Is there anything we can do to change the direction of the GOP?

[amy31416]

In this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/politics/29palin.html

They claim that Palin is the future of the party. Is there anything we can do to change that from her to someone like BJ Lawson?

I believe the party is in a somewhat moldable state, despite my intense skepticism that it is completely lost.

On a good day, I'd say that I'm losing all hope. Today, I simply think our ideals are completely lost.

[ghengis86]

palin as the future? wtf

[nodope0695]

The GOP, the RNC...they're dead. They are Republican only in name, nothing more. The day of supporting fiscal responsibility, low taxes, individualism are gone.

'Pubs and Dems are all the same now....all fucking blind sheeple.

[Brian4Liberty]

palin as the future? wtf

Palin is the future that the neo-conservatives want. Naive candidates that they can control.

But we can change it. We have started. The more true conservatives that can be elected into the party, the more they can make changes. Goldwater revolution all over again...with more Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson and Ron Paul thrown in this time...

[Join The Paul Side]

There's already infighting and fingerpointing going on within the GOP. It's getting pretty ugly from what I hear on TV.

A lot of neocons know McCain is going down in flames and are trying to keep him from burning the whole house down. Too late as far as I'm concerned.

I wouldn't be concerned about Palin either. She has already proven that she is dumb as a box of rocks. Plenty of room for Ron Paul Republicans to put an end to the neoconservative movement. :)

[Jeremy]

Palin? thats random...

but nyt is a liberal newspaper, so who cares... they would love to see a GOP with all palins

[Brian4Liberty]

Palin? thats random...


Not random at all. She was the neo-conservative sweetheart. So is McTool...and neo-conservatives are just socialists who like war...

[Grimnir Wotansvolk]

Honestly, this is why I get irked when people say that CP and LP members should start switching back to the GOP.

Why not the other way around? The Repubs are now controlled by a trotskyite majority, and it would be next to impossible to turn it around.

So what's so unattractive about bolstering another party or union of parties? That's where the GOP originated from, and has always been the way we turned things around in the past.

Thing is, I don't know the logistics of switching parties. Are they allowed to do it on command? If so, I'd say we should pressure the "real" republicans to start going CP/LP, and the real democrats to go Green.

Imagine if you looked at our list of reps/senators, and saw a long list of (R)s, a long list of (D)s, followed by (L)s, (C)s, and (G)s? That would immediately start turning heads in regards to confidence in third parties, in a way we've never seen before.

[Austin]

It's really a pretty simple task to take over a political party. The only obstacles are time, dedication, and the number of people willing to get involved.


Become a precinct committeeman (political office, not CFL thing)
Recruit other liberty minded folks to become committeeman as well
When you have a majority, take over the official Republican seats for your county. These include Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.
Then, the Chairman and Vice Chairman in a Congressional District elect District Officers.
These District Chairman and Vice Chairman elect four state officers, and also make up the State Central Committee.


As you can see, all that is required to take over the party is a little time, dedication, and willingness to participate. The good thing about precinct committeeman is that there are tons of uncontested elections for the office. Also, if you are running against someone, you only have to campaign in your particular precinct, which is usually around 1000 voters. From there on out, it's all getting your fellow committeeman to vote you into office, or vote them (assuming they are apart of the movement) into the higher office..

Simply put, we all have to become precinct committeeman and convince our friends in liberty to do the same. When we've done that, we can start taking over the higher ranks with relative ease.

[Ninja Homer]

In this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/politics/29palin.html

They claim that Palin is the future of the party. Is there anything we can do to change that from her to someone like BJ Lawson?

I believe the party is in a somewhat moldable state, despite my intense skepticism that it is completely lost.

On a good day, I'd say that I'm losing all hope. Today, I simply think our ideals are completely lost.

Educate, participate, and take it over by overwhelming numbers. In most areas, there's just a few people at the top calling the shots, telling the GOP regulars what to do. With McCain's massive failure, the GOP regulars will lose faith in the leaders who led them down this path, and will be (more) easily swayed to our side.

I wrote this quite a while ago, and I think it still holds true:

"I understand your anger, but think a little more long term. We aren't joining and supporting the GOP, we're overtaking and controlling the GOP. If McCain gets the nomination, he will lose the general election horribly, and after that we can take over and change the GOP with ease after all the cheating, sore loser, neocons give up on their own party because they are no longer the "winners."

