Suicidal Conservatives
By Ken Falkenstein | Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011 | Politics
I have written that the difference between conservatives and leftists is that conservatives try to win the argument at all costs, while leftists try to win power and impose their agenda at all costs. In fact, we conservatives can be downright suicidal in our approach to elections.
Consider, for example, last year’s election for U.S. Senator in Delaware: The Republicans in Delaware had two choices for their party’s nomination:
(1) a moderate Republican congressman who, if nominated, would have been virtually guaranteed to win the general election, would have voted with the Republicans to organize the Senate, and in general would have voted with the Republicans about 60% of the time; or
(2) a reliably conservative Republican who had never held elective office, had been rejected by the voters in several previous elections, had repeatedly bilked her campaigns and campaign employees of funds for personal gain in violation of federal law, had to start her campaign by disavowing her prior flirtation with witchcraft (yes, really), and had taken positions so far outside the mainstream of the Delaware electorate that she had no chance whatsoever of winning.
The Delaware Republicans chose the unelectable conservative over the shoe-in moderate, and as a result, they ended up with a leftist Democrat who helped the Democrats maintain their majority control of the Senate and who votes with Republicans 0% of the time on substantive issues.
A similar story happened in Nevada, where the Republicans nominated an untested conservative purist who constantly put her foot in her mouth and proved to be the only person in Nevada who could not defeat hugely unpopular leftist Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
One might think that Republicans had learned their lesson, but one would be wrong.
Today I received an invitation on Facebook to “like” a page dedicated to “Draft Tricia Stall for Virginia Senate.” That would be the same Tricia Stall who, in 2007, defeated moderate Republican incumbent Marty Williams in a primary and then went on to lose a Republican seat to Democrat John Miller – a seat that Williams would have retained easily in the then-Republican-leaning district. And to make matters worse, Tricia Stall’s loss of Williams’ seat cost the Republicans their majority in the State Senate.
Now, four years later, after redistricting has made the district more favorable to Democrats, some conservatives want to draft Tricia Stall to be the Republican candidate again. These conservatives want to commit political suicide by focusing on winning the argument even if it means losing the election.
William F. Buckley, Jr.
I believe in the approach advocated by the late great conservative legend William F. Buckley: Support the most conservative candidate who can win. By supporting unelectable conservative candidates in races where there are electable, albeit less conservative, candidates available, we are conceding election after election to leftist Democrats. How does winning the argument but losing the election advance the conservative cause?
Albert Einstein defined “insanity” as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. That’s why my response to the invitation to help draft Tricia Stall was, “Are you out of your mind?” I don’t know if there are other Republicans who have a realistic chance of defeating John Miller, but Tricia Stall has already demonstrated that she cannot win.
Draft Tricia Stall? No thanks – This conservative is tired of losing.
NOTE: An earlier version of this article contained a mistaken reference to certain elected officials “liking” the “Draft Tricia Stall” Facebook page. In fact, the Facebook page “likes” those elected officials. I have revised the article to remove this reference. -KF
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About the author
Ken Falkenstein has been a staffer in the United States Senate and the Virginia House of Delegates. He has managed political campaigns. He was a military intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army in West Germany during the Cold War. He is currently the Vice President of the Down Syndrome Association of Hampton Roads and practices as a civil litigation attorney with the law firm of Poole Mahoney PC in Virginia Beach. His concern for his kids' future is what most informs his writing.
Comments
49 Responses to "Suicidal Conservatives"
Seems like you’ve lost already…
Tricia Stall = Sharon Angle = Christine O’Donnell = Jamie Radke
Peter, I’m not a fan of Radtke’s, but I wouldn’t put her in the category with Angle and O’Donnell. She might not be a good candidate but she isn’t crazy.
Being the Anarchist that I am. Even I think Thrisha Stall would be a horrible Idea.
Also the elected officals are not fans of the page. The page is a fan of them.
Must we forget… Stall almost won in 2007 with 49%. She is the only true conservative voice on the peninsula. We must support Stall, especially with a corrupt Norment backing another RINO (Mickey Chohany)!
