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What I said: Conservatives, don’t be Liberal Party Too (and yes, that “pragmatic” option is Too)

Just the other day, in celebration (not) of another one of those oh so proud moments as a conservative —a real, principled conservative — I once again roasted my the Conservative Party of Canada for another one of their so-called “being pragmatic” choices.  That time it was their lovely announcement of the looming liberal-left-style, Keynesian, $50 BILLION deficit, caused mostly by their profligate “stimulus” spending (which like liberals they call “investment” —they’re so cute, in that deceitful, “pragmatic” way.  It’s a wonder they don’t add “and ‘early learning!’ —wink!”—at the end).  This, they insist when speaking to those of us in the land of real conservatism, will win electoral favor among Canadians soon.  As soon as Canadians get suckered, presumably.  Great plan.  In that “progressive” kind of way. 

Today, David Limbaugh’s Townhall column whips that word “pragmatic” around in explaining the identical political conundrum down south.  MUST READ.

Democrat Lite a Big GOP Tent Does Not Make

I see “pragmatists” everywhere I look in the Republican Party—those who say we must always be more concerned with not offending so-called moderates than with advancing our principles. The irony is that no one is less pragmatic, in the end, than these self-styled pragmatists because their prescriptions are a recipe for failure.

[…]

What’s missing from this analysis is that one of the main reasons Republicans have lost favor of late, reflected in their trouncing in the 2006 congressional elections and in shrinking GOP party identification percentages, is their alienation of the conservative base. The best-kept secret is that with 60 percent of Americans still considering themselves conservatives, Republicans only need to be true to their conservative principles to win again.

While I’ve always considered it hyperbolic to suggest there is no difference between the parties, I find it increasingly difficult to defend this position. Beltway Republicans, with notable exceptions, spend half their time groveling to the forces of political correctness, conceding the ideological turf wars to liberal Democrats and agreeing to operate within the four corners of the liberal- and relativist-dominant media culture without a fight.

[…]

There will always be those who stubbornly cling to the misguided notion that Republicans could build a bigger tent through caving on 90 percent of their supposed principles and offering only Democrat lite. But the only chance we have for a Republican resurgence is if Republicans return to their conservative roots and offer a real, stark alternative to the unfolding Obama destruction.

If they roll over instead of vigorously opposing this madness, they’ll have no legitimacy to mount an alternative case in 2010 and 2012. Thus, pragmatism versus principles is a false choice. It’s more pragmatic, not to mention more honorable, to stick to your principles.

If the GOP continues to surrender its principles, however, it won’t matter if it wins, because it will have morphed into that which it has professed to oppose.

…Which is why we in the real conservative set need funding — because we’re the ones who are carrying the water for actual conservatism in this country, and doing the real fighting for the conservative movement.  And I think they know it. 

 

Joel Johannesen
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