Christian

The right has lost its way and a lot of people are starting to recognize this.  Books are being written (The Death of Conservatism, Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement that Shattered the Party, etc.)  Here are my thougths on what is wrong and what needs to be done about it.

Discredit those who are not helpful

Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, etc. have said a lot of downright crazy and dumb things (people with AIDS should be quarantined, etc.)  and are far too tied to Christianity.  They should be called out for that and pushed to the side so that true leaders on the right can rise to the top and give the right a real chance at regaining credibility and the minds of those who are undecided or in the center.  Those who espose hate, and anger should also be discredited and pushed to the side (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, etc.).  It is long past time for Conservative talk radio to become more academic, constructive, and hopeful sounding, and cater to the best in us (love, hope, unity, civics, etc.), rather than the worst (fear, anger, race, etc.).

Stop catering to the Christian right

Christianity has nothing to do with conservative ideas and theory on money, foreign policy, etc.  There is also supposed to be a strong seperation of church and state.  Our country was formed partially for freedom of religion, and if our government is run by someone who wants to impose their religion through laws and perspective, then we lose that.  In addition, America is not a Christian nation; though nearly 80% are Christian, there is still another 20% that are not.

Stop simply opposing every idea President Obama has and propose alternative solutions

The right has really been a thorn in our Presidents side instead of working with him to solve the problems in America.  The way to gain credibility and get some conservative ideas into law is to honestly work with the left to create good policy, and also proactively propose laws to solve some of our problems before the left takes up the problem.

Stop supporting causes that have nothing to do with Conservative ideology

The right should disassociate itself with such issues as abortion, and other things that are outside of the ideas of conservatism.  Abortion is an issue thats argument against it is primarily based in religion.  The same applies to marriage equality for gays; the argument against it can only be made from a religious standpoint.  Because of this, and because no party should be tied to any religion, just as our government should not be tied to any religion, the right as a whole and Republicans as a party should disassociate theirselves with abortion and start supporting equal rights for gays.  These two issues alone keep some of those in the center and on the left from ever supporting a Republican candidate.  It might cause a lot of those on the Christian right to be upset, but then they can choose the party that best conforms to what their idea of government should do on all other issues, or form a new 3rd party that is tightly tied to Christianity.

Stop being inconsistent

Right now many on the right are opposing government run health care on the idea that even though it may save a lot of lives, it isn't proper for the government or taxpayers to help others.  Yet, many of those same people are in support of the war in Iraq to give people in another country freedom and save their lives.  Why should we spend taxpayer dollars to police the world yet not spend taxpayer dollars to save those within our own borders?  Either we shouldn't spend money to help others, or we should and if we should then we should definitely want to help those within our own borders before those who are not within our borders.

Stop being hawks

The right has become a group of hawks and this is contrary to conservative ideas on foreign policy.  Conservative ideas on foreign policy are as spelled out by the Cato Institute:

Cato's foreign policy vision is guided by the idea of our national defense and security strategy being appropriate for a constitutional republic, not an empire. Cato's foreign policy scholars question the presumption that an interventionist foreign policy enhances the security of Americans in the post-Cold War world, and maintain instead that interventionism has consequences, including the formation of countervailing alliances, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and even terrorism. The use of U.S. military force should be limited to those occasions when the territorial integrity, national sovereignty, or liberty of the United States is at risk.

Conservatives need to re-embrace those ideas.  They are the ideas that our nations founders had in mind, and they are the ideas that are the most ethical and that might also allow some on the left to consider the rest of our ideas.

Have a well thought out income tax policy

There either should not be an income tax as Libertarians would like, or there should be an income tax that works to support Conservative values.  A tax that is progressive helps strengthen families at the lower incomes and therefore helps literacy rates, etc. which helps to preserve conservative values of strong families, an educated populace, etc.  Right now the government has taken on far too much responsibility and therefore spends too much and our national debt is growing because of it.  It is time to start cutting back on spending, but at the same time increasing revenue and the only realistic way to increase revenue is through a progressive income tax because those in the middle and lower class cannot support any higher tax burden.

Start supporting alternative energy and embrace that global warming is real and might be caused by us

The science is in, global warming is real and it is probably caused by our actions (and can we afford to gamble that it is not?).  Most of the oil that is easily available is in countries with citizens that do not like us.  Because of these two things, it is long past time to start looking into energy sources that do not emit CO2, and that do not require us to work with countries that are not friendly to us.