Ken Falkenstein…I don’t know what your definition of a conservative is…even though you seemed to be trying to define a conservative. And I don’t think the candidates in Delaware were as crazy as your saying…but even so….
To me a man such as US Rep. Castle of Delaware is a symptom of the cancer eating away at the Republican Party. The best we can get is a “mini-me” Democrat calling himself a Republican who won’t vote for the Democrats all the time and will vote for the Republicans some of the time. He would have been a Tory in the time of Washington.
Your a military man…what kind of chances would George Washington have had if he had Tories in his army only wanting to fight with “the best chances” available and then go at the enemy whenever the “time was right”?
I would rather go down fighting with a “crazy” going at Obama than marching with a guy who going to take a “pot shot” at him once in a while…politically speaking. The “rhino’s”, the “zebra’s” (from one stripe to another) and the “mini-me’s” will defeat you faster than the Democrats.
That’s why I’m an independent working to change the GOP by working on the outside of it. Let the “Mini-me” Republicans beware. We aren’t going to take it anymore.
And by the way…we may not have Mr. Castle of Delaware, and Mr. Mitchell of Utah, and Mr. Spector of Pennsylvania in the US Senate anymore but we DO have Senator Lee of Utah, and Senator Toomey of Pennsylvania and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky in the US Senate.
WATCH OUT, RHINO’S, MODERATES AND MINI-ME’S…we suicide types are on the way and we intend to WIN!!! Sorry Ken, I’m not buying what you are selling.
Patrick K. Robertson
And if by “conservative” you mean the ilk of Catherine Crabill, of Rev. Pat Robertson and so on, there is hope for every ape in Africa. These so-called “conservatives” make FDR look positively right wing. They don’t even know the meaning of the word conservative, much less a truly conservative philosophy.
I think that in addition to suicidal conservatives you do need to acknowledge that Repubs also have Scozzofava types who seek accommodation at all costs. The Dems don’t have that baggage either. This is what makes the difference between Delaware and Nevada for example. Mike Castle was a Harry Reid worshiper (as is Huntsman). It is no sure thing he would have won in DE. In addition he could well have flipped to the Dems he was that far out. (Remember Jeffords?) The other Nevada Repubs to Angle were not in that category and I agree should have been nominated. I also think that diatribe doesn’t add to your position. Angle and O’Donnell are not crazy. They were unsuitable Senate candidates. Can’t we leave it at that? But you are ignoring the fact that the DE Repub party regulars themselves nominated O’Donnell in 2008.
What you are failing to recognize is that the Scozzafava or Huntsman types are just as damaging to the party. This is because they make no distinction between side issues and make or break issues. For them, every issue must be compromised so that Dems and the media commend them.
I hate this term “RINO”…as if the so-called “real” Republicans are dipped in holy water and “know the real truth.” If so, start your own religious TIBO party…Taliban In Name Only. I am so tired of these worn out labels that seek to set one against the other and self-proclaimed purists against those who should be their political allies. So much for any big tents. I really think the WINOS should start their own political party and just make an end of this sniping and silly b.s.
Ken Falkenstein…I can’t believe that I’m still ticked off about your article on Suicidal Conservatives. But I am. I notice that your said to be a civil litigation attorney. Is that a trail lawyer? God save the United States from trail lawyers (my opinion). I know that there is good and bad in every profession but why are trail lawyers trying to hog the market? This is not a nice remark to trail lawyers…but I’m trying to cool down from what you have called a lot of hard working patriots (suicidal conservatives was what you called them) trying to make a change in the political system for the better…and not trying to copy cat the Democrats.
Tricia Stall was the cause of the loss of the Virginia senate? The conservative Republicans never HAD control of the Virginia senate with so many rhino’s, moderates, mini-me’s inside it’s chambers. And with the likes of state senators like Marty Williams, Thomas Norment, Bill Stanley, etc. this so called Republican senate will be repudiated by conservatives from now to forever.
