The Strangelove Republicans - The American Conservative

The Republican Party has driven the country to the brink, and this morning, House Republicans bolstered their ranks by … standing together and singing Amazing Grace. It’s Strangelovian. Maybe there won’t be a long-term fallout from this, but I tell you, it’s very hard to see entrusting power to a party that behaves this way, thatmanufactures crises like this for its own short-term political gain. The Republicans, having lost their mind, have destroyed their brand.

Continued: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/strangelove-republicans/

New Group For Young Conservatives Looks To Drown Out GOP Cranks

New Group For Young Conservatives Looks To Drown Out GOP Cranks

A new organization for young conservatives will kick into gear next week with the express goal of “drowning out” the cranks and cooks who have “hijacked” the Republican Party, and converting a generation of dissatisfied Democrats and independents on college campuses across the country.

“The thesis of our organization is that young people are not liberal,” said Josh Nass, a Brandeis student and founder of the group, Voices of Conservative Youth.

“They vote for Democrats but that is not a function of their genuine political philosophy. And that’s not their fault, it’s ours. The party and the leadership has given them no attention, has done nothing in terms of outreach, and we’re going to change that.”

Read more » http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/new-group-for-young-conservatives-looks-to-drown-out-gop-cra?bftw

The impact of US immigration policy on economic growth

Tamar Jacoby, the president and CEO of ImmigrationWorks, and Talib Karim, the managing attorney of TEC law group, joined CCTV Biz Asia America and gave insight on the relationship between immigration and the US economy.

Why are Texas Republicans Attacking pro-choice Republican Sarah Davis and Not "Windy" Davis?

Last week, my fellow TexasGOPVote blogger David Bellow wrote an article attacking the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) and Texas State Representative Sarah Davis (R-134) over the Party's support of Davis in the 2012 general election. Sarah Davis is a moderate Republican in a swing district.

 The reason for the attack? Davis was the only Republican to vote against the anti-abortion bill now before a second special session of the Texas Legislature. This is a distraction and a misdirected attack. Should we be focusing our attention on Republican Sarah Davis, or would our time and attention be better spent on Democrat Senator Wendy "Windy" Davis? -

 See more at: http://www.texasgopvote.com/regions/texas/abortion-wedge-issue-why-are-republicans-attacking-sarah-davis-and-not-windy-0056441#sthash.9Psd7S0i.dpuf

The Founding Fathers Were Not Libertarians

Less government, more freedom -- four words that encapsulate the central tenet of libertarianism, the nutshell within which the seed of anti-federal sentiment gestates into a full-grown nut. As political philosophies go, it seems rational enough; even though I strongly disagree with the priorities of the modern libertarian movement, I understand why my government-averse friends believe the things they believe, as opposed to, say, my friends who are Yankee fans, or my friends who liked Avatar.

If you are the type of person who conceives of freedom as a measurable commodity, it makes perfect sense to oppose the EPA, the Department of Education, mandatory health care, civil rights legislation, banking regulations and taxes -- each represents a limitation on your range of personal choices. Even though I have a wholly different conception of what "freedom" means, I welcome the libertarian voice in our national discourse; I think the debate makes us a civically stronger nation, despite my frustration with what I honestly see as the moral bankruptcy of the vision of governance espoused by Cato's congregation.

More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-cluchey/the-founding-fathers-were_b_822973.html

Karl Giberson - Growing up in Michele Bachmann's world

Michele Bachmann and I grew up in the same evangelical world.

We heard similar sermons, read similar books – most importantly the Bible – and we followed the same anointed leaders. By the time we were in college our generation of evangelicals had been educated into a profoundly different worldview than that of the secular, anti-Christian, Satan-following Ivy League elites we had been taught to fear.

We understood the world to be a spiritual battleground with forces of good pitted against forces of evil. Real angels and real demons hovered about us as we prepared to wage these wars. We sang songs like Onward, Christian Soldiers in our churches. At summer camps and vacation Bible schools we stamped our feet, and waved our arms as we sang with good Christian gusto I'm in the Lord's Army. We knew which side we were on. 

More: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/03/michele-bachmann-evangelical-creationism

Representatives Wagner and Capito address The Ripon Society

Representatives Shelley Moore Capito and Ann Wagner speak to a breakfast meeting of The Ripon Society on July 31, 2013 in Washington, DC.

