There is hope for the GOP, it has turned another corner and is back on a positive track. The GOP has begun the necessary process of ‘purifying’ itself from the unreliable far right (or ‘true conservatives’) who spend more time insulting fellow conservatives who don’t toe their line than making conservative progress in manageable steps. In fact, the far right has succeeded in stopping all progress on the alter of ‘perfection’, and handing power to the liberals so they can undo all the progress since Reagan took office. 

With a track record like that it is clear why we cannot let the Hannity-Malkin-Savage-Crowley-Ingrahm types keep chasing away conservatives to the point even liberals look better in comparison (check the 2006/2008 election results for a clue folks). In the pursuit of the mythical ‘perfection’ we did not get immigration reform twice, we stalled on education reform, we could not get entitlement reform. Because they could not get their way (or some liberal had been willing to sign on and move the ball a bit more to the right) the far right torpedoed progress across numerous fronts. Their motto: “All or Nothing”. We got nothing. We got Obama, Pelosi and Reid.

It is no big secret or challenging puzzle to understand why Reagan and the two Bush Presidency’s were so successful – they were moderates willing to negotiate with democrats to make some progress. They would peal away enough democrat support to move our national policies into a more conservative position. For this they were chastised by the zealots of their time. Example: Bush seated huge numbers of constructionists judges and 2 USSC justices, yet the Gang of 14 who helped pull this off was politically lynched for doing it without all-out civil war. That is the sign of hothead thinking led by emotion. Even in smashing success some found Earth shattering disaster (leaving many to scratch their heads).

This week the RNC selected its new leader. The far right, ‘true’ conservative hot head with the smashingly insulting personality was rejected. This guy tried to be like the AM Radio talking heads, simple minded with school yard humor. The problem is the conservative movement is not made up of groupies like the liberal left. It’s members are respected professionals of the community who strive for respect, responsibility and quality in society, not one-liner insults. In the end his approach back-fired (big time).

The new RNC leader is former MD Lt. Governor Michael Steele. He is a strong and devoted conservative who knows how to communicate without insulting people for disagreeing with him 100%. He was the most moderate of the 5 choices – which tells the whole story. First McCain, now Steele – there is a message there folks!.

Steele helped found the Republican Leadership Council, a center right group that probably is too moderate for my tastes in some areas, but it does bring in those who lean conservative and who alone can create conservative governing majorities. “True” conservatives are now a vocal minority pondering why they have lost so much political ground – yet still throwing insults (like “RINO”) at their natural allies. Sort of clueless behavior IMHO.

Steele knows that to make progress in a democracy you have to negotiate and give a little. There is no 100% perfect outcome in politics (or human endeavors). That is a myth.  ”All or nothing” always ends with “nothing”. Steele is a sign that the GOP is growing up and getting out of the politics of insulting your opponents to convince them to support your views. And he is not the only one who has found his voice.

For example, former RNC chairman Jim Nicholson came out recently to call for an end of the ‘true conservative’ strangle hold on policies, which is literally killing the party:

Former Republican National Committee Chair and Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson spoke out on the GOP’s electoral challenges Friday, urging Republicans to reach out to Hispanic voters by reviewing their position on immigration. 

“We have to better inform and motivate and align with the Hispanic voters,” Nicholson said in an interview with Politico. “That’s one of the key issues that the party and its leaders need to convene and, you know, have a very open, transparent discussion about developing a party position on.” 

Nicholson, whose home state of Colorado turned blue in 2008 thanks in part to heavy Democratic voting among Hispanics, said Hispanics could be open to Republican ideas. 

“The Hispanic voters…in this country are center-right, more conservative, more family- and work-oriented people,” he said. “We have to overcome some of the predilections that they have about Republicans so that we get more of their votes.” 

Emphasis mine. Predilections caused by caustic, over-the-top rhetoric from the Amnesty Hypochondriacs who equate all immigrants with mass murderers. I mentioned back when the far right began their purity wars that it would destroy the GOP governing coalition, and that in the end they would end up on the outside looking in (pouting as usual). Here we are years later and my predictions came true.

I have never once given them an inch because of what they did to the GOP and President Bush, and how their self-absorption allowed the Democrats to get in power and start undoing a lot of hard, good work. They would not still their angry insults against the Gang of 14, Harriet Miers, President Bush, and those who supported comprehensive immigration reform. They went insane over the idea a moderate, Arab/Muslim ally would have one of its companies buy a controlling interest in one of our companies (and pay by putting in sophisticated shipping container security scanners around the world to check these before they made it to our ports). These people opened up a civil war on the right and demanded they be the controlling voice. It was a dumb move, as we see now in hindsight.

The intolerant don’t need to be tolerated, and there are plenty more voices of moderation that can override the far right. We outnumber them, but our ‘moderate’ nature (a.k.a., respectful debate, open to options, willing to work together with others) makes us lose the decibel battle on volume. Compassionate Conservatives are the ultimate silent majority who decide elections. If they are loud and insulting, they are not in the majority! They are now rising up again to steer the GOP back from the brink.

