I recently wrote an article entitled RINO=G.O.P RIP. While I will agree that RINOs sometimes win local and district wide elections and sometimes state senate elections (Snowe, Specter, et al.), history has demonstrated that RINOs (rockefellar republicans) always lose national presidential elections. (the most notable examples being Ford in 76′, Bush 41′ in 92, and Dole in 96′.)
But as David Limbaugh notes in today’s Townhall.com some in the GOP establishment disagree.
Another member (not surprisingly, from the Northeast), said the party is drifting away from social conservatism but seemed to be pleased with the development. Robert Manning said, “There’s an awareness among the national committee that the issues which are of dominant importance to a broad section of voters are tending toward national security and economics and less the social-religious issues that were dominant in prior campaigns.” …Moderate and liberal Republicans have long argued that the key to GOP success is to “moderate” its positions, which means adopting social liberalism to appeal to the so-called broad center.
I have similarly heard this argument time and time again that a “moderate” has the best chance of winning in 08′. But as Limbaugh states:
But the most successful Republican coalition in ages was that built by Ronald Reagan, a pro-active, unapologetic economic, social and foreign policy conservative. He did not build his coalition by diluting his principles, but by articulating them without compromise or filter.
To those who say, that national security takes precedence over every single issue, I agree. That should be the primary obligation of any commander and chief. But let us not forget that Thomas Jefferson said that the primary obligation of government is to protect and defend individual life. There are candidates who are strong on national security and who favor protecting human life. The two positions are not mutually exclusive. And time and time again that is who the majority of Americans have voted for-pro life-traditional values-military hawks or at least those who portrayed themselves to be. Let us proceed with caution if we think that 08′ will be any different in this regard.