conservatism

Hope Is on the Way – No, Really

Calvin Freiburger 2008, conservatism, future, GOP, hope, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Jindal, leadership, optimism, romney
With a standard-bearer who fails most of our standards facing an uphill battle against a well-positioned leftist for the presidency, the Right is less than thrilled about the current state of politics. But it’s also worth noting reasons for optimism. For one thing, we still have Mitt Romney waiting in the wings for a likely 2012 run (no, the video isn’t official; it’s just cool), and if he’s willing to put in the elbow grease, there’s nowhere to go but up.
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For another, some right-wingers have noticed another rising star: Louisiana’s new Governor Bobby Jindal. Young, conservative, and boasting “a missionary’s zeal” to get things done, Jindal just won a fight over ethics reform in his state. I think it’d be very premature to jump on any bandwagons, but if he proves he’s not merely an Obama of the Right keeping up the fight, and developing real leadership experience and accomplishments, he just might be an exciting standard-bearer further down the road…

Goodbye to a Giant

Calvin Freiburger Buckley, conservatism, heroes, National Review, RIP
From National Review:
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Our revered founder, William F. Buckley Jr., died in his study this morning.
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If ever an institution were the lengthened shadow of one man, this publication is his. So we hope it will not be thought immodest for us to say that Buckley has had more of an impact on the political life of this country—and a better one—than some of our presidents. He created modern conservatism as an intellectual and then a political movement. He kept it from drifting into the fever swamps. And he gave it a wit, style, and intelligence that earned the respect and friendship even of his adversaries. (To know Buckley was to be reminded that certain people have a talent for friendship.)
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He inspired and incited three generations of conservatives, and counting. He retained his intellectual and literary vitality to the end; even in his final years he was capable of the arresting formulation, the unpredictable insight. He presided over NR even in his “retirement,” which was more active than most people’s careers. It has been said that great men are rarely good men. Even more rarely are they sweet and merry, as Buckley was.
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When Buckley started National Review—in 1955, at the age of 29—it was not at all obvious that anti-Communists, traditionalists, constitutionalists, and enthusiasts for free markets would all be able to take shelter under the same tent. Nor was it obvious that all of these groups, even gathered together, would be able to prevail over what seemed at the time to be an inexorable collectivist tide. When Buckley wrote that the magazine would “stand athwart history yelling, ‘Stop!’” his point was to challenge the idea that history, with a capital H, pointed left. Mounting that challenge was the first step toward changing history’s direction. Which would come in due course.
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Before he was a conservative, Buckley was devoted to his family and his Church. He is survived by his son Christopher. Our sadness for him, and for us, at his passing is leavened by the hope that he is now with his beloved wife, Patricia, who died last year.

What a Party….

Calvin Freiburger conservatism, Frank J, GOP, humor, IMAO, liberalism, RINOs, stupidity
The ever-insightful Frank J offers up the following metaphor for the sorry condition of the GOP these days:
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I guess the Republicans are like a self-destructive alcoholic, and the Democrats are enablers by sucking so badly that the Republicans don’t have to strive to be any better. Now, a party that is an abusive drunk would actually be kinda cool if it took out all its inebriated rage on foreign countries, but the Republican Party is more of a quiet drunk, sitting in the corner mumbling while wasting all its money on booze.

Happy Belated Birthday, Mr. President

Calvin Freiburger birthdays, conservatism, GOP, heroes, Reagan, RIP
Ronald Reagan would have been 97 years old on February 6th, 2008.
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“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
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“Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have.”