Stop catering to Israel

We give far too much money and support to Israel and it hurts our credibilty around the world and doesn't help to reduce the hatred towards us in the Muslim world.  It is time to treat Israel as we would any other country that is a friend and ally of ours.  We should work with them, and be friends with them, but we should point out when they are doing something that works against peace in the middle east and use our monetary aid as a tool to help control their actions rather than blindly supporting them at all times.

Start rethinking drug policy

The war on drugs does not work, and will never work so long as it is punitive rather than based in medicine.  It only makes organized crime stronger, and leads to a larger role of government and often leads to violations of our constitutional rights.  The punitive war on drugs was originally based on racism, and is now based in morality that is derived from religion.  For these reasons, it is time for the federal government to take a non punitive role and start considering policy that would put organized crime out of business, make drug use safer and less damaging to society, and help those who are ready to reform their lives through cessation of drug abuse.

On this night, whether to the left or to the right,

Politics disappears and there is no fight.

Christmas Eve is here, and Santa is near,

So be not grumpy, just be a dear.

Celebrate Christmas, with all its cheer.

With Christmas Eve upon us we take the time to put aside our differences and forget the overburdening taxation, intrusive policies and misguided direction of Democrats.

In the spirit of the holiday and the goodwill it brings, we wish all who celebrate the birth of Christ a merry Christmas and to those who don't, we extend respectful wishes of comfort and joy for you and yours.

And remember.......... For the next day, the letter "R" stands for reindeer, not Republican!

1.  In order to get votes should the GOP allow the bashing of Judea-Christian Red, Yellow, Black and White Men and Women Conservative non church going and church going: Bible Readers, Bible Believing, Bible Carrying, Gun Owning, Game Hunter, Beer Drinking, Soda Drinking, High Class, Low Class, Middle Class, Rich, Poor and Always Helping Others, Loving Country, and Giving Thanks to GOD, American Patriots? 

2.  There are Two Forces at work in the world; Should our GOP leaders have us follow the GOD of Israel, or, the Slick and Cunning Followers and their leader Lucifer?

3.  Good vs Evil.  Evil people will do good in order to deceive people into believing a lie.  Good people always do good but sometimes some of them will believe a lie.  Sometimes good people do bad after being deceived and believing a lie.  Just remember that good people are never evil they are only deceived.

Our Declaration of Independence, our Judea-Christian America Is Still Travailing.  Red, Yellow, Black and White We Are Precious Patriots in His Sight, Jesus Loves the Children of the World.

David Brody reports Phil Burress, an evangelical conservative leader, has come aboard to help Sen. McCain win in November. Here's a portion of a memo he sent to other Christian conservative activists:

Yesterday, though, I saw and listened to a man who likewise is principled. John McCain, unlike most politicians, will not be bullied, threatened, paid off or pressured into changing his position. That was refreshing. I was once one of those people who said "no way" to Senator John McCain as President. No longer. The stakes are too high. And if Obama wins I need to able to get up on November 5th, look at myself in the mirror, and when I pray, say, "Lord, I did all that I could."

Notice that it's more about stopping Sen. Obama then being for McCain. However, also notice how McCain's biography and his reputation as a maverick helped him. Burress sees him as "principled," tough, and firm in his convictions. McCain's stubbornness on issues that infuriate many conservatives may be the very quality that ends up bringing them out to volunteer and vote for him. Being true to himself will be a strength for McCain and a good contrast to Obama who is a blank slate with a thin resume tacking to the center for political expediency. Early in the primary season Obama mesmerized millions with his perceived authenticity. Despite all the teeth-nashing conservatives like me will give him, McCain has a chance of winning the authenticity battle. [Cross-posted to The American Mind.]

"Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports...,And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion.--Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure--reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle." -George Washington

Not only should the Military and Religious speakers be allowed access to public schools . . . it is a legally protected right.

There is a part of me that would like to cut California loose and let it float on over to France where it belongs. That however, would be giving up on the hundreds of thousands of sane good American citizens living there that see through the horrid liberal agenda.

The Supreme Court ruled in 1969 that student expression against the Vietnam War could not be quashed in public schools. The ruling stated that neither "students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate."

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Sheridan Folger