I am the Republican Party

[Aubie16 1]

I don't venture into the political forum very often, but got this email from one of my friends.

As a college-aged republican, I find myself outside the 'mainstream' republican thought quite a bit. Mostly on social issues. There is a steadily growing faction of republicans that feel this way. This letter represents a lot of us and how we feel. It just explains how the democrats have alienated a big part of this country and lost out on those of us who vote republican but would like to see some of the issues democrats feel are important passed.

TexasTiger, your post about "anybody think this guy is fiscally conservative" got my attention and made me want to post this. Wanted to tell you that republicans like myself who feel the gov't is getting too big are out there. We feel we are getting to far away from a actual federal system where states have as many rights as the national government. The thought of the republican party is not 'delusional'. That is still what this party stands for. My generation wants to bring that back into the republican thought.

We want to help. Sometimes you just won't let us.

Dear American Left,

I know why Bush won.  I know why you lost.  No, not just lost…were rejected.  I know exactly why, and we’ll get to that in a minute.  First, though, just let me say this: If you think that spewing hate and invective on me now is going to make your life improve in any way whatsoever, you are a bigger group of fools than anyone imagined.  If you think calling me more names is going to get you what you want in this country, you are not just acting foolish, you are delusional and maybe your hatred is more than just a little self-oriented.  The reason I say “I” here instead of “we” or “The GOP” is because I want you to understand something so basic, so fundamental that I am ashamed for you that I have to spell it out.

I am the Republican Party.

Oh, I may not be a majority of the party yet.  I am in favor of gay unions and stand up for the right of women to choose. This makes me an outsider for the moment, not part of the mainstream of the GOP.

But my numbers are growing.  And my age is a factor.  You see, the old guard of the Republican party is quite literally dying, and we, the younger members, are moving up.  It won’t be long before we are a majority influence and can turn the party back toward preserving the ideals of smaller government, less interference in both business and private life.  I believe it is possible to embrace both traditional and progressive values.  I do it every day. I believe that it is possible to hold our military up as the primary reason the federal government exists and still manage to protect the rights of two people who wish to legally share their lives, and I will work within my party to make that happen.

I am the Republican Party.  Or more appropriately, I am the future of the Republican Party.  And if you think keeping me on your side is worth anything, you might want to re-think the idea of calling me a bigot or a Nazi or spewing hatred at me.  Your ideals were soundly rejected, and if you stopped whining long enough to ask, some of us can tell you why.  Part of why you don’t know is the fact that you haven’t stopped whining in the last four years.  The steady stream of hate, lies and vitriol from the American left has hardened the American right in ways you can’t begin to imagine.  You tempered us.  You forged us in the fire of your hate, and you made us stronger than we every could have without your steady litany of bile and complaint.

Let me say that again in a different way.  There are a few million men and women who have volunteered to give thier very lives to protect you.  Can you even grasp the enormity of that concept?  After 9/11, knowing there was going to be a military response, hundreds of thousands of people volunteered to join the military to defend you.  TO protect you.  To take whatever action they could to try to prevent your death in another terrorist attack.  They are willing to die for you, and you ignored them.  You treated them like mindless pawns.  You used them and then tried to elect a man that has betrayed them time and time again.

Do you have any idea how that must feel?

Regardless of your position on Iraq, whether it was warranted or not, they have a position, and that position is overwhelmingly in support of Bush, the idea of the war, the execution of the war and the goal to stay until the work is finished. And you ignored them. Worse, you ridiculed them.  You called them “kids” and “children.” You painted them as bloodthirsty savages hell-bent on murder and sadism when you heard that a small number of individuals did some pretty nasty things to some prisoners.  They never forgot that, you know.

Something that person (and the rest of you to whom this letter is addressed) is going to have to learn is that telling me I’m stupid, a racist, a bigot, or whatever else you may come up with is going to result in exactly one thing; further marginalizing you as a political power in America.  What you need is me as your ally.  Your inside man.  Someone who will fight you on a lot of issues, but will also fight for you on others.  Why?

Because I am the Republican Party.  And right now, we control the game.  If you want to play, you need to re-think this idea that throwing tantrums will get you on the field.

Talk to me.  Treat me with respect.  And you just might find yourself with the most powerful ally you can imagine: someone who shares a vision of a more free, more perfect America.

Oh and can we drop the “revolution” nonsense?  As a practical matter, you couldn’t possibly pull off a revolution.  We own the guns and the military.  It was brought up in the comments to this post and it’s not anywhere NEAR the first time I have seen that in the last 48 hours.  It makes me laugh every time.  It also IMMEDIATELY makes me think the writer is a Grade-A idiot for even suggesting it.