Mitt Romney

Calvin Freiburger 2008, conservatism, GOP, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post
The only conservative left standing has dropped out of the presidential race. Tempting though it may be to hope for a miracle, the electoral numbers are clear: there’s no way Mitt Romney could overcome John McCain.
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So what went wrong? How could a man with a full-spectrum conservative platform, renowned executive experience, and unmatched personal integrity not rise to the top of the Party of Reagan?
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Certainly, Romney made mistakes. But the main answer, it seems, is that the Republican Party isn’t the Party of Reagan anymore. As I said of Fred Thompson’s failure, conservatism has been on the back burner in the judgment of primary voters. The divide between conservatives and, frankly, the refuse from the “open tent” philosophy has been a battle within the GOP for years.
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It is, however, a winnable battle. So why didn’t we win it this time? The Right has been burned in the past, especially in the wake of George W. Bush’s presidency, and many were no doubt wary of Romney’s past stances. So, despite Romney’s best efforts, many conservatives either kept him at arm’s length or dismissed him entirely. The presence of opponents with claims to different legs of the conservative stool—Rudy Giuliani on defense, Mike Huckabee on life & marriage, and Fred Thompson on limited government—served to further divide and conquer a normally-unified coalition.
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I must admit, this hasn’t been easy for me to watch today. Obviously, the implications for conservatism are ugly. But in the year since I threw my support behind Mitt Romney, paying attention to him and the overall campaign, I also came to develop a very real respect and admiration for the governor. He is a true family man and patriot. He deserves the nation’s gratitude.
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It’s fitting that Mitt Romney bowed out at the 2008 Conservative Political Action Conference—one year after electrifying the very same audience. In his speech, the governor pledged: “I will continue to stand for conservative principles. I will fight alongside you for all the things we believe in.” The word is that he intends to run again in 2012. As one of the last men out in a crowded field, Romney has proven himself a formidable campaigner. Just imagine him after four more years of immersion in the conservative cause.
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Mitt Romney is down. Conservatism is down. But neither is out: count on it.

Coulter for Clinton?

Calvin Freiburger 2008, Clinton, conservatism, Coulter, Democrats, GOP, Hillary, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, liberalism, McCain, RINOs, romney
Ann Coulter has been under fire for insisting that she’d rather see Hillary Clinton in the White House than John McCain. But her point ought to be well taken: as we know, McCain would be a disaster domestically, and as Andrew McCarthy argues, his defense credentials are “a mirage.” So the benefits of a McCain presidency would be marginal, at best. But the kicker lies in Ann’s argument:
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At least under President Hillary, Republicans in Congress would know that they’re supposed to fight back. When President McCain proposes the same ideas—tax hikes, liberal judges and Social Security for illegals—Republicans in Congress will support “our” president—just as they supported, if only briefly, Bush’s great ideas on amnesty and Harriet Miers. You need little flags like that for Republicans since, as we know from the recent unpleasantness in Florida, Republicans are unalterably stupid.
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She’s right: most Capitol Hill Republicans don’t have the independence or backbone to stand against one of their own in the Oval Office. So, if McCain wins the nomination, our choice would be A) largely-disastrous policies with at least nominal Congressional opposition, or B) largely-disastrous policies with support from both sides of the aisle. What a choice!
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Here’s hoping we can avert this nightmare scenario: vote Mitt Romney.

A New Addition to Team Mitt

Calvin Freiburger 2008, Andy McCarthy, conservatism, Constitution, GOP, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, judges
Boston, MA – Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced that Andrew C. McCarthy will be joining his Advisory Committee on the Constitution and the Courts, which is co-chaired by Professor Douglas W. Kmiec, former constitutional legal counsel to President Ronald Reagan, and former Congressman David McIntosh who co-founded the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies.
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The fact that Andy McCarthy will be helping advise Mitt Romney and shape his policies ought to be yet another sign of hope for conservatives wary of Romney’s potential.

Answering the Call

Calvin Freiburger 2008, conservatism, Fred Thompson, GOP, Hannity, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, Ingraham, McCain, media, RINOs, Santorum
Senator Rick Santorum, Laura Ingraham, and Sean Hannity have all answered the call to rally around Mitt Romney. Less-responsible conservatives are still in fantasy land.
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Don’t take my word for it that Mitt’s the clear conservative choice. Take Santorum’s:
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In a few short days, Republicans from across this country will decide more than their party’s nominee. They will decide the very future of our party and the conservative coalition that Ronald Reagan built. Conservatives can no longer afford to stand on the sidelines in this election, and Governor Romney is the candidate who will stand up for the conservative principles that we hold dear. Governor Romney has a deep understanding of the important issues confronting our country today, and he is the clear conservative candidate that can go into the general election with a united Republican party.