Here's the strategy. We contest every race.
HT: Instapundit.
I very much approve of Bill Quick's pragmatism in general. I think the phrase "Liberty minded conservative" has clarity and appeal.
I'd add one nuance: if I had the choice between a Republican incumbent hack, and a decent, moderate, Jacksonian "Blue Dog" type Democrat insurgent... I think I'd consider backing the D...
One other thing: I don't subscribe to each piece of rhetoric in this piece - e.g. this is a bit overwrought:
ReplyDeleteAmerica has been given an unavoidable look at what the Democrats really are: power-crazed taxing, spending tyrants who care no more for the will of the people than they do for liberty itself.
I don't believe the literal truth of this for all "Democrats" any more than I believe that conservatives and Republicans (they need distinct enumeration) are a bunch of heartless "nihilists" pace Andrew Sullivan.
But this is a campaign, and statism is the end result of Democrat policies - whatever the motivation.
"...and a decent, moderate, Jacksonian "Blue Dog" type Democrat insurgent... I think I'd consider backing the D..."
ReplyDeleteA Henry 'Scoop' Jackson you mean. I would have no hesitation in backing such a person. And yes, generalizations can be so skewed as to distort what is best for the common good. It is the center that must hold, in my opinion.
I'm a registered Indie, and have no problem voting for a candidate who happens to be a Dem. I'm an unabashed conservative, and I vote for people who will represent my POV, regardless of their political label.
ReplyDeleteI'm of the opinion that we, as voters, should clean house in 2010 and 2012. Last night was a good start. Will Brown adequately represent the people of Massachusetts? This remains to be seen. In the meantime, a political dynasty has been toppled, and the USA is a better place this morning.
I too like the phrase "liberty-minded conservative"! It has a nice ring. :)
From the article: "So, okay. Tonight, get tipsy, feel cocky, and enjoy the sound of leftist lamentations.
ReplyDeleteThen, tomorrow: Back to work. We have a country - and the future - to take back from the crumbling left and the sclerotic GOP. Let’s get to it!"
That sums it up! Let's roll up our sleeves and get back to work. The 2010 elections are right around the corner.
lady red - that's pretty much where I am as well. Except, I'm certainly not a conservative, because I don't fit the definition on social issues; my one major exception to social conservatism is on the issue of abortion (and I've done a 180 on that since my college years).
ReplyDeleteI do believe in fiscal conservativism... to a point. I'm more in favor of some public programs than what others would consider conservative.
And I will freely admit that when it comes to defense I'm a hawk. Well, sort of. I don't lament many of our "peacetime" missions. I'm not going to complain about us helping in Haiti or Indonesia after natural disasters. And I don't think that every situation requires a punch.
But some do. And most situations required the knowledge that the punch is available as an option. I firmly believe in dealing from strength and not being ashamed of it.
It drives me batshit crazy when I get labeled as a conservative or as someone who votes knee jerk for Republicans, because that is not the truth in any way.
I don't think that I'm a conservative - I think that I have common sense. And I think that is what we really need more of.
But then, I never claimed to have all the right answers.
AFW, I don't go to church, I support gay marriage, and I have serious issues with the death penalty, (among other things) but I still consider myself a "conservative". I don't know what the true definition is. Perhaps I'm better classified as a libertarian? Bah, all these labels! Labels schmabels!
ReplyDeleteI just got off the phone with a woman who as a Scott Brown volunteer. I'll have more later; right now I gotta run...
ReplyDeleteOooo, we're gonna get the inside scoop! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd people say I indulge in hyperbole.
ReplyDeleteI am very happy the Brown won, of course, because it will require (at least) a re-thinking of the downhill path that Barry & The Dems (lyrics to come) have set us on.
In any case, although I am also registered as an Independant, it would take a truly exceptional Dem to even get my consideration for a vote.
Not because I generally despise their platform (though I do) but because I find it very hard to believe that they will not knuckle under once in DC, to those in positions of power Within the legislature, who do things like award committee memberships, and who also hold the purse strings of House & Senate election funds.
So, my concern is far less with individuals in government, than it is with how power is allocated within the deliberative bodies, and how that allocation is used to coerce and control those within each party, when it comes down to the important votes that will shape (or more likely mis-shape) the future of our nation.
