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bobbyw24
12-13-2009, 02:12 PM
A sample of an article from http://www.LibertyPulse.com

Senator Jim DeMint is urging the Republican establishment to tack further to the right. That's because he believes the leadership has swung too far to the left.

In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network's David Brody, DeMint (R-SC) said his party deserves a better slate of candidates than the ones put forward to run against the Democrats

"I need some new Republicans, people who believe in constitutional government, a balanced budget and liberty and so I’m out across the country recruiting new Republicans who I think if they get here will not only challenge the institutions of government but be willing to even challenge the Republican Party and our leadership if they feel like we’re going in the wrong direction. I think just a handful of new Republicans in the senate could help change the direction."

Asked if he could identify which Republicans the senator believed did not believe in constitutional goverment, a spokesman for DeMint had no comment.

In the interview, DeMint also suggested that the Republican party ought to find candidates with more ideologically defined credentials.

"I want to find people who will change this institution, people who will join the country instead of the club because I don’t want more people coming up whether they are Republicans or Democrats and joining the Senate and looking at those institutions and being overwhelmed and impressed with them…We need some people with courage and vision right now and people who are willing to take risks and stand up against these forces that are pushing us I think toward socialist type of ideas so we found a few. You look at Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio, Chuck Devore. We’ve got a good list and they’ll be a few more who I hope will be a group of new Republicans who will challenge Americans to look at a new way of governance here."

The intra-party tensions came to the fore earlier this fall during the contest in New York's 23rd congressional district when the party establishment initially supported state Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava over Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman. Scozzafava subsequently dropped out of the race and threw her support to Democrat Bill Owens, the eventual winner. The lesson drawn by Conservative activists: Don't waste time with ideologically suspect Republicans who aren't much different from Democrats anyhow.

While that strategy involves both risk and opportunity, DeMint believes the GOP has a better chance at the polls by putting forth a slate purged of moderates. But DeMint told Brody he believes the GOP leadership has moved to the left.

"When they say they would rather have a Tea Party than a Republican what they’re telling us is they want some changes and they want some people to stand up for principles and in this case they want us to show some passion and even some anger about what’s going on and I think there are many Republicans out there across the country who are willing to step into that role and we just need to give them a shot so the Senate Conservatives Fund…is just there to encourage those alternative candidates out there who are what I consider mainstream Americans.

"The problem here in the Republican Party is not that our base has gone to the right. The problem in the Republican Party is that the leadership has gone to the left and the tea parties and the Republicans out across the country are right there where American principles have always been and I’m trying to pull the party back to the mainstream of where America really is."

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/10/blogs/coopscorner/entry5963050.shtml

Cowlesy
12-13-2009, 02:14 PM
You know I'll listen to DeMint a little more when he stops playing politics and starts doing what he says, which would be endorsing Rand Paul.

Until then he's blowing smoke to me.

TCE
12-13-2009, 02:18 PM
I'm sure Trey Grayson will stand for Constitutional government. There is nothing about his past that would suggest he is anything but a Conservative.

low preference guy
12-13-2009, 02:20 PM
You know I'll listen to DeMint a little more when he stops playing politics and starts doing what he says, which would be endorsing Rand Paul.

Until then he's blowing smoke to me.

I'm not sure that he should endorse Rand this soon. It might provoke a backlash among Kentucky Repubicans, because DeMint is in direct competition with McConnell for the leadership of the Republican establishment. It might be better that DeMint endorses Rand after the primary.

jmdrake
12-13-2009, 02:43 PM
I'm sure Trey Grayson will stand for Constitutional government. There is nothing about his past that would suggest he is anything but a Conservative.

I assume your joking. Grayson may have been a Clinton delegate. More recently he spoke for a group that endorses the no disgraced "manmade global warming" theory.

jmdrake
12-13-2009, 02:44 PM
I'm not sure that he should endorse Rand this soon. It might provoke a backlash among Kentucky Repubicans, because DeMint is in direct competition with McConnell for the leadership of the Republican establishment. It might be better that DeMint endorses Rand after the primary.

Ummm....would Rand even need the endorsement after the primary? Besides I suspect endorsements will come all corners at that point.

