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Are Social Conservatives Destroying the Republican Image?

S

ScottyB

Diamond Member
As a liberal, I have a strong dislike of conservatives of any flavor. I believe that they are wrong on every issue, and their ideals are fundamentally wrong for America and the World.

However, there has always been a certain segment of Republicans I can respectfully disagree with: the fiscal conservative. I may not agree with their views, but I can tolerate the difference of opinion and have an enlightened discussion with them. These same people now seem to be switching to a Libertarian platform, although many remain within the Republican fold.

But there is a segment of the population which I cannot respect. These are the social conservatives. Their main goal seems to be the destruction of those who do not believe in their god. These are the people that yell "terrorist" at McCain rallies. These are the people that actively discriminate against gays. These are the people that attack abortion doctors and young woman. They are the people I cannot and will not respect.

While the social conservative and the fiscal conservative have been joined at the hip for years, it seems the two groups are splitting. Some of the fiscal conservatives that are not filled with hate are distancing themselves from the social conservative while others use them for political gain. But I do not think the two groups will last for long.

Social conservatives are not interested in the fiscal disciplines of traditional Republicans. They are interested in hate mongering at its worst. They are interested in destroying those that disagree with their views. They are interested in turning American into a Christian Totalitarian government with no regard for the beliefs of others.

The Republican Image cannot sustain the schism that is happening within the Republican party or within the nation as a whole. The current economic crises seems to be drawing more and more Americans to their core values. Those that care about the world, the economy, and the aspects that affect everyone are trending away from social conservatism. Those that only care about their religion are bringing out their hatred in full force.

What I wonder is when the split will occur. And I do believe it will happen sometime soon.

Your thoughts?
 
I'm on a similar page. I think the fiscal conservatives would go libertarian but they know that a libertarian party would die now, so the republican party would have no chance and so presumably some stick with republicans not because they want to push their sh*t on everybody else, but inspite of it; they prefer its message.

However, we both need to remember that there is nothing fiscally conservative about the republican party. I'd like to see a separate third party that could steal votes from both the democraps and the repuglicans.
 
I hope the split happens, I would love there to be a fiscally conservative party that didn't give a rat's ass about 'moral' issues.
 
Yes, social conservatives are for the most part religious nut jobs. They are the soul reason I became less active in the Republican party.
 
I much prefer the lefts socialism when it comes to my views of extremists on both sides. That has proven to be much more benign in nature over the last 150 years.

Perhaps if the OP understand social conservatives of today were social liberals 40-60 years ago he wouldnt be so pissed off at the world. In 40 years he may be a social dinosaur as well. Will he look in the mirror and hate himself then?
 
I don't like social conservatives either. You'd think that the GOP would divest themselves of such people too, considering how much Republicans dislike the notion of people telling them how to live. But alas, the wedge issue retards get them elected and re-elected over and over, so they must have learned to tolerate it.

:laugh:
 
Originally posted by: Skoorb
I'm on a similar page. I think the fiscal conservatives would go libertarian but they know that a libertarian party would die now, so the republican party would have no chance and so presumably some stick with republicans not because they want to push their sh*t on everybody else, but inspite of it; they prefer its message.

However, we both need to remember that there is nothing fiscally conservative about the republican party. I'd like to see a separate third party that could steal votes from both the democraps and the repuglicans.
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I think it's already started to form under "blue dog democrats" that were so strong in the last congressional elections. A "pragmatic party" would spank both parties, if it ever got some good leaders and funding.

 
Yes. What's left of it, that is.

OP, don't completely discount the base conservative values of self-reliance, personal responsibility, and small government. That said, today's Republican party is the EXACT opposite of those base values, and serves only as a giant-government extension of cronyism and corporate/top 5% knob-slobbing jingoistic bullshit.
 
Originally posted by: ScottyB
I have a strong dislike of conservatives of any flavor.
I believe that they are wrong on every issue,
Their ideals are fundamentally wrong for America and the World.
They are the people I cannot and will not respect.

Your thoughts?
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My thoughts are you are worse than any conservatives you mention in your post. You, being a liberal, as much as you liberals tout being "open minded" you seem very close minded.

I'd rather have the Christian Totalitarian government over what you represent. BTW, our government is more pro Jewish than pro Christian.
 
The GOP right now is basically what the Left was 4 years ago: a trainwreck. Little commonality among its members, no real direction, and a base that only tolerates each other because they have a common foe.