The way both houses are organized now, they remind me of Calvin & Hobbes G.R.O.S.S. club with dozens of concoluted rules which no-one really knows, but which can be used to warp and twist the legislative process into something that less resembles the making of sausages than the creation of Frankenstein monsters.
Heh, I left something of a cliff hanger there didn't I.
ReplyDeleteSorry, not so deep and juicy, just some anecdotes passed on by someone who worked on the ground.
The main thing I got from this volunteer was the sense that she had a blast - it was a lot of fun. There was an amazing energy in the group, everyone tripping over everyone else to help out with stuff - a kind of "pay it forward melt up" of spontaneous effort that happens when everyone is on the same page without having to hash it all out.
The second thing was that there were many folks from out of state who came. It wasn't organized, they just showed up.
The third thing she told me was to confirm my impression from the (admittedly little) of the campaign rhetoric that I heard: that Brown ran more as a populist than a Republican. "I never heard 'Republican' much" is a direct quote. This from someone there on the ground, plugged in. So contra Michael Steele et al, Brown didn't win because he was an R, more like in spite of that.
We had other stuff to talk about - you know, actual business, the politics was chit chat - so I ended that discussion by imploring her to hold Brown's feet to the fire when it comes to answering to the people, not connected folks in Washington. She agreed this was key.
Sidd, I thought of the whole D party machine thing when I wrote my original post, but I came down on the side of (hypothetically) voting D anyway (depending on the candidate).
ReplyDeleteThe Rs have been supposedly the party of small government and fiscal responsibility for some time. Emphasis on "supposedly". I can see some Independents out there making the same kind of calculation about an otherwise attractive R candidate: ah, but what happens when the Party gets hold of him?
The only practical tactic I can come up with to address the issue of how power is allocated within the deliberative bodies is to perform some "percussive maintenance" on the whole thing, wherever voting out the incumbent is relatively sane and practical - regardless of what letter is listed alongside their name.
Lewy, there is little doubt that any R would be captured by his party's machine as well, but I am less concerned with that, as I am more comfortable with the lower taxes, less gun-control, etc, platform of the GOP, than I am with the basic Dem platform.
ReplyDeleteIt just seems that the populace needs to be much more on guard when the Dems are in power, no matter the level of personal honor that any individual D might have.
Politicians live in a bubble. My oldest son wishes to become one and for a while he looked like he was being given the nod for a state senate seat from Astoria. A machine candidate stepped in front of him however, and apparently you wait your turn in New York. He is a liberal democrat.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I realized at his wedding was that if he gained elective office that he could never again make a friend -- that all would look on him as an instrument. I'm glad that he is out of the race, although I am unhappy that he is disappointed.
My point was that the bubble status of politicians will always tend to make them become out of touch.
All good points about politicians, party, power and bubbles. But I refer again to 'Scoop' Jackson as an example of how things used to be. Yes, he was perhaps effected by the points brought up above, but still somehow managed to be his own man. There were others like him in the Democratic party of the time. I don't know if 'Blue Dog' would have been the proper characterization of him though. He and those like him were strong on defense and even fiscal policy though yes also held to the basic tenets of the party. If I were to choose between such as Jackson and Olympia Snowe I know where my vote would go.
ReplyDeleteThen again maybe simple age has blurred my memories of 'how things used to be'. Plus I'm likely the only one here old enough to have lived through those days. :)
I agree with you levi - there's a bubble. And it's sad that there is one, but I think that it has gotten worse due to the sheer amount of time and fundraising that now goes into politics.
ReplyDeletePoliticians as envisioned by the founders were politicians as a second job. Now it's not only all encompassing, but a lifelong ambition.
Luther;
ReplyDelete"I'm likely the only one here old enough to have lived through those days. :)"
Heh.
Double heh :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm a conservative repub but, like afw, have some liberal social outlooks.
I tend to vote R but the past 10 years I have been furious with "my" party, numerous times. I would definitely vote for a Scoop Jackson or a JFK. Makes sense, then, why Scott Brown got this astounding win by running as a populist. I think people are actually more united now than they have been in several decades - only not the way BO thought they would be. He was the missing ingredient to accomplish this unity, with his arrogance, divisiveness and same-ole same-old Washington politics.
Levi, I'm delighted to see you here! Welcome!
ReplyDelete