In 1994 the conservative movement gained tremendous momentum and retook the majority in the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years. Led by congressman Newt Gingrich, the conservatives released a document titled “Contract with America”. The contract was revolutionary in its commitment to offering specific legislation for a vote, describing in detail the precise plan of the Congressional Representatives. Furthermore, its provisions represented the view of many conservative Republicans on the issues of shrinking the size of government, promoting lower taxes, greater entrepreneurial activity, welfare and balancing the federal budget. Republicans thus were able to retake the House and the contract was seen as a major triumph for the American conservative movement. So much could have been accomplished (somethings were), but of course Clinton vetoed most of what was put forth by the Republicans and we were not strong enough, at that time, to override an executive veto.
A couple years later Newt Gingrich was out and the Republicans took the reigns in congress and set aside true conservatism. The federal government expanded at an alarming rate. Barry Goldwater warned us back in the early 1990's that the Republican party was moving away from conservatism. One faction trying hard to appease the Democrats. The other faction moving for pushing Judeo-Christian principles into government and trying to break the separation of church and state. This is a lesson we can learn from and not make this mistake again. So much could have been done and the Republicans destroyed the chance we had.
Flash forward to 2008. The Democrats have re-taken both houses of congress and now we have a socialist who will be president. We have moved farther left then any other time in our history (even more so then in the reign of FDR). The conservative movement has stalled and needs to revitalize it's energies for the fight before us, but who will lead the way?
Now it is time to rebuild and get our agenda straight. Conservatives need a new agenda to be brought out nationwide for the 2010 congressional elections. We should start now coming up with the ideas that need to be put forth for this next coming election. The question being how best to organize and move forward? I believe we need a strong grassroots network with a set agenda we can use in our battle and the leaders that care about conservatism and not more Washington insiders. This will probably be a long fight and we need some real change. Many (not all) Republicans in congress have appeased the Democrats and moved away from our conservative beliefs. We need to rally behind the conservatives left and look for new leaders for the future.
Give me your feedback and let's come up with our agenda for 2010.
We need leaders!
Terry
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2 comments:
Where have all the conservatives gone? Perhaps the question is did they ever show up in Washington?
From 1994-2006, Republicans controlled Congress. From 2000-2006, they controlled the White House and Congress. From 2006-2008, Republicans controlled only the White House.
During this period of time, the deficit soared, the size of government increased, government outsourcing and privatization became a code word for pork barrel spending, the budget was never balanced, a $750 billion bailout of Wall Street was passed and a Wilsonian foreign policy left us with a war in Iraq.
Combined with a theocratic view of personal liberty and a fusing of church and state on questions dealing with science and technology, these “conservatives” have given us nothing but big government. They are imposters not conservatives and they do not care about rank and file middle class conservatives like you and me. They care only about business interests.
Freedom is a code word for freedom for corporate America. Religious values are a code word for imposing a statist social agenda.
“Conservatives” in Washington are lying to you when they say they stand for limited government, individual liberty, and social values as they talk the talk but do not walk the walk. They are funded and bought off by corporate interests and they do not care one whit about you and me.
Conservatives need to develop a new dynamic agenda with new messengers. It should be an agenda of optimism and we should advocate limited government, reform and accountability, individual liberty and responsibility and free markets.
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