"Saying the Reagan Coalition is dead is like saying the Constitution is dead"
By Erick Posted in 2008 — Comments (46) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
I'm on the road with Fred Thompson blogging from my iPhone. Right now we are in Laurens, SC. Fred was asked about the break up of the Reagan Coalition. He said he disagrees with Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee.
Fred says that if the Reagan Coalition is dead, the Constituion is dead because the coalition was not about Reagan, it was about core principles, common sense, and knowing the role of the federal government.
"The issues have changed, but the principles remain the same," he said.
« Dueling June Obama fundraising claims? — Comments (2) | A Key Point on Hillary Clinton Using Race Against Obama — Comments (5) »
"Saying the Reagan Coalition is dead is like saying the Constitution is dead" 46 Comments (0 topical, 46 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
"Go ahead, make your jokes, Mr. Jokey... Joke-maker. But let me hit you with some knowledge. Quit now". -White Goodman
Props to you for the iPhone. I've got one too. Have you got the new update for it?
By the way, I'm not sure I would equate the Reagan coalition with the constitution, or even say that they're necessarily related. I'm not sure I get where Fred was coming from there.
But nonetheless, I firmly agree that the Reagan Coalition is not dead and won't be dead if Thompson or Romney wins this nomination. If McCain, Rudy, or Huck wins it, it may be dead after all.
I come from a very politically diverse family. Last weekend at my aunt and uncles this very issue was discussed over the dinner table.
The liberals at the table noted that after Reagan the GOP has nominated non-Reagan Republicans: Bush, Dole, Bush Jr., and now have to chose among a group which only has one Reagan type (Thompson) - and he isn't doing very well.
The liberals also pointed out that despite GOP control of Congress with a GOP president for about 6 years most CONSERVATIVES claim the party has lost its way and certainly is far afield from the priciples Regan is associated with.
All of which begs the question: Was Reagan a success because of his priciples or because of the strength of his personality? And if it was his principles then why the consistent nomination of non-Regan Republicans and why was a GOP Congress backed by a GOP president not able to move the conservative movement forward.
My response was that the leadership of the party has sold out the rank and file for selfish politically expedient reasons and lost their way. It's not folks like you and me that have sold out our conservative principles.
The liberals replied that if the rank and file cannot hold the leaders feet to the fire and get qualified conservatives nominated for President time after time and not get a GOP Congress to move the conservative movement forward then the party is broken and not listening to its life blood.
And that is a point I had trouble denying.
He ran as a compassionate conservative, a milder populist message, and has delivered. Now we see that any type of big government principles, no matter under what guise, is a bad thing. So look for either Romney, Thompson, of Rudy to win this thing and bring us back.
"Go ahead, make your jokes, Mr. Jokey... Joke-maker. But let me hit you with some knowledge. Quit now". -White Goodman
"Now we see that any type of big government principles, no matter under what guise, is a bad thing."
Sorry, have to strongly dissent here.
The conservatives I know couldn't stand the prescription drug pakcage, No child left behind, earmarks to Mars, utterly undisciplined spending (not a sinlge veto of ridiculous spending by Congress), cowardice on the social security issue etc... etc... etc...
Only with Iraq did Bush show conservative courage and spine.
Bush delivered all right - to a fat cat GOP congress which was more liberal then conservative to me.
Like Bush 1 was a liberal as an adult, decided to run for President and flipped. He also has a habit of promising federal help when the rubber meets the road. He just did it in Michigan.
1 - It is harder to sell conservatism overall
2 - The two great Reagan successes, i.e. fixing the economy and defeating the USSR. The first, ie a good economy is now taken for granted and too many don't understand that the policies the libs want made the mess Reagan and the Fed, with Reagan's blessing fixed;
and the second is but a distant memory.
3 - The GOP gets to DC and goes wobbly, even after winning on conservatism, when the msm between election polls come out, plus they want to get along in a lib town, and the real cons are not given TV time.
more later
But yes, I think we must face the fact that Reagan's way of selling it was a factor as well.
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
www.fred08.com
He seems to be trying to sabatoge the election for conservitives. Not that he has to support my guy,FDT,but every time he comes out he is down in the mouth. He talks about "core principles" and ignores Fred who came out from the start of his run with "core values".
On Rush yesterday he seemed to hem& haw around what he said
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."
