Speaks for itself:
Romney had won 270 delegates in through the Super Tuesday contests, compared with front-runner John McCain’s 680.
Suspending a campaign has a different meaning depending on the party.
On the Republican side, decisions on how to allocate delegates is left to the state parties.
On the Democratic side, a candidate who “suspends” is technically still a candidate so he or she keeps both district and statewide delegates won through primaries and caucuses. Superdelegates are always free to support any candidate at any time, whether the candidate drops out, suspends or stays in.
National party rules say that a candidate who “drops out” keeps any district-level delegates he or she has won so far but loses any statewide delegates he or she has won.
Romney is expected to announce his decision Thursday afternoon at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, three Republican sources told CNN.
Filed Under Front Page · · · · 
Print This Post
··
Comments
153 Responses to “Romney to suspend campaign”Search
Our Sponsors
Poll
Loading ...
I ain’t voting for The Water Retaining Sea Cow or Osama……. And
is just as bad.
all we need now is for mc cracker to pick kay bailey for a running mate.
Romney was fighting an uphill battle with mainly his own money. I just hope McCain is not another Dole where everybody says it’s “his turn” and we nominate McCain and he bombs out. I do like the chances of any candidate running against the likes of what the Dimwits have to offer. I do think HELLary is more beatable than Obama but just the thought that HELLary MIGHT win, scares the heck out of me.
This is the worst thing that could happen.
St John of Arizona calling me names the last eight years and now telling me it is my fault not to vote for him, really?
Conservatives are not hurting the Party it is liberals not listening to Conservatives.
Mitt I’m sorry you are dropping out, if it were not for early voting pushed forward by the liberals, voters would have had opportunity to have observed crucial events and make a better informed vote.
Im still gonna vote for him anyway. I dont know what else to do because I will not vote for any of the others.
I voted for hit the gin…grrr
Ron
Quitters never win and winners never quit. Its a damn shame.
This is just sad. Now there won’t be a brokered convention. Our one chance to remedy this situation is finished. If Obama gets the nod, we are going to be hard put to attack him on anything. We know what we will be called if we do. Hillary has so much truthful garbage, it would be fun to see her get pounded. By the way, at a press conference a reporter asked her if her campaign staff, who are still working for her, without pay, have health insurance. She dodged and didn’t answer.
“We are the dead”
Hunter out
Tancredo out
Thompson out
Romney out
Paul in
Huck in
McCain in
I’ve just been turned into a Paulbearer!
WHAT THE HECK!!! ROMNEY???? Whoaaaaaaaaaa this is MAJOR…I did NOT expect it from him!
I’ll believe it when he says it..
so.. now it’s Ron Paul?
ugh.. pass the gin..
8. AW Truth in a Political Campaign?? Now there is a novel concept.
Simple
It’s a crying shame!
The liberals have run on the Republican ticket for so long that we have mostly liberal demoRATS holding Republican offices. Seems to me that the there have been a lot of Democrats in Republican clothing. Now what do we have? All liberals in the running for President of the United States.
There is no more Republican party. The old party has been infiltrated with Democrats/Liberals.
So, as a REPUBLICAN CONSERVATIVE, who the hell does one vote for? McCain? Wicked Witch? Obama?
12. Zippy, I find that Tequila goes down much easier than gin.
Simple
WTF!?!?! My hubby just called to tell me this. I’m feeling physically ill. Excuse, I just threw up a little in my mouth.
I prefer bourbon but it wasnt one of the choices….just make sure its over 90 proof! LOL
Ron
*sigh*
Its over.. America as we know it that is..
Go Ron Paul!
oh yeah.. I am more of an Irish whiskey drinker myself.. Gin is good on a hot summer day.. but winter time, definitely whiskey..
18, Where would you suggest Ron Paul to go? Surely you don’t still believe he has a chance in hades of winning. (Like he ever did)
Simple
Well, for the first time since I reached voting age (and I’m a senior citizen now) I’ll probably sit this one out. I could never vote for McCain or a Dem, so come on Rice baseball - nothing short of a national championship will do.
Everyday is good for’ritas, if you have the right frame of mind. Life is a beach!!
Simple
We now have the RINO party. They don’t want anything at all to do with conservatives. What a slap in the face. Oh well! But I think of the positive aspect of this, we’ll have to live with a Liberal president but I think that ultimately it will all turn back around in favor of conservatism,
ala 1994. Only this time we have to make sure that the people we elect are actually CONSERVATIVE and not rino.
#20: naa.. he won’t win.. but at least he’s still in the race..
I’m leaving the top of the ticket blank.. and focus on local elections.. Cornyn is up for re-election.. plus John Faulk against Queen Shelia..
I suppose I’ll still vote for Romney in the primary.. but doubt any favorable outcome..
McCain is the winner - I don’t think Huck will cower to be the V.P. - he’s too arrogant to take a lower stance.
Who will not get Romney’s delegates? Good guess…probably McCain. Heaven help all of us, but Mitt had to do what he had to do because Huck (ex-Pastor) hates Mitt.
Okay folks, stop it. We’re not winning this particular battle. Don’t know what will happen in Nov either. Whatever happens, we are Americans and we’ll make the best of it. I’m not having any future ancestors look down their nose at me and say I quit or couldn’t cope when life or politics threw a little adversity my way. We just have to work harder to get better candidates.