The warnings do not stop at RNC chairmen either. The GOP Minority Leader is also joining the chorus, and no one would confuse him with a moderate (or “RINO”):

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a blunt warning to Republicans Thursday: Their party must regain lost supporters plus blacks, Hispanics and voters on both coasts — or risk becoming a permanent minority party with a limited power base. 

“We’re all concerned about the fact that the very wealthy and the very poor, the most and least educated, and a majority of minority voters, seem to have more or less stopped paying attention to us,” McConnell said in a speech at the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting. “And we should be concerned that, as a result of all this, the Republican Party seems to be slipping into a position of being more of a regional party than a national one.” 

In stark terms, the Kentucky Republican added: “In politics, there’s a name for a regional party: It’s called a minority party. … As Republicans, we know that common-sense conservative principles aren’t regional. But I think we have to admit that our sales job has been. 

“And in my view, that needs to change,” he said. 

Damn straight. And people are equals in the party, worthy of respect. Instead of mouthing a line about being ‘a fine American’, walk the walk and treat each other with respect that comes from the diversity a good cause brings. Marvel that so many people from different views and walks of life can find common ground. Stop demanding you are the voice of conservatism! Enough with the silly ego trips (which has me totally turned off from AM talk radio).

And the New GOP messengers don’t stop there. President Bush also laid out the same warning recently:

“President Bush called for a ‘compassionate’ Republican Party and warned against the GOP becoming ‘anti-immigrant’ in one of his last interviews as president, defending his vision of the party, which has become unpopular among some Republicans,” the Washington Post writes. “‘It’s very important for our party not to narrow its focus, not to become so inward-looking that we drive people away from a philosophy that is compassionate and decent,’ the president said in an interview on ‘Fox News Sunday’… ‘We shouldn’t have litmus tests as to whether or not you can be a Republican. And we should be open-minded about big issues like immigration reform, because if we’re viewed as anti-somebody — in other words, if the party is viewed as anti-immigrant — then another fellow may say, “Well, if they’re against the immigrant, they may be against me.”’” 

I hope the conservative movement is finally going to get back to mature, reasoned principles and debate. We don’t need hotheads and self proclaimed visionaries to lead us. We don’t need over payed talking heads to tell us what to think or how to act or what decisions to make.

We can chart our won path of reasonable steps for conservatism to grow and prosper in America. And that is because reasonable conservatism is the framework which supports families, frees individuals to explore their potential, demands responsibility of our people, helps those in need, provides for the national defense, protects and respects life, protects and respects personal decisions, and does this while minimizing the burden on our people and economy. That is the successful formula for a conservative governing coalition. It will be a marvel of progress, made from numerous imperfect steps.

There is a brand of conservatism that limits choices, insults non-believers, demands fealty to self proclaimed leaders, invades our homes and personal lives, is knee-jerk nativist and tries to destroy scientific fact as mythology (with mythology). That is the brand of conservatism that is dying off. 

Here is Michael Steele in his own words on the matter:

He vowed to expand the reach of the party by competing for every group, everywhere.

“We’re going to say to friend and foe alike: ‘We want you to be a part of us, we want you to with be with us.’ And for those who wish to obstruct, get ready to get knocked over,” Steele said.

The near-rabid conservatives who I could once tolerate in common cause for some greater goods (pro-life, strong defense, limited government, personal responsibility, the shining city on the hill) have become so bitter and arrogant that I find it embarrassing to even be associated with these folks. If it were not for the common goods mentioned above, which are polar opposites to the liberal left’s directions, I would not be standing anywhere near the banners of Hannity, Levin, Crowley, etc. I keep thinking they will return to sanity, but so far after so many losses I don’t see any sign of it.

But why stop with a string of losses? Why not do what Governor Huckabee did on talk radio last week and refer to those moderate conservatives as ‘mushy’? Why not continue to insult the only potential voting block that would form a governing conservative alliance? Why not go from a string losses to total oblivion!

I am not alone. I support other strong conservatives like myself who are not moderate or mushy, but simply not part of the ‘extreme’ conservatism that has been failing the conservative movement for years now. I count in that group President George Bush and Sarah Palin, who fight hard to move the country a step at a time to the right.

By contrast extremists are the ones without the patience to build stepwise consensus. They are the ‘all or nothing’ crowd – which always walks away with nothing! In the end the measurement 0f success is what is produced or achieved. The extremists have produced nothing (from 2004-2006). But ‘nothing’ is not the worst result, they have also actually achieved a long string of defeats. By this measure the ‘true conservatives’ are the ones racking up the losses (and blaming the only voters who could turn it around!).

Michael Steele, another strong conservative outside the ‘extreme’ conservative cabal, addressed this situation recently:

Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R) said Monday that conservatives need to “wake up” and realize they need moderate Republicans to help rebuild the party. 

…

“Wake up people. I mean what are you going to do? Are you going to kick these folks out of the party? I have watched this party self-disintegrate for the last four or five years. I’ve watched this party isolate itself from itself.” 

…

“We have to elect moderates in the party,” he added. 