Think about Ron Paul. Look at his smiling face the next time he gives a speech. He's been fighting this battle for 30 years, usually without much company. He's just happy and excited as hell that people are finally beginning to wake up, and knows that REAL change is coming in the near future.

It doesn't end with this election cycle. Commit to long term change, and you won't see all the GOP state convention shenanigans as the end of the Ron Paul Revolution, but as the end of the neocon control of the GOP, and the beginning of the Ron Paul Revolution. Hang in there for another year or so, and you'll start to see some absolutely amazing results for all of our efforts."

[Brian4Liberty]

In most areas, there's just a few people at the top calling the shots, telling the GOP regulars what to do.

Depends on who you mean by GOP regulars. If you are talking about active, meeting attending members of the Republican Party, then you can have influence, which will really help.

But of course it's the media that actually tells the average "voting Republicans" what they are supposed to think and do...

[escapinggreatly]

There's going to be a civil war within the GOP if the election bears out like it looks like it will. The fractions in the party will open up opportunities for libertarian-minded Republicans to gain influence.
__________________

http://www.meltingpotproject.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/10/22/libertariansig.jpg
The Melting Pot Project: Proportional Representation. New Parties. Intern Jokes. (http://www.meltingpotproject.com/)

[boggie08]

I think that if Question 1 passes in Massachusetts and BJ Lawson wins in North Carolina that the GOP will have to take notice. Besides that, just keep registering Republican and joining your Republican Town Committees.

[nodope0695]

The new seal of the Republican National Committee.

http://www.growupobama.com/bi-partisan%20unity.jpg

[klamath]

Palin represents the christian right of the party and not really the neocon branch. Many neocons are bailing to the democrat party to stay in power but they are still a force we have to fight with as well as the extreme christian right. The neocons are already starting a fight with the Christian right in attacking Palin. They are saying McCain wasn't left enough and should move even more to the center and Palin is a mistake. This is how the breaks are showing so far. Nobody is paying much attention to the libertarian branch of the Republican party at this point. Maybe we can make a supprise take over because the other two branches are fighting with themselves.

The sources to back up the neocon/christian right split.

"David Frum, a neoconservative and former speechwriter for President Bush, recently wrote in the Post, "There are many ways to lose a presidential election. John McCain is losing in a way that threatens to take the entire Republican Party down with him."

He warned that McCain's selection of Palin has rallied the GOP base, but turned off independents or women whose votes he sought.

"The very same campaign strategy that has belatedly mobilized the Republican core has alienated and offended the great national middle, which was the only place where the 2008 election could have been won," Frum wrote.

Weekly Standard Editor William Kristol has been similarly blunt.

In a column in The New York Times, which McCain accuses of liberal bias to incite partisan audiences, Kristol recently wrote, "It's time for John McCain to fire his campaign."

In a subsequent column weeks later, Kristol said, "McCain should stop unveiling gimmicky proposals every couple of days that pretend to deal with the financial crisis."

Instead, Kristol said: "He should tell the truth: We're in uncharted waters, no one is certain what to do, and no one knows what the situation will be on Jan. 20, 2009. But what we do know is that we could use someone as president who has shown in his career the kind of sound judgment and strong leadership we'll need to make it through the crisis." "




http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081029/ap_on_el_pr/gop_dissenters_3;_ylt=Aht2yy.ave4orFlXcyFRXVbCw5R4

[Truth Warrior]

Maybe we could just have a money bomb or a TV fundraising telethon and merely buy it back from TPTB. :D

[nodope0695]

Leave the GOP, and let it die. It's defunct, a corpse.

[JK/SEA]

In this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/politics/29palin.html

They claim that Palin is the future of the party. Is there anything we can do to change that from her to someone like BJ Lawson?

I believe the party is in a somewhat moldable state, despite my intense skepticism that it is completely lost.

On a good day, I'd say that I'm losing all hope. Today, I simply think our ideals are completely lost.