It is time for a D R A F T - R O M N E Y campaign
and see to it that he continues to collect and win electoral votes, that will cause a brokered convention.
I will still be voting for Ron Paul!
#26 Thank you.
Big45 I’m not so sure this is just a little adversity thrown our way. This is a full frontal assault on conservatives. Maybe RickG’s question from yesterday will be answered in a few months. Will McCain work to institute the fairness doctrine?
Am I the only one who is going to vote for Huckabee because I really do not want McCain??
I’m going to go chop some weeds.
I am so tired of this “my little group did not get the perfect candidate that meets my every demand.”
I am a conservative Republican and I am disappointed that Romney is dropping out. Perhaps Huckabee will make it but that is very doubtful. Therefore I look for the most viable candidate that comes closest to my views. It sure ain’t Clinton or Obama. Regardless of my displeasure for McCains antics for the last 8 years, his 25 years of service shows me that he has been conservative on a number of issues. More so that any democrat out there.
Conservative Republicans wonder why we are derided so often. Could it be that we scream and holler that any one who is a bit to left of our position is a RINO? I understand that we need not be the Big tent party that accepts everything that anyone wants regardless of principles but if we want to have our ideas at the table we must have our tent just big enough to do that.
So if you want to take your “tribe home” and not vote fine. If you want to see the democrats voted in then just vote for them (at least you will be honest then). Then just remember that Jim Jones would be mighty proud of you and he has some mighty fine kool-aid for you to drink!
P.S. I apologize if I offend anyone, I am just tire of seeing many fine folks go off the deep end on this. Spent 6hrs dealing with that last night with a bunch of fellow Republican party members and 3 hrs earlier from a Co-worker/Client (no work got done that afternoon)
Reply to No.6: You are right we have to do a better job at the primary level. But we also have to remember we can’t “NO VOTE” because that is what the Dimwits want. I’ve always said “ABD”–Anybody But a Dimwit. We can’t take four more years of a Bill Clinton administration and HELLary will only make it worse!!!!
I’m sorry my reply was to No. 26 and not 6.
Thank you, Tektite. A voice of reason.
We’re all DEAD! It’s over! McCain loses to the Beast by 2 points and he loses to the socialist muslim by 10 at least.
Right on Big45 Iron. Everybody calm down, take three deep breaths, and gather together in the bridle. In the spirit of John Paul Jones, we have just begun to fight.
Rush just said it was not certain that Romney had to give up his delegates if he suspends his campaign rather than drops out. And Fred has not said to whom his delegates were to go. What becomes of them? Maybe something positive if they still control them.
So now we should stride confidently to the polls March 4 and write in our best conservative choice or put the x in the box if they’re still on the ballot, then go down the list marking the most conservative candidates. We gotta get as many conservatives in state and federal offices as possible to blunt the liberal tenedncies of whomever is president–ours or theirs.
A significant vote for those who are no longer active candidates sends a whale of a message–much more than a decreased vote for a presidential nominee. You don’t vote, you aren’t there as far as the party brass is concerned. You vote for someone who’s no longer running, honey, you done whacked ‘em in the groin. So whack away. The first thing a doormat does is lie down. I’m no doormat and neither are y’all.
Stepping down from soap box.
It’s not that I think McCain sucks so much, it’s that he LOSES to either of the democrat marxists on the other side!
Dear voice of reason #33, as I understand it, you are saying, vote for anyone anything but a democrat. You know what I tell people. I say vote your principals. Vote for the person who reflects the core values you live by, and believe in. Obviously, McCain won’t be that man. There is no party that is more important than the values and beliefs I have. Democrats own business. They raise children. They work. They are not the enemy. They differ from me in conviction. I’m not going to be bullied into going against my beliefs. This is what the republicans want the republicans to have. Go for it.
The highjacking is almost complete.
OUT
Just out of curiosity, are there any interesting third party candidates out there?
Sorry tektite, that is the attitude that allowed our party to be infected with democrat ideals. I hear this crap about the big tent getting smaller. No, the tent is not getting smaller, but moving to the left and the democrats that decided to switch sides are pushing the conservatives out. It has become a game of politics instead of ideals and I will not play it. We have proven in the past that we don’t have to sell out to win and that when you don’t sell out, you win big. I’m not asking for a saint, but I am asking for a conservative. Anything, less is just further down the wrong path.
Did Laura Ingram not know of Romney’s plan? She spent the majority of her time while introducing him slamming McCain and referencing Romney as if was still a viable candidate. I thought perhaps his suspending his campaign was a rumor gone wild until I heard it from him myself.
I know most don’t want to believe this, but 2006 WAS about Iraq and it will also be top priority in November. It will once again boil down to the WOT because how we handle that effects our economy and every other issue. The American people will decide who is best to deal effectively with this most important issue. Romney spelled it out when he suspended his campaign.
IMO, a head to head battle between McCain and HRC will be close (both have serious problems garnering support from their own base), while voters will come out in droves for Obama to blow McCain out of the water.
Folks, look at those voter numbers. McCain isn’t going to win either. 14 million Dems vote versus 8 million GOP? The best we can do for the moment is try to elect the most conservative down ballot. That requires homework and $s.