 

50 Politicos to Watch: Shelley Moore Capito

 

 If Democrats seem hesitant to get in Shelley Moore Capito’s way, you can’t blame them. The congresswoman from West Virginia announced a Senate run the same month she won her seventh House term. And since then, Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller decided not to run for reelection and two prospective Democrats have opted out.

 Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/50-politicos-to-watch-shelley-moore-capito-94212.html#ixzz2ZqnIpSXF

Rising to the Top: Women in Republican Leadership

Representatives Shelley Moore Capito, Sue Myrick, Jo Ann Emerson, and Kay Granger are joined by former Representative Heather Wilson to discuss their rises to leadership in the GOP and how we can encourage more woman to follow suit.

 

Michael Gerson: Republicans must come to terms on immigration

It is sometimes argued, rather piously, that the outcome of the immigration reform debate must be decided on the substance instead of the politics.

And there is much to commend in the substance of the Senate bill , which would improve security at the border, modernize employer verification, shift future green cards toward more skilled applicants and provide undocumented workers a chance to demonstrate they are good citizens (paying fines and back taxes and avoiding a criminal record) before they are sworn in as citizens 13 years down the road.

 But if there is any issue in which politics is unavoidable, it is this one: Immigration policy (along with demographic trends) determines the shape of the future electorate. It is not particularly realistic, or even coherent, to argue that defining the boundaries of the political community should not be sullied by politics.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/michael-gerson-republicans-must-come-to-terms-on-immigration/2013/06/20/6b248c48-d9ce-11e2-a016-92547bf094cc_story.html

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: First GOP Congress Member To Pose For NOH8 Campaign

By On Top Magazine 

Staff Published: June 14, 2013 Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on Thursday became the first Republican Congress member to pose for the NOH8 Campaign, which raises awareness and funds for gay rights causes, including ending California's 2008 voter-approved gay marriage ban, Proposition 8.

 The campaign was on Capitol Hill for its NOH8 on The Hill photo shoot. “Meet our 1ST Republican Congress member to pose for #NOH8onTheHill!” the NOH8 Campaign tweeted. “Thank you @roslehtinen for taking the lead!” While Ros-Lehtinen's official photo won't be released for a few weeks, she posed for the campaign in a cream-colored pantsuit and pink blouse.

 The NOH8 Campaign later tweeted that 45 members of Congress participated in Thursday's photo shoot, including Representatives Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Dave Loebsack of Iowa, Donald Payne Jr. of New Jersey, Jim Moran of Virginia and Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico and Senators Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.

This article originally appeared here. [http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=15542] 

The Economy: A Persistent Failure to Act Will Undermine the Quality of America’s Future

By Susan Collins

There have been hopeful economic indicators recently – but not so encouraging that Congress can afford to continue to sit on its hands with regard to issues that are foundational to our future economic well-being.  Yet I am deeply concerned that is precisely what is occurring.

Congress’s inaction on jobs, economic growth, and deficits and debt has resulted in the worst post-recession economic recovery in our history, and a persistent failure to act will undermine the quality of America’s future.

In fact, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke blamed the polarized debate on these issues for disrupting the economic recovery.  A Federal Reserve study also concluded that had there been no policy uncertainty over the past four years, the U.S. unemployment rate would have been closer to 6 or 7 percent, rather than the 8 percent to 9 percent actually registered.

Fast forward to today, and at the current rate of monthly job growth (an average of 194,000 net new jobs per month over the past six months) it would take nearly ten years to reach prerecession employment levels.  And even if the economy were to consistently begin growing by 200,000 jobs per month, it would take 7.5 years to return to prerecession levels!

Now, contrast these facts with the reality that Congress has passed a grand total of 13 bills this year, and not one of them is related to jobs.  Are we really prepared to say this is the best we can do?  This is a can-do country with can-do people and a can-do spirit.  Isn’t it about time we had a can-do Congress to match?

So it is all the more disturbing that momentum for progress on issues critical to our overall economic health, such as our federal deficits and debt, have been even further eroded in light of recent estimates from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

The CBO has reduced its previous deficit estimate for this year from $845 billion to $642 billion.  Yet, lest anyone believe this means all our problems are solved, this reduction is the result of two factors that are purely temporary — first, an upward estimate of revenues due to early payment of capital gains and dividend taxes resulting from the lower tax rates in 2012 and, second, a $95 billion cash infusion to the U.S. Treasury from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

What is not sufficiently understood or apparently appreciated by Congress is that CBO projects the deficit will begin widening again in 2016 and resume its upward climb due to “the pressures of an aging population, rising health care costs, an expansion of federal subsidies for health insurance, and growing interest payments on federal debt.”

