CNN Poll: Republican Voters set to Cast Aside Core Values for "electability"

by the Left Coast Rebel

This is pretty disheartening for a Tea Party, libertarian kinda guy to read:

Washington (CNN) - Given the choice between a candidate who agrees with them on the issues or a candidate who can defeat President Barack Obama in 2012, a new national poll indicates Republicans overwhelming want a winner.

According to CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Tuesday, nearly seven out of ten Republicans say they would prefer a GOP presidential nominee who can top Obama in the next election, with 29 percent saying a nominee who agrees with them on every issue that matters the most is more important.

Am I missing something here? It sure seems like GOP voters are already caving on issues that need to be addressed and solved in order to save this nation from ruin. Some analysis:
  • It doesn't have to be this way. Republicans don't have to jettison core values such as a defined belief and subsequent definable set of actions that the Federal government is far too large, intrusive and anathema to what this nation should stand for in favor of ''electability". In fact, an "electable" candidate that mirrors the poor showing of Bob Dole and John McCain (statist, progressive Republicans) actually will most-likely fail to garner the support of independents, conservatives, libertarians and tea partiers, therefore not win in the general election anyway.
  • An "electable" Republican candidate that mirrors the big-government philosophy of George W. Bush or many of the establishment Republican leaders will not have the guts and gravitas to scale back the Leviathan. Replacing Obama with a big-government Republican may slow down the trajectory but nevertheless will keep the nation on it's path to bankruptcy. On another note, I can't believe how poor the GOP 2012 field actually is, at this point.
  • If you don't stand for anything, you don't deserve to win. Republicans need to take a cue from Dear Leader Obama. Through thick and thin, Obama has never lost sight of his statist vision for the United States and held true to this ideology. We need a limited government fighter that will do the same.
Tea party activists have a lot of work ahead of them!

Comments

  1. Well, this is always the case. The fact of the matter is that "core conservative values" are really only held by about a fifth of the population, just as could be said of "core liberal values." The three-fifths or so in the middle hold a wide variety of political views, a sort of odd mish-mash of different opinions and values.

    You can't win the presidency as a hard-core conservative. I mean, I suppose the right candidate could, but it would be very difficult. Even Reagan, that mythlogical icon of the right, was not all that conservative. And Obama, the "liberal" bogeyman of the right, was never all that liberal. I'm a liberal, and Obama was certainly not my first choice. He was just more electable then the others. Once he was nominated, I worked for his campaign. Not grudgingly, but because he was a far better choice than the Old Man and the Lunatic.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tim - A brilliant analysis!

    For those of us who understand what independent conservatism and or libertarian values really mean you hit the nail on it's proverbial head!

    Principles, values, and valid concepts matter. As do valid ethical premises.

    Spot on brother, keep the razor sharp analyss and commentary coming.

    ReplyDelete
  3. JMJ - What is it you fail to understand? A true independent conservative and libertarian {like my dear friend Tim of the Left Coast Rebel}actually advocate is true classical liberalism.

    That, JMJ, does not even register with the "modern statist" liberals.

    So go drink some latte, and consider your intellectual foundations.

    ReplyDelete
  4. JMJ - I disagree. As reported by Gallup today, almost 3/4 of Americans do not agree with the size, scope and power of the federal government today - http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/nearly-7-out-10-americans-say-they-re-di

    One out of every five Americans may be libertarian but the number is MUCH higher for Americans that identify as conservative, it is nearly DOUBLE that of identified "liberals", ie. statists and progressives.

    As a "liberal" I have a question for you: what is the maximum percentage that ANY individual in the United States should pay in taxes, federal, state and local combined? I want a one-sentence answer and then an explanation, let's hear it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Les, I wasn't addressing libertarians and I'm not sure what you mean by "independent conservative."

    I'll tell you this - a libertarian will never win any time in the foreseeable future.

    Rebel,

    I don't think any arbitrary percentage should be applied to taxation.

    Personally, I think we had it much closer to right back in the 50's.

    As for "core conservative values," you are conveniently neglecting a lot of tenets. The American people are of course uncomfortable with the ridiculous growth of debt over the past thirty years. So am I. So is everyone I know. But there's a lot more to conservatism than that, and you know it. Like I told Les, I'm not talking about libertarianism here at all. The sphere's of libertarian and conservative thought just slightly more overlap than the spheres of liberalism and libertarianism.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  6. "The American people are of course uncomfortable with the ridiculous growth of debt over the past thirty years."

    "But there's a lot more to conservatism than that, and you know it."

    Yes we do JMJ, and WE KNOW A S*IT LOAD more than you "modern day" liberals {who would no doubt are an embarrassment to Classical Liberalism} will quite frankly ever know.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Les, why the constant ad homs? Wouldn't you prefer a good debate? Are you so insecure in your positions that you simply refuse to actually argue them with an oppostion?

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jersey McJones,

    You said:
    Les, I wasn't addressing libertarians and I'm not sure what you mean by "independent conservative."

    Then why don't you read "A Conservative Manifesto", written by the founder of this blog, located conveniently at the top of the page under tab that says, A CONSERVATIVE MANIFESTO.

    Read that and then you will know what an "independent conservative" is.

    ReplyDelete
  9. That "electability" will be the very thing that keeps their style of candidate from being elected. If A Republican looks TOO much like a Democrat, why should EITHER side vote for him?

    ReplyDelete
  10. "Independent conservative" means to most people unaffiliated conservative voters.

    This sites particular "conservative manifesto" is more like good ol' fashioned conservative libertarianism.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  11. Gorges makes the point perfectly. If a partisan seems like the opposition partisan-lite, they will usually lose to an incumbant. If a partisan seems to radical, they too will lose. For the GOP to win the presidency they need a mainstream partisan who seems different enough to make make a difference, so to speak. It's a fine balancing act.

    JMJ

    ReplyDelete
  12. JMJ - With all due respect, whatever that may mean to you.....

    Bite my proverbial a** you ignorant a**ho*e.

    In the interest of honesty and full disclosure, something I am now convinced you are clueless of, all future comments of yours will be summarily deleted.

    So please go home and do whatever ignorant fools pretending to be serious liberals do for their pastime.

    I have, following many observations been left with the only conclusion I can make.... You are a troll and therefore no longer worthy of my, or my readerships valuable time.

    You are nothing more than a highly educated fool.

    Wisdom is something that has quite obviously left you behind. Until such time as you find a bit of wisdom you are no longer welcome here.

    Intelligence is one thing, KNOWING HOW TO USE IT IS ANOTHER. You obviously have the former but are without doubt lacking in the latter.

    Now go home sweetie, and please do not return until such tie as you have grown up.

    ReplyDelete

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