AW, I will respectfully disagree. Dems are the enemy. Dems have merely survived for years on what GOP legislation has done for them. If Dems had their way 100% of 1980 to 2007, we’d be in financial ruin and under authoritarian rule. Dems are the enemy of liberty, free enterprise, and common sense. Dem policies kill babies by the millions, they turn their heads on terrorists, and they execute a foreign policy that could result in the deaths of millions of Americans by not facing the real threat of WMDs. Dems sell our secrets for illegal campaign money. Dems use the WH for their whorehouse.
As I’ve said before, come election day, Republicans take their trash to the curb. Dems serve theirs up as the main course at dinner.
Who in the White House would you rather be fighting to have conservatism furthered– Grinning Mac or Grinning Obama???? Grinning Mac or The Cow??
C’mon everybody! Your only hope is to follow the “non-quitter’s” lead:
Click your heels together three times and repeat after me - There’s no place like Ron Paul. There’s no place like Ron Paul. There’s no place like Ron Paul.
You can do it!
Reply to No. 42: Unfortunately we know that a third party candidate doesn’t have a chance of winning. The best we can hope for is that Nadar enters the race to drag some votes away and the Dimwit convention has a nasty fight that alienates some of its voters. Romney should probably not suspend his campaign but quit campaigning and see what happens. Its too bad McCain’s temper didn’t get the better of him sooner. How soon we forget about his past tyrates.
where is the green party
The Cow
Ann Coulter said it best
“If Hillary is elected president, we’ll have a four-year disaster, with Republicans ferociously opposing her, followed by Republicans zooming back into power, as we did in 1980 and 1994, and 2000. (I also predict more Oval Office incidents with female interns.)
If McCain is elected president, we’ll have a four-year disaster, with the Republicans in Congress co-opted by “our” president, followed by 30 years of Democratic rule.”
In the future, wouldn’t it be nice to have a party platform before the primary so you know how the candidates measure up?
The barreling toward the cliff continues, I see.
Look, folks, Big45 is right -
Vote your conscience, vote 3rd party, write in Ted Nugent if you want, but don’t take your ball and go home.
Once again, teaching the Republicans a lesson by skipping boxes only leads them to believe that they should move to the left to capture more votes from centrists and liberals.
Vote for SOMEBODY conservative, for cryin’ out loud…
And if HRC or Obama wins, then blow up the fax machines of Republican congressmen. Remind them that we oppose socialism, and we expect them to do the same. The last time Republican congressmen acted like Republican congressmen was when they had a Democratic president in the white house.
Maybe they’ll do a little turnabout on the Dem congressmen.
I ain’t looking forward to the SCOTUS appointments from a democratic administration, though. That will do lasting damage…
LST Non-Quitters Strategy Brewhaha.
Soon??
#45 I think you mean the democratic leadership is the enemy. I have family, all democrat who I assure you are not evil. They hold on to the old democrat party, that’s long gone. I am sure I have neighbors who are democrat. I like them. The republican party is changing it seems. If that’s what those with an R by their voting name want, so be it. It’s a free country. I, on the other hand, am not changing my principles to conform to a party that doesn’t describe me. We will have to see how things go into 2009/10. I bet if we fast forward to 2012, we will find, we are still alive, maybe a little poorer, a little more in quandry, but life goes on. If the troops are pulled from Iraq, against the advice of the Generals in charge, there will probably be a blood bath over there. I feel bad for those people. I will still shop at the grocery store, blog, watch tv, etc. Life goes on. I’m not a fatalist.
I give up. I looked at the “green” party web site - Ive looked at RP’s site and Ive watch mc-jack A$$ for years now - think I’ll just stay at home
President McBama
54
Suicide voters welcome.
Well since the possibility of someone giving me a billion dollars hasn’t come to fruition yet I’m thinking about moving to Hawaii. I hear there’s a guy out there that needs a Professional Buddy…
I think the thing that disappoints me most is that voters in other states are choosing who I get to vote for as President. Why is the Texas primary so late? Every person I wanted to vote for has dropped out so where does that leave me. My daughter is especially disappointed as this is her first presidential election to vote in and everyone she supports quits!
Oh, well, I’ll get off my pity party now and I’ll still vote in the primaries because we have other races out there that we need to be concerned with.
One more thought. If Alqueda by chance luck, makes it across our Southern border and does damage. Perhaps hits a UT football game, or the super bowl or something where there is a huge gathering of people, what party would you blame? Neither party, as a whole, wants to protect our borders. Neither party as a whole has cut spending or the growth of government.
Shhhhhhh…. Do you hear that? It’s the Titantic’s quartet tuning up their instruments inpreparation to play. Let’s dance!
Mitt Romney:
“If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Sen. Clinton or Obama would win,” he said.
“And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.”
62 - do you REALLY think that things are all that bad? I’m not ready to admit that yet…
#64 No Jimb, I don’t think things are all that bad. Just adding a little levity to this pity party. The chips are stale, the dips are runny, someone is throwing up in the front yard and half the guys are out on a beer run.
I’m going to show you all that I am more conservative than you. I’m going to do all that I can to get a socialist dhimmicrat voted in because they need to have the executive branch as well as the legislative.
/sarc
I will be voting against a dhimmicrat, not for McCain! McCrackhead is a D+ student versus two F students.
I’m afraid levity isn’t going to work with this crowd.
As I said 2 weeks ago
TEXAS RERUBLICAN WILL DECIDE NOTHING?