If you would be willing to revolt over one election, you’re not someone who should be taken seriously.  On any level.  But that doesn’t matter…what are you gonna revolt with?  Spitballs?  As for legal secession…go ahead and try.  No blue area of the country can sustain itself.  Too many people, not enough actual production.  Stop playing martyr, stop playing victim, stop spewing hate and calm the hell down.  Take a breath, admit that the country is much more conservative than the you wanted to admit, and let’s find ways to compromise.  That will never happen while you are busy calling me “******* stupid” and “a goddamned redneck” and all the other vile things I keep seeing.

The harsh reality of, for the next four years, we *don’t* need a consensus.  The Republicans can, if they so chose, run the country with absolutely zero input from the parts of the left that refuse to tone it down.  Should they?  No.  Can they?  You bet your ass.  That’s a wake-up call for the American left.

Someone should answer the damned phone.

[TexasTiger 13,017]

I don't venture into the political forum very often, but got this email from one of my friends.

As a college-aged republican, I find myself outside the 'mainstream' republican thought quite a bit. Mostly on social issues. There is a steadily growing faction of republicans that feel this way. This letter represents a lot of us and how we feel. It just explains how the democrats have alienated a big part of this country and lost out on those of us who vote republican but would like to see some of the issues democrats feel are important passed.

TexasTiger, your post about "anybody think this guy is fiscally conservative" got my attention and made me want to post this. Wanted to tell you that republicans like myself who feel the gov't is getting too big are out there. We feel we are getting to far away from a actual federal system where states have as many rights as the national government. The thought of the republican party is not 'delusional'. That is still what this party stands for. My generation wants to bring that back into the republican thought.

We want to help. Sometimes you just won't let us.

Dear American Left,

I know why Bush won.  I know why you lost.  No, not just lost…were rejected.  I know exactly why, and we’ll get to that in a minute.  First, though, just let me say this: If you think that spewing hate and invective on me now is going to make your life improve in any way whatsoever, you are a bigger group of fools than anyone imagined.  If you think calling me more names is going to get you what you want in this country, you are not just acting foolish, you are delusional and maybe your hatred is more than just a little self-oriented.  The reason I say “I” here instead of “we” or “The GOP” is because I want you to understand something so basic, so fundamental that I am ashamed for you that I have to spell it out.

I am the Republican Party.

Oh, I may not be a majority of the party yet.  I am in favor of gay unions and stand up for the right of women to choose. This makes me an outsider for the moment, not part of the mainstream of the GOP.

But my numbers are growing.  And my age is a factor.  You see, the old guard of the Republican party is quite literally dying, and we, the younger members, are moving up.  It won’t be long before we are a majority influence and can turn the party back toward preserving the ideals of smaller government, less interference in both business and private life.  I believe it is possible to embrace both traditional and progressive values.  I do it every day. I believe that it is possible to hold our military up as the primary reason the federal government exists and still manage to protect the rights of two people who wish to legally share their lives, and I will work within my party to make that happen.

I am the Republican Party.  Or more appropriately, I am the future of the Republican Party.  And if you think keeping me on your side is worth anything, you might want to re-think the idea of calling me a bigot or a Nazi or spewing hatred at me.  Your ideals were soundly rejected, and if you stopped whining long enough to ask, some of us can tell you why.  Part of why you don’t know is the fact that you haven’t stopped whining in the last four years.  The steady stream of hate, lies and vitriol from the American left has hardened the American right in ways you can’t begin to imagine.  You tempered us.  You forged us in the fire of your hate, and you made us stronger than we every could have without your steady litany of bile and complaint.

Let me say that again in a different way.  There are a few million men and women who have volunteered to give thier very lives to protect you.  Can you even grasp the enormity of that concept?  After 9/11, knowing there was going to be a military response, hundreds of thousands of people volunteered to join the military to defend you.  TO protect you.  To take whatever action they could to try to prevent your death in another terrorist attack.  They are willing to die for you, and you ignored them.  You treated them like mindless pawns.  You used them and then tried to elect a man that has betrayed them time and time again.

Do you have any idea how that must feel?

Regardless of your position on Iraq, whether it was warranted or not, they have a position, and that position is overwhelmingly in support of Bush, the idea of the war, the execution of the war and the goal to stay until the work is finished. And you ignored them. Worse, you ridiculed them.  You called them “kids” and “children.” You painted them as bloodthirsty savages hell-bent on murder and sadism when you heard that a small number of individuals did some pretty nasty things to some prisoners.  They never forgot that, you know.

