……

And the Republicans need to go back to their real base. The base that has BOTH social and fiscal conservatism. When they stayed with that base, small as it was, they pulled in the social conservative one-issue (anti-abortion) voters that were more fiscally liberal. AND they pulled in the libertarian contingent, those who were fiscally conservative and socially liberal.

They lost mmost of the libertarians and many of the true conservative base stayed home. Who wants to vote for someone who just campaigned for a $700 billion bailout?

Those of us on the libertarian side who did vote for McCain held noses as we did so. And we did so ONLY because of the war on terrorists. That’s not enough to win elections anymore. Obama didn’t really win because he was ‘the better man’. He won because a lot of us have no party to vote for anymore.

“Let’s grow up, conservatives. If we want to take this party back — and I think we can — let’s get to work.”

Barry Goldwater at the 1960 GOP convention

Words worth heeding today. Starting NOW, let’s get to work on the 2010 midterm elections.

Food for thought from Victor Davis Hanson:
LINK

OK, I have my own biases. I just found out yesterday that I’ve been “downsized.” I’m not going to sour-grape the thing; it happens, and I have known for quite some time that this would be coming down the pipe. I just didn’t know when. So here it is.

That being said, I have to admit that although I won’t be here anymore, I do wonder if the company — or any company — will be able to survive the next few years. I think overall that we’ve probably, as a country, elected ourselves right out of our jobs.

My predictions until the next election?
1. The Obama Administration will tax the living crap out of corporations in its quest to “redistribute the wealth” and instead of creating the jobs it promised, will drive labor offshore and overseas because it’s too damned expensive to operate here.
2. The whole Joe Biden “he will be tested” thing makes me nervous. I foresee (in the crystal ball I have on my desk) Israel taking ball in hand about Iran and glassing it. This will spark serious problems in the Middle East; if we thought it was bad now, we ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.
3. As a result of #2 above, I see the Obama pulling lock, stock and barrel out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Ultimately this will bring the war back to our turf.

I really hope the guy wasn’t set up to fail. I really do. And God help us all if the “assassination” nutties’ wet dreams come true and we end up with Joe Biden in office.

(*sigh*) Bread and circuses,
– karma

It makes sense that you’re upset, it makes sense that you’re angry. I always found that it helped me to separate myself from the candidate I voted for… I would not have made the same mistakes, I would not have let my opponent get away with that crap, this is NOT a referendum on me, but on a badly run campaign (or on a poorly managed party).

Eventually I’m also hoping for two things from the republican party:

1) That the RNC grows from this experience and becomes stronger. I don’t like the idea of a 2-party only system, but it’s what we got. A strong political system requires that the powerholders are kept in check, and that requires the return of a strong RNC.

2) I’m hoping that Obama offers an olive branch, and that republicans are willing to take it… or at least work with him to bring legislation back to the center. RNC must oppose, but it also must create. Without the help of the RNC, this administration can never be truly successful.

Otherwise, good luck in your time of healing.

While Democrats get to cheer and gloat over their victories and the historic win of President-elect Barack Obama, the Republican party has to begin some serious and thoughtful soul-searching….

Even though I’m happy that the greatest nation in the world has shown, once again, why it is great (shut up Europe; you elect a black person as “the boss” of your country), Obama has to show “testicular fortitude” in dealing with our enemies and earning the Right’s support (as he mentioned). He can’t afford to have people like you, Sister Toldjah, to just turn your back on him. Not at this time. So if he wants to talk to Iran, without preconditions, he better have a big freakin’ stick with a rusty nail in it, hidden in his trench coat, ready to use. He wants to earn the respect of you guys, he has to do something that earns it. Heck with talking… DO!

He has work to do. Alot of work.