So many Republicans and Democrat conservatives have changed over to being independents so we can work for a real Republican state senate and not just one in name only. We aren’t controlled by you. The Republican Virginia state senate will one day be truly conservative. And if you think we conservatives are “suicidal” Mr. Frankenstein, why don’t you join the Democrats and help consult them on how to defeat the “crazy” Republicans who want to die anyway? You seem to know all about it.
The silent majority has awaken and are being called Tea Party Patriots and they are wearing that appellation with great pleasure. ONWARD Tricia Stall. ONWARD Tea Party Patriots.
Don’t let the moderates stop you. Don’t let the Mini-me’s stop you. You have a country and a Party to win back.
Patrick K. Robertson
Sorry, Craig…Democrats, Rhino’s, moderate’s, Zebra’s, and Mini-me’s, etc. don’t like being called what they are. I understand why they don’t like labels, but a “rose is a rose”.
And just WHO is “sniping” and using “silly b.s.”? Surely such things don’t come from someone other than the “holy” conservatives. And you consider Ken Falkenstein an allie to the GOP? Perhaps he is the great compromiser that temperate folks like you are looking for in the Democrat Party? Instead of MIckey Cohany running against John Miller, perhaps it should be Ken Falkenstein instead? Birds of a feather? You seem to perfer him.
Patrick K. Robertson
Christine O’Donnell was as Tea Party as Joe Biden was. She just saw an opportunity and took it. Kudos to her for deploying such a strategy, but shame for the Delaware voters who fell for such obvious manipulation.
Pat,
You vote in Virginia. You can’t speak for the voters of Delaware. Mike Castle’s only loyalty needs to be to his constituents, not to conservatives in Virginia, Utah, Pennsylvania, etc. Mike Castle would have been better than Chris Coon. To say that well Castle didn’t make it but Toomey did is apples to oranges. You and I can’t say who would represent Delaware’s interests best. But what you can make the argument for is that Republicans nationally would be better off with an additional member of the caucus rather than remaining in the minority.
We might have a budget by now. We might have passed Paul Ryan’s debt plan. We might never have gone into Libya. The hypotheticals are endless. But in the end, they picked an opportunistic also-ran to be their candidate. Of course they lost. And here we sit, on the outside looking in, wondering ‘what if’
Tricia Stall is damaged goods. It is not just the rank and file that dislike her. There are many serious ultra-conservatives who refuse to vote for her against any opponent in any race. What does that tell you?
Untrue ideas eventually crumble and in the end, the truth will win out.
At the same time, this one point has been mentioned many times; “electable” doesn’t always mean as much. Bob Dole couldn’t beat Bill Clinton after he had been fully exposed as an adulterer and liar. John McCain was every Democrat’s favorite Republican, until they were actually given a choice in voting for or against him. I’m certainly no Radtke fan, as her entire campaign appears to rely on showing why she believes that George Allen would be a bad candidate, rather than showing how she could be a good one on her own merit. Still, focusing too hard on an “electable” candidate often seems to result in one that loses too much of the base. We need to forget about who is “electable” and simply recognize which candidate is best.
Don’t forget the consideration of running a hardline conservative and losing to make a point. They raise the bar.
Raising the bar doesn’t matter when we let the Democrats run wild in the mean time.
Ken is absolutely correct and he is echoing a refrain I have been sounding for years now. We need to run the most conservative candidate who can actually win. Not simply the most conservative candidate.
What I find out about folks like Pat above is that they seem to find it preferable for a Democrat to win and hold a seat than to have a Republican who isn’t as pure conservative as they would wish in the job. I find that philosophy short sighted and self-damaging.
There is no point in purity tests or nominating unelectable people to prove a point.
And no, not all civil litigation attorneys are “trail” attorneys. But some are. I doubt Ken is because true trial attorneys are fairly rare. But feel free to call me a RINO. I work for a union, after all.
The last couple public forums I’ve seen her in, Tricia Stall was SO far out there that she made Reid Greenmun look sane. You can’t seriously be thinking of nominating her.
