How to win Republicans over to anti-war

[Throwback280s]

The Tea Party movement offers us a great opportunity to show conservatives how big government, domestic and foreign spending, is wrong and dangerous to liberty. This article is a great tool for doing this:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=107920

[jm1776]

Hey, that quote is dying to be on the back of T, polo and sweat shirts. Although with the blank filled in.

"Of all the enemies to public liberty, war is perhaps the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other." – James Madison

Great apparel for Tea parties. :)

[sratiug]

Wow, outstanding article!

[Stary Hickory]

Here is some news I think. Most Republicans are seeing the war in Iraq as a mistake and their support for Bush as a mistake. They don't want to admit it. But if you are gentle with them they will come over to your anti war message. People simply get committed to what they have said and supported in the past. And they will not admit that they are wrong.

Take people like Hannity and Limbaugh. Do you think they would ever admit that they were wrong? Never in a millions years, they have carried on like idiots forever about how just and needed the war is. They have insulted people, misled their audience. They are not about to change their mind on the Iraq war...or admit this.

They may talk about it less, and try to move away from it, without it being obvious. And God willing the next time a war come s up they might get on the right side of the issue. Well one could only hope so.

[nobody's_hero]

Hit them with the wisdom of the founders in regard to foreign policy. We have to get back to basics.

I can tell you that I was a supporter of the war, until I read John Quincy Adams' speech to the House of Representatives on July 4, 1821. It is very telling of what our foreign policy and example to the world should have been and even was for a short while, and how far we have strayed.

http://www.fff.org/comment/AdamsPolicy.asp

[CatherineBleish]

Here is some news I think. Most Republicans are seeing the war in Iraq as a mistake and their support for Bush as a mistake. They don't want to admit it. But if you are gentle with them they will come over to your anti war message.


I have found this to be true. The tea party movement here in Missouri is waking up VERY fast, supporting 10th amendment and state sovereignty like nothing you have ever seen. They listen when I tell them about fusion centers (MIAC helped with that) which opens their mind a bit more to listen about the dangers of FEMA and homeland security, they agree the patriot act was a mistake and we even have 2 sitting republican state legislators here in Missouri introducing legislation to protect Missouri citizens from the patriot act.

Last week the tea party movement called together a group of young conservatives to discuss how to get more young folks involved and every single one sounded like a ron paul activists, although other than my boyfriend and I, were all new activists. We hammered home (all the "youth" activists) PEACE, state sovereignty and the constitution. It was beautiful.

[dude58677]

The Tea Party movement offers us a great opportunity to show conservatives how big government, domestic and foreign spending, is wrong and dangerous to liberty. This article is a great tool for doing this:
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=107920

I just tell them the only reason 9-11 took place is becuase the pilots were not armed and also that we have 100 million gun owners with two oceans protecting America, there is no need to be searching the world for trouble.

[Throwback280s]

It's important to show people how war gave them gov't health care, income tax, and debt they so protest today.

[micahnelson]

If you don't believe the government can build a better society in America, why do you think it can build a better society abroad?

Nation building is just another massive government social planning experiment.

You can't cut government spending without looking at its biggest discretionary expense, the Military-Industrial complex.

[Lovecraftian4Paul]

Show them that reasonable people oppose the war. Most Republicans seem to have a knee jerk reaction to seeing what constitutes much of the anti-war movement. And, somewhat, rightfully so. The radical left made it a mockery during the Bush years.

Half the time they ended up turning anti-war slogans into chants against racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. Or disguising other agendas under the anti-war banner, like "books not bombs" (always heavily implying we should just divert war funding to public education). The average anti-war protest during the Iraq war approached something like a sideshow. Puppets, naked people, open communists flying Soviet flags, throwing red paint on military recruiting offices...it doesn't take a genius to see how the mainstream middle aged Republican was totally turned off to even listening to why someone might be against the war when these were the most clear representatives of that message emphasized by the mainstream media and their own stupidity.

Images isn't everything, but it really is to some degree, if you want to be taken seriously in public demonstrations. The radical left led anti-war movement is a perfect example what NOT to do.

[raystone]

It's helps too if you say anti-constitutional war, not anti war. After Japan bombed us, we rightfully got involved in WW2 when Congress constitutionally declared war. Since then, it's been Congress abdicating its responsibility to the President with unconstitutional resolutions or legislation. And everytime, it's been a mistake/quagmire. We have U.S. Representatives in districts with 2 year terms for a reason, keep them accountable.

[BlackTerrel]

Here is some news I think. Most Republicans are seeing the war in Iraq as a mistake and their support for Bush as a mistake. They don't want to admit it. But if you are gentle with them they will come over to your anti war message. People simply get committed to what they have said and supported in the past. And they will not admit that they are wrong.

I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. You can do quite well as long as you're not a dick about it. I've been against the wars from the beginning and even I have gotten annoyed with some of the anti-war types I've come across.

Cut the crap about how we're so evil and that we deserved 9/11 or other such nonsense which I've heard other people say. Keep it simple. Just say that these wars are not in our interest and we've gained nothing from being involved in them.