Not only elect them, but stand by them. The GOP should have stood by George Bush, so that when it was time to select a successor the electorate would have still been proud of Bush and rallied around his cause. But the four years of Bush bashing by the extreme right gave the nation a green light to dump Bush and all like him. That is how we got President-elect Obama. It is ironic that the core of Bush’s remaining base is dead center – far from the extremes of left and right who demand ‘all or nothing’ from their opposing fringes.

For weeks now all I have heard is mindless babble from the ‘true conservatives’. For example:

1. Who the hell cares that Obama’s middle name is “Hussein”? His father, who named him, was a Muslim and so it seems a bit obvious how the name thing happened. But no one is responsible for their name, given to them by their parents. Obama has shown a clear life history of being able to exist in the Muslim community, yet he remains tied to Christianity (in the case of Rev Wright a clearly somewhat bizarre version of christianity). This babble reminds me of the nativist bigotry of the Dubai Ports deal, where an allied nation was investing in our industry and our security. A nation that hosts one of the largest US Naval ports in the world. ‘Ay-rabs’ was all the simple minded could see. It was one of this nation’s lowest moments in history. Unless someone has something solid that links Obama to Osama, obsessing about the man’s middle name is simply childish.
2. Forget about Obama’s Birth certificate. It a dumb diversion from real serious topics like Embryonic Stem Cell research. No one is going to be considered a national political player if they babble in tongues of the irrelevant.
3. Stop crying “liberal wolf!” until Obama shows some extreme liberal positions. If he is smart he will do what Bush and Reagan did, he will move the country left through consensus built steps. He will make each step tolerable and acceptable, thus making those screaming ‘the end of the world is nigh’ look the fools. Obama is left of center. We don’t know how far left yet, but until he shows something concrete all the barbs sent his way actually are being taken in by his supporters – hardening their support for THEIR choice – who they see is suffering from unfair attacks from extreme zealots (that is how Obama voters view the conservative movement they dumped over the last 2 election cycles).

The problem is that the majority of the country gave Obama the nod, and those mired in irrelevant fantasies and open bigotry (not to mention animosity) are seen as ever more extreme. Unwilling to ‘come together’. Not coming together after an election or a national crisis is not seen as patriotic.

The fact is the ‘true conservatives’ are out of ideas and exist only in full-pout frustration at having muffed their opportunities to lead and succeed:

In a frank and private memo sent today to Republican National Commitee members, the RNC chairman acknowledges that the GOP has grown too addicted to ideology, places politics before policy, and is bereft of ideas — and that it’s imperative that the party shift towards a genuine effort to develop concrete policy solutions to people’s problems in order to rescue itself.

…

“Republicans have grown accustomed to having our party recognized as the `Party of Ideas,’ but we must acknowledge that many Americans today believe the party is stale and does not deserve that label,” reads one of the memo’s starker assessments, adding that “we have not used our principles to provide solutions to the kitchen table concerns of middle-class America.”

I am a very strong conservative who is within a few moderating steps on the part of the Democrats from just dumping the GOP to the extremists.

I am pro-life. The idea of factories of embryos so we can tear their young ‘bodies’ apart to grab some stem cells and make spare parts for the rich is just grotesque to me. I can accept the decisions of mothers (and fathers) that have to deal with their children and their families. I can accept it ecause it is an individual decision (many times a very hard one and not so cut and dry as many make out).

I don’t like abortion and support education and options to avoid it, but individual decisions on one life is nothing compared to factories of young humans being slaughtered by corporations out to make profits. Yet the Embryonic Stem Cell ban Bush put in place is seen as a lesser achievement than banning the decision of mother’s to decide the fate of their children? How upside down is that! To some I am the devil incarnate.

I am for a strong defense and for winning the war against Islamo Fascist extremists on all fronts. I backed Bush on Iraq, McCain on Iraq, Petraeuse, etc. But I am sickened that the fight against Islamist terrorists has turned into a bigoted attack on Muslims in general. Dubai Ports and the “Hussein” crap are below the stature of the “shining city on the hill”. We can embrace peace loving people of all races, religions and cultures. And as we have seen in Iraq most peace loving Muslims simple need a powerful ally to fend off the cancer of the Islamo Fascists like al Qaeda. But we are Quislings and traitors for not being biased against all Muslims – and so the shining city on the hill turned into Abu Grhaib.

And I am really appalled when extremists try and connect long term illegal aliens here in this country to 9-11. Only a simpleton could miss the obvious distinctions. Yes, our wave of illegal immigrants is great cover for our enemies. But not all (or even most) illegal immigrants are terrorists. Since the extreme right tanked the only chances for consensus steps to tighter control of our borders I find their whining about the current situation ridiculous. We need to handle our immigrants, dump the violent ones back where they belong and make sure we can detect any terrorists trying to sneak through our processes. This doesn’t make me moderate or mushy. It means there are limits to what I will support in any legislation. I will not let the shining city on the hill become a gaited community of nativists. And neither will this nation.

We don’t need to be making bigoted jokes about hispanics and immigrants. This is a nation of immigrants who all have stories of crass arrogance from the earlier arrivals. Stories of how their religion or culture or race was unfairly denigrated and the alienation they felt. This nation has exposed the ugly side of America at each wave of new arrivals. No one is going to win allies bringing that ugly specter back into vogue.