While i keep reading about so-called Ron Paul supporters jumping ship and stating they will vote for obama or mccain, and postings of hand wringing about the state of affairs, and the state of this movement called the REVOLUTION, you can believe this REVOLUTION is alive and well in Washington State, and we are very much organized and primed to take the CURRENT Republican Party with all of its disgusting leadership to the great big garbage can in the sky. Click the link, and know there is hope.

http://gopla.org/

[acptulsa]

The G.O.P. rank and file knows they have abandoned their principles. Some are already ready to follow, but don't know who to fall in line with yet. Others are going to have to see it all fall apart before they give up on 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' and realize it's broke as hell, and their unprincipled stand attracts them no one.

I think we'll be able to change its direction if and only if we're persistent as hell. If we aren't, they'll start stealing our talking points and using them to gain trust so they can rip everyone off some more...

We must finish what we started. Even if we know it won't work (and I don't think we do) we have to finish what we started in the G.O.P., or at least try. Otherwise, they'll co-opt us and spoil our message by using it as cover for their thievery.

[Truth Warrior]

The G.O.P. rank and file knows they have abandoned their principles. Some are already ready to follow, but don't know who to fall in line with yet. Others are going to have to see it all fall apart before they give up on 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' and realize it's broke as hell, and their unprincipled stand attracts them no one.

I think we'll be able to change its direction if and only if we're persistent as hell. If we aren't, they'll start stealing our talking points and using them to gain trust so they can rip everyone off some more...

We must finish what we started. Even if we know it won't work (and I don't think we do) we have to finish what we started in the G.O.P., or at least try. Otherwise, they'll co-opt us and spoil our message by using it as cover for their thievery. :D Your conspiratorial thinking is coming along very nicely.<IMHO> ;)

[DAFTEK]

There's going to be a civil war within the GOP if the election bears out like it looks like it will. The fractions in the party will open up opportunities for libertarian-minded Republicans to gain influence.
__________________

http://www.meltingpotproject.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/10/22/libertariansig.jpg (http://www.meltingpotproject.com/)

The Melting Pot Project: Proportional Representation. New Parties. Intern Jokes.
(http://www.meltingpotproject.com/)

lol...EFFING LIBERTERIANS ARE THE MELTING POT OF DUMB! :rolleyes:

[FindLiberty]

Is there anything we can do to change the direction of the GOP?

NO, their condition looks terminal to me. Why would a Libertarian seek a cure for the GOP?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_graveyard

[tonesforjonesbones]

I like Palin and I believe most of you have fallen for disinformation from the left. You suck up everything that comes out of Huffington Post and Daily Kos...i don't take most of you seriously anymore because of this. You ran the several Palin supporters off this forum awhile back. I would hope that 2012 would be Palin/Baldwin. That would be a fantastic ticket for the GOP. Tones

[Truth Warrior]

NO, their condition looks terminal to me. Why would a Libertarian seek a cure for the GOP?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_graveyard Paternal gratitude, nostalgia, forgiveness, etc.?

[Bern]

It's really a pretty simple task to take over a political party. The only obstacles are time, dedication, and the number of people willing to get involved.


Become a precinct committeeman (political office, not CFL thing)
Recruit other liberty minded folks to become committeeman as well
When you have a majority, take over the official Republican seats for your county. These include Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.
Then, the Chairman and Vice Chairman in a Congressional District elect District Officers.
These District Chairman and Vice Chairman elect four state officers, and also make up the State Central Committee.


As you can see, all that is required to take over the party is a little time, dedication, and willingness to participate. The good thing about precinct committeeman is that there are tons of uncontested elections for the office. Also, if you are running against someone, you only have to campaign in your particular precinct, which is usually around 1000 voters. From there on out, it's all getting your fellow committeeman to vote you into office, or vote them (assuming they are apart of the movement) into the higher office..

Simply put, we all have to become precinct committeeman and convince our friends in liberty to do the same. When we've done that, we can start taking over the higher ranks with relative ease.

Thanks for this post. Get involved and take advantage of the public's apathy. It's a hell of a lot easier than framing persuasive arguments to win over hostile polemicists.

