Tuesday, November 14, 2006
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Conference Call Tuesday
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Posted by:
Dean Barnett at
9:38 AM
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Along with a handful of other blogging types, I’ll be spending much of the afternoon on conference calls with the men in congress who seek to lead the Republican minority through the looming era of darkness. Like Hugh, I’m mystified over the rush to appoint new leadership, but this should be a valuable exercise nonetheless
Unsurprisingly, the mood of the participating bloggers is for new blood in the leadership. Captain Ed has already issued his endorsements for Pence and Shadegg. The previous leadership team was a disaster; I believe I mentioned that fact frequently during the campaign season.
Each call will have a lengthy question-and-answer session. The indefatigable N.Z. Bear, who has set up this exercise, also has a list of questions that right-wing blog readers have sent in. The most interesting question I’ve seen is, “What books have you read about Islamic terrorism against America and the West?” If any of the candidates responds to that inquiry by citing his fondness for the complete works of Karen Armstrong and John Esposito, I’ll have to strongly consider shifting my party affiliation to “Unenrolled”.
If there are additional questions you want asked, please leave them in the comments section here or visit N.Z.’s site.
Compliments? Complaints? Contact me at Soxblog@aol.com
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Will the GOP stand up and assert the strength of conviction like the Democrat Party has so that we will have no more radical Supreme Court justices the ilk of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, eve if it means using the filibuster - they changed the rules, not us. |
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Do you support a guest worker program?
If yes:
Why is a guest worker program a winning issue for the GOP in states like Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa?
Why will swing voters and conservative voters be fired up about the GOP wanting to bring guest workers to their states? |
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Current House Rules Committee chair David Dreier of California should be the new face of the Republican minority. He is bright, conservative, articulate, telegenic, and passionate but civil. His smile alone is disarming. There is not a better spokesperson in either political party. Actually, he should be on the next national ticket. |
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The fix is in at so many levels it stinks.
No one is paying attention to politics now so our "leadership" wasnts to put in the second-stringers before anyone notices.
This stinks to the high heavens. |
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Other than political junkies like us, does anyone really care who the House Republicans choose for their leaders? Who were the leaders in the 1979-80 Congress? Anyone remember? John Rhodes and Bob Michel, right? Well, how much of a handicap was this less than dynamic duo to Ronald Reagan in 1980? I'm not saying it's not important or that it won't matter over the next two years but let's keep some perspective and not get overly downbeat. |
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Well, we have proven once again that the US is not to be trusted. The Democrats have been desparate to turn Iraq into Vietnam, and now they have their chance.
Within the next two years, we will abandon those in Iraq who trusted and believed in us, and leave them on their own, to sink or swim, just as we did in Vietnam (for a prospecive on Vietnam, see http://www.jerrypournelle.com/view/view440.html).
If the Republicans vote the same old people in for leadership positions, I will start voting for independent candidates, and it will be a cold day in H--- when they see a majority again.
I feel there is not place left for us old paleo-con, small government, states rights types in the new Republican Party, and there is no place in the Democratic party for us either.
If the Republicans don't want us RINOs, and the Democrats cannot be trusted, what are we to do?
If we send in the legions, and then force them to betray those who befriend them, how long before the legions become hollow shells? It happened to Rome, and it can happen to us. |
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Would someone, anyone please tell me what the value of American citizenship is any more? with "rights" and Priviledges given to any and all including legal rights to terrorists who are not citizens. welfare, schooling and free medical care to illegal aliens along with alot of other perks, like jobs and voting. Just what does the American citzen get besides the bill, a big bullseye on our chests and a big KICK ME sign pinned to our backs. What is it worth if everyone gets the samething. why bother or fight for it? tell me what makes it so special anymore. I just don't see it. |
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sobeit, I agree that most people don't care who holds the offices. The larger issue is one of message. Specter was viewed by all of us conservatives as a thorn. Sure, we got two Supreme Court justices out of the deal, but remember Specter told Bush that Roberts was the last conservative that he could nominate. Somehow we got Alito anyhow, but we went through Miers first, I believe to make the point to Specter. Specter also complained about the NSA wiretaps. Frist made ill advised comments about the war on terror. Hastert publicly defended Jefferson's right to hide evidence in his congressional office. And so on.
The final result was that the party looked stupidly fractured, which was probably right. I don't remember Mitchell and Rhodes providing fodder for the other side. |
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Do you think that the Democratic leadership sees that radical Islam is at war with the entire western world? |
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I know it's the in-thing now among conservatives to bash Bush, but I think Skywatcher and all the other doubters about Bush's firmness on Iraq are going to be proven 100% wrong. Yes, Bush is using the Baker Commission to gain some political cover and time, but, as he made clear yesterday, he's looking to General Pace and his Iraq study group to recommend concrete action for gaining victory in Iraq. And Pace's group is composed of tough battle hardened combat officers who, to a man, are strong proponents of more aggressive action. Men like Col. H. R. McMaster, who led our operation last year in Tal Afar that's been cited as a textbook case in how to wage counterinsurgency in Iraq, and Col. Peter Mansoor, who commanded an Army brigade that fought the Mahdi Army militia two years ago in Karbala. And has anyone else noticed that Robert Gates was reported to have blasted Rumsfeld for playing footsie with the Shiite militias.
