I look at the principles expressed in the "Sharon Statement", the document which I've used as a guide to my political beliefs, which document was created in conference by a group of conservative thinkers in 1960, and which became the standard for Young Americans For Freedom (YAF), a conservative youth movement of which I was a significant part. Then I look at the current Republican party, and wonder where it got lost along the way.
I look at the principles expressed in the "Sharon Statement", the document which I've used as a guide to my political beliefs, which document was created in conference by a group of conservative thinkers in 1960, and which became the standard for Young Americans For Freedom (YAF), a conservative youth movement of which I was a significant part. Then I look at the current Republican party, and wonder where it got lost along the way.
They consider themselves conservatives? Really?
The 2nd Obama administration will be the biggest threat to economic freedom and the American way of life ever. The appointment of hard-left bureaucrats to key regulatory positions will mushroom when re-election is moot. Pleas for moderation will go unheeded. But in response to this danger, the Republicans have presented a list of fools who are, except for Paul, and possibly Newt, as big a threat to our social freedoms as the dems are to economic freedom. I've previously urged the same theme, Andrew, and I respect and agree with your premise of uniting against the leftist threat, but until the Republican party rids itself of racism, governing from the pulpit, and xenophobia, it will not be an effective vehicle for limited government conservatism.
This is Texas, folks. If there's anything to this story, I assure you that Governor Perry and the Texas Department of Public Safety, as well as the appropriate Webb County authorities, would be all over it.
For the most part, we native Texans live and work shoulder to shoulder with our Hispanic neighbors with little or no regard to skin color. Texas has always been one of, if not the, “reddest” of states and will continue to be so if we approach this issue in a just manner that doesn’t offend Hispanics. Our demographic statistics show the importance of the Hispanic vote in maintaining our “redness”, but we can’t do so by continuing to sponsor policies that alienate Hispanics; rather we need to help form a policy with which Hispanics will freely and gladly participate. It’s my belief that a large, large majority of Texas Hispanics would join in an effort to secure the Mexican border in a fair and reasonable manner.
If the perception of the Republican Party by Hispanics isn’t salvaged, Hispanics may well vote for the “California model” rather than the “Texas model”, and that result must not be contributed to by the actions/inactions of the Republican Party. Sometimes the just and the practical converge.
From my perspective, the track record of the Republican Party, particularly recently, is horrible from the standpoint of attracting the Hispanic vote and keeping their statistics from becoming like those of the black vote. I’ve seen various versions of cartoons depicting donkeys encouraging illegal immigrants to cross the Mexican border to a booth with “Vote Democrat” plastered all over it. I’ve always thought that what’s missing from the cartoon is an elephant with blinders on both eyes escorting the immigrants to that booth, acquiring on the way a large percentage of the Hispanic vote. I know this will be unpopular with some here, but the enactments of the misguided Arizona statutes are an example of how not to encourage Hispanics to vote Republican. It’s pandering for the statists/democrats to buy minority votes with entitlement programs, blanket amnesty, etc. It’s an entirely different matter to proactively show Hispanics that the Republican Party best represents true freedom. But to do that, we can’t continue ignoring the fact that most Hispanics see the immigration issue as involving racial aspects. George W. and Karl Rove understood that.
We discussed the possible intended interpretations after the show last night. The "waterboarding" scene was predictable. The libtards just couldn't resist that. But couldn't you also say that it showed the difference between waterboarding and real torture?
I can't resist watching. I'm hoping for a return cameo of the "Janene" character while Chloe is so po'd. Then my imagination runs away with me.
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Creation