John Paul Jones (letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont,16 Nov.1778)
Read the tea leaves friends... Newt wanted to be the man behind the throne as VP with Fred when Fred was going to announce in Sept and be the conservative answer. Fred didn't think Newt's character was of the caliber for the job and passed, that's why Newt teased his candidacy and tried to raise that money (to force the issue and strengthen the power of his endorsement for VP card). When he found out that the base wasn't really with him, he faded away.
Now, Huckabee needs all of the old hats that he can to take his rag tag campaign national. All of the also-rans (Rollins, Pinkerton, Gingrich, etc.) are getting on or helping behind the scenes because this is a chance for them to count again. They aren't going to have a role in the Romney, Thompson, McCain, or Guiliani teams - so where else are they going to go?
Just realize that Huckabee is the most opportunistic candidate since Bill Clinton. He is going to do and say whatever it takes to keep the attention on him and use whoever he has to win. Remember that when people come out with Huckabee. I feel sorry for those Christians who are under his spell and taken in by his language - much as I was for those Christians who swore up and down on the sincerity of Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggert. They can't bring themselves to believe that someone who is so right sounding in their profession of faith can be so completely wrong on issues of judgment (pardons, clemency, foreign policy, big government, etc.) and self serving when the camera is off. I just hope that wake-up call happens before the Primary is over instead of in the Fall.
As for people and opportunism - some people have made accusations at Romney in that area. Mitt, however, seems to have standards higher than Huckabee. Thompson? Well, Fred's standards seem sufficiently high that he's probably made this a lot harder for himself than it had to be. Win or lose, however, he's going to be able to be proud of the company he has kept.
I'm pretty encouraged that he's going to pull it out in SC... But Erick can speak to that from the ground.
VP or not he could have contibutrd to FDT in many ways. Even without endorsing anyone he could have come out of this election with a lot more of my respect (for what it's worth).
He is not being fully honest. He and Dick Morris are pimping them selves for for future gain but if Fred wins and they are wrong they will have zero credibility.
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."
John Paul Jones (letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont,16 Nov.1778)
Proven liar and not an ordained minister.Making jokes in bad taste like the suicide inference after Iowa.Some issues are not funny.Flip Flopping on statements because he was called on it to not be doable.Constantly quoting the Bible and famous people.Does'nt he have anything of his own to offer that makes since and not made up?
The SBC recognizes ordination; it just doesn't perform ordination at the denominational level. Ordination is an act performed by an individual SBC church. See here.
Hmm. According to Wikipedia, Huckabee is ordained, but it provides no cite.
-
NARF
considers ordination to be a rite of the local church. It is merely a formal recognition of God's calling on your life to preach the gospel and minister to His flock. No special "religious stuff" happens at ordination, unlike at the ordination of a Catholic Priest where they believe that God confers specific and special gifts/powers to the individual being ordained.
It would be comparable to baptism. In most denominations baptism is merely the public recognition that you have given your life to Christ, again no special "stuff" happens, although there are some groups that do believe you must be baptised by immersion in order to be saved.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
1. Get a spell checker and figure out grammar. Not a suggestion.
2. "Not an ordained minister". Oh really. You obviously know nothing at all about Baptists. Ordination is a rite performed by an individual congregation and recognized by the denomination. It's not necessary, although it's usual, for a Pastor to be ordained. I don't know if Huck is ordained, but I can tell you that it makes not one whit of difference in his ability to serve within the denomination.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
To be fair to Newt, I believe he said the Era of Reagan is over. I'm not sure about Huckabee. I believe Newt's point was that we don't face same challenges we did during Reagan's time so today's candidates need to take the same ideas from Reagan but apply them to today. A candidate just saying he'd be Reagan doesn't really mean much. The candidate needs to show how he'd apply conservatism to today's challenges.
I really feel the death nill of Huck's campaign was when he signed on to Ed Rollins, who IMO is nothing but trouble. If Huck's campaign manager said it, then it is as if Huck said it himself, or is there divison in the Huck camp? When I look at Rollins and look at Huck. Huck claims to be a Christain leader, but his manager is dropping the F-bomb left and right. And it makes you think, WWJD?
to match God's standards.
Mike Huckabee - “…that’s what we need to do is to amend the Constitution so it’s in God’s standards rather than try to change God’s standards…”
http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=8b121636-c88e-474f-943c-18b2d...
Headed to SC this weekend
That is exactly why he can't and won't be our nominee. He is one dimentional and will drive people away from the GOP in droves. The media likes him right now and deflects any criticizm toward him. The Dems really want him to come out on top.
