminal. They need a counterbalance.

]]> By: David http://republicansunited.us/2009/11/what-does-the-lord-require-of-republicans/comment-page-1/#comment-319 David Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:34:02 +0000 http://republicansunited.us/?p=2075#comment-319 Alarms went off when I got to the line "Now on the surface, many wonder how I can be both a Republican and someone who is interested in social justice." Who is the intended audience? Unless someone took a wrong turn, nobody here is wondering any such thing. I wasn't going to be too dismissive, so I continued until I got to this little gem: "I think fiscal conservatism and Christianity are compatible, but I don’t think that reconciling them is particularly easy – especially when socialism has taken on such pervasive meaning in today’s world, and all of it reactionary and negative." I think one need only look as far as my church (Catholic) to see that Christian leaders are pretty comfortable with socialism. But the idea that opposition to socialism is "reactionary and negative" isn't compatible with republican ideals, whether it works for Christian ministers or not. "And it’s simply nonsense to keep comparing healthcare reform to fascism or communism or any of these other ludicrous “isms” and then – at the same time – invoke the Bible." No it isn't. Alarms went off when I got to the line “Now on the surface, many wonder how I can be both a Republican and someone who is interested in social justice.” Who is the intended audience? Unless someone took a wrong turn, nobody here is wondering any such thing.

I wasn’t going to be too dismissive, so I continued until I got to this little gem:

“I think fiscal conservatism and Christianity are compatible, but I don’t think that reconciling them is particularly easy – especially when socialism has taken on such pervasive meaning in today’s world, and all of it reactionary and negative.”

I think one need only look as far as my church (Catholic) to see that Christian leaders are pretty comfortable with socialism. But the idea that opposition to socialism is “reactionary and negative” isn’t compatible with republican ideals, whether it works for Christian ministers or not.

“And it’s simply nonsense to keep comparing healthcare reform to fascism or communism or any of these other ludicrous “isms” and then – at the same time – invoke the Bible.”

No it isn’t.

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