All of us should be concerned.  As the Washington Post has reported, interest payments will soar to 15 to 19 percent of the federal budget between 2015 and 2020, and in 2023 interest payments will total $900 billion.  And our national debt, which was 36 percent of GDP at the end of 2007, has now entered uncharted territory and is projected to reach 76 percent next year.  If current laws remain in place, debt will equal 74 percent in 2023 and then continue spiraling upward.

It is therefore essential that this blip of a temporary reduction on the debt and deficit radar not be interpreted by Congress as some kind of get out of jail free card, but rather a window of opportunity to act urgently to stem unsustainable debt and deficit growth in the future!

And yet as a result of this short-term deficit revision, it appears that Congress is instead lessening its attention to discussions of a “grand bargain” this year to reduce the federal deficit – and will instead focus on more modest restraints on federal spending. Congress still hasn’t convened a conference committee to work out the significant differences that exist between the House and Senate-passed versions of the 2014 budget. As a result, odds are now that the vast chasm will not be bridged by the end of this summer.

Moreover, the U.S. will reach its statutory debt limit again sometime in October or perhaps as late as mid-November.  At that point, if no action is taken, we will no longer be able to meet our debt obligations. Recent reports are that Republicans want an overhaul of the tax code and major changes to entitlements in exchange for raising the limit.  At the same time, however, Democrats want no pre-conditions.  So the two sides remain far apart.

As Tom Friedman recently wrote, “We wasted a time out these last 5 years” in America.  I worry we are about to waste another one unless we speak up and insist that our Senators and Representatives start compromising and reaching agreement on these crucial matters that will dictate our nation’s future.

This article originally appeared here. [http://www.olympiaslist.org/?page_id=11] 

Bigotry Isn’t a Conservative Value

Its time for the hitherto silent majority on this issue to root them out. Real conservatives have never shied away from the problem of racism in America or in the conservative movement. Russell Kirk, one of the godfathers of the New Right, was noted for his condemnations of white supremacy and for the policies that were devastating to the black community. William F. Buckley, founder of the National Review, went on a crusade to root out the John Birchers, the white supremacists and the antisemites.

They come from a long line of conservatives who realized that the essence of conservatism; limited government, natural rights, free markets and the rule of law, demanded a recognition of the moral and political equality of people regardless of race or color. John Quincy Adams, the last of the northern conservatives, was fundamental in the early abolitionist movement, defending the African men who commandeered the slaver Amistad.

The Radical Republicans were crucial in the passage of the 13th and 14th Amendments, convincing and cajoling the rest of the party. Lincoln, the first Republican president, realized that the moral equality between Americans was the essence of this American experiment of government. This trend continued after the Civil War, as Grant crushed the KKK, Eisenhower stood up to George Wallace, and Republicans, such as Governor George Romney, were critical in the passage of the Civil Rights Act. We have a proud heritage of resisting this pernicious doctrine that preaches discrimination and hate towards us.

MORE: http://cafeconlecherepublicans.com/bigotry-isnt-a-conservative-value

Why Bob Dole Is right about the GOP

"The 90s Republican Revolution was led by a trio of Ph.Ds. ― Gingrich, Dick Armey, Phil Gramm ― back when being stupid wasn’t a badge of honor, wonkish wasn’t a source of derision, and “serious” presidential contenders didn’t propose bills be limited to five pages."

Why Bob Dole Is right about the GOP

communities.washingtontimes.com

There's much from the 90s GOP we should bring back

Ghosts haunt Republican minority outreach

If we are going to promote an ownership society in a society that let our ancestors own human beings we need as much distance from that dark legacy as we can get. This is more than just a marketing problem. Our insensitivity to legitimate minority concerns leads us to develop policies that are often doomed from inception.

