Although many Republicans are optimistic about their chances in this year’s elections, some of Washington’s leading conservatives gathered Thursday to privately vent frustrations about what kind of party they will be left with after November.
The group, alarmed by a resurgence of the GOP establishment in recent primaries and what activists view as a softened message, drafted demands to be shared with senior lawmakers calling on the party to “recommit” to bedrock principles.
Some of those principles laid out in the new document — strict opposition to illegal immigration, same-sex marriage and abortion — represent the hot-button positions that many Republican congressional candidates are trying to avoid as the party attempts to broaden its appeal.
Several attendees said they fear that elected Republicans, even if they succeed in retaining control of the House and winning the Senate majority, would cast aside the core conservative base.
“Conservatives ought not to delude themselves that if Republicans win the Senate majority, it will somehow be a conservative majority,” said L. Brent Bozell III, president of the Media Research Center, which monitors perceived media bias. “We should have no expectation whatsoever that they will listen. That’s why we’re fighting.”
Others worry that a toned-down campaign message by the party would dim GOP turnout and undercut Republicans in competitive races.
In the 10-page pamphlet finalized Thursday, they called on party leaders to champion lower taxes, a well-funded military, and the idea that “married moms and dads are best at raising kids.” The document warns Republicans against signing on to an immigration overhaul unless the U.S. border is “fully secure,” and it argues that support for school prayer, a balanced-budget amendment and antiabortion legislation should remain priorities.
But even in the tightknit room, there was not universal agreement. Norquist, for example, supports legalization for many illegal immigrants and has pushed for more scrutiny of the defense budget. In an interview, he said he attended Thursday’s meeting to back the broad efforts on the right to unite, rather than endorse the document line by line.
Most activists expressed dismay that they seemed to have a diminished voice in the party.
Sweat, uber-cons, sweat. You should worry. Most people have seen that you are nothing but fake colonials dressed in three-cornered hats, playing fife and drums, and carrying around pocket Constitutions and pushing for archaic social issues that just aren’t going to carry the day.
Most people like the idea of a fairly strong military. It doesn’t have to be massive. We have all seen what happens when defense is stripped down to bare-bones. We know that the world is a scary place. Ukraine and Syria serve as reality checks. We also know that North Korea and Iran pose a threat of sorts because of their irrational leaders and nuclear capabilities.
Most of us understand the need for a tight border. We want to know who is in our country. We want to know who visitors are and we want to make sure that we know if they don’t go home when they should. We don’t want illegal border hopping but realize that no border is ever totally secure. Even East Germany wasn’t totally non-porous. We know that there have to be adjustments in the way we deal with immigration. Something just isn’t working right now. A lot of somethings aren’t working.
Most of us know that student loans and college costs need a huge over-haul and that our banking situation still isn’t all that safe from financial disruptions. We in this area know that there will be a shift in economy as the decade-plus war closes down in the middle east. We know that the party is over for one phase of beltway banditting and that a new kid will be on the block soon. That’s just how it works in Northern Virginia.
So, the conservative branch of the GOP has every right to worry. They know that the Sarah Palins of the party won’t save them and that their base is only so big. Closing the government bit them in the butt and Obamacare isn’t hated by all. Some of the leadership is finally admitting that climate change does exist, just perhaps not quite as drastically as suggested by Al Gore. They know they will have to present a side other than an anti-science side.
They know that their social agenda simply won’t rule the day. The math just isn’t there. So what’s left?
Good article. In line with that, even Tea Party groups are embracing immigration reform:
Dog bites man: Tea party group backs immigration reform (!)
BY JENNIFER RUBIN May 14 at 7:20 PM
Putting one more nail in the coffin of the game labeling conservatives
”tea party” and “establishment,” a cross-section of GOP groups came out in
favor of passing immigration reform this year. In a memo entitled
“Partnership for a New American Economy, Americans for Tax Reform, and Tea
Party Express Release New Poll Showing Tea Party Voters Want Immigration
Reform This Year,” the three groups kicked off a monthly push in which
diverse conservative groups will press the case for immigration reform.
