Why conservatives are politically homeless

[musiclady]

I hear what you're saying,  and it explains why I'm so far pleased right now with the GOP,  and you're ready to cash it all in.

It all boils down to the issues you prioritize.   Trump's had stunningly good picks to head up Education and HHS;  the policy wonk in me wants federal policy fundamentally reformed,  and suddenly there's the prospect of getting it. 

But values voters are adrift.    Indeed, the way some values voters defended Trump bordered on the unseemly.   

The values issues -  abortion,  gay rights,  etc.,  are where I (and quite possibly Trump)  part company with you.    I think opposition to abortion should be a matter of one-on-one persuasion,  grounded in faith, and not a subject of public policy.  And gays have the same rights the rest of us have,  and that's just the law and the Constitution.  Sorry.

But I respect our differences, and think there's a place for both of us in the GOP,  even a Trump-infected one.   Rome wasn't built in a day, and let's not fail to acknowledge that an opportunity presents itself.

I respect you bunches, Jazzhead, but the Republican party has made it abundantly clear that they don't want people like me in their party.  They don't want values voters.  They don't want Conservatives.  They don't care about the Constitution.  And that means they don't want ME around.

Fine.

I dedicated my adult life to the Republican party (actually started at 19 when I campaigned door to door as President of my College Republicans for Richard Nixon).

But when they nominated Trump, they kicked me out.  When they shoved out Constitutional Conservatives at the convention in Cleveland, they stuck out their middle finger at me and said "Go away."

I'm like others here that is looking for a viable home in another party.

But as others have stated here, I am thankful that this lonely forum provides me with an outlet to share my grief (yes, grief) at what Trump and his supporters have stolen from me.

A political party I called home for 67 years......

[sneakypete]

I'm not pleased with the DoE choice.  I don't want and ideologue pushing her pet belief that their needs to be more Christianity in public schools.

I want a technocrat that will reduce the scope of the DoE to it's original mandate... and make sure that the federal funds to land-grant universities are paid out.  That's about it.

She's no better then a fundamentalist Muslim pushing for more Islam in schools.

@HonestJohn

Amen to every word you wrote.

[INVAR]

@INVAR

I have no idea who that is.

Lord of the Rings reference.  An evil land populated by orcs and perverted beings overseen by an all-powerful dark force with an all-seeing eye spying on everything.

[sneakypete]

Lord of the Rings reference.  An evil land populated by orcs and perverted beings overseen by an all-powerful dark force with an all-seeing eye spying on everything.

Ok,thanks for the explanation. Despite for some reason being a HUGE "Game of Thrones" fan and a science fiction fan in general,I never could get into the fantasy stuff.

[INVAR]

Ok,thanks for the explanation. Despite for some reason being a HUGE "Game of Thrones" fan and a science fiction fan in general,I never could get into the fantasy stuff.

This is a better explanation of what Washington DC is from my reference:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r21CMDyPuGo

[The_Reader_David]

Actually the explanation for American conservatives being politically homeless was given by Lord Acton long before this last election cycle in America:

At all times sincere friends of freedom have been rare, and its triumphs have been due to minorities, that have prevailed by associating themselves with auxiliaries whose objects often differed from their own; and this association, which is always dangerous, has been sometimes disastrous, by giving to opponents just grounds of opposition, and by kindling dispute over the spoils in the hour of success. No obstacle has been so constant, or so difficult to overcome, as uncertainty and confusion touching the nature of true liberty. If hostile interests have wrought much injury, false ideas have wrought still more; and its advance is recorded in the increase of knowledge, as much as in the improvement of laws.

-- John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton in The History of Freedom in Antiquity (1877)

[Smokin Joe]

Didn't get to vote for Cruz in the primary, because my township clerk failed to send my absentee ballot.  In the General, their was ONLY one conservative voice to be had...Darrell Castle.

No GOP Presidential Primary (nor a caucus) in ND this last time around. In the General, I voted for Castle.

[Smokin Joe]

It'd be nice, but I'm not holding my breath.

Don't underestimate the factors which put us in this predicament. One was fear of Hillary, but the big one is Anger. Anger at the flaccid Members of Congress who would not stand up to Obama, and anger at the way the Federal Government has ignored the rule of law, run rampant with regulation, played definite favorites, run up the debt, played games with economic numbers and left the little guy to swing... etc.

That anger is still smoldering, and could be reignited with just a little fuel and a puff of hot air

There is a chance that some of those existing regulations will be rolled back, decisions overturned, and standards eliminated which will actually benefit the economy, which I believe remains the major concern of DT's supporters. We'll see. It's too early to tell, frankly, and the cabinet picks will be interesting and perhaps an indicator.

[TomSea]

I think opposition to abortion should be a matter of one-on-one persuasion,  grounded in faith, and not a subject of public policy. 

But that is not what we have now; or at the least, the Federal Government should not be giving monies to organizations like Planned Parenthood.  That is $500 billion a year.

Constitutionally, it should be up to the states.

I guess in all nations that have domestic violence, even countries like Brazil; the argument could be made it should not be subjected to public policy.

[Bigun]

Don't underestimate the factors which put us in this predicament. One was fear of Hillary, but the big one is Anger. Anger at the flaccid Members of Congress who would not stand up to Obama, and anger at the way the Federal Government has ignored the rule of law, run rampant with regulation, played definite favorites, run up the debt, played games with economic numbers and left the little guy to swing... etc.

