Admittedly, I’m not a Republican, but I do question whether Michaels has accurately captured the Republican “philosophy”. In my humble opinion, it works like this –

Republican/Conservatvies basically say “Trust me; I am the leader; I’ve thought about this, and I know more than you do; I will quickly make a decision, it may have flaws, but on balance you know I’m right, and by proceeding quickly and confidently, we will have a head start on the problem (or our enemies, if applicable).”

Democrat/Liberals basically say: “This is a big tent, and we want to make sure that everyone’s issues are considered. This may make our decision-making process slower than the Republicans, and it may make us sound less confident, but it also means that everyone’s views will be considered, and everyone will feel inoolved in the decision”

With that in mind, I think tht Michael is wrong — to have a larger Republican tent would be to turn them into Democrats — the idea of discussing the merits of various positions and reaching consensus just isn’t in the Republican playbook. If you have to think about the problem and reach a “considered” decision, then you are wasting valuable time, at least by Republican standards.

Of course, it hasn’t always been that way, but at least since the Republican “Contract with America” of the early 1990s, it seems that Republicans have established a set of principles that guide all decisions (and greatly slim-down the decision-making process), while Democrats still talk about(and sometime agonize over) how to do things.

I think that the problem that the right-most of conservatives have with McCain is that they recognize this “Cede all decision making to your standard bearer” concept, and, for the first time in at least 20 years, they aren’t sure that the decision maker is following the same set of principles as they are. They don’t want him to “invite them into the discussion before he makes his own decision”; that would be way to “Democrat”. They still value the “I know best, and I’ll be decisive” philosophy that we associate with Republicans, but they fear that McCain’s decisiveness will allow more immigrants, might raise taxes, etc., etc.

So,what is wrong with “ultra conservatism”? What you moderates call ultra was acceptable mainstream Republicansim just 20 years ago. And, when we look at where our country has gone in the past 20 years, maybe it is time we Republicans begin thinking once again in terms of conservatism.

Quite frankly, I would encourage the moderates and liberals to go over to the Democratic party and support Obama/Clinton. You moderates apparently like the idea of a Socialistic State with a huge centralized federal government. You think that “health care for all” is a good idea, but, it is the door opener to Socialized medicine in the United States. You moderates probably support an immediate withdrawal from Iraq and other parts of the middle-east and to expose Israel to attack from the Hamas and Hezbollah and the total chaos that would ensue if we were to cut and run.

The moderates (centrists), are the ones who are corrupting the established principles of our conservative values.

Granted, the President of the United States is the president of all the people, but, we, the electorate must stand on solid principle and adhere to the core beliefs of the Republican Party. Senator John McCain is a moderate to liberal candidate. When are we going to learn that a president who is moderate and reaches across the aisle to work with liberals, we, the conservatives lose every time. Liberals are like a cancer. They keep eating away at core conservative values and eventually conservatism in America succumbs to the Marxist ideology of the left and ultimately, all Americans will suffer the horrors of liberalism in America.

Governor Mike Huckabee is and has been the only true voice for conservatism in this primary campaign, but, as evidenced by the biased media, radio talking heads and the Club For growth incessant attacks on Mike Huckabee, we will end up succumbing to the liberal’s agenda. Thank you moderate Republicans for your unprincipled support of John McCain. We shall pay dearly in November.

McCain “100 years in Iraq”, “…there will be other wars” is a disaster for the Republican Party. I’m one of those limited government conservatives that have stuck with this party through thick and thin.

No more! Party has trumped principles and I see no turning back. The GOP is dead to me.

“find another tent.”

Indeed. The Republican Party was born of the break-up of the Whig Party over the slavery issue, and the modern day Republican Party can suffer the same fate. The warfare/welfare policy of empire so popular with McCain, Giuliani, and Romney is not sustainable.

You say this as you speak ill of conservatives. Perhaps you don’t realize it, but a Republican tent without conservatives won’t win any elections either. While we find another tent, you probably want to find a new message as well. The Republican party will not survive without conservatives. If it does, it won’t be in power for awhile. And who will you blame for the problems when conservatives are gone?

Michael,

Speak English. What you mean is, “we should all vote Republican, right or wrong.” Which is a bit robotish, but pretty clearly your entire point.

Personally, I don’t care for democrats either (one party is filled with self righteous crooks, the other party is too) but I do enjoy Barack Obama’s, uhm, versatility. He doesn’t seem to be speaking to one crowd (white rich men who enjoy blowing up brown people, white women over eighty who like that you have a vagina). I dunno who will win in 08, but if I were a betting man, I’d say loyalty is overrated and what we need is more free thinkers.

Wait, was that your point?

Michael,
I hear ya! All those right-wing nut jobs on the radio and tv have become much too powerful for their own good. They live in complete isolation from the issues facing the everyday Republicans (i.e. paying the mortgage, paying for heat, securing and working a job, etc.).

Larry

McCain is a LIBERAL…what’s his stance on major issues?

I’m an independent. Michael’s words make the first sense I’ve heard coming from a Republican. YOU ARE RIGHT, Mike. What you said applies to ALL parties and to independents like me. We are all in this highly political society together. We have to live with one another, or kill somebody. There are TOO MANY voices on the fringe inciting “my way or the highway” thinking. There is no highway. I choose life, and have for 77 years.

Not everyone who generally votes Republican will be motivated to support McCain, as was the case with both Bushes, and Reagan, and every election. If candidates like McCain draw less support than usual from Republicans at election time, the party will learn to avoid “moderate” “mavericks” who are willing to run as vice-presidents on a Democratic tickets (i.e. Kerry/McCain 2004).