I am all for lower taxes and focused, minimal government. I also saw the huge financial and personal benefit to adding a prescription benefit to our national health care safety-net programs. It lowered costs and gave people a better quality of life and was built on private sector competition. Contrary to the wailing from the right there never was any consensus to delete these national safety-net programs. Making them better was the only viable path. There was never going to be a plan to make them smaller or disappear. That is all delusional fantasy that really is just silly. We could make Medicare/Medicaid better, we were never going to eliminate tehm.

I could go on and on. Bush pushed the nation’s courts back to the center with a host of new judges and justices. The far right still moans it was all wrong. The far right still marks the destruction of a moderate USSC selection (Harriet Miers) as a victory instead of the first step towards the end of the governing conservative coalition. Without avenues to leadership positions the less extreme members of the coalition have no reason to be in the coalition. It’s got to be win-win or lose-lose. No one side gets all the wins. 

If the ‘true conservatives’ are truly waiting for the left to screw up more than they are now they will be in for a long, long, long, wait. With them as the example of how not to govern. why would anyone not learn from their endless mistakes and do better to bridge differences and build alliances? The extreme right is opposed to moderation and alliances. They have ceded the country to any and all alliances which can garner larger numbers than the 20% or so which makes up the ‘true conservative’ pool. 

I don’t see how, out of 80% of the population, you could not spend decades building consensus steps that look miles better than the ‘all or nothing’ positions of the extreme right.

The “true” conservatives, whose invectives against moderate and independent conservatives (e.g., RINOS, Quislings, etc) successfully handed Congress to the liberals in 2006, are again pointing their guns at the kind of non-fringe compromise which America wants on serious issues facing this nation. One of the big ‘failures’ in the eyes of The Gang That Can’t Shoot Straight during President Bush’s first term was the Gang of 14, who helped avoid a zero-sum senate showdown over Bush’s judicial nominations and re-balanced this nation’s courts away from the liberal tilt that had our judicial system badly listing to port.

Now another Gang of moderates is BEGINNING the discussion on a balanced and comprehensive (a word the far right abhors) energy plan. I think the current proposal is too weak and doesn’t open up enough drilling opportunities, so I am not supporting the details. But I must note that the entire concept of bridging the aisles to help Americans cope with energy prices is THE answer America wants, no matter what the details are in this initial phase of the effort. Will this group produce perfection and Nirvana? Pullease. It is a legislative process, perfection never comes out of a legislative process.

But what is totally self destructive is the inane claims from the far right that a compromise starting position is wrong. To the contrary, the reason the Dems have been taking heat on energy is because they have been stubborn ideologues more interested in political wins than solving the problems. And into the mess comes the far right – doing the exact same thing!

LET’S DRILL THE GANG OF 10

…

Or, maybe not. Any guesses as to Mr. Udall’s other action this week? That’s right. He embraced the Gang of 10′s “compromise.” It wasn’t a huge sacrifice, since the proposal mostly limits drilling to a few coastal states, while spending $84 billion in subsidies primarily for the sort of “green” energy Mr. Udall favors. Meantime, he’s betting the “bipartisan” nature of that bill will provide him political protection against Mr. Schaffer’s attacks, while heading off more aggressive GOP drilling proposals in Congress this September.

Among the five Republican Senators in the Gang of 10 is John McCain’s close friend Lindsey Graham and, unbelievably, South Dakota’s solidly conservative John Thune. 

This is ridiculous. These are beginning discussions. With the right pressure the limited drilling could be greatly expanded as the process moves forward. And we could also add in the building of nuclear power plants and oil refining capacity – two things much more important than a few more drill heads. This is the opening of debate, not capitulation and surrender. We on the conservative side want the liberals to be more open minded on Iraq and the war on terror, yet we cannot muster an ounce of respect for those on our side who do open their minds and discussions. The entire point of the article referenced is how the pressure on Democrats has them moving in our direction. Why risk this and more progress by denigrating the process?

What America is weary of is the inability of the parties to find reasoned compromise. What drives the GOP to the margins of history is their inability to respect good faith discussions and reasoned compromise. They have this knee-jerk annoying habit of looking down their nose at anyone who tries to solve problems. And it is why the Democrats are poised to win the elections this year despite their abysmal performance on all issues important to Americans.

Because in the end, rightly or wrongly, the Democrats are seen as respecting the average American. And given the tone of some on the right like Michael Savage, Pat Buchanan, Michelle Malkin and others it is a wonder the GOP is not in more trouble. Stop the war on reasonable discussion of options folks. Stop dividing America by setting purity tests for the left and right. It is the middle of the country that selects the path of the country. Insulting opportunity to solve problems is no way to win their support.

Update:  I meant to add a link to my posts on the Gang of 14, so here it is!

