Priebus: Huckabee a ‘Model’ for GOP

[Pete]

So it's clear - If the Republicans would just become the same as Democrats they would win elections.

Hmmmmm

[Dad]

Most people cannot even define conservative and even thoughtful conservatives have wrestled with the definition over the years. I, personally, like Christopher Buckley's definition. I have to think his father had some influence on this:
"Liberals do things because they think they should, because they think it is the right thing to do in and of itself. Conservatives do things because they work."

The above is not a word for word quote because it is from memory. when conflicted I like to call upon the writings of those who came before and are wiser. One of my favorites is Mickey Edwards, former Rep. congressman from Oklahoma and one of the founders of the Heritage Foundation. I don't believe he will go near the CPAC convention and has kept his distance lately from the Heritage Foundation, even though he is a board member emeritus. One of his articles states something to the effect of "when did religion begin to have anything to do with conservative principles regarding government." Or something to that effect.

[Pete]

Thomas Sowell

'Me Too' Republicans

http://www.creators.com/print/conser...publicans.html

"Many ideas presented as "new" are just rehashes of old ideas that have been tried before — and have failed before. So it is no surprise that the recent "Growth and Opportunity Project" report to the Republican National Committee is a classic example of what previous generations called "Me too" Republicanism.

These are Republicans who think that the key to winning elections is to do more of what the Democrats are doing. In effect, they say "me too" on issues such as immigration, in hopes of gaining more new votes than they lose by betraying their existing supporters.

In the wake of last year's presidential election debacle for the Republicans, the explanation preferred by "moderate" Republicans has been that the GOP has been too narrowly ideological, and needs to reach out to minorities, women and young people, rather than just to conservatives......................."

I always like his articles.

[Razor]

Former Obama 2012 campaign manager Jim Messina pushed back, arguing the importance of background checks.

"Look, 40 percent of all gun sales currently don't go through background checks. The background checks have stopped two million people from getting guns they shouldn't get," Messina said. "But we know there are loopholes all over the place. And Karl, just saying no, which is what the NRA and your party is doing right now, isn't moving us forward."

Lies, damned lies and statistics. Turns out that 40% figure comes from a 1994 telephone survey of a whopping 251 people, and using pretty fuzzy questions that include "do you think" and "probably". The WaPo Factchecker folks directly contacted the original survey authors and asked them to re-analyze the data. After doing so, those numbers have been revised down to 14 - 22%, plus or minus 6% error, and again is based off a phone survey of 251 people that we assume are telling the truth, or are smart enough to answer accurately.

I always wondered exactly how one tracked "off the books" sales, sort of like knowing the number of illegal aliens in the US. "Are you a US citizen?" "Sí, señor."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...55e7_blog.html

[MR2]

Four steps:

Educate, Communicate, Legislate, Nullify.

This is how a minority becomes a majority. We are still at the educate stage. Education is much more than regurgitating bullet points. Education requires developing a deeper understand of the principles.

Once education is achieved, then communication becomes a mass effect. A large minority speaking with the same voice converts the regurgitators who elect real legislators.

[Richard]

FWIW - this is a growing movement out there in America today.

Richard

[Dozer523]

Originally Posted by Dad

"Liberals do things because they think they should, because they think it is the right thing to do in and of itself. Conservatives do things because they work."

I can live with that definition of a Liberal.

Originally Posted by Razor

Lies, damned lies and statistics.

As for the meaning of 2 Pinocchios, not quite as bad as it might sound if you know the rating scheme -- definitely isn't four. (Don't forget what the Blue Fairy whispered, "ohhhh Pinocchio . . . Tell me ANOTHER lie. OH YES!")
here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...FBYO_blog.html

This quote from the article Razor cites: "In other words, rather than being 30 to 40 percent (the original estimate of the range) or “up to 40 percent” (Obama’s words), gun purchases without background checks amounted to 14 to 22 percent. . . . plus or minus six percentage points.

That is still a significant number of unchecked purchases.

Continuing from the quote: Moreover, as we noted before, the survey was taken in late 1994, eight months after the Brady law went into effect, and the questions were asked about gun purchases in the previous two years. So some of the answers concerned gun purchases that took place in a pre-Brady environment.

I'd say this warrants a new study

And finally: Ludwig noted that “if you look at where gun criminals obtained their guns (as indicated from surveys of people in prison or arrestees detained in jail), people have typically found that 80-90 percent of that population get their guns in the secondary market.”

That there is a secondary market that serves such a high number (damn percentages/stats) of people who we agree should be denied access to guns is a problem. I'm pretty sure we can agree on that.

[Dad]

Originally Posted by Richard

FWIW - this is a growing movement out there in America today.

Richard

There has always been a lot more gay Republicans than most are aware of.
They referred to themselves as Log Cabin Republicans. Barry Goldwater was supportive of them. Many left the party during the Bush II years because they were made to feel very uncomfortable. And then of course we have Larry Craig, a couple of southern governors and uncounted more