That anger is still smoldering, and could be reignited with just a little fuel and a puff of hot air

There is a chance that some of those existing regulations will be rolled back, decisions overturned, and standards eliminated which will actually benefit the economy, which I believe remains the major concern of DT's supporters. We'll see. It's too early to tell, frankly, and the cabinet picks will be interesting and perhaps an indicator.

My anger hs been and still remains focused on a feckless, worthless congress and it definately is NOT smoldering!  It is, in fact, a RAGING INFERNO!

[TomSea]

[Smokin Joe]

My anger hs been and still remains focused on a feckless, worthless congress and it definately is NOT smoldering!  It is, in fact, a RAGING INFERNO!

Focus, Grasshopper. I have a feeling there will be plenty to direct it toward. Mine is dormant, but the pilot light is lit.

[Night Hides Not]

Focus, Grasshopper. I have a feeling there will be plenty to direct it toward. Mine is dormant, but the pilot light is lit.

I'm in my usual state...slow burn mode...kind of like the Yellowstone caldera.

[TomSea]

The New Americana is an obscure website without much traffic compared to say Townhall and so on. The author can have sour grapes, that website has been anti-Trump from the start.

I'm glad Trump won and Clinton lost.

[Night Hides Not]

The New Americana is an obscure website without much traffic compared to say Townhall and so on. The author can have sour grapes, that website has been anti-Trump from the start.

I'm glad Trump won and Clinton lost.

Is it sufficient to say I'm glad that Clinton lost, and cautiously optimistic based on a few of his Cabinet picks?

[Bigun]

Focus, Grasshopper. I have a feeling there will be plenty to direct it toward. Mine is dormant, but the pilot light is lit.

Focused I am!  BOY am I focused!

[Right_in_Virginia]

Is it sufficient to say I'm glad that Clinton lost, and cautiously optimistic based on a few of his Cabinet picks?

 @Night Hides Not 

[TomSea]

I think opposition to abortion should be a matter of one-on-one persuasion,  grounded in faith, and not a subject of public policy. 

Why should Wyoming, Utah, Mississippi have to abide by such a national policy, it should be up to the states.

If New York State has had some years of aborting over 30 pregnancies per capita of 1000 and Wyoming has an abortion rate of some years of say, a little over 3 per 1000, why should these states have to abide by the same laws?

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Is it sufficient to say I'm glad that Clinton lost, and cautiously optimistic based on a few of his Cabinet picks?

I voted for the guy, but admittedly breathing a pretty huge sigh of relief with these picks.  I figured he'd lean GOP with his cabinet picks, but it's nice to have that validated.  And some of them...I mean, they've been pretty great.  Appointing an actual career businessman to lead the Department of Labor is something that hasn't been done since Reagan picked Ray Donovan.  And the national security picks are all top notch.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Is it sufficient to say I'm glad that Clinton lost, and cautiously optimistic based on a few of his Cabinet picks?

I'm more optimistic and less worried as the days go on.


Trump's style is just something I guess I'll have to get used to.


Hope he doesn't end up impeached.

[musiclady]

I'm more optimistic and less worried as the days go on.


Trump's style is just something I guess I'll have to get used to.


Hope he doesn't end up impeached.

Why?

That would probably be the best thing for the country.

[Jazzhead]

I'm not pleased with the DoE choice.  I don't want and ideologue pushing her pet belief that their needs to be more Christianity in public schools.

I want a technocrat that will reduce the scope of the DoE to it's original mandate... and make sure that the federal funds to land-grant universities are paid out.  That's about it.

She's no better then a fundamentalist Muslim pushing for more Islam in schools.

I respect your views, HJ.   I'll look at Ms. DeVos more closely.  But I think publically-subsidized charter schools and vouchers are ideas worth pursuing, especially for kids in big cities, and their parents,  who are at the mercy of public school dysfunction.     

[Cripplecreek]

Why?

That would probably be the best thing for the country.

I think people will get over their excitement with Trump's cabinet picks once they figure out that Trump is still in control and his cabinet is there to take the blame for his stupidity.

I'm betting that most won't last a year.

[Jazzhead]

So get Roe vs Wade overturned?  Sounds like a great start to me.

For me, the Constitutional rights of born citizens trump the "rights" of non-viable fetuses.   That doesn't mean I don't think abortion is wrong.   I think it is.   But a woman's right to self-determination must be paramount, as a legal matter. That leaves plenty of room for folks of faith to persuade and support women who do the right thing.  But the state's role must be to guarantee the Constitutional rights of (born) citizens.

[Cripplecreek]

I'm not pleased with the DoE choice.  I don't want and ideologue pushing her pet belief that their needs to be more Christianity in public schools.

I want a technocrat that will reduce the scope of the DoE to it's original mandate... and make sure that the federal funds to land-grant universities are paid out.  That's about it.

She's no better then a fundamentalist Muslim pushing for more Islam in schools.

Funny thing about DeVos is the way her husband was attacked as a moderate RINO by FR conservatives when he ran for governor of Michigan. Its safe to say tat she would have been in the same boat if she had run for the office.

They are very politically connected and are insiders by way of those connections. For instance, her brother is Erik Prince who founded Blackwater. She's probably more connected than her husband.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betsy_DeVos