I’m sure EPJ will help me buy more powder, bullets, and primers too, along with more food stuffs. Sometime in the next 8 years if the bad guys unload a bomb on any west coast city it will make things a wee bit slow crossing 2,500 miles of ocean to get to us. But it seems that is what it’s going to take a majority of Americans to learn about the real dangers in the world. Oh well.
Faster that is your conviction and you have every right to do just that. I am just not as fearful.
I am getting really tired of the “Other states get to choose who I vote for” mentality. If you supported a candidate that dropped out, then ask for your campaign contributions back. How many Thompson supporters sent his campaign letters to tell him to stay in until Texas? The candidates dropped out because they didn’t see enough support for them to make it worthwhile to stay in. Say what you will about RP, but at least he has stuck to his guns and stayed in up to this point. The simple fact that he is still running belies the idea that the other states are making your decision for you. Be mad at your candidate for dropping out, don’t blame the people who voted for who they wanted to win.
BigJ, levitate all you want. We won’t be impressed.
AW, when you support a party that has a stated campaign platform like the Dems do, that is either evil or stupidly uninformed. Makes as much sense as the fine people who were not evil but joined the Nazi party. No they themselves didn’t execute six million Jews, 5 million non Jews, and rape, pillage and plunder across the face of Europe and North Africa…..but they supported a group of who did just that. You can’t say I’m a good Dem when the party they are supporting is hell bent on destroying our nation. Sorry, that just won’t fly.
McCain will be addressing the same crowd in a few minutes that Romney announced his campaign’s suspension to earlier. This should be interesting… Betcha Laura Ingram doesn’t introduce him after slamming him earlier.
Big45 I suppose you could compare them to the German citizen who was clueless at what was going on, or didn’t believe such goings on was happening. You expect everyone to be as plugged in as you. They just aren’t. Look at how many people vote out of the population. I understand your passion and perspective. I went to a bible class before Nancy Pelosi was crowned. Prior to the class, someone mentioned Nancy Pelosi. Two very nice women asked who was she? Thats typical.
Duhmoose, I would rather see a serious of primaries and runoffs held nationwide on the same day. That would seem much fairer. Every candidate would get an equal shot. First primary top 3 survive on a simple nationwide majority, regardless of state, then top 2 with same thing - nationwide majority. That way all Republicans and Democrats would be equal in the power of their vote.
Series, lol. I’m serious.
AW - that would cover my stupidly uninformed caveat.
How can anyone be unaware today what the Dems stand for?
Watch the speech live streaming…. there’s some good arguments to vote for McCain, against Hillary or Osama
http://www.foxnews.com/
McCain’s on now……
76. That’s a good idea Big45Iron. Trouble is what’s good for the people isn’t necessarily good for the party, and it’s pretty clear that the party calls the shots.
A brokered convention would be good for the people, and help to bring the party back to its conservative roots. Guess what folks, your party doesn’t want you to have it.
Ron Paul does.
There’s still plenty of room and plenty of time for this revolution to be beneficial. Since Romney’s a two faced sellout and McCain is a washed up moderate, why not send the handful of jerks that control the republican party the message they least want to hear, but deserve the most.
Wow, Bob Dole made it as the nominee…no wait…
Wow. I thought you could see your own comments pending moderation!
/I’m so confused…
They’re booing him on immigration….
He says the immigration bill failed for good reasons. Secure border first.
Fasternu, long story short, the conservative base no longer trusts and believes what McCain says. The voter numbers would indicate to me that in the general election, regardless of whether it’s Obama or Hillary, McCain will get slaughtered. Couple Hillary with a Dem congress, and we all just better be prepared for the onslaught and some civil disobedience.
Big, If we had a national primary like that, what would be the incentive for candidates to campaign in small states or rural areas? They would just hit the major cities and be done with it. That would be good for places like Houston, but bad for many others.
Big, I wonder who the conservative base is any more. Everyone is trying to out conservative everyone else while the freakin’ place burns down. Anyone that sees letting the enemy have control to show ‘em a lesson is naive at best.
#88 duhmoose
That is also why we have an Electoral College. Without it, candidates would only campaign in, and cater to, areas of high population.
Secure borders first..
Then amnesty!
Whee! Viva John McCain!
Duhmoose, I really don’t think a candidate’s campaign stops make much difference. It’s the debates and adds that most people see, plus what they hear from the media. Candidates are on the news shows all the time during the election cycle. Anybody who isn’t aware of who they are, just isn’t listening at all, and frankly I would hope they wouldn’t vote and make an uninformed selection.
Fasternu, did you see my comment to Squawk last week? If a person would vote Dem to punish their party because it doesn’t do what you want it to do, I’m afraid that type of mentality might seriously injure themselves if they discovered they had ED and couldn’t get any cooperation in that arena of life either.
Big, but they would tailor their campaigns, and the ideas they promote, based off the polling in those larger cities. Rural interests would be left out, since they would not be the target audience. How much air time would immigration get if the target audience were the eight largest cities?
Duhmoose, what would that matter if a vote in Athens, TX is just as good as a vote in San Francisco? It would still be the total voter turnout. And we have also seen that often times polling data is about as reliable tomorrow’s weather forecast.
Rut Roh. McCain made the entire speech reading directly from the monitors - switching from left to right. And even then he often would begin to say one word, then quickly correct himself to exchange it w/ the right word.
I don’t expect perfection in public speaking, but is it too much to ask for mediocracy? After all, we will have to watch and listen to who ever becomes the president for atleast the next 4 years.