TCE
12-13-2009, 02:55 PM
I assume your joking. Grayson may have been a Clinton delegate. More recently he spoke for a group that endorses the no disgraced "manmade global warming" theory.

You assume correctly. At the very least, he voted for Clinton.

DeMint has to endorse somebody. It would be pointless not to.

EDIT: He could use the endorsement because it is likely that DeMint would throw at least $5,000 at Rand from the PAC.

jmdrake
12-13-2009, 02:57 PM
You assume correctly. At the very least, he voted for Clinton.

DeMint has to endorse somebody. It would be pointless not to.

EDIT: He could use the endorsement because it is likely that DeMint would throw at least $5,000 at Rand from the PAC.

Point well taken. Basically you're saying it's on us. And that's fine with me! Rand will emerge from this beholden to nobody!

Flash
12-13-2009, 03:01 PM
If you've been checking SCF lately you'll see DeMint is considering an endorsement of Patrick Hughes. While hes a nice guy, hes essentially a fringe candidate with little hope of getting the nomination. How can he even consider Patrick when theres a perfectly good conservative out there in Kentucky that is leading in polls and $$? Looks like DeMint doesn't want to cross Mitch.

TCE
12-13-2009, 03:24 PM
If you've been checking SCF lately you'll see DeMint is considering an endorsement of Patrick Hughes. While hes a nice guy, hes essentially a fringe candidate with little hope of getting the nomination. How can he even consider Patrick when theres a perfectly good conservative out there in Kentucky that is leading in polls and $$? Looks like DeMint doesn't want to cross Mitch.

Exactly. He is willing to cross the others because it is only an NRSC endorsement. McConnell doesn't have control over the NRSC, so it is easy for DeMint to come in and support someone else. It takes guts to contest the Minority Leader in his own backyard, and it doesn't look like DeMint has any.

TheConstitutionLives
12-13-2009, 03:26 PM
You know I'll listen to DeMint a little more when he stops playing politics and starts doing what he says, which would be endorsing Rand Paul.

Until then he's blowing smoke to me.

I'm gonna have to agree with you there.

mczerone
12-13-2009, 03:39 PM
I thought part of the goal here was to help dismantle the "left-right" paradigm, not to redefine "right" or to pull the GOP toward it.

If DeMint wants to take the GOP "back to the right", that's a great signal that the future of the R3volution is distinct from the moribund legacy of the GOP.

TCE
12-13-2009, 03:48 PM
I thought part of the goal here was to help dismantle the "left-right" paradigm, not to redefine "right" or to pull the GOP toward it.

If DeMint wants to take the GOP "back to the right", that's a great signal that the future of the R3volution is distinct from the moribund legacy of the GOP.

Part of the goal of the movement is to tear down the left-right paradigm, exposing them both as the same. However, if DeMint wants to pull the GOP back towards a Constitutional framework, then it would be better overall.

Flash
12-13-2009, 04:41 PM
From Rand Paul's website on Dec. 11th:

Demint Hunts for Conservatives:


Recent years have seen many in Republican leadership listing to the left, voting for TARP bailouts, government control of business, unbalanced budgets and other expansions of government – even attempting to hand-pick candidates who will support these policies instead of the Republican platform. But with frustration building over big-government policies, conservatives are fighting to take their Party back.

Senator Jim DeMint, who opposed TARP and is working to audit the Federal Reserve, is chairman of the Senate Conservatives Fund, which has been working to support conservative candidates in an effort to return the Party to its limited government roots.

“I need some new Republicans, people who believe in constitutional government, a balanced budget and liberty and so I’m out across the country recruiting new Republicans who I think if they get here will not only challenge the institutions of government but be willing to even challenge the Republican Party and our leadership if they feel like we’re going in the wrong direction. I think just a handful of new Republicans in the senate could help change the direction.”

Kentucky’s senate race is a key example of the struggle for the soul of the Republican Party. Like Senator DeMint, Dr. Rand Paul is drawing on the energy of the Tea Party movement to make a strong case for returning to constitutional conservatism. Even as the establishment desperately raises money for his opponent, Dr. Paul continues to unrelentingly champion balanced budgets, the restoration of liberty, and a much smaller federal government. If elected, Dr. Paul can be counted on to vote for principle – not political convenience.

Judging by the polls, the people think it’s about time.