So where do conservatives go now?

[jerp]

As those of us in the traditionally conservative wing of the Republican Party try to recover from this absolute shellacking, a question arises. It has become apparent that if you are in favor of busting the Washington cartel, limited government, strict Constitutionalism, individual liberty and limits on federal power, you are part of a shrinking minority within this party. (Notice I didn't even mention social issues as I believe that boat has sailed. Politics is downstream of culture, and the culture war is all but lost.) So where do like-minded conservatives go from here?

There has already been some talk within the pundit-sphere that a new party must be formed to field a candidate for future elections. The feeling is "they" took over the Republican party, so let "them" have it. The old entrenched (R) cronies can practice "The Art of the Deal" with the new populist (R) cronies. I understand the sentiment of starting an ideologically pure new party, but that sounds like tilting at windmills, and would be totally ineffective. The alternative is to keep fighting the good fight and try to drag the party back toward our views by winning hearts and minds. However, the last eight years have been the most fertile ground possible to plant those seeds and we actually went backwards. Can traditional conservatism survive? It was practically dead until Barry Goldwater and Wm. F. Buckley resurrected it in the late 50's, then it slumbered again until the Reagan Revolution. Dead for good this time?

[Death from Above]

Dead... and the ideologies that put it in the grave are to entrenched in the minds of future generations.

It will never resurface before the fall of this great nation and that is a shame...

[Shane]

Time will tell. No way to answer that question today. I'm open to all possibilities though. We're obviously not currently welcome in the Republican Party. Both the establishment types as well as the populists reject our views. They both just expect us to shut up, abandon our principles and vote with them. We'll have to wait and see what it looks like next time.

One possibility for down the road, maybe....

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=589667

[Shane]

The short answer to your question for me though:

Fishing!

[jerp]

The short answer to your question for me though:

Fishing!

Great idea! Hard to think about politics while chunking n' winding! I could use some of that....

[Slow&Steady]

I will be moving to the Libertarian party. If my vote is either no longer going to be represented within the Republican party, then why keep throwing it away to elect the lesser of two evils. I have become very disenchanted with the Republican party and the candidates that they continue to put forward.

I agree that the ship has sailed on social issues, but for the sake of argument, lets break some down:

Gay marriage: Who cares? I don't. Libertarians believe that the government should not be in the business of approving of marriage at all. I tend to agree. I can't apply my moral code to people who don't necessarily subscribe to the same beliefs as I do.

Abortion: I would never vote FOR abortion, but the status quo allows it. Given that, I'm willing to let the status quo remain if, in exchange, I see a reduced tax burden, greater individual liberty, and a smaller federal government.

Drugs: People use them anyway, and currently the illicit nature of trade causes a myriad of negative side effects. Should I be able to buy meth at the corner store? No. Have I seen more people wreck their lives (and those of others) on alcohol than marijuana? Yes. I'm okay with legalization on that front.

Guns: Libertarians want people to have the ability to have what they want, end of story.

There are many more, of course, but these seem to be the hot button items.

In the end, opposition to such social issues won't matter if the economy collapses or if we descend into civil unrest. I have two children. It will be very difficult to feed them moral superiority, no matter how long it's cooked. I would rather try for a solution that prioritizes limiting this out of control government and its untenable spending, while simultaneously decreasing taxes. Gay marriage and marijuana do not pose an existential threat to my family. A wrecked economy does. Not to mention, you know, the whole individual liberty thing.

[John Galt]

I think after November, I'm going to be looking hard at the Libertarian Party. Being very conservative, I don't agree with their entire platform but it appears to be more constitutional in nature. That would be closer to my view than what the Republican Party has become.

Or maybe I'll just do a John Galt.


On edit:
Objectivism! That's what we need - an Objectivism Party. Ayn Rand would approve!

[Shinesintx]

I am no longer proud to be called a republican.

[jshouse]

who is john galt?

[John Galt]

who is john galt?

[Artos]

I feel like going to the bar to honest Jerp...fearing the worst but hoping for the best under the circumstances. One thing is for certain in regards to Obama & now trump.

The voting public uses emotion & not logic imo.

[Shane]

I will be moving to the Libertarian party. If my vote is either no longer going to be represented within the Republican party, then why keep throwing it away to elect the lesser of two evils. I have become very disenchanted with the Republican party and the candidates that they continue to put forward.

I agree that the ship has sailed on social issues, but for the sake of argument, lets break some down:

Gay marriage: Who cares? I don't. Libertarians believe that the government should not be in the business of approving of marriage at all. I tend to agree. I can't apply my moral code to people who don't necessarily subscribe to the same beliefs as I do.

Abortion: I would never vote FOR abortion, but the status quo allows it. Given that, I'm willing to let the status quo remain if, in exchange, I see a reduced tax burden, greater individual liberty, and a smaller federal government.

Drugs: People use them anyway, and currently the illicit nature of trade causes a myriad of negative side effects. Should I be able to buy meth at the corner store? No. Have I seen more people wreck their lives (and those of others) on alcohol than marijuana? Yes. I'm okay with legalization on that front.

Guns: Libertarians want people to have the ability to have what they want, end of story.

There are many more, of course, but these seem to be the hot button items.

In the end, opposition to such social issues won't matter if the economy collapses or if we descend into civil unrest. I have two children. It will be very difficult to feed them moral superiority, no matter how long it's cooked. I would rather try for a solution that prioritizes limiting this out of control government and its untenable spending, while simultaneously decreasing taxes. Gay marriage and marijuana do not pose an existential threat to my family. A wrecked economy does. Not to mention, you know, the whole individual liberty thing.

I'm politically flexible (definitely not morally flexible) on just about any social issue other than abortion. I don't want the government involved in much, but protecting the innocent who can't protect themselves is one area where I believe government has a responsibility. If the Libertarian Party can deal with enough government to provide protection for our citizens (military) and to protect the innocent unborn (abortion), I could feel right at home with them. It is looking like there is a better chance of seeing that happen in the Libertarian Party than the chance of getting the Republican Party to that point. The Republican Party is pretty much destroyed now.

[jerp]

I am no longer proud to be called a republican.

I hold some libertarian (small l) values but I cannot throw-in with the Libertarian Party. I have thought about switching my registration to Independent. However the large majority of Independents identify that way because they sometimes vote (R), sometimes vote (D). I can't imagine I would ever vote (D), I just want to get that disgusting (R) off me - like having a bad tattoo removed.

[GarGuy]

The disdain shown to the only constitutionalist in the race by the GOP can only mean Im not a Republican. The spokesperson for the Dems cant distinguish between Dem and socialism so Im certainly not in that camp.

I guess ill just go deer hunting in November just like a lot of other true conservatives will do.

[Slow&Steady]

I'm politically flexible on just about any social issue other than abortion. I don't want the government involved in much, but protecting the innocent who can't protect themselves is one area where I believe government has a responsibility. If the Libertarian Party can deal with enough government to provide protection for our citizens (military) and to protect the innocent unborn (abortion), I could feel right at home with them. It is looking like there is a better chance of seeing that happen in the Libertarian Party than the chance of getting the Republican Party to that point. The Republican Party is pretty much destroyed now.

I agree. I don't like it either. I do believe that all life is sacred. That said, it's not as if the Republicans have made any real ground on that point since Roe v Wade, for all of the political capital they've spent on it. Given that, I'm not too concerned about the Libertarian policy on abortion, given that it's pretty much "leave people alone and let them do what they do". Don't want tax dollars to go to abortion? No issue there, as their platform is pretty much to get the government out of everything, including healthcare.