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Home Front: Politix
Lindsey Graham warns GOP against going too far right
2009-11-05
The morning after Republicans lost an upstate New York House seat, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned that conservative activists will bring destruction to the Republican Party if they drive out moderate candidates across the country.

"To those people who are pursuing purity, you'll become a club not a party," Graham told POLITICO in the Capitol Wednesday. "Those people who are trying to embrace conservatism in a thoughtful way that fits the region and the state and the district are going to do well. Conservativism is an asset. Blind ideology is not."

Graham, who has sparred with his party's right wing on issues ranging from climate change to Guantanamo Bay to Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court nomination, warned that those concerned about the state of the GOP should help find candidates who are electable -- not ones who adhere to a particular type of ideology. And he said that both the GOP nominee, Dede Scozzafava and the conservative party candidate Doug Hoffman were both out of the mainstream of the upstate New York district -- which lead to the victory of Democrat Bill Owens Tuesday night.

"If your goal is to make everybody just like you in terms of ideology, that's a self-centered approach to politics," Graham said.

Graham took issue with conservatives taking aim at Rep. Mike Castle (D-Del.), a moderate seeking Joe Biden's old Senate seat next year, as well as conservatives looking to take out former businesswoman Carly Fiorina, the choice of Washington Republicans to challenge Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) in next year's election.

Graham's South Carolina colleague, Jim DeMint, backed Chuck DeVore, a conservative California state assemblyman who is running against Fiorina.

"I understand why he's attracted to the agenda of the candidate -- I wish he would sit down and talk to Carly," Graham said. "Carly is a good person -- she's a solid candidate. We're lucky to have her running.

"But that's Jim's decision -- I'm totally for Carly. I know her, I know she's pro-life, good on taxes, she's going to be a good solid -- she'll fit California well and be of assistance to mainstream conservativism."
Posted by:Fred

#19  Well said 'moose. I'm a little r repub or a big C conservative and a bigger F federalist....and an overwhelming C for Constitutionalist. It's time for a re-founding.
Posted by: Broadhead6   2009-11-05 21:02  

#18  SC politics is hard to understand. We even re-elected a 100 yo dead guy. (Strom Thurmond)
Posted by: SR-71   2009-11-05 20:54  

#17  I never thought of the choices in SC as being as constrained as those in SF. I just don't understand it.
Posted by: Zebulon Grimble1793   2009-11-05 13:24  

#16  See... "saying: when your choices are Stalin, Mao, and Trotsky, you pick Trotsky." above.

Posted by: Besoeker    2009-11-05 13:16  

#15  How does a milquetoast, libtard trimmer like Grahamnesty get re-elected from a place like South Carolina?
Posted by: Zebulon Grimble1793   2009-11-05 13:04  

#14  Conservatism is what was. Federalism is the future.

My two-cents worth:

While I'm certainly more of a federalist than a conservative (whatever that word means), I don't think the two are exclusive. Conservatism as a whole implies federalism, as a federation is the best guarantor of limited government: one of the key ideas behind American (as opposed to European) conservatism. (OK, Con-federation is a better guarantor, but that word has been tainted within the context of our culture.)

I should also point out the importance of the three legged stool of the Reagan coalition, which extended beyond the confines of the Republican Party to include independents, conservative Democrats, libertarians, and what have you: fiscal conservatism, social conservatism, and an aggressive, hawkish foreign policy. The supporters of all three philosophies are necessary to forge a coalition large enough to take and hold power within our democratic system.

For example, while I'm definitely an economic and foreign policy conservative, I don't have a huge problem with gay marriage, am not particularly religious, and think that drug laws are idiotic. I'm also pro-life and hate gun control with a burning, white hot passion. Shall I spend all of my time worrying about what church Sarah P. or Bobby J. goes to? Of course not. 2.5 out of 3 not only ain't bad, it's pretty damn excellent within the confines of realpolitik.

What Graham is missing about the NY-23 election is that while 2.5 out of 3 may be great, .5 of out 3 totally sucks! It's like voting in California. When I lived in San Francisco and had to make hard, hard choices when voting, we SF Republicans had a saying: when your choices are Stalin, Mao, and Trotsky, you pick Trotsky.



Posted by: Secret Master   2009-11-05 12:24  

#13  "If your goal is to make everybody just like you in terms of ideology, that's a self-centered approach to politics," Graham said.

Currently ALL politicians are self-centered. It is written in stone in their "job" description.
Posted by: WolfDog   2009-11-05 12:11  

#12  Graham is feeling the heat.
Posted by: DoDo   2009-11-05 11:50  

#11  Graham is a pansy.