Amen! When it comes right down to it, we have to admit that we’re not getting a real conservative candidate this time. At that point, it becomes a matter of getting the best you can out of a bad situation, and taking your ball and going home isn’t the answer…
96 - I agree that the POTUS should be a good public speaker. However, is it truly a requirement? Can the American Public not look past some umm’s and ahhh’s and hesitations?
26: Thank you, Big
BJ–I thought you were Huckabee man? Or did I get this mix up again.
On the bright side, this election cycle may help us clear out some of the RINOs. At least on the lower level in Texas you have been able to supply sufficient pressure to push some aside, like Fred Hill. Kay Bailey says she won’t run again, but that’s likely because she thinks she’ll be called for a higher office. Several others are unemployed or won’t run again. So keep up the pressure on the RINOs and get your best candidates down ballot.
Thanks TexTite & Robert 1–as well
BTW, posted my 2cents on OC–just got back and caught up.
For all the nashing of teeth and rending of clothes above–Big45, Jolly, jimb, hamous have my track on this. I posted the Townhall articles this morning and had read them, I was ready for this but don’t like it. I only hope that what he said at CPAC is something we cna work with–although he didn’t get tto specific (I wass listening on the way trhough town).
His best bet if he really wants us to work with him is to put Haley Barber in as VP–not the SC gov.–Barber is more well known.
AW, Most of my comments have been directed at those who call themselves republican. Perhaps it sounds like I am saying vote for anyone but a democrat but I am truly not.
I agree that we should vote our core values, Yet if you have been a supporter of Romney, Huckabee, Thompson, and so on your set of values are pretty republican in nature. If it now comes down to just McCain then who’s values come closer to your original candidate, Hillary and Obama or McCain. That was the question I posed.
If your name is Clinton or Obama or Gore then being a democrat makes you the enemy. I realize what you are saying. Heck I have voted (please have defibulators on standby) for democrats.
It is not about being bullied. I am just tired of the petulant child act than all too many “Conservatives” engage in. It is I will not vote if “MY” candidate does not get the nod. Of they are not conservative enough for me even though they are rated very high on several metrics used by conservatives. The American Conservative Union gives him a 82 rating whereas Clinton get a 9.
RightWingNews has Transcript of McCain’s Speech
http://rightwingnews.com/
Tektite
If many of today’s so called conservatives were around in 1776, we’d be eating crumpets, Yorkshire pudding, fish and chips and singing Hail, Brittania.
TexPat–do you mean COnservatives or Republicans?
The following are two posts of mine from Open Comments yesterday. I think they are appropriate and germane to this discussion, so I am re-posting them here:
Furthermore, the Republican Party is simply going through a period of self-evaluation, much like the Democratic Party. The more radical factions of the Dems have asserted their influence in the last two elections, especially in 2006. They didn’t get anywhere in taking the White House. They also did not take the Senate and House - these were handed to them by the Republicans. If their policies were in ascendance, Reid and Pelosi would actually have been able to pass significant legislation in 2007. They were not.
If the Conservative base of the Republican Party chooses to up the ante for membership and require a much stricter definition for acceptable political behavior, then they will be a minority party for the next generation or two. I merely point out reality on this point and many may choose to ignore it, but the hard, salient fact to be faced is the United States of America operates, for the most part, on majority rule.
Maintaining a big tent does not mean Conservatives have to compromise their principles. It does mean they have to compromise their policies from time to time. If Conservatives want to treat our democratic form of governance as an all-or-nothing card game, it is their choice. They could also accept that historical changes in America are not achieved by large dramatic events, but in the incremental victories afforded by our republic.
and this:
If you look at the party platform, you will find it to be quite conservative. There is, and always has been, a gap between a platform and what a party can actually achieve at the end of the day. If it is your goal to assert your most basic ideals, without quarter, on every single piece of legislation and public policy, then your tent will always be small. If living a righteous life on earth is defined as always standing inflexibly on first principles in every interaction with your fellow Americans, then do prepare yourself for little or no success in the political arena.
If limiting abortion through regulation is not enough for the moment and the only acceptable public policy is a constitutional amendment prohibiting it, then be prepared for millions more to die for decades.
If serious improvements in border security and implementation of better immigration laws is not good enough and a total shutdown of the border with no immigrants whatsoever is the only permissible choice, look for decades of wide open immigration under the Democratic plan.
If tax cuts, savings incentives, lower cap gains, etc. are not acceptable and the only immediate and acceptable remedy is shutting down the IRS and overturning the entire tax code, then do arrange your affairs to live under a regressive and punishing system of liberal Democratic taxation.
We live in a democracy and while I sympathize with everyone’s frustration, ignoring reality is not going to move us any closer to our goals.
Tex–you made sense yesterday and it made me think overnite and then I read the articles–you still make sense. Thanks
I also responded to tqs’ question whether I believed there was a difference between a RINO and a moderate Republican. I intentionally used that opportunity to remind everyone about very important truths regarding immigration, conservatives and the Republican Party:
RE: #160 tqs
I believe there is a distinct difference between a more moderate member of the Republican Party and a RINO. As Benzion pointed out the other day, ongoing polling data of registered, Republican, reliable voters across the USA reveal consistently only about 1/3 hold the hardline view (shared by most on LST) regarding the border and immigration. The other 2/3 of the Party probably spreads across a spectrum of belief and concern on that issue. These people will agree with LSTers on 7 or 8 out of 10 other points. Shall we throw them out ? I didn’t think so.