I expect that Bush's next move on Iraq will be far different than most are predicting. Unless I'm totally misreading things, I honestly believe that Bush has decided to send more troops to Iraq and with express instructions to take out al-Sadr's Mahdi Army and the other militias, Shiite and Sunni.
On a cold political calculation, Bush knows that his effectiveness over the next two years and, more importantly to him, his historical reputation depends on salvaging Iraq. I doubt seriously that the Democrats will want to be seen as obstructionist on day one so Bush should have the necessary political leeway for a time to maneuver despite the election results. |
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That the single issue barking seals continue to spew their anti immigration mantra.
Figure it out kids: Randy Graf got thumped by a Democrat, even losing Cochise county. J.D. Hayworth was thrown out on his arse. Single issue zealots couldn't dislodge Chris Cannon, David Dreier, John Campbell, Jeff Flake etc. etc. etc.
The immigration warriors are losers. Nobody wants to associate with a group of angry old xenophobes. Folks want a comprehensive approach to the problem ... increased border security AND some guest worker provision.
As long as the GOP continues to do the bidding of the enforcement-only border zealots, it ensures itself to be a minority party. |
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Open Borders might have lost us the election, but not for the reasons you probably think.
Hispanics are the fastest growing demographic in the country, many of them have conservative values but if we keep alienating them guess which party will be getting their votes.
George Bush has lived in Texas, he knows what is going on he had to win a state wide election there and Karl Rove regardless of what people think now is very smart he knows what the shift in demographics are going to be over the next decade.
This election had everything to do with Iraq and we were bound to lose, not to mention corruption by a lot of our candidates which left us with several lost seats that we were never able to fill.
I am a die hard Republican on almost all issues but being part hispanic and growing up in South Texas I can tell you anti imigration is going to be a huge losing issue. Right now we get 9 to 10 % of the black vote if that, if our level gets there for hispanic voters we will never regain congress. |
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1) What do you propose we do to win the war of ideas within today's media, both domestically (to win the presidency, house & Senate in '08) and internationally (heart & minds, allies, & the next generation)?
2) (Besides securing the border with Mexico out here,..) How important is sealing off the Iraqi border with Iran and Syria to winning the war on terror?
Not that I expect brilliant answers; more that this will weed out those that remain dangerously ignorant of the increasingly important role (web) media is playing in society and politics. |
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What is you stand on US support of Israel and do you support a separate Palestinian State? |
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hbp, I'm well aware of where the illegal aliens are living. I live in California. They are not guest workers by the way.
My point with using those Midwest states is that for the people in those states a guest worker program is not a winning position.
The owner of the corporate farm in Iowa will say give me as many slave "guest workers" as I can get. The people working at the farm will say, "GOP you are crazy, you support guest workers taking my job?"
In Ohio which has a manufacturing base which as just been wiped out in the last 10-15 years, I'd like to see the GOP run with a plank in the platform saying "guest workers will be good for you the people of Ohio".
It is becoming a loser in other industries as well. The tech industry is now aware of what "guest worker" means. It means your salary goes down.
My point is it is not a winning position with the masses. It won't play well at all in the Midwest and the GOP needs those states, especially Ohio at the presidential level. The position does get the GOP loads of money from big business.
I would like to hear a GOP leader give a 2 minute response as to why it is a winning position with the masses? It can't be sold to the masses. The Dems will beat the GOP on the issue, even though the Dems want open borders as well. |
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Of course it matters. Your John Rhodes and Bob Michel examples are actually very much on point. The two of them were non-entities.. go along/get along guys who resigned themselves to permanently being in the minority, so they didn't rock the boat. They were more about collecting their perks than changing the country.
We cant fall into that trap again.
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I believe that every incoming House Committee Chairman was previously a Chairman before the Republican Revolution.
They never retired. They just stayed in the House, biding their time, believing their day would come again.
I wonder if the now deposed GOP Chairmen will do the same thing, or if they will be a lot of retirements in 2008? |
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you are wrong, the american people are tired of paying the bill for people who come here illegaly and do not want to be a part of our country, but want to bring their country to us....english is our language, how hard is that to comprehend? Look at the hospitals and welfare rolls and see in Calif and Texas who these people are....it is NOT right for people to come here and not try to become Americans not some quasi "other" .....my grandparents came here from Italy and no one was allowed to speak italian....they were Americans now and as such all would act, talk be American....that is the problem with illegals now, they do not want to be Americans, they just want the services....
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