[DAFTEK]

I like Palin and I believe most of you have fallen for disinformation from the left. You suck up everything that comes out of Huffington Post and Daily Kos...i don't take most of you seriously anymore because of this. You ran the several Palin supporters off this forum awhile back. I would hope that 2012 would be Palin/Baldwin. That would be a fantastic ticket for the GOP. Tones

I only hope you are right, So far i hate everything she spills out of her mouth that sounds just like McCain's fuck the world and bomb Russia, Iran and so on... She looks more and more like a tool for the GOP!!

What makes you so sure she is a wolf in sheep clothing?

How could you pair Palin and Baldwin? :eek: They are nothing alike!

[tonesforjonesbones]

Yes and you have to play the game. you can't go in wiht the "take over" protest attitude. We odn't have the numbers. It's a long slow process but worthwhile in the end. tones

[JK/SEA]

I like Palin and I believe most of you have fallen for disinformation from the left. You suck up everything that comes out of Huffington Post and Daily Kos...i don't take most of you seriously anymore because of this. You ran the several Palin supporters off this forum awhile back. I would hope that 2012 would be Palin/Baldwin. That would be a fantastic ticket for the GOP. Tones


uh, not true in my case. The FACT she is john 'crash' mccains running mate is enough for me to not 'like' her, and i don't care how good looking she is, or isn't.

BOTTOM LINE: she has the 'STINK' of the current GOP all over her ass, and licks the boots of 'crash' mccain.

end of story.

[JK/SEA]

Yes and you have to play the game. you can't go in wiht the "take over" protest attitude. We odn't have the numbers. It's a long slow process but worthwhile in the end. tones

really?

frankly, i'm done 'playing' the game. Were you a delegate at any State conventions?

[acptulsa]

Were you a delegate at any State conventions?

You mean back when she was a moderator at Bob Barr's website and was preaching that it was a clear moral imperative laid down in Revelations that we must vote for Barr or be evil?

[Join The Paul Side]

I only hope you are right, So far i hate everything she spills out of her mouth that sounds just like McCain's fuck the world and bomb Russia, Iran and so on... She looks more and more like a tool for the GOP!!

What makes you so sure she is a wolf in sheep clothing?

How could you pair Palin and Baldwin? :eek: They are nothing alike!

Yep. QFT. :)

[klamath]

There are basically 4 branches of the republican party.
Neocons; military hawks and American empire building. Don't care much about anything else except power and any means to get it.
Christian Right; Generally fiscally conservative, Knee jerk patriots (don't ever criticize America, right or wrong.), Anti abortion, Anti gay rights, fear of Muslims, biblical love for Israel, generally for small government except for Abortion, gay rights and Porn.

Country club Republicans; Somewhat fiscally conservative more socially liberal. Most likely to promote corporate welfare and government help for business.

Libertarian Republicans. Look up RP's issues.

Democratic Party branches.

Libertarian Democrat. Fiscally conservative, socially liberal. May live a Christian moral lifestyle but can't stand the in your face hypocrisy and dogma of the Christian Right.
Blue Collar Democrats; Strong union, direct opposition historically to the Country Club republicans, can have some strong Redneck tendencies. Agrees with government aid programs for the working man but looks down on direct welfare.

Elitist Democrats. Looks to government to fix all human problems and believes themselves to be highly educated and enlightened and have a very elitist mentality of knowing what is best for everyone. Includes European style socialists that looks to Europe for answers to American problems. Very strong environmentalists.

Whether a coalition can be built from these branches is hard to tell because all the issues don't hold the same weight. For example a libertarian Republican might be able to build strong ties to the less radical Christian Right but hang up on unilateral biblical support for Israel, as I think we saw with Huckabee and RP supporters.

My hope is we can build a coalition between the libertarian Democrats, Christian Rightists, Libertarian Republicans, Blue Collar Democrats.
If the Libertarian Democrats and the Libertarian Republicans can cancel out the Biblical Israel support, and social policy legislation from Washington of the Christian Right and the elimination of the Country club Republicans could bring in the Blue collar Democrats with the libertarian R's and D's tempering the redneck tendancies. The Blue Collar Democrats might be enticed into giving up government aid programs when they see the corporate aid Country Club Republicans are gone.
Just some thoughts to ponder.

[tonesforjonesbones]

How can she be mccains vice president and go up against him? That makes no sense.