Something that person (and the rest of you to whom this letter is addressed) is going to have to learn is that telling me I’m stupid, a racist, a bigot, or whatever else you may come up with is going to result in exactly one thing; further marginalizing you as a political power in America.  What you need is me as your ally.  Your inside man.  Someone who will fight you on a lot of issues, but will also fight for you on others.  Why?

Because I am the Republican Party.  And right now, we control the game.  If you want to play, you need to re-think this idea that throwing tantrums will get you on the field.

Talk to me.  Treat me with respect.  And you just might find yourself with the most powerful ally you can imagine: someone who shares a vision of a more free, more perfect America.

Oh and can we drop the “revolution” nonsense?  As a practical matter, you couldn’t possibly pull off a revolution.  We own the guns and the military.  It was brought up in the comments to this post and it’s not anywhere NEAR the first time I have seen that in the last 48 hours.  It makes me laugh every time.  It also IMMEDIATELY makes me think the writer is a Grade-A idiot for even suggesting it.

If you would be willing to revolt over one election, you’re not someone who should be taken seriously.  On any level.  But that doesn’t matter…what are you gonna revolt with?  Spitballs?  As for legal secession…go ahead and try.  No blue area of the country can sustain itself.  Too many people, not enough actual production.  Stop playing martyr, stop playing victim, stop spewing hate and calm the hell down.  Take a breath, admit that the country is much more conservative than the you wanted to admit, and let’s find ways to compromise.  That will never happen while you are busy calling me “******* stupid” and “a goddamned redneck” and all the other vile things I keep seeing.

The harsh reality of, for the next four years, we *don’t* need a consensus.  The Republicans can, if they so chose, run the country with absolutely zero input from the parts of the left that refuse to tone it down.  Should they?  No.  Can they?  You bet your ass.  That’s a wake-up call for the American left.

Someone should answer the damned phone.

145433[/snapback]

There is little evidence that the person described in letter is the future of the Republican party. The new quard is fairly young-- Santorum in the Senate, numerous others in the house who are more socially conservative than ever. It is the disappearing old guard that comes closer to what is described-- former Senators Alan Simpson, Warren Rudman, Howard Baker, etc. That belief simply isn't supported by fact. I identified more with these guys than I did many Democrats. I'm not sure you're in touch with the party you claim membership of.

As for the rest of it, who on the center and left of center is seriously talking revolt or succession? Name a few high profile Dems or any elected Dems. Good luck with that. The only serious "succession movement" I'm aware of is a fundamentalist group that plans to move to South Carolina and take it over and secede.

This letter describes a left-of-center strawman that doesn't really exist in any significant number.

Whiny victimhood? What is this?

We want to help. Sometimes you just won't let us.

Spewing Hate and invective? Perhaps you've never listened to Conservative talk radio. That is not fueled by "old guard" Republicans. And it is whiny. To hear Sean Hannity and Limbaugh and Malkin and Goldberg and Coulter and others who could never make it a real job whine daily about the left and the liberals and how unfair the Right is treated is...well, kinda like reading this whiny little diatribe you posted.

And this is probably the worst:

Regardless of your position on Iraq, whether it was warranted or not, they have a position, and that position is overwhelmingly in support of Bush, the idea of the war, the execution of the war and the goal to stay until the work is finished. And you ignored them. Worse, you ridiculed them.  You called them “kids” and “children.” You painted them as bloodthirsty savages hell-bent on murder and sadism when you heard that a small number of individuals did some pretty nasty things to some prisoners.  They never forgot that, you know.

Got some real examples of how prominent, elected Dems were so disrespectul of the troops in a maner that justifies this characterization?

When I was college age I identified more with the Republican party. That was the old guard that is dying off and it was not what you confuse the old guard to be.

[CCTAU 3,345]

Give this guy ten years, a wife, and children, and this article will be folly. The republicans he speaks of don't just linger at the age of weakness forever. They will have to choose. And I felt the same as he did when I was under 27. But all that changes when you grow up. And everybody does sooner or later.

[Auburn85 432]

"We have reached the point that a prolonged American military presence in Iraq is no longer productive for either Iraq or the United States. The U.S. military presence has become part of the problem, not part of the solution"

TED KENNEDY

He also said that he doesn't think that parents have pride in telling their children that America tortures prisoners.

"Do you think Americans tell their children with pride that America tortures prisoners? Yet, high officials in the Administration in their arrogance strayed so far from our heritage and our belief in fundamental human decency that they approved the use of torture"

So Kennedy can put a handful of people of 150,000 plus soldiers and call them torturers.

I'm part of America along with 250 million others. He' saying we torture too according to THIS quote.

Calling the war a "catastrophic failure". Didn't the troops capture Saddam, take his 2 sons down, help with elections?