For me, a suicidal conservative is defined by the majority in the House of Delegates. That is, the group that for the last decade has presided over the destruction of our transportation infrastructure. Since almost everyone has signed the Grover Norquist no tax pledge, they have taken the easy way out; that is, they are blind to the negative effects on economic development and jobs caused by their intrasigence. And instead of dealing with the problem, they authorized borrowing $4B to build more infrastructure when they can’t even “conserve” that which we already have. Is this insanity or what?
I generally agree with you Ken, but with one caveat:
Conservatives should not be afraid to give their ideals an open and fair hearing in the public square. Namely, there are times when fighting for principle is dictated and required — and there are times when you get what you can.
I do subscribe to the “better a bad Democrat than a bad Republican” school of thought… but winning is not the end all be all. This — to my mind — is the key difference between being a Republican and being a conservative.
Has anyone investigated if Pat Robertson is actually commenting here? This would be wonderful for Bearing Drift if it is really him.
Last night after reading Ken Falkenstein’s article about “Suicidal Conservatives” and becoming rather incensed about his supporting “mini-me’s” within the GOP, I then went and read his article about “Leftism: America’s Gravest Threat”. I liked the aricle (mostly) for it was quite conservative and he made many good points.
However, once again, he mentioned moderate Rep. Mike Castle as a preferable winner to an unelectable “conservative looser” with flaws. This of course is what set me off last night about his article.
First of all, I must apologize to Mr. Falkenstein for being so upset that I took after him personally and for spelling his name “Frankenstein”…a book by Mary Shelly (is it?) and one that I liked very much. I know, sir, that your a conservative, I am a conservative and that we both are working for the same good. However, I do disagree about voting for some one who simply has an (R) after their name and who votes with the Democrats as much as he does with the Republicans.
Plus, I’m glad that Brian Schoeneman mentioned that you might not be a trail attorney as I hold most of them in low esteem these days. Everybody has to be something and not all professions have all good or all bad in them and I know that.
Speaking of which, I notice that Brian Schoeneman came to Mr. Falkenstein’s defense in a New York second. It’s nice to see good friendships and I have a liking for Mr. Schoeneman’s consistent conservative beliefs and wish that I was in Virginia’s 37th delegate district in order to vote for him.
However, while I agree with both men on most of their main points, I do NOT agree with the topic and issue of theirs that I wrote about last night, mainly, of conservatives supporting Mini-me Democrats posing as Republicans. Mr. Schoeneman said, ” We need to run the most conservative candidate who can actually win. Not simply the most conservative candidate.”
I don’t disagree with that. What I disagree with is that the person in question, such as Mike Castle or ones not mentioned such as Thomas Norment are conservatives. Or at least consistent ones. ” Today I vote for the Democrats…tomorrow I vote for the Republicans” says Rep. Mike Castle or senator Thomas Norment. What? What kind of lunacy is this?
I don’t find it preferable, Mr. Schoeneman, as you said for ” a Democrat to win than to have a Republican who isn’t as pure conservative as ‘they’ wish in the job.” Who in the heck is going to think that Rep. Mike Castle is a PURE Republican coservative or senator Thomas Norment for that matter.
The issue isn’t about ” purity tests “, whatever that is, or about unelectable people “to prove a point”. It’s about whether the Republicans will nominate and elect conservatives…NOT Mini-me’s who side with the Democrats.
I use to be a Republican until they became so two faced that they drove me away from the Party and I became an Independent so I could work on the outside to change the Party inside. You want the votes of the Independents? Put impure Republicans forward as candidates, if you like, just don’t put forward two faced Mini-me’s posing as Republicans.
Remember the back stabbings the Republican voters got when Republicans, Jim Jeffords and Arlen Spector, became Democrats giving control of the US Senate (in the case of Jeffords) and a majority of 60 (in the case of Spector) to the Democrats? How are you going to build a “impure” Republican Party in that way?
And why am I even having such a debate with two people who are fighting in the same “Army” with me. Still it’s been kind of fun having this kind of tit for tat with two of my favorite people in Virginia. And it was kind of fun calling my friend, Mr. Falkenstein, (if he’ll allow me to call him such)…Mr. Frankenstein. His name just lends itself to being called that. But I did it in fun at his expense and that perhaps I shouldn’t have done…but I doubt that Mr. Falkenstein will will hold it against me. I hope.