George Bush successfully rallied the Left; let's see if Obama can't rally the right. In the end, hopefully we'll get a smaller government.
 
Originally posted by: jbourne77
The GOP right now is basically what the Left was 4 years ago: a trainwreck. Little commonality among its members, no real direction, and a base that only tolerates each other because they have a common foe.

George Bush successfully rallied the Left; let's see if Obama can't rally the right. In the end, hopefully we'll get a smaller government.
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Heh your last sentence is a msg of hope you cant believe in.
 
Originally posted by: Genx87
Originally posted by: jbourne77
The GOP right now is basically what the Left was 4 years ago: a trainwreck. Little commonality among its members, no real direction, and a base that only tolerates each other because they have a common foe.

George Bush successfully rallied the Left; let's see if Obama can't rally the right. In the end, hopefully we'll get a smaller government.
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Heh your last sentence is a msg of hope you cant believe in.
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haha, I agree 🙁

 
Originally posted by: MagicConch
Originally posted by: midway
I hope the split happens, I would love there to be a fiscally conservative party that didn't give a rat's ass about 'moral' issues.
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that would be excellent
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Won't happen, since it would guarantee Democratic victories for years to come.

 
I believe the term you're looking for is "Dennis Miller conservative." Basically someone who wants fiscal responsibility, strong national defense and homeland security, and doesn't give a crap what other people do in their spare time. While I don't agree with him on everything, I think those views are commendable in light of the hateful bigotry and religious extremism displayed by certain GOP supporters.

When I think about it more, it's funny how social issues have really defined the primary conflict in our country. Most of the divisiveness we've seen in the last decade has stemmed from the culture wars. Yet those issues rarely enter the public policy sphere, especially compared to bigger things like national security, the economy, and so on. When they do, it's usually in the form of little pockets here and there where one side or another makes a push by legalizing gay marriage, or by putting tight restrictions on abortion, or something like that. When it comes to more important issues, people agree a lot more, but they don't vote based on those issues.

I, for one, wish the religious right would just butt out. They have their own highly established network through which they can exert as much influence as they want. I think they're afraid that the U.S. will become like Europe in a few decades, where only a small minority of people actually go to church, so they want to make up for it by gaining political power.
 
btw I should give input on my observations on the issues within the republican party. Necoservativism pisses off the libertarian sect of the republican party. Big govt spending pisses off the fiscal conservative branch of the party. And social liberals piss off the social conservative branch of the party. They grew too big and are suffering a splintering problem. I talked about this in 04 that it was likely the thing was going to crumble among infighting and natural progression of voters changing values or feeling a change is necessary.

It doesnt help an unpopular president sits at the helm as well.
 
Bush and the economic conservatives have killed the Republican Party. Just in case you haven't heard, this melt down was brought to you courtesy of the Libertarian Wing, or the Friedman Wing. Let the markets do their thing! Oh, right....

-Robert
 
i think the big spenders and the scandals are destroying the republican image.

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca


I, for one, wish the religious right would just butt out. They have their own highly established network through which they can exert as much influence as they want. I think they're afraid that the U.S. will become like Europe in a few decades, where only a small minority of people actually go to church, so they want to make up for it by gaining political power.
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the religious right stayed out of politics for a long time, but became political after the courts decided to do an end run around democracy in the 1970s.
 
I'm down with fiscal conservatives, but Social Conservatives or a better term for them 'Religious RADICALS'.. I hate with a passion. I seriously think the world would be a complete paradise if they would all kill each other and leave the rest of us to continue to evolve.
 
Originally posted by: AstroManLuca
I, for one, wish the religious right would just butt out. They have their own highly established network through which they can exert as much influence as they want. I think they're afraid that the U.S. will become like Europe in a few decades, where only a small minority of people actually go to church, so they want to make up for it by gaining political power.
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I agree with your comment in bold. But they have a point to a limited degree. Church really restrains many more people than you realize from becoming total a$$holes, completely devoid of any scope of morality. Don't assume most people are capable of knowing right from wrong on their own. In the absence of a strong family structure (60%+ divorce rate in U.S.), church does a lot of good for people in providing them structure and enabling them to cope with life's journey and inevitable hardships.

There will always be the fringe lunatics but be careful not to assume everyone who is devout is an extremist. They are a very small % overall and a pimple on the ass of progress in general.

+1 on the Repub party focusing on economics and small gov't.
 
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