Re: > 'Compassionate' Conservatism Was a Mistake

Patriot Games wrote:
On Sat, 08 Nov 2008 09:32:09 -0300, NeoLibertarian
<cognac756@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Patriot Games wrote:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122602742263407769.html?mod=rss_opinion_main
NOVEMBER 7, 2008
'Compassionate' Conservatism Was a Mistake By DICK ARMEY
That happened to Armey's Contract with America, too.
http://www.house.gov/house/Contract/CONTRACT.html
The Demagogues attacked the Contract, and successfully conflated personalities, irrelevancies and falsehoods with it. And killed about 50% of it.
As a result we were only 50% freer when it was retired in the late 1990's--but no more than that.
Then the GOP's started the impeachment proceedings, never intending to actually go through with it. We went through three Speakers of the House in an many weeks. The Senate bolted.

The GOP wanted Bubba-Stiffy impeached but NOT fired because that would
have put Al 'Chicken Little' Gore in the driver's seat...

Personally, I think they shoulda gone all the way or not at all.

And somehow, the GOP's avoided having America punish them for their failures and stupidity back then--mostly because enough people knew who had held a tight reign on the budget since 1995.

I'm not sure I agree with that entirely. Here are two examples.
Bubba-Stiffy campaigned on no new gun laws and a middle-class tax cut.
in 12 months we had a middle-class tax increase AND TWO sweepingly
huge new gun laws. In the TWO elections that followed (mid-term and
Bubba's re-election) the voters punished Congress for passing those
laws by gave Bubba a pass for signing those laws!

Somewhere between then and now, the Republican Party has been reduced to defending itself by saying, "Well, we cut taxes, and we're strong on national security."
Which was the sum of John McCain's campaign.
Which doesn't even pretend to address any of the greatest problems looming over America's head like the Sword of Damocles.
The GOP needs a new contract, but at this late date, it needs a New Declaration of Independence.
Make it simple, like 5 issues and 10 legislative initiatives to address those issues:
THE NEW DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE FOR THE GOP
1) Roll back the budget, limit failed entitlements (sunset Social Security), and balance the budget.
Balance the budget, balance the budget, balance the budget!

Yep, balance the budget!

2) Address skyrocketing Health Care costs without seizing the industry or increasing regulations (ala the Fred Thompson Plan--or many of the other great proposals collecting dust in the "New" Republican party).

Yep!

5) The UN is hopeless. Replace it with a treaty that functions the way the UN was originally intended to work. Ukraine needs to be admitted to NATO yesterday, and Georgia needs to be admitted tomorrow.

Yep.

4) There are no valid arguments against term limits any more.
Term Limits, Term Limits, Term Limits!

Yep!

5) Erect a Wall of Separation between Business and Government. The partnerships between financial institutions and Government directly caused this credit meltdown. These partnerships cause both business and Government to shape each others' policies--and ALWAYS lead to disaster.
A wall between them would eliminate the worst in both, and would force out the best in both.

I like the idea but I have no idea how to accomplish it.

It's impossible to accomplish it, but it worth a try to see how far we can get.

It's what campaign finance, corruption and lobbying laws, attacks on the first amendment--it's what all that has been dancing around for eons.

Freddie and Fannie were the last straw. Obama's presidency will only exacerbate the whole comedy.

Personally, I think one of the best walls between business and
government might be a high barbed-wire topped wall and that scenic
view should be for MANY years.

5 Easy to Follow Points. You either agree with all of them, or you're not a Republican.
It's either a new Contract, and leaders who will be committed to it and fight for it--or it's the dreary socialism of the deflation, stagnation and the rice paddies.

Hear! Hear!

Things like this are in the works, but we have to make sure they carry through.

The Republicans can't be trusted any more. They have to wise up and wise up fast, or the party will split like it did with Roosevelt and the Bull Moose Party.

That would only mean an 8 year Obama presidency. My children don't deserve all the damage that would do.

--
NeoLibertarian

"The world is not going to be saved by legislation."
---William Howard Taft
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: > Compassionate Conservatism Was a Mistake
    ... That happened to Armey's Contract with America, ... Roll back the budget, ... Security), and balance the budget. ... other great proposals collecting dust in the "New" Republican party). ...
    (alt.politics)
  • Re: > Compassionate Conservatism Was a Mistake
    ... That happened to Armey's Contract with America, ... Bubba-Stiffy campaigned on no new gun laws and a middle-class tax cut. ... Roll back the budget, ... Security), and balance the budget. ...
    (alt.politics)
  • Re: OT Ding Dong the WITCH is DEAD
    ... Amercia that said Balance the Budget ... Clinton refused to embrace the idea of a balanced budget. ... The first item on the Republicans Contract with America was to ... The contract to rip off america had nothing to do with it. ...
    (rec.arts.theatre.musicals)
  • Re: OT Ding Dong the WITCH is DEAD
    ... The "contract with america" didn't balance the budget. ...
    (rec.arts.theatre.musicals)
  • Worthless Democrats, Not an Opposition Party, Join in Republican Tyranny
    ... Democrats again failed to win votes to force removal of U.S. ... budget, funded by a combination of "emergency" spending, transfers from ... Club for Growth and Citizens Against Government Waste. ... He has refused his Assent to Laws, ...
    (misc.survivalism)