The biggest failure of the GoP from 2000-2006 was to uphold its own principles. Fiscal conservatism, small government, foreign policy prudence and realism, all got thrown out the window in favor of divisive wedge issues, uncritical acceptance of neocon delusions, and irresponsible, recklessness ... more
The biggest failure of the GoP from 2000-2006 was to uphold its own principles. Fiscal conservatism, small government, foreign policy prudence and realism, all got thrown out the window in favor of divisive wedge issues, uncritical acceptance of neocon delusions, and irresponsible, recklessness financial management.
The fault for all this starts with Bush, Cheney and their administration, RHINOs in hindsight. But the GoP also controlled Congress 2000-2006 and had the opportunity to reign in some of the Bush administration's excesses, and not only failed to, but jumped all-in on the gravy train too, instead of adhering to their principles. Somehow, the principled conservatives of the Gingrinch revolution of '94 were replaced by unprincipled opportunist RHINOs. The result is a completely discredited, lost GoP, and a weakened America.
The RNC needs to take steps to either ensure this can never happen again, or to at least strongly disincentivize it. It can start by creating a recruiting program that focuses on finding Gingrinch-type conservative Republicans for local and national office, who have a strong track record of prudent financial management of the government, small government advocacy and legislation, and foreign policy realism and experience (no grand theories propagated and executed by anyone who hasn't seen ground combat).
There are probably other complementary ways the RNC can do this, and if anyone has any good ideas, plesae post them.
Heywood Jablome
Who gets to decide who the true conservatives are?
Repforlife
Where are the New England "conservatives" on the bailout? Pro or Con? They are RINOS because they tend to be pro gay anti life and only want economics that benefit the filthy rich. Real conservatives (unlike W) are pro life, pro marriage and anti government.
Empedocles
Funny, during much of the tax cutting/massive spending binge of the Bush years, it was the New England fiscal conservatives who were attacked for resisting the spending and fighting the deficit who were called RINOs. Who's the RINO now?