They can't wait to gut him like a pig. Make no mistake!
Good catch Eyriq... I realized that after I posted.
Okay.... how about make it 4-for-5 Fred!
I agree with Fred on this one. Reagan simple wanted to bring us back as close as possible to the founding principles.
In his pandering to the voters of Michigan, Romney gave in to his inner Compassionate Conservative (aka Democrat). Auto companies are building plants all over the South and Southeast United States, pretty much everywhere BUT Michigan, and Romney sees this as a problem needing a Federal solution. Jennifer Granholm will be relieved to find out that there's nothing Michigan can do to help itself. Only the Federal government can save Michigan now.
It was the federal government that broke it. If you brake it, you own it. Cafe standards and government regulation have killed the auto industry. This is just an attempt to return it to where it belongs before the federal government passed laws that made it hard for them to compete.
The combination of the Feds and the unions did it to the auto industry.
Perhaps Romney wants to be a union-buster. I like him more every day.
Nope, but he will push for mandates in the health care fields that would help the unions unload the pensions that murdered their companies. Now instead of just GM hurting, America will hurt! Good plan Mitt.
the same CAFE standards and "government regulation."
The benefit costs from the end of WWII into the 'Seventies, early 'Eighties when the domestic makers had a virtual monopoly are built into the cost of every vehicle they make. Consequently, they have a $2-3K cost disadvantage even to the newer import makers who produce here in the US. They just can't make as much car at a given price point because of this.
In Vino Veritas
One of the reasons I decided to make my historic Flip Flop™ from Romney to Thompson is that when I went and looked at myself in the mirror and asked, "Am I a Reagan Republican or a Romney Republican?" the answer was impossible to ignore. Thompson's the only real Reagan Republican candidate in this contest, and I really hope his message gets some traction in the coming days.
it looking? I am hearing mixed messages here in Charlotte. I think Jeff Katz is solidly behind Thompson and trying to get his message out. I am wondering where the lower parts of the state stand. Columbia? Charleston?
--roxer
because it isn't expressly authorized by the constitution. Remember?
Fred throws the bean ball, hits Newt and Huckabee with the same toss.
Go Fred
As long as there are men like Fred Thompson and people who get what he's saying and not judgeing the man's appearance or the way he walks,talks,or the choice of his spouse.If you are a true conservative then the right choice is Fred Thompson as a leader even if you like anothers personality. It's that simple.
Thanks, Erick, for your support of Fred Thompson!! Fred is absolutely correct about the comparison of Reagan's core principles to that of the Constitution. They complimented one another. So, in that regard, to say the Reagan Coalition is dead is really saying the same of the Constitution.
I predict a landslide victory for Fred this Saturday in South Carolina!!
....that the Reagan Coalition is dead, nor has he alluded to anything like that.
Quite honestly, I wouldn't go attributing anything Ed Rollins says to anyone but Ed Rollins. And, for the record, he's wrong.
Does Ed Rollins have a high ranking position in the Huckabee campaign or not?
Has Huckabee refuted Ed's comments?
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
Rollins said that over a week ago and we've heard nothing but crickets chirping on this subject from The Huckster.
So, just who's record are we talking about because it's pretty obvious that Huck doesn't have a big enough problem with the idea to correct the record.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
Gov. Jindal victory in Louisiana is the perfect example that Reagan Conservatism is not dead. If you run on conservative principals, you win everytime. He won 60 out of 64 parishes on a conservative platform. To our presidential hopefuls.....take notes on how to be a real conservative from Gov. Jindal.
New Orleans......Proud to Swim Home!
then get to DC and go wobbly BETWEEN elections.
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
www.fred08.com
That is sad but true. Gov. Jindal has at least 4 years to show he can stick to his principals in Baton Rouge. BR has had the same effect on "reformers" as DC has had on Repubs. That is why most down here are cautiously optimistic and will be a great proving ground for Gov. Jindal. If he can succeed, he will be on the top of the list for president in 2016.
New Orleans......Proud to Swim Home!
As the only true conservative in the GOP race, on all 3 aspects of conservatism (fiscal, social, and security), if the conservatives of this country don't wake up soon and start voting for Fred Thompson, then the party is apt to splinter all the way to a brokered convention and what's left will be easy pickings for the DNC come November.
From Deadhead to Fredhead is the way to go :-)
Another new winner for SC