Anyway, if I may say with respect, neither Mr. Schoeneman nor Mr. Falkenstein are ABSOULTELY correct (or even just correct) in refraining about electing ANY KIND OF REPUBLICAN within the party just to be in a majority…at least in my opinion.
Oh, and by the way, Mr. Schoeneman, as a Republican, I had been a union member for many years and why would one be called a Rhino, for that?
Patrick K. Robertson
You may be entirely correct about this candidate, but there is an unfortunate tendency among certain Republicans (let’s call them “less than stalwart Conservatives”) who perennially dismiss ANY Conservative as “unelectable,” usually to camouflage their own less than sterling Conservative credentials, while all the while claiming to be stalwart Conservatives.
Sadly, too few among the voting populace have the time or energy to be able to identify such individuals who are ALWAYS lionized by a media which seeks to destroy Conservatives.
Litlle David, if you are referring to Pat Robertson of the 700 club, no, I am not him or he is not me, whichever. LOL. It’s kind of interesting but I have known of many, many Pat Robertson’s.
Patrick K. Robertson
My ancestry is Scottish, Irish (named after my grandfather whom I loved very much), English and German. How in the world did they ever stop fighting each other long enough in order to have some kids? It’s beyond me. I’m pretty sure there wasn’t any Mini-me Republicans in there, though. LOL.
Patrick K. Robertson
Given that the ‘most conservative’ alternative rarely wins the Republican presidential nomination (with the exception of Reagan, I guess), doesn’t that show that “True Conservatives” or “Real Republicans” or whatever the folks who call other Republicans “RINOs” want to call themselves, don’t really command a national majority even within the Republican Party?
Steve Vaughn,
The true conservative never wins the nomination in the Republican Party?
Didn’t Barry Goldwater win the nomination back in the sixties? He didn’t do too well in the general election, but some right wingers must have loved him because he won the primary. Even Barry Goldwater might have had trouble surviving what it takes to become the Republican nominee now-a-days.
LD- I didn’t say “never,” I said “rarely.” Goldwater would be a case where the more conservative candidate did win, of course. Although, given his views on social issues, he thought abortion was none of the government’s business for instance, he might very well be tagged RINO by some today.
Steve,
He also, later in life, came out in favor of Gay rights. I didn’t want to miss that one. Grin.
Why would anyone want “the most” anything to win an election and run our government? An intelligent person would not want that. An intelligent liberal would certainly not want the MOST liberal candidate in government and an intelligent conservative should not want the MOST conservative candidate in government either. Extremes have no place in civil government, imo.
The idol of most conservatives, that is, Ronald Reagan, would have had a target painted on his back by His Highness Grover Norquist, and if Grover had his way, Reagan would have been drummed out of the Party for his spending and for his tax increases. Fact is, until the Party stands up to Norquist, and decides to participate in the recovery and in the decade long reassertion of fiscal sanity, that is, reduction in the rate of increase in expenditures, and reduction in corporate and personal tax credits, there really is no republican party; just the Norquist Party, and the Democratic Party.
Eric; And the party nomination generally bear that out.
After all we didn’t have Kucinich v. (I’m trying to think of who would have been the Republican equivalent of Kucinich in ’08…Paul?)
You’re defiantly nominating crazies, no doubt about that. And what were once middle of the road Republicans – moderates – are now pandering way to the right.
I once heard it said that you can’t calculate what you can’t see and what you don’t know. Those “suicidal conservatives” that the Democrats so dislike and even some Republicans disdain are kind of like those things that you can’t calculate.
George Washington was much like that…the British never could entrap him…nor could the Tories even bring him down. The hand of Providence was over him. How many times did the a swollen river bar his way and then recede for Washington and his troops to cross over and then rise again to bar the way of the Red Coats?