Addendum: Reader Terrye notes all the good points in this starting position from which something could get passed and help Americans with energy prices:

I saw the following over at Instapundit a couple of days ago:

…

1. The “gang of 10″ bill unilaterally opens up drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, with no state veto. The GOP bill didn’t do that, because Mel Martinez and Charlie Crist didn’t want it. Non-Gulf states Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas can opt-in if they like; the old GOP bill was opt-in everywhere, allowing Florida to block drilling in the Gulf off of its shores.

2. The bill also allows for seismic exploration along the entire continental shelf.

3. The ban on drilling within 50 miles of the coast was also in the GOP bill.

4. Contrary to many commentators’ claims, the “gang of ten” bill is not a lifeline for Obama: “What a bunch of C-R-A-P. ” (Yes, he spelled it out like that) “If Obama embraced this, he would be the biggest flipflopper ever.” A lot of the opposition to the bill is really a case of trying to keep drilling as an election issue instead of getting more drilling.

5. The bill includes a Zubrin-like flex-fuel provision, requiring that 75% of cars by 2015 and 85% by 2020 be capable of running on something besides gasoline.

6. “Our bill also opens up coal-to-liquids. We couldn’t have gotten 44 Republicans for that.”

7. The bill is “incredibly aggressive” on nuclear power, including accelerated-depreciation provisions like those for solar and wind power, more NRC resources to speed licensing, and an end to the Carter-era ban on nuclear fuel reprocessing. “We couldn’t have gotten 44 Republicans on this.”

As I read the comments from the right on this post I am reminded of how there are infinite reasons not to act, but leaders take a chance and act with a plan to win as much as possible. The GOP lost the capacity to act years ago, and instead hides behind smarmy comments and faux perfection of policy. It might seem brave, but it really is not. With a Democrat run Congress there is definitely a strong possibility there will be concessions on some items – but the GOP gave up the opportunity to lead the debate when they let the Democrats win.

Fear of some Democrat successes in the package is not a reason to not act. It is not a reason to slam fellow conservatives willing to take a risk and see what can be done for America. What this boils down to is a fear to act covered up by excuses and alibis. Sorry, I am not impressed with all the handwringing and predictions of doom. And to try and cover up this fear to act by insulting others just compounds the sin. 

America needs an energy policy, not a lot of partisan strutting and cackling.

And the more Rushbo and Ingrahm and Levin rail against McCain the stronger he grows! I am beginning to understand that it is not McCain who turned the GOP on its head, he is the beneficiary of those who did turn the GOP on its head – The Amnesty Hypochondriacs. That is my affectionate, tongue-in-cheek label for those who would lose all to deport all long term, law abiding (excepting their lack of work permits, which is misdemeanor) illegals. And it seems they have succeeded – in losing all they had and hold dear. I cannot help but notice McCain’s support keeps growing as the hyper-partisan talking heads ramble on and on about how liberal he his. It’s as if the electorate is trying to find the most annoying candidate for all those who belittled those they disagreed with and now have destroyed conservative coalition.

Rush and others hint they may sit home this election, and that seems to spurn even more support for McCain. It seems America wants the Mary Poppins conservatives to sit home this election and measure themselves against their purity measuring tapes, self absorbed with their inherent purity and perfection in all things conservative. They seem to be pushing with all their might, through their support of McCain, to call the bluff or threat of the hyper-partisans.

I made a critical and basic error in my predictions of the 2006 race – I seriously underestimated the dislike of the GOP. I was not happy with them, but I had not realized I would be one of the last conservative independents to give up and try the Dems. I thought there was a little political collateral left to save the GOP for one more try. Part of that is due to the fact I don’t shift positions radically or with the wind. Thus why I never budged on Iraq, Harriet Miers, low taxes, Dubai Ports, the ban on Embryonic Stem Cell research, comprehensive immigration. I mix to be sure – but I have seen no reason to move on any of these issues. I don’t switch positions very dramatically. So I was not ready to dismiss the GOP too easily. Well, that is me – not America.

This year I am not going to be so blind. Dem turnout is just overwhelming GOP turnout in the primaries (see addendum below). And one of the most liberal GOP senators, one even I would not want to support because he is too left of me on too many issues, is leading the pack for the GOP nomination. The purity wars of the GOP clearly did more damage than I thought. McCain is strong on defense and spending, but he is also strong – in the supposedly wrong way – on immigration. That was supposed to be his Achille’s Heel, the one thing that would bring him down. It is not working out that way. The one issue I thought would stop McCain (and surprisingly the one we agree on!) is not doing what I expected. It is not slowing him down and may be propelling him forward.

Now I am wondering if there is a correlation between McCain’s growing support and the growing rants from the far right. Is this not the real reason why things are all upside down in the GOP? We know the GOP has been hurt by the stubborn purists, but maybe we have underestimated the damage they have done. The GOP is losing statewide elections in once red states like VA, and it lost 6 Senate seats in 2006, and is experiencing a wave of retirements from the 1994 wave when the GOP took over Congress. And I think those retirements are another sign that people who wanted to change America for the better are walking away from a party now over run by people who want a party in their own narrow images. They came to change Washington DC and found too many of their colleagues were changed by DC. Good decent people turned into heckling echoes of Begala and Carville instead of leaders of a new era. As Huckabee so aptly said in the FL debate: non-republicans.