He sells his principles, if he had any, for popularity and power. He is a disgusting political herd animal. As far as representative animals go, Graham is not a Rhino, but a stupid cow.
Posted by: M Defarge   2009-11-05 11:31  

#10  Often Compromise is good as a tactic but not as a strategy.

Well said, Angleton9! Very well said. In other words, be true to your core values.
Posted by: Alaska Paul back from Tok, AK   2009-11-05 11:22  

#9  Ironically enough, the truly new conservatives can be of both parties, and are reaching far beyond traditional conservatism: they are becoming federalists.

Look at the big left-right issues at the federal level today, and they all get markedly shifted by the glare of federalism.

Abortion? State issue, NOT federal issue.

Marijuana? State issue, NOT federal issue.

Guns? State issue, WITH 2nd Amendment restrictions on State controls.

Federal Balanced Budget? If the States have to intervene to bring this about, they will, as the feds have ZERO self control.

Federal land takings? The States want their lands back.

National borders? Federal government controls the borders, so control the borders already.

Foreign wars? Congress declares war, or it had better in future. Strict limits on foreign deployments.

National debt, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid? No way can these continue to exist, they must be renounced. They were promises made that couldn't be kept.

Repealing the 16th and 17th Amendments, reinforcing the 10th Amendment. Deleting the unconstitutional parts of the federal government. Massive civil and criminal legal reform. Tight restrictions on the powers of federal judges.

Conservatism is what was. Federalism is the future.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2009-11-05 10:32  

#8  I will never, ever vote for a creationist (Palin, Pawlenty, Jindal, etc) for President.

Given that Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species wasn't published till 1859, I would extrapolate you'd never vote for Washington, Madison, or Lincoln.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-11-05 09:39  

#7  Stuff it, Goober.
Posted by: Black Bart Ebberens7700   2009-11-05 09:35  

#6  Well said Angleton.
Posted by: Besoeker    2009-11-05 08:59  

#5  Cheang, I think you come under the heading of "The lady doth protest too much."

Exactly where is government trying to sell religious views (aside from environmentalism and Obama worship)?

Please stay at home. You sound like an anti-Christian bigot of the first order.
Posted by: AlanC   2009-11-05 08:58  

#4  Values are something that define the man and Politics IS Values.

GOP Values, Conservative values are different from Doink or RHINO Values.

Rhino Values are political expediency values. That's it in a nutshell. Politicians ,by their very nature ,are COMPROMISERS. Rhinos are compromisers.

Often Compromise is good as a tactic but not as a strategy.

In the long run you can never afford to compromise your Values. A Rhino will do that. A Rhino will compromise his values. You cant allow then to lead, they WILL compromise GOP Values. Its their nature.

DOinks do that. Doinks do rub rump and say its Gay pride and wear Chaps with no bottoms in the parade with feather Boas. Doinks do Hollywood.
Obama is a Doink. Geraldo is a Doink. Pelosi is a Doink.

Rhinos say we have to get along with the Doinks. We have to listen to the Doinks, right?

The VALUES of the Doinks are spend other people's money, shove it down your throat if you dont like it, spit on a soldier, and rub your rump.

Am I lying to you? WHAT ARE YOUR VALUES? WHY do you have those Values? Do you WANT to compromise your Values?

THAT choice is WHO YOU ARE!
Posted by: Angleton9   2009-11-05 08:56  

#3  Well Cheang, you've certainly got one thing right in your rant....."Abortion is MURDER."
Posted by: Besoeker    2009-11-05 08:44  

#2  What is a 'Conservative' these days? The aspect of conservatism I care about is the fiscal part. All these idiot religious whackos who want to shove their creationism and their bigotry down our throats are retards. I will never, ever vote for a creationist (Palin, Pawlenty, Jindal, etc) for President. Someone who is stupid enough to reject all Reason is too stupid to be President. The government has no business peddling idiotic views of Christian fundamentalists any more than they should be pushing Islamic fundamentalism. Abortion is murder. I could care less if gay people get married, because, you know what? It has no bearing on me or my family. My Faith doesn't depend on what other people think, say or do. Graham is right. And if the religious fundies take over the GOP, then I'll just stay at home or vote for whoever I think is the least likely to screw up the economy anymore.
Posted by: Cheang Peacock3599   2009-11-05 08:40  

#1  ...if they drive out moderate candidates across the country.

A Donk is a Donk is a Donk. You can pin a Trunk label on it, but its still a Donk. A one party system is the ultimate Big Tent.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-11-05 07:06  

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