There were so many Tea Party Patriots during the 1770′s and 1780′s that it drove the British crazy. It didn’t matter if it was in the far north of Canada or far south in the Carolina’s…the British could never stop them. Oh, yes, the Patriots of that time lost many battles but they never stopped. They never did the “smart” thing and accept less than what they were fighting for.
The Tea Party Patriots of that time made many sacrifices and were called “suicidal” and they too were working against the “mainstream”. They didn’t win ever time…but they DID win!! Even while many of their countrymen sat warm in their homes during a freezing winter and did nothing to help them.
A belief, a dedication to a document to be written many years yet in the future…still they fought on…for an unknown. They put their trust in their creator and a desire to be free from the dominance of unjust men.
“Suicidal Conservatives” of today? Let’s see how well they will do yet again this year and yet again next year. Tea Party Patriots, conservatives, independents…many unknowns and some known. Some will win and some will not. They also have to fight the establishment as well as the enemy in front. But win they will.
They will win the Virginia state senate this year and the “suicidal conservatives will also be a big factor down in Mississippi to win the Mississippi state house. Those same “suicidal conservatives” already have been instrumental in winning over the Mississippi state senate since the last election in 2010…not so many months pass.
Not enough you say? Those same suicidal crazies were also instrumental in taking over the Louisiana state senate and the Louisiana state house…also without firing a shot in just the last few months since the last election. In November of 2010 there were 15 out of 22 state legislatures of the old confederacy (11 states) held by the Republicans and now…8 months after the 2010 elections there are 18 state legislatures held by the Republicans…and yet 2 more to be added.
That will leave the Democrats with only…..2….out of 22. Arkansas state house and state senate (the only 2 state legislative bodies) that will be controlled by the Democrats in the entire South.
Those DARN “suicidal conservatives”!!! Will they never stop? Don’t they know they can’t win with their unelectable candidates? When some of them loose…can’t they see the writing on the wall. Just because they win more than they loose…they still can’t see the light.
Oh, those darn elusive “suicidal conservatives”…when will they ever get the hint? Don’t they know that they need to put up more tax and spend Republicans in order to win? Yes, they need more Mike Castle’s, John McCains, Bob Dole’s and Thomas Norments. That’s the ticket…you see.
Patrick K. Robertson
If I was going to write an article on the differences between conservatives and leftists…it wouldn’t be on how non-moderate that certain conservatives are versus other “conservatives”. Or that the conservatives must pull to the middle or the left in order to win.
I would take a page from Ronald Reagan’s idea that the different between conservatives and leftists is that the conservatives are WINNERS. And that the days of the leftists are coming to an end…at least for a length of time until folks become complacent once again.
The time of Patriots this time could last until the coming of Christ or perhaps go through another bout of sacrifices by Patriots once again keeping our Constitution safe yet again in the future. Each generation has to fight it’s own fight to keep our country free.
The Democrats can’t calculate what they can’t see. There are too many unknowns. Even at times they can’t calculate what the so called moderate GOP’er will do since that type of GOP’er is trying n cope with those “suicide types” in his own party and could end up helping those he is trying to “moderate”.
The resources of the Tea Party Patriot types or conservatives are without bounds. Did you notice today that Citizens United said today that they are bringing some of their resources into the fight for the Virginia Assembly? And that is a conservative group, my friends. And yet much more than that will be put into the fight here in Virginia by the “suicide types”. Citizen’s United ought to make some Gop’ers somewhat happy because not everyone they are going to help are going to be the “suicidal ones”. Boo!!
And why are the Tea Patriot conservatives being the ones condemned for losing the Virginia state senate? The way I see it is that there is more than enough blame to go around for the moderate and Mini-me Republicans who want to be close and liked by Democrats. Beside the blame game is a useless thing to do anyways.
This year will be a banner year for the Tea Party Republicans in Virginia…as well as next year. Obama is POISON for the Democrat Party in every state in the South…North Carolina included.