I have no delusions, my views on policies are my own. I don’t believe they are “practically perfect in every way” – as the Mary Poppins conservatives crow – or, more importantly, perfect in every situation. I don’t try to impose my views, I share them and look for like minded people to follow a path of common ground, knowing there are areas all around us where we disagree and may end up opponents. I don’t hate people because one day we agree on one thing and the next we oppose each other. But the hyper-partisan hot-heads have no similar self confidence or self control. And the result is stunning.

I am pretty sure there is a backlash against the Mary Poppins Conservatives in the nation. The more they fight for their purity views the more greater America responds in the opposite direction. The more Fred Thompson haunted conservative talk radio the further down his numbers went. The more Rush and Hannity go after McCain the stronger McCain gets. The more the far right rails against the impure the larger the democrat crowds get.

When the purity wars erupted over Miers I could see the train wreck coming, and here is what I said back then:

The anti-Miers crowd won a pyrrhic victory today. The extreme right’s confidence and tolerance was tested, and found wanting. Instead of debating the merits of Miers, and allowing her to get to the confirmation hearings – too many in that crowd demeaned Miers and those, like me, who wanted to know who she was before rising in opposition. Their confidence was a charade as they panicked and lashed out in a way I thought republicans had outgrown and only liberals still did.

It is clear now that us impure conservatives cannot be allowed to participate in any meaningful or leading roles. We are not pure bloods with clear lineage to the far right cause.

…

The message from the Miers fiasco is clear. Only purebloods can be offered for positions of responsibility. If you are not a pureblood, then there is no depth the purebloods will go to knock you down as a mudblood.

…

And that is what is left of the conservative movement. We now have two factions who will never trust each other, and where name calling skirmishes will break out more and more often. It has already started. The genie is out of the bottle and cannot be put back in now.

I was sadly correct in where this would lead. When Dubai Ports erupted from the same panicky group I and many others saw the next phase in the unavoidable implosion of the GOP governing coalition. The final straw, all around, was immigration reform – which knocked the GOP out of control of Congress. Here is one of my many posts sampling the out of control anger of the amnesty hypochondriacs:

Post the list of traitors.
We’ll pull together the list of their corporate sponsors (because I can’t think of who else pushed them to vote for it) and start a boycott.
…
get the roll call.
Let’s crack some heads.
…
And with that, I leave the GOP.
Goodbye, guys.
…
This Is Fargin’ War!
…
Can you say United States of Mexico! Courtesy of our RINOS and RATS! I saw the soccer game between the USA and Mexico from Chicago and the stadium was filled with folk loyal to the RED, WHITE and GREEN…chants for Mexico drowned the USA chants…imagine that in our own land….USM!
…
Treason.
…
Prez. Bush needs horse-whipping.

After all this is anyone is surprised there has been a backlash against conservatism? If not I can’t help them. Bush was respectful and a compassionate conservative who refused to get in the gutter. And for that decorum he was pilloried by those who seem to have trouble getting out of gutter politics. I heard Hannity ask a liberal caller from MD Friday what happened to her, did her parents beat or abuse her? It was a sick and disrespectful joke. It was another immature and insecure stab at someone who simply disagrees. It ranks right up there with Michelle and others going after the Baltimore family for speaking positively about S-CHIP.

I was wrong. I underestimated the damage the hyper-partisans have done to the GOP. It sounds like America is ready to destroy the party Rush holds dear and are inviting him to sit out 2008. McCain is a poke in the eye to the far right and America seems hell bent on poking that eye. Heck, he is the pick of the NY Times! I did not expect this. I feel good about McCain on national defense, pork spending and immigration. Some might expect me to be happy about his rise, but he is not really my top choice (or second or third). No, I am not happy to see how utterly destroyed the party is because of some hot-heads without self control and dignity and honor.

In the end I don’t think this matters much, because if Obama wins the dem nomination he will steam roll McCain. But it is interesting to see how much success the Amnesty hypochondriacs have had in 2008. Not only have their standard bearers all been forced out of the race, their nemesis is leading the pack to the nomination. Now that I did not expect, but then again I underestimated how much rejection the hypochondriacs where able to build up amongst their one time allies. I did not expect it or want it, but it is here.

Addendum: In case people missed all the news regarding the tsunami of democrat voter turnout I have posts on the matter from SC Dem and SC GOP (where the dems had enormous increases to record highs), New Hampshire and Iowa.

Given the early voting numbers in FL, where Dems are competing with the GOP numbers though their primary supposedly doesn’t count, I would say this trend is continuing. If the FL turnout numbers continue to show this kind of massive turnout differential favoring the dems all the GOP is doing is re-arranging deck chairs on their Titanic.

Update: National Review still thinks immigration works for them and against McCain. Boy, are they in for a shock.

he Supreme Court loosened restrictions Monday on corporate- and union-funded television ads that air close to elections, weakening a key provision of a landmark campaign finance law.

The court, split 5-4, upheld an appeals court ruling that an anti-abortion group should have been allowed to air ads during the final two months before the 2004 elections.