RINOs, on the other hand, are those who deliberately deceive other conservatives about their true intentions and beliefs. They will use the Party to serve their own particular interests and either disagree with the Party in principle or
are just out to gain power in whatever way they can.
TEX–Still like to know what Liz said about my Horizpns and goals–still making me wonder, and stuck with me through the nite as well. Let her know, please.
Staying with your beliefs is not upping the ante.
Moderate, fence-sitting Pubbys insist Conservatives must modulate themselves while constantly compromising, themselves. I do not want to be compromised, I do not want my wife to be compromised, and I do not want my children to be compromised.
#106 Kent
I wrote “so-called conservatives” and that is what I meant. Thank God, Ronald Reagan, who spoke passionately and eloquently at the Republican convention in 1964 did not pack up his gear and give up in November of that year. The landslide victory of Johnson over Goldwater was unprecedented in American history. I suppose Reagan could have spent the rest of his life whining instead of steadily and persistently moving ahead towards the goals he believed in the most. Conservatism was pronounced dead. But Reagan and a few others refused to believe it.
My point is there are alot of ungrateful people on the Right in this country who shame his memory everytime they don’t get their way or want to walk out of the political process or the Conservative movement. We owe the fabulous prosperity and the enormous national strength of America to Ronald Reagan’s undying and unwavering determination against odds none of have to face today because of him. I, for one, do not intend to disgrace his legacy by ever quitting in my pursuit of victory.
McCain will fill his cabinet with the rino club. KBH and the likes have a bright future.
Hunker down folks.
Man would I be PO’d if I gave the liver lips Romney campaign any coin. Screw Romney. Something tells me back room deals and feathered nests are what took place.
Adios Romney! Romney supporters were punked.
#111 Nat
Jackals can bark all day long. I don’t care what they say because that kind of talk is cheap rhetoric. What counts is building a majority any way you can to accomplish achievable goals in the political arena. Compromising on policy and compromising on principle are two entirely different things. If you cannot make that distinction, you will have a very, very difficult time living in a democratic republic.
TEX–Agreed–somewhat inelegantly and ignored for the most part was the posting I was arguing with last week and this weekend. Sorry, I missed the “So called”.
My fear is folks like AW, as sweet as she is, and I love her even tho I haven’t met her, think that a four year stint with the Dems in charge of all three law branches, and will have the chance to change the SCOTUS with 4 appointments, maybe 5, wouldn’t be so bad and we’d survive. There will be unrecoverable changes made to this country within the 1st 2 years (before the midterm 2010 elections) if HRC or BO get into the WH. We can’t seem to get throught to them that we still have a chance with the RINO McCain–but after his speech, I think he understands (although he wasn’t specific today, he will have to be soon) that HE CANNOT win the the WH without us–the Conservatives. SO the SUicide Voters are going have to suck it up again and fight–not quit–just as you say and I was trying to explain, however poorly, this last w/e. Perhaps, I had a little epiphany last nite–thanks to those that make sense.
Kent
The most powerful and enduring legacy a President leaves is in the federal judiciary. I would also like to point out it is very important not to ignore the lower courts. The U.S. appellate courts are extremely important for their work since only a tiny fraction of cases ever make it to SCOTUS. The lower courts serve as farm teams for the SCOTUS as well.
So, yes, I will be voting for whoever is on the Republican ticket in November, even if I wouldn’t personally invite them to dinner at my home.
#110. KentBook, It was no biggee and certainly not worth thinking too hard about. It was simply an observation about your being so happy to have made both the 1st and 100th comment (with a plethora of comments in between…)
Sorry, Tex–I had included all judges, but looks like I cut that for some reason when reqording that sentence. So, absolutely agree, that’s why I want o get through to these folks–they just don’t understand or don’t want to–live in the US will change dramatically with the Dems totally in charge and it won’t recover in 4 years–BTW, why do they think that it won’t be 8 years with the President–they’re going to have 2 years complete control and most probably 4-10 deppending on what happens in the Senate and Congress in ‘10, ‘12, & ‘14–that’s what I don’t get. Besides in2 years of control they’ll change the Judges, the DAs, the FCC and reinste the Fairness Doctrine, and that’s just the first 100 days. These folks have to think and unserstand we’re trying to have our country and ideals at the same time–some of the ideals may need to wait, but the country can’t.
LIA, what a relief–I’m fond of milestones and a little “Monk-ish” when it comes to numbers. Thanks for easing my mind. I’ll sleep better tonite. ;-{)
Sorry, LIZ
Texpat, I’m going to disagree with you. GOP lost when it moved to the left. Not when their candidates stood by their core principles and party platform. Reagan proved you could say no and win. Reagan failed in two primary areas. He failed to say no to Dem spending, and he failed to seal the border after the amnesty deal. We have paid for that dearly. Bush 41 lost when did didn’t stick by his conservative value of no new taxes. The GOP had it’s butt handed to them on a platter in 2006 when so many of their candidates tried to appease the liberals.