Sure I was for Barr until the fiasco with the press conference and he went against Ron Paul. That really turned me off. I only supported Barr because i considered he had the best chance to make an impact on getting in the debates. This crap with Ron Paul's press conference ruined any chance Barr had of doing so.

Baldwin is going to get exactly nowhere. That fact coupled with my disgust with The Komrade pushed me back to the GOP...for checks and balances. I have the RIGHT to decide what is best in MY world...and that is to block the komrades from sweeping...to buy more time for the Liberty movement to take hold.

I consider that the Ron Paul supporters who tried to take over the GOP with force to have been the wrong approach..even though I was angry with the GOP also. Now that I have calmed down and I am able to think clearly...I believe that working within the GOP to be the best option...but you have to be a cheerleader...and gently change hearts and minds. Ron Paul obviously believes that also...or he wouldn't be in the Republican Party. i hear his words to support third parties...and when Ron Paul does so...I will too. until then...i will work with the GOP. Tones

[LittleLightShining]

It's really a pretty simple task to take over a political party. The only obstacles are time, dedication, and the number of people willing to get involved.


Become a precinct committeeman (political office, not CFL thing)
Recruit other liberty minded folks to become committeeman as well
When you have a majority, take over the official Republican seats for your county. These include Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.
Then, the Chairman and Vice Chairman in a Congressional District elect District Officers.
These District Chairman and Vice Chairman elect four state officers, and also make up the State Central Committee.


As you can see, all that is required to take over the party is a little time, dedication, and willingness to participate. The good thing about precinct committeeman is that there are tons of uncontested elections for the office. Also, if you are running against someone, you only have to campaign in your particular precinct, which is usually around 1000 voters. From there on out, it's all getting your fellow committeeman to vote you into office, or vote them (assuming they are apart of the movement) into the higher office..

Simply put, we all have to become precinct committeeman and convince our friends in liberty to do the same. When we've done that, we can start taking over the higher ranks with relative ease.


Yes and you have to play the game. you can't go in wiht the "take over" protest attitude. We odn't have the numbers. It's a long slow process but worthwhile in the end. tones

I'm going to be totally honest. We have to do what Krippy says but we have to have the attitude tones put forth.

I've been plugging away at the meetings, making friends, managing an extremely strategic campaign and generally getting my foot in the door. I guess I've got it pretty easy here because our county committee is the most poorly run venture I've ever been involved with in my life. There is a chairwoman and a treasurer and that's it. The chairwoman's heart isn't in it and people are dissatisfied. I've proven myself to be a worker and an organizer and I'm very interested in taking her spot. I have some key players who are very supportive of me and encourage me to remain involved. I was asked to run for office repeatedly but I don't feel ready yet. Now that I've been involved with my friend's state senate campaign I have a better understanding of how things work around here.

Have a good attitude, don't be afraid of volunteering your efforts and stick to the basic conservative principles. You will find a niche. There are a lot more people who feel abandoned by the GOP than we think.

[acptulsa]

Have a good attitude, don't be afraid of volunteering your efforts and stick to the basic conservative principles. You will find a niche. There are a lot more people who feel abandoned by the GOP than we think.

And a whole bunch of them are still active in it, just dying for some like-minded real conservatives to come bolster their position.

The trick is to find them and convince them that Rupert Murdoch is lying to them about us. And, no, I don't see that as the same as being a cheerleader--though pom poms are effective camoflage in the G.O.P...

[LittleLightShining]

I believe that working within the GOP to be the best option...but you have to be a cheerleader...and gently change hearts and minds. Ron Paul obviously believes that also...or he wouldn't be in the Republican Party. I'm no cheerleader. Everyone knows I'm a Ron Paul supporter and that I have no love for McCain. I don't go into meetings berating McCain, but I'm not doing any sign waves.

Gently changing hearts and minds comes with the message. The basic principles of freedom and liberty ARE popular and once you make it clear that that's what you're about the work is halfway done.

I agree with you about staying in the GOP because I do believe it's a mandate Ron Paul gave us. I'm voting 3rd party but I'm working with the GOP.