The case involved advertisements that Wisconsin Right to Life was prevented from broadcasting. The ads asked voters to contact the state’s two senators, Democrats Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, and urge them not to filibuster President Bush’s judicial nominees.

The Gang of 14 was predicted to be this big old disaster that never came of fruition. The GOP hypochondriacs (they overreact on way too many issues to be considered ‘leaders’) swore up and down the end was here for Bush’s judicial imprint. Another Chicken Little cry from the far right has bit the dust. Bush got his justices on the bench and we are seeing the kind of centrist decisions we could only hope for in our wildest dreams before Bush took office. It seems the traitor Presidente Jorge was right again – and his critics were dead wrong again. And now that the GOP is in the minority and very possibly will lose the Presidency and both houses to the dems in 2008 aren’t we all glad the Gang of 14 preserved the veto just in case President Hillary appoints Sid ‘viscious’ Bloomenthal to the US Supreme Court?

The GOP needs to stop hyperventilating and crying ‘wolf’ all the time. It is killing what little credibility they have left. Thankfully we are seeing the resurrection of the Freedom of Speech, thanks to the Roberts’ Court.

White House staff secretary Brett M. Kavanaugh today testified at a contentious Senate hearing on his nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, asserting he had no involvement in the Bush administration’s policies of interrogating terrorism suspects and domestic spying without court warrants.

The fact Kavanaugh could not be linked to anything left the Democrats to whine about nothing at all. Schumer looked particularly frustrated and defeated. Quite enjoyable. Specter is a member of the Gang of 14 and torpedoed the rumors at the git-go.

Specter sought to make a case that Kavanaugh was not an extreme conservative, saying he has an “open mind.”

Speculation is the Judicial Committee will vote him through this week, with a floor vote very soon after. As I noted last year when Saad and Myers were ‘delayed’ (as was Kavanaugh), there was no reason not to wait and bring these back at a later date once the Democrats had learned the futility of the filibuster threat while the Gang of 14 held together.

The left is raging, the right is depressed, and the rest of us get to sit back and wonder. Why is the right so bummed out when they get three confirmations and nothing regarding the rest of the nominees? The predictions about Myers and Saad being dead are simply silly. All that came out was the 14 senators in the ‘deal’ could not agree, as I posted earlier, and so who knows what will happen to them.

Two Supreme’s later and numerous circuit court judges, the Coalition of The Chillin’ is still being vindicated.

Clinton – no (pro filibuster)
Mikulski – yes
Murray – no
Cantwell – yes
Leiberman – yes
Reid – yes, then no (s0unds like a Kerry style vote – voting ‘for’ before voting ‘against’!)

More coming….now continuing

Must have missed most of the votes since they are not calling the vote much. If cloture passes the final vote will be tomorrow at 11 AM – giving Bush a huge victory for his SOTU tomorrow night….

Akaka – yes

Since Conrad, Byrd, and Dorgan stated they would support cloture it is clear the filibuster failed! Now it is only a queastion of by how much…

FOX News is reporting 15 democrats voted for cloture making it possibly 70-30, but I am waiting for the final tally to be announced…

Final numbers 72-25!

What a blow out!

The Democrat filibuster attempt was a sad one, and must be just salt in the wounds for the liberal base. 25 votes….

As I said, the Democrats promise a lot and deliver basically nothing.

UPDATE:

Michelle Malking live blogged Kennedy’s meltdown

I am watching Sen. Ted Kennedy on C-SPAN unraveling before my eyes. He is screaming. The face is fire-engine red. The fists are waving furiously.

Michelle has a stronger stomach than I do! BTW, Congratulations to Samuel Alito, the next Justice for the US Supreme Court!

But we get some excellent perspectives to share. And anyone who wants to have a link added just contact me (here is the original announcement) or link to the post and a trackback will appear in the comments section. In the order I received them, here is the Carnival.

It is fitting our first post is by Professor Bainbridge, one of the first Coalition members and someone who has been following the judicial nomination process in detail. The good professor returns to the debate regarding the nuclear option and whether it should be launched.

The next post is by Dan at Searchlight Crusade who also discusses the use of the nuclear option now that Alito has been through the tough part, and what the political ramifications might be.

Our good friend from West-by-Golly, Don Surber, points out the motivating factor behind the democrats efforts is not so much judicial philosophy, or even abortion, but something more basic – and obvious once you think about it.

Roy Lofquist sent us this note on his thoughts since his American Thinker article from the time of the Gang of 14.

My prediction about the demise of Reid, Pelosi and Dean was actually contrary to my previous instict that what we are witnessing is a battle for control of the Democrat party.

The historical precedent is the 1964 nomination of Barry Goldwater. That effort was doomed from the start. With an assassinated President and the country at war there was no way a Republican stood a chance of winning. The Republican establishment let the right tilt at windmills, thus fending them off for 16 years.

I believe that the DLC has adopted a strategy of letting their own loonies bring on 3 crushing defeats in a row. They then stand to pick up the pieces. The Democrats have evolved into a coalition of special interests who are not ideologically motivated so much as power motivated. It is better to be a big fish in a little pond.