Look at the numbers from Tuesday. 14 million Dems voted verse 8 million GOP. Regardless of what we say on LST, the base is obviously disgusted with RINOs, flip floppers, and ineffectiveness in general. The GOP squandered years of holding the House, Senate, and WH. Many GOP voters just can’t see that conservative values make a difference anymore within their own party. So the poll numbers reflect they has GAS (Give a Sh-t). Ronald Reagan showed he could be effective with the simple philosophy of We Win, They Lose. So maybe we will all suffer under Dem rules for several more years. Might be what is needed to clean out the RINOs. This might be the penalty we pay for so many back in the 80s and 90s that switched from Dem to GOP. We were gleeful back then, but just didn’t see the consequences.
Big45Iron
THANK YOU
Squawk, that still doesn’t mean I’m going to abuse myself by voting for a Democrat. That is just dumb.
Big45/Squawk - There’s definitely a conservative base that still exists. I really do think, however, that the Republican party left it because too many voters have moved left. Have you talked to kids today? Even many middle class SUV drivin’ suburbanites seem to want more, not less, government.
I think that a sea change of sorts has happened, and the pendulum has swung left. It may take a while for it to swing back.
RE: conservatism - it absolutely works when it is tried. It just isn’t winning elections right now.
IMHO - Conservatives aren’t going to win so much at the national level right now (read: the Oval Office). They have a better chance at the state/local level (which would include Senators and Representatives).
Big
You do what ya gotta do. I have only stated my position and have never said anyone should follow my lead.
Having said that, I have said time and again that changes can be made in the interim by the “Republican” electorate staying in their elected official collective arses. I will never back down off that stance. Your comment about the price we pay can be shortened exponentially if the “GAS” conservatives re-engage the corporate Republican Party.
Jared Woodfill of the Houston Rep Party has said on KSEV time and again that “we” need to blow the doors down at the National RNC the same way we raised hell about the immigration issue. We agree that the Republicans gotta change but the anger that is tossed back and forth here and in other places would better be directed to the instituions (RNC) that broght us McCain.
So here we are 2 years after the 2006 disaster and all we got left is our vote to voice our opinion. You voice yours the way you choose and I will voice mine.
Conservatism got Democrats elected in ‘06 . That means they ran a Conservative campaign defeating encumbants winning in tradtional Rep seats.
Conservatism wins EVERY TIME it tried. McCains problem is he soiled his diaper and the Conservative base still smells it.
Conservatism got Democrats elected in ‘06 . That means they ran a Conservative campaign defeating encumbants winning in tradtional Rep seats.
Squawk, didn’t quite get that.
Big
127
That is what I said in 126.
So ummm what are trying to say?
He’s been distrated by my fight with HAL, give him a break for a moment or two. He’s pretty mad.
Squawk - were you trying to say something in 126? If so, I didn’t understand it.
BTW JimB and Big45
the reason why “conservatism” is not “winning” elections is because the base can see right through the candidate. History may not count ot some folks but then you got the rest of us.
Bigs
I shoulda addressed 126 to JimB. Sorry. My bad.
Poppycock, President Reagan told Gorbachev to stuff it in 1986 at Reykjavik, however in December of 1987 Reagan got his INF Treaty. Reagan stood his ground, Reagan told Gorbachev to “tear down this wall” scared the bejeebers out of Old Europe, his staff, and the Pentagon, and the wall came tumbling down.
131 - I disagree, for a few reasons. Conservatives have become a fractured group, each seeking to have their goals put above all else. Social conservatives want their way and, frankly have become a bit populist in their leanings, so they don’t mesh well with fiscal conservatives, or for that matter, border hawks or people strong on national defense. Fiscal conservatives don’t like the populist leanings of the social conservatives, and therefore won’t vote for someone like that. Libertarians won’t vote for anybody that proposes anything but dramatic reductions, NOW, in the size of the government.
Liberals are misguided, at best, but they have their act together and know how to achieve incremental victories and then defend that ground.
The problem with Conservatives today is that they want it all, now, from another Ronald Reagan or better, or screw him, throw him under the bus.
Liberals didn’t get this far by winning all at once in a blaze of liberal glory. They clawed their way, bit by bit, to where they are.
#133 Nat Pierce
Nat, my friend, Reagan was confronting the Evil Empire in that meeting, an enemy of global scale. He was not trying to convince his fellow citizens to scale back a social entitlement appropriation bill in the House. A bit of a difference there.
I honestly think that the idea of electing a “really strong conservative to set the government right” and throwing anybody else under the bus is, frankly, not very conservative at all.
Consider this - if a majority of American families did the following:
* lived within their means
* enjoyed their prosperity but dropped the sense of entitlement
* chose faith over debauchery and “alternative lifestyles”
* chose to accept responsibility for their mistakes
* looked to themselves first (by way of preparedness and plain old determination) to solve their problems, rather than Big Brother
* chose to help within the community (within their means and abilities) when large-scale problems strike
* and taught their children the same values
Much of the conservative agenda we’re looking to implement by voting for a “real conservative” would take care of themselves.
Politics is the art of the possible.
JimB
Persoanl responsibility is first and foremost. At the end of the day I do not depend on the gov for nothing in my life. Don’t expect it either.
Conservatives have become fractured over personalities. The message ideals of conservatism has not. The democrats that replaced the old gaurd republicans were new and they ran on a conservative message. They won.
We are also fighting an up hill battle against the RNC in addition to the MSM.
It don’t matter anyway. I do not think the votes will be “there” to elect McCain so get ready for the pain.
Too bad more people don’t agree. We might not even be having this conversation.
I’m sure, by the way, that despite the messaging of any Dem who displaced a rRepublican recently, they are, by and large, in reality to the left of the displaced incumbent.