[JK/SEA]

I consider that the Ron Paul supporters who tried to take over the GOP with force to have been the wrong approach..


define force..

if you mean that WE turned out in GREAT and DOMINATING numbers to county and State conventions, (and by force, we were shut out by the WONDERFUL LEADERSHIP who cut us off, threatned us, and used terrorism to keep Ron Paul from making any impact).. we broke online fund raising records, and on and on, then i submit your use of the word ' force' in painting RP supporters in relation to our grassroots movement, is just another BS term that i'd expect from someone who shills for either hitler or stalin.

Your use of the word force is used in a negative, OF WHICH I SINCERLY TAKE EXCEPTION TO.

[LittleLightShining]

The trick is to find them and convince them that Rupert Murdoch is lying to them about us. And, no, I don't see that as the same as being a cheerleader--though pom poms are effective camoflage in the G.O.P...So true, this is why I think I'm more effective on the county and state levels. I have nothing in common with their FOX News foreign policy and luckily I don't have to get too involved about that. I'm sticking to local and state issues and I find that my perspective is right on target with that of the GOP base here.

This being said, I think that once people see the place I'm coming from and what has shaped my perspective they will be much more open to the other issues that we face on a national level from a real conservative vantage point, not the propaganda spewed by Hannity and O'Reilly and the rest of them.

[DAFTEK]

Yep. QFT. :)

HuH? QFT. :rolleyes:

[ladyjade3]

it's really a pretty simple task to take over a political party. The only obstacles are time, dedication, and the number of people willing to get involved.


become a precinct committeeman (political office, not cfl thing)
recruit other liberty minded folks to become committeeman as well
when you have a majority, take over the official republican seats for your county. These include chairman, vice chairman, secretary and treasurer.
then, the chairman and vice chairman in a congressional district elect district officers.
these district chairman and vice chairman elect four state officers, and also make up the state central committee.


as you can see, all that is required to take over the party is a little time, dedication, and willingness to participate. The good thing about precinct committeeman is that there are tons of uncontested elections for the office. Also, if you are running against someone, you only have to campaign in your particular precinct, which is usually around 1000 voters. From there on out, it's all getting your fellow committeeman to vote you into office, or vote them (assuming they are apart of the movement) into the higher office..

Simply put, we all have to become precinct committeeman and convince our friends in liberty to do the same. When we've done that, we can start taking over the higher ranks with relative ease.

qft

[Brian4Liberty]

Palin represents the christian right of the party and not really the neocon branch. Many neocons are bailing to the democrat party to stay in power but they are still a force we have to fight with as well as the extreme christian right. The neocons are already starting a fight with the Christian right in attacking Palin. They are saying McCain wasn't left enough and should move even more to the center and Palin is a mistake. This is how the breaks are showing so far. Nobody is paying much attention to the libertarian branch of the Republican party at this point. Maybe we can make a supprise take over because the other two branches are fighting with themselves.

The sources to back up the neocon/christian right split.

"David Frum, a neoconservative and former speechwriter for President Bush, recently wrote in the Post, "There are many ways to lose a presidential election. John McCain is losing in a way that threatens to take the entire Republican Party down with him."

He warned that McCain's selection of Palin has rallied the GOP base, but turned off independents or women whose votes he sought.

"The very same campaign strategy that has belatedly mobilized the Republican core has alienated and offended the great national middle, which was the only place where the 2008 election could have been won," Frum wrote.

Weekly Standard Editor William Kristol has been similarly blunt.

In a column in The New York Times, which McCain accuses of liberal bias to incite partisan audiences, Kristol recently wrote, "It's time for John McCain to fire his campaign."

In a subsequent column weeks later, Kristol said, "McCain should stop unveiling gimmicky proposals every couple of days that pretend to deal with the financial crisis."

Instead, Kristol said: "He should tell the truth: We're in uncharted waters, no one is certain what to do, and no one knows what the situation will be on Jan. 20, 2009. But what we do know is that we could use someone as president who has shown in his career the kind of sound judgment and strong leadership we'll need to make it through the crisis." "




http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081029/ap_on_el_pr/gop_dissenters_3;_ylt=Aht2yy.ave4orFlXcyFRXVbCw5R4

I agree that some neo-conservatives started going to the Dems all the way back to the Dem takeover of the House several years ago. I also agree that Palin represents the Christian-right-blue-collar Republicans.