The e-mail reads in part:
“Our economy, our security, and our citizens deserve a system that works,”
said Sal Russo, Co-founder of the Tea Party Express. “Tea Party voters
want solutions to the real problems facing America and immigration is no
exception. We encourage Congress to take action this year and provide
conservative, free-market, common sense solutions to the problems in our
immigration system.”
“The majority of Americans know that fixing immigration reform is
essential to America’s future,” said Al Cardenas, Chairman of the American
Conservatives Union. ”Congress has a great opportunity to bring
conservative ideals to the immigration debate and remake our immigration
system into one that respects our laws and our borders, accommodates those
that want to come to America to contribute, and recognizes the needs of
the U.S. economy.”
I have no doubt that this was in the works for a while, but the timing is
particularly good. In two weeks of primary voting immigration reform
candidates do well. Even Ben Sasse, who was backed by groups including the
Senate Conservatives Fund, refused to sign an immigration reform pledge.
http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2014/05/15/dog-bites-man-tea-party-group-backs-immigration-reform/
Good to see the tea party supporting immigration reform.
So what is happening with the tea party and mainstream GOP? Is the article correct?
Has mainstream GOP driven back the advances of the bad-boy tea party? How about Ted Cruz? Is he even relevant now?
Cruz was just riling up the mob to get them excited about him. He’s perfectly capable of pivoting back to reality in time for a national race. He’s a very smart guy. No way he believes half the stuff he says.
I realize that American politics depends on voters having very short memories, but I don’t think I can ever forget how amusing it was just a few years ago watching Eric Cantor attending Tea Party rallies. He sort of looked like Patty Hearst posing with the Symbionese Liberation Army.
Too funny. Eric was trying hard to make believers out of us.
Cruz might have just found his niche. He has some serious fan club out there.
The people who have flocked to him (Cruz) during his zany period will stay with him. He’ll now begin to quietly, behind the scenes, talk sense to the 3-digit IQ caucus of the GOP and everyone will be amazed at how reasonable and insightful he can be. If all goes according to plan, he can have both camps lined up if Bush, J falters.
And they call Clinton “Slick Willie?’
The republicans are softening their stances on Obamacare and illegal immigration. This is good
It does seem that many are doing exactly that, Starry. In the case of immigration, I don’t see that they have a choice.
@Starryflights
Good for the Democrats
@Moon-howler
Sure they have a choice.
Enforce existing law or institute amnesty.
Pandering to the Hispanic community will not get them a single vote. But “reforming” immigration in such a way that allows amnesty will lose them the base.
Lose them the base? so who will they vote for?
What do you consider “pandering to the Hispanic community?”
There absolutely must be a way for long time residents to adjust their status. Currently there is no way.
There must be a way for young people who came here as children to get status adjustment to legal resident. There must be a dream act so kids who have graduated from schools within the state where they reside can go to any college that will accept them grade-wise. They must receive in-state tuition, just like any other kid.
To do otherwise is just mean.
@Moon-howler
They will stay home, just like they did when Romney ran. After Obama, the conservatives have seen how bad a Democrat administration is…and haven’t heard different from the mainstream GOP.
Pandering to the Hispanic community is adjusting immigration law to allow an amnesty in the hope of getting votes. The GOP doesn’t seem to realize that the last time they did that, it didn’t work. The Hispanic community cares more about a large societal safety net than they do about the GOP changing the laws on immigration. And the GOP wants to reduce the size of government….. at least those that still believe in the GOP platform, that is…..
@Moon-howler
To do otherwise is just mean?
Then…I guess I’m mean…because I don’t think that they should be in the country long enough to have done so. THAT is the problem.
When we retake the Senate and Presidency…..
President Cruz should nominate Rand Paul for SCOTUS.
Or vice versa.
There aren’t that many stupid Americans. Close but not quite.