I fervently hope that the Democrats survive the current crisis. Although a life-long Republican I do not wish to see any party triumphant and unchallenged.

Regards,
Roy

The next entry is from Cold Hearted Truth who looks back and questions whether 14 members of the US Senate should be able to hold sway over the entire body. A good question with interesting implications on many issues.

Harold at Called As Seen has posted thoughts on each of the Supreme Court nominations, and what each meant to the overall debate. It is good to see Harold blogging again.

Coalition founder Mark Coffey calls the Gang of 14 agreement the biggest GOP victory in 2005. And given the results it is hard to argue it has been anything but a victory.

Eric at The Viking Pundit is “Chillin’ like Matt Dillon”. Eric discusses how the bar was set for filibusters and its resulting impact.

W.C. Varones notes the irony for McCain – whose Gang of 14 allowed a wrath of pro 1st Amendment jurists to be seated on benches that will.. – Well, I won’t steal his thunder.

And finally, my thoughts on the Democrats – which takes the flip side view from Mark since I think this has been a big loser for the left.

Posted at the Truth Laid Bear Ubercarnival

That vacuous bravado led a lot of people to believe the Democrats would stop Bush’s preferred choices from getting to the Federal Courts – especially the US Supreme Court. It turned out to be all bluster. And it has rightfully angered the liberal base. Too bad the base never understood Democrats have been faking it since Jimmy Carter. I left the Democrat party during Reagan’s first term because the Democrats are congenital BS’ers who never do what they say. They simply enjoy the trappings of power and all they do is take steps to keep or get power.

Name one pivotal piece of policy from Democrats on par with Reagan’s facing down the Soviet Union to the point where the iron curtain fell? Or tax cuts and welfare reform? Or accountability in education? There is nothing. All the Democrats do is make loud promises they have no intention of keeping.

So here we sit in the verge of Judge Samuel Alito becoming a justice of the Supreme Court, and it is clear to everyone the Senate Democrats are literally full of hot air and nothing more. All their statements and promises and threats came to nothing. They have been exposed and their base is dejected with what they see.

Maybe now they understand why so many people have left that dying party. And why we are not evil or out to undermine the country or attack their way of life. All that was Democrat BS as well.

Sad to see such spineless pandering.

Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee, under pressure as one of the last senators undecided on Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr.’s fitness for the Supreme Court, has committed himself to help fellow Republicans break a last-ditch Democratic filibuster of the nomination.

A lot of irrelevant posturing is included in the article, but the point is Alito will be the next US Supreme Court Justice.

The funny thing is, in order to really energize the leftwing base for this year’s elections, Stevens would need to step down and cause a fight for his seat. Dems would probaby lose the battle again, but it would help the GOTV effort!

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid admitted on Friday he and fellow Democrats lack the votes to block President George W. Bush’s nomination of conservative appeals judge Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Everyone knows there is not enough votes to support a filibuster,” Reid said, referring to the procedural roadblock that some Democrats said should be used to put off a vote on Alito.

The Nevada Democrat said, however, he would vote for such a measure to at least send a message of opposition to the nominee. That vote will come on Monday with final confirmation set for Tuesday.

The Dems are taking a pounding by their base, and the longer the Alito vote is delayed the more damage they are taking on. They need this story to go away and fast.

UPDATE:

Polipundit claims the Dems have no more than 35 votes for a filibuster!

Near the close of a second day of debate, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, moved to force a confirmation vote on Tuesday. A test vote on ending debate is set for Monday, and a number of Democratic aides said they expect Frist to muster the needed 60 votes to do so.

I expect thge vote will be Teusday since two more Democrat Senators broke ranks on Alito, pushing the filibuster numbers down and the nuclear option numbers up to a point where, if my numbers are right, two more democrat defections will spell the end of it.

Earlier on Thursday, Democratic Sens. Robert Byrd of West Virginia and Tim Johnson of South Dakota declared their support of Alito. They joined Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska, who had announced last week that he would vote for him.

3 Democrats pretty much assure the nuclear option is now available and waiting to be triggered. I expect to see maybe two more dems cave over the weekend. Right now this slow drip, drip, drip on Alito is just frustrating and angering the liberal base. Better to lance this one and move on.

So, get those submissions in and Join the Alito Carnival!

Members of the Coalition of the Chillin’ (and any others who wish to chime in) might like to know Mark Coffey and I have been discussing a Carnival of the Coalition to mark the occasion. Mark suggested we all think about the following question:

“In retrospect, given everything that has happened, both positive and negative, with Harriet Miers, John Roberts, and Samuel Alito, how do you feel about the filibuster deal?”

In my opinion, the Coalition has been vindicated time and again, and many of the original doubters have come to soften their positions. But I am only one voice. I think this momentous event deserves a look back to the initial Gang of 14 agreement.

So if folks want to join in on the Carnival email me with your posts by 6:00 PM January 26th – the night before the expected vote. If the vote is delayed we will extend the submission period.

Make submissions to AJstrata@strata-sphere.com

More on the committee vote at Michelle’s site