Ghosts haunt Republican minority outreach

communities.washingtontimes.com

Republicans are recognizing that their established strategy has exhausted its usefulness, but change is hampered by a frustrating leg

David's Bookclub: Strom Thurmond's America

"How did the party that elected the first black U.S. senator, the party that elected the first 20 African-American congressmen, become a party that now loses 95 percent of the black vote? How did the Republican Party, the party of the Great...See More

David's Bookclub: Strom Thurmond's America

www.thedailybeast.com

"How did the party that elected the first black U

The Virtuous Circle of Declining Crime

"One interesting way to look at this is to do the math and chart not just the decline in homicide but the even steadier and more amazing decline in unsolved homicide. Part of the story could just be that the cops are getting smarter. One possible answer is that as crime falls the remaining crimes are disproportionately easy ones to solve—perhaps domestic violence cases."

The Virtuous Circle of Declining Crime

www.slate.com

Those of us who've read out Kevin Drum know that declining lead levels are a key driver of falling rates of violent crime in America. But I was looking

How the Religious Right and the Libertarians Buried the Hatchet

"Weyrich’s strategic shift not only changed the shape of the Religious Right, it eventually shifted the balance of power among the various libertarian factions.

"This carefully calibrated opening from well-established Republican evangelica...See More

How the Religious Right and the Libertarians Buried the Hatchet

communities.washingtontimes.com

The awkward alliance between the libertarian movement and fundamentalists helps explain why Republicans care so little about governing.

More Demographic Thoughts on the 2012 Election

The GOP cannot become a governing party again if it doesn’t find an economic message that has some relation to the actual economic situation in the country. I suspect that if it did, the old pattern would reassert itself, and it would win a larger share of both the white vote and the non-white vote. If not, the rump GOP base will continue its slide into petulant fury at the country it “lost.”

More Demographic Thoughts on the 2012 Election

www.theamericanconservative.com

The GOP is rightly concerned that its share of the Hispanic vote has dropped to historic lows. What's interesting about that drop, though, is that it occurred a

Jon Huntsman creating new PAC, testing the waters - Byron Tau

"The very survival of the party is based on our ability to really begin to define the real issues that we confront and to begin a dialogue of problem solving around them."

Jon Huntsman creating new PAC, testing the waters - Byron Tau

www.politico.com

Former 2012 presidential candidate Jon Huntsman is forming a new PAC dedicated to helping elect like-minded Republican candidates across the 

Solution-oriented black conservatives vs. Fame-oriented black conservatives

Essentially, black conservatives can be divided into two groups: solution-oriented black conservatives and fame-oriented black conservatives. Solution-oriented black conservatives prefer to use their platforms to intellectually engage wit...See More

Hip Hop Republican | Music, Politics & Culture

www.hiphoprepublican.com

Music, Politics & Culture

What If The Government Just Kept A Lot Fewer Secrets?

"It's a problem that the government collects the phone records of substantially all Americans and didn't tell us that it was doing so, but not for any of the usual reasons that people talk about overclassification being a problem. The issue here is that the secrecy prevents a public debate on the question of whether the policy of collecting the records is wise."

What If The Government Just Kept A Lot Fewer Secrets?

www.businessinsider.com

If we want the government to keep fewer secrets, we have to get agencies to properly treat secrecy as costly and weigh the cost of secrecy against the...

Republican ‘RINO’ Hypocrisy

Given the hypocritical application of the term, it is safe to say that being called a ‘RINO’ carries as much rhetorical sting as any random playground insult. Far from being a devastating critique indicting a political person for being insufficiently conservative, the current iteration of the term is largely futile.

Hypocrisy has rendered the term ‘RINO’ meaningless

communities.washingtontimes.com

Given the hypocritical application of the term, it is safe to say that ‘RINO’ carries as much rhetorical sting as any playground insult.

More White Votes Alone Won't Save the GOP

"To have prevailed over Mr. Obama in the electoral count, Mr. Romney would have had to carry 62.54% of white voters. That's a tall order, given that Ronald Reagan received 63% of the white vote in his 1984 victory, according to the Congressional Quarterly's analysis of major exit polls.

It's unreasonable to expect Republicans to routinely pull numbers that last occurred in a 49-state sweep."

More White Votes Alone Won't Save the GOP

online.wsj.com

In The Wall Street Journal, Karl Rove writes that to win the presidency in 2016, the party needs to do better with Hispanics.

