Karl Rove Is Ruining the GOP By BRENT BOZELL

[olde north church]

That's because you mistake authoritarianism with conservatism.

The former being moral collectivism with the later being an ideology which embraces individualism, independence, small inobstrusive government and expansive freedom. 

You know... libertarianism.

The East wants cheap money, labor and corporatism, i.e.:  Rockefeller.  The South wants the social control, i.e.:  Robertson, Falwell and Bauer.  The West wants the freedom, i.e.:  Goldwater and Reagan.
How they ever formed a political party together is beyond me.   

[sinkspur]

That's because you mistake authoritarianism with conservatism.

The former being moral collectivism with the later being an ideology which embraces individualism, independence, small inobstrusive government and expansive freedom. 

You know... libertarianism.

No, I don't.

Ron Paul style libertarianism would get us killed.  He's too much like his old man.

[musiclady]

IMO, it's impossible for one person to ruin the GOP.

Even one with a hurricane machine.......   

[truth_seeker]

The East wants cheap money, labor and corporatism, i.e.:  Rockefeller.  The South wants the social control, i.e.:  Robertson, Falwell and Bauer.  The West wants the freedom, i.e.:  Goldwater and Reagan.
How they ever formed a political party together is beyond me.   

I often feel there is something to the regional/historic heritage thing.

I am entirely a product of the west. I learned conservatism from Goldwater, Reagan.

Historically westerners were adventurers, risk takers. The yearned for freedom, and abhorred manipulations by authorities, that would control them.

[truth_seeker]

No, I don't.

Ron Paul style libertarianism would get us killed.  He's too much like his old man.

America needs a President who warns openly and honestly, about the expansionist moves of islam.

[olde north church]

I often feel there is something to the regional/historic heritage thing.

I am entirely a product of the west. I learned conservatism from Goldwater, Reagan.

Historically westerners were adventurers, risk takers. The yearned for freedom, and abhorred manipulations by authorities, that would control them.

I am eastern by birth but western in mind.  I abhor the Establishment and what it represents.  Men should not live in fear of chains and pettiness.

[Scottftlc]

I often feel there is something to the regional/historic heritage thing.

I am entirely a product of the west. I learned conservatism from Goldwater, Reagan.

Historically westerners were adventurers, risk takers. The yearned for freedom, and abhorred manipulations by authorities, that would control them.

There is something to regional heritage - in a large country like America, the regions have their own distinct culture, like European nations.

I am also a product of the west and would never, could never, really, be happy living anywhere else.  But along with freedom-loving conservatism we have intensely strong roots in socialist thought dating from the early 20th century.  My parents were Wobblies in Washington in the 1930s.  Joseph Stalin was highly thought of then amongst the very large labor class.  Labor is strong in the west dating from those days, when the industry was based on developing natural resources (logging, fishing, mining) and agriculture.  So while our conservatives tend to be free market freedom lovers that distrust and reject authority, strong majorities in the west overall are an odd conglomeration of economic socialism and social libertarianism

[Luis Gonzalez]

No, I don't.

Ron Paul style libertarianism would get us killed.  He's too much like his old man.

Paulesque libertarianism would get reigned in by GOP big government authoritarianism and bipartisan collectivism.

Not a bad junction in government when not everyone agrees that government is the solution to all that ails us.

When we get in trouble is when all the big government, authoritarian collectivists run unchecked as it has been pretty much the case these past couple of decades.

[Cyber Liberty]

Paulesque libertarianism would get reigned in by GOP big government authoritarianism and bipartisan collectivism.

Not a bad junction in government when not everyone agrees that government is the solution to all that ails us.

When we get in trouble is when all the big government, authoritarian collectivists run unchecked as it has been pretty much the case these past couple of decades.

Yeah, I was pretty pissed when Bush Jr. actually made it worse when he had all of Congress on his side.  Taught me a lot about how stuff works.

(How ya been, Luis?  The Mrs. sez "Howdy!")

[Fishrrman]

truth_seeker wrote above:
[[ I predict that if Cruz of any other social conservative gets the GOP nomination, it will turn out Hillary 55%, Cruz 39% in the general election. ]]

OK, prediction time for me, too!
I predict that if "Cruz or any other social conservative" DOES NOT get the GOP nomination, it will turn out Hillary 53%, the "other Republican" 46%.

[Fishrrman]

truth_seeker wrote above:
[[ America needs a President who warns openly and honestly, about the expansionist moves of islam...]]

And yet, in post #24 directly above, you wrote that if "Cruz or any other social conservative" were to get the nomination, they will lose badly to Hillary.

No "moderate" Republican (I loathe them almost as much as I do "moderate" muslims) is ever going to say that.

Only someone like Mr. Cruz might.
And I don't even expect it out of him...

[Luis Gonzalez]

Yeah, I was pretty pissed when Bush Jr. actually made it worse when he had all of Congress on his side.  Taught me a lot about how stuff works.

(How ya been, Luis?  The Mrs. sez "Howdy!")

Long time no see!

Tell her "hi" right back.

[truth_seeker]

truth_seeker wrote above:
[[ I predict that if Cruz of any other social conservative gets the GOP nomination, it will turn out Hillary 55%, Cruz 39% in the general election. ]]

OK, prediction time for me, too!
I predict that if "Cruz or any other social conservative" DOES NOT get the GOP nomination, it will turn out Hillary 53%, the "other Republican" 46%.

So the "other" (e.g. moderate?) Republican would fare better? Lose by only 7 points?