But Kristol personally picked Palin, and still supports her to this day. He is her personal advisor, and his criticism of McCain centers around his desire to give Palin more time. He is pushing her as the future of the Republican Party. You will not find Kristol criticising Palin.

[Truth Warrior]

Palin was prominent on the RPF "short list" for Ron's Veep, not so many months ago, as I recall. ;)

[Brian4Liberty]

Palin was prominent on the RPF "short list" for Ron's Veep, not so many months ago, as I recall. ;)

She was a political diamond in the rough a year ago. Too bad Kristol was the one to get ahold of her...

[klamath]

I agree that some neo-conservatives started going to the Dems all the way back to the Dem takeover of the House several years ago. I also agree that Palin represents the Christian-right-blue-collar Republicans.

But Kristol personally picked Palin, and still supports her to this day. He is her personal advisor, and his criticism of McCain centers around his desire to give Palin more time. He is pushing her as the future of the Republican Party. You will not find Kristol criticising Palin.
He may not but as a Neocon he will push any agenda as long as it provides a path to power for Neocons. He wanted McCain to win and if you look back at the whole campaign Palin's selection was the high point of McCains campaign. She turned out less than able to keep the Christian Right motivated though. Can you name any other person that could have generated any enthusiasm for McCain? He was trying to win and keep the neocons in power. He thinks he can mold her as the new figurehead to the neocon movement and he might be right. Whether she has the moral strength to hold on to her roots at this point seems doubtful.

[Brian4Liberty]

He may not but as a Neocon he will push any agenda as long as it provides a path to power for Neocons. He wanted McCain to win and if you look back at the whole campaign Palin's selection was the high point of McCains campaign. She turned out less than able to keep the Christian Right motivated though. Can you name any other person that could have generated any enthusiasm for McCain? He was trying to win and keep the neocons in power. He thinks he can mold her as the new figurehead to the neocon movement and he might be right. Whether she has the moral strength to hold on to her roots at this point seems doubtful.

Of course McTool's neo-conservative handlers would never allow it, but I wonder how it could have been if Ron Paul had been given the VP spot. He could have Ron "fill-in" his economic knowledge gap. He would probably keep all of his current supporters, and gain a whole lot more...

[acptulsa]

Of course McTool's neo-conservative handlers would never allow it, but I wonder how it could have been if Ron Paul had been given the VP spot. He could have Ron "fill-in" his economic knowledge gap. He would probably keep all of his current supporters, and gain a whole lot more...

You want him to be a 'uniter', not a 'divider'? But--without divisiveness how can they distract us from the real issues?

I'll be so glad when Dubya's outta here. It will be much easier talking about what the president is saying without having to stop typing and find your quote marks every time you come to a word that neither Mirriam Webster nor the queen would recognize.

[Truth Warrior]

She was a political diamond in the rough a year ago. Too bad Kristol was the one to get ahold of her... Just got a promotion and is doin' her job. Gotta pay the mortgage. ;)

[klamath]

Of course McTool's neo-conservative handlers would never allow it, but I wonder how it could have been if Ron Paul had been given the VP spot. He could have Ron "fill-in" his economic knowledge gap. He would probably keep all of his current supporters, and gain a whole lot more...

Except Paul would never have accepted the VP under McCain and He knew this plus McCain hated RP too much.

[fight4liberty]

Thing is, I don't know the logistics of switching parties. Are they allowed to do it on command? If so, I'd say we should pressure the "real" republicans to start going CP/LP, and the real democrats to go Green.

Imagine if you looked at our list of reps/senators, and saw a long list of (R)s, a long list of (D)s, followed by (L)s, (C)s, and (G)s? That would immediately start turning heads in regards to confidence in third parties, in a way we've never seen before.

What do you mean, "Are they allowed to do it on command?" Please give me some details or example of what you mean.

I agree with your idea that we can't change the GOP and that we need to go in the direction of third parties.

[Brian4Liberty]

Except Paul would never have accepted the VP under McCain and He knew this plus McCain hated RP too much.

It was purely a "fantasy" vp pick...although if things were different, I bet Ron would have no problem with a VP spot.

[michigan wolverine]

So you take over the republican party. What are you going do with it. What is needed is viable candidates that know how to win. That means raising money and not pissing people off. It means knowing what to say to what groups. It also means shutting your mouth at times.