Sure they are. But the point is still that new face, conservative message equals win.
The RNC pushed the likes of the moderate Republicans especially McCain and initally Rudy. There is a move in the Republican party to quiet the Conservative base.
It’s like dancing. To the left, to the right, to the left, doseedo….. and spin, spin, spin. We’ve been outdanced! Let’s not forget ” the contract with America” and how conservative principals won. However this is a majority run country, and with important things like ” Brittaney’s last hospital stay” and Paris Hilton’s new hair cut…. maybe we old people are just that, old and out of touch.
#141 Squawk
There will always be someone, somebody on the Right telling Conservatives to shut up and sit down. We have to shove back when necessary and push back when we can. The Republican Party will never be pure and those who yearn for that day are pining for something that will never happen. It’s a forever battle folks, not something we win and then all get to go home and tend our herds. It is a lifetime job, from this generation to the next.
Amen, they will use soft logic, curvilinear equivalence, and worse they will try to shame you attributing belligerence and challenge your character.
These are the same techniques used by the Democrats to Republicans to help them understand the more sophisticated and higher comprehension of their enlightened process, and being weak in conviction and void of a strong Conservative leader, lost their way, lost their elections, leaving their supporters compromised.
would somebody close that tab, thanks
Possibly some think of it in the terms of a military objective, take the hill and hold it, and we feel as though FDR took that hill, we’ve not accomplished the goal, and those in leadership have failed.
Lincoln fired his generals, Bush fired his generals,
we say fire the generals.
Texpat
And I am pushing back. Have been. You can go back to LST 2005 and find that myself and a few others have been raising sand about the Rhinublicans.
This is sorta one of the if the shoe fits statements but I really made my point in the open comments today
http://lonestartimes.com/2008/02/07/thursday-open-comments-39/#comment-243235
and later as I added that it just amazes me how everyone seems to agree that the Rhinublicans need to be ran out of town for not keeping promises, for siding with the democrats and the list goes on
YET so many people are willing to say we gotta trust em just the same.
Frankly the change has to come from the electorate.
Don’t tell me on the one hand we gotta hold our elected officials responsible for what they do and then tell me I have to vote for them all the while ignoring their history that stands out like a sore thumb.
Someone told me that it was my moral responsibility to vote. No it is not. The Master tells me I have to pray for my elected Reps. That I do, have done and will continue to do. My conscience is clear.
#147 Squawk
I was not speaking to your conscience when I wrote what I did. I also did not ask you or our conservative brothers and sisters to trust anyone.
In fact, I haven’t asked anyone to do anything but stop being ridiculously emotional and hysterical about their political choices. I am exhausted by all the melodrama about how everyone’s lives are ruined, they have been deeply insulted, their most deeply held principles have been violated. Oh, really ? Get over it, pick yourselves up and let’s figure out how to beat these creeps. I don’t quit and I don’t give up. If the GOP has let you down for 12, 8, 5 or 3 years, then start figuring out what you have been doing wrong to let that happen.
I don’t indulge in fantasies about third parties or some messianic candidates to come along and save us all from the liberal Leviathan. I made up my mind to be a conservative in 1978. I was 26 years old and did not even know another conservative. I did not even have anyone to talk to about politics, except my father and eventually brother, for many years. I walked the walk and talked the talk for years without any outside support. I have been doing it for 3o years now.
If you are tired of getting kicked in the teeth, how do you think Bill Buckley, Ronald Reagan, Antonin Scalia, Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, Clarence Thomas, Norman Podhoretz, Irving Kristol and others have felt throughout the last half of the twentieth century ? I’m just glad they were not so quick to give up on the Conservative Movement and the Republican Party that they gave in and went home for the duration. These are people who didn’t have the luxury of a KSEV or an LST or other conservative media. They suffered through professional, cultural, religious and academic environments extremely hostile to their beliefs and ostracized by virtually everything around them.
Uuhhh, maybe quit voting for the lesser of 2 evils might me a start. Put some suck it up cream on. Until you do that, the “Republicans” (aka, IMHO, the conservatives) will figure it out. Until then, they might hafta raise taxes to hafta buy a clue.
You people sound like the spoiled rotten kids. Us conservative voters (who stand by priciples) are looking more like parents. For every decision, there is a…../ but I digress.
Stick with your party. I don’t have one.
No offense, ST, but this:
Could easily be applied to some of the “skip the box” crowd.
Basically, you guys think we should “suck it up” and let the Dems have a hack at it for a while to teach the Republicans something.
And on the flipside, we think you “skip the boxers” should suck it up and take the incremental victory you can rather than throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Who’s right? Time will tell, I guess.
#149 ST
If you don’t have a party then you can’t participate, in any meaningful way, in the political process. If you don’t participate in the process, it means you are out of the game. So be it.
# 149 ST
What exactly were you doing in 1978 ? Were you standing up for conservative principles when there was no political talk radio, no internet (conservative or otherwise), no conservative commentators on television and the only thing to read was National Review by a monthly subscription ? When no one in Southeast Texas knew what a conservative was or had any idea there was a conservative ideology ? When, if you held conservative political ideas, there was no one, and I mean no one to talk to, then where were you ?
149 - There’s one more thing: There’s a big difference between compromising on principles and compromising on policies. Please don’t suggest that if I choose to vote McCain that I’m compromising my principles…