The danger in Republican climate denial

We can give hedged answers on the age of the universe with little consequence. Denying the reality of evolution won’t cause anyone to lose their favorite beach house, or for that matter, their favorite island. Climate change, on the other hand, is becoming apparent enough to the average layman to affect their holiday plans. We cannot swim against this scientific tide much longer.

The danger in Republican climate denial

communities.washingtontimes.com

For Republicans, denial is a river that is rapidly running dry.

"My creed is that public service must be more than doing a job efficiently and honestly. It must be a complete dedication to the people and to the nation with full recognition that every human being is entitled to courtesy and consideration, that constructive criticism is not only to be expected but sought, that smears are not only to be expected but fought, that honor is to be earned but not bought." —Margaret Chase Smith (14 December 1897 - 29 May 1995)

Q&A with Jon Huntsman

“Anger is not a substitute for good policy.” 

On a breezy, overcast day in late June of 2011, former Governor and Ambassador Jon Huntsman traveled to Liberty State Park in New Jersey to announce his candidacy for President of the United States. It was the same spot where Ronald Reagan officially kicked off his general election campaign for President in September of 1980. Like Reagan, Huntsman spoke with the Statue of Liberty in the background. And, like Reagan, he laid out an optimistic vision of America based on his deeply held conservative beliefs.


Read interview here http://www.riponsociety.org/forum124jh.htm

What does it mean to be a moderate Republican?

Moderate Republicans believe in community, compassion, pragmatism, common sense, political-fellowship, and, most importantly -- intellectual honesty. This passion is pursued within the broad framework of enlightened Lincoln era principles. Moderate Republicans stand in a crowded room, with the burning spirit of Lincoln in their hearts -- truth, fairness, justice, and limited-compassionate government -- when all others sit during difficult times. Moderates are loyal to serving the greater good -- not an entrenched party leadership. Government, whether limited or expansive, must serve everyone. Moderate republicanism, is an esoteric ideology to many -- a philosophy difficult to define. Extremists and militant social conservatives have succeeded in wrongly labeling moderates as a recent political mutation.

Between 1890 and 1950, the moderate wing dominated the party. Moderate republicanism traces its roots to men like U.S. Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts in the 1850s. The impact of the movement, however, did not become apparent until shortly after the Civil War. The GOP emerged as the party of free enterprise. And by the late 1890's two distinct groups evolved -- moderate and conservative. The moderate wing called on government to curtail unbridled capitalism that exploited men, women, and children in the textile mills. It also wanted environmental protections and the ending of corrupt patronage in government. These early reformers recognized that some societal problems could only be addressed by the national government.

Moderate republicans often see limited government as a useful tool that when operated carefully, like a piece of heavy machinery, can improve the quality of life for all Americans. Moderates and conservatives fall under a broad philosophical framework of Republicanism. Although conservatives are a legitimate branch of the GOP who have made many positive contributions, this wing of the party has allowed itself to be dominated by extremists and social moralists that marginalize Lincoln era principles. Moderate republican orthodoxy includes: a passion for civil liberties; a disdain for conformity and suspicion of authority; a belief that the Constitution is a living, breathing document with timeless values that must be made relevant in a modern age; a commitment to protect the environment and not engage in mindless exploitation of the nation's natural beauty. A spirited case must be made for reusable energy sources like solar power.

Modern technology provides many options before the earth is harshly, brutally, and needlessly pillaged; a strong belief that diversity -- gender, racial, social, sexual, ethnic, and religious -- should be celebrated because it gives the United States moral strength. Diversity -- in the long-term, encourages respect, understanding, and a greater sense of community; a commitment to fiscal prudence and limited government; a recognition that government does have a basic social responsibility to help those in need; a belief that the nation does have international responsibilities; a belief that God and religion have a very important place in America -- at the dinner table and in churches, temples, and mosques.

But it should never be used by politicians to advance a narrow moral agenda; a belief that the national government should be used in a limited manner to advance the common good; a commitment never to put party above country; and a responsibility to publicly criticize those who call themselves Republican when the situation merits. Moderate/Progressives have a duty to vote against the party line when it does not serve the greater good. Doing so does not make them less Republican; it demonstrates that they have the honor, political courage, and intellectual honesty to put nation above party.

Interested in learning more about moderate Republicans? 

The Republican Mens Club of Clark County, Nevada is a great resource that seeks to educate the public about the meaning behind the name.