The only way Obama can win is if you put a Mini-me Republican on the ballot next year such as Mitt Romney. Then the rosy predictions for greater gains for the Republicans will disappear (another throw away election for the Repubicans…First “conservative” McCain and then “conservative” Romney…YIKES)…but if you put a candidate such as Michelle Bachmann on the ballot…WOW. Bar the door, Katy. There will be a political blood bath such as you have never seen in the Democrat Party. And believe me Bachmann will carry such states as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Minnesota…just to name a few.
Patrick K. Robertson
“The only way Obama can win is if you put a Mini-me Republican on the ballot next year such as Mitt Romney.”
Truer words have never been written on Bearing Drift.
Patrick Robertson 2012!
“Suicidal Conservatives”…there are so many…and their goals keep growing larger. The Tea Part Patriots ARE the voters and are reacting to the incessantly higher taxing and greater spending that their children will never be able to repay.
For instance while many Tea Party conservatives and Independents are on the outside of the Republican Party…these same folks have been voting inside the GOP and are setting records in so many state legislatures. Right now they have a goal of 2/3 majority (not just simple majorities) for all 22 Southern legislatures and could achieve half of that amount as soon as 2012.
For instance to achieve 2/3 (not 1/2) they would need to capture the following seats.
(1) FL state senate– + O ______________ (2) FL state house– + 0.
(3) TX state senate– + 2 ______________ (4) TX state house– + 0.
(5) TN state senate– + 2 ______________ (6) TN state house– + 2.
(7) AL state senate– + 2 ______________ (8) AL state house– + 4.
(9) GA state senate– + 2 ______________ (10) GA state house- + 4.
That’s ten of the 22 Southern state legislatures that are primed to go to 2/3 majorities by next year. Louisiana state senate and Virginia state house could tip to 2/3 this year although it would be tough but not impossible on the latter. The rest of the chart:
(11) SC state senate– + 4 ______________ (12) SC state house– + 7.
(13) VA state senate– + 9 ______________ (14) VA state house– + 8.
[ If VA GOP picks up the 2 Indp. seats and 6 Demo. in the state house they will have the 2/3 majority they will need to add to their 59--67 out of 100...and they could exceed that.]
(15) NC state senate– + 3 ____________ (16) NC state house– + 13.
(17) LA state senate– + 4 _____________ (18) LA state house– + 15.
(19) AR state senate– + 9 _____________ (20) AR state house– + 22.
(21) MS state senate– + 8 _____________ (22) MS state house– + 28.
This is not to mention what those “suicidal conservatives” have been doing in the Rockie Mountain states. Another nine state legislatures over there already have 2/3 majorities.
(1) AZ state senate– + 0 ______________ (2) AZ state house– + 0.
(3) UT state senate– + 0 ______________ (4) UT state house– + 0.
(5) ID state senate– + 0 ______________ (6) ID state house— +0.
(7) WY state senate– +0 ______________ (8) WY state house– + 0.
(9) MT state senate– +6 ______________ (10) MT state house– +0.
And not to mention the successes of other “suicidal conservatives” in the following conservative states…also at 2/3 majorities.
(1) OH state senate– + 0 ______________ (2) OH state house– + 7.
(3) IN state senate– + 0 _______________ (4) IN state house– + 8.
(5) MI state senate– + 0 _______________ (6) MI state house– + 10.
And, oh yeah, the “suicide conservatives” in the conservative border states…also 2/3 majorities. See below:
(1) OK state senate– + 0 ______________ (2) OK state house– + 0.
(3) MO state senate– + 0 ______________ (4) MO state house– +3.
These conservative Tea Party, Independents and Republicans in these conservative states weren’t too happy with Obama in 2010 and not much has changed their mind since then. The elections in Mississippi and Virginia will be much watched. And 2012 is not far behind…and if you have a D behind your name on the 2012 ballot and the GOP candidate is Michelle Bachmann…WATCH OUT.
Patrick K. Robertson
I thought Ken’s message on who is being “suicidal” that this would be a good time to point out what the Republicans will be doing in the next few days and this coming week. The vote on raising the debt ceiling limit is coming up very, very soon
I like Senator Jim DeMints warnings on what might happen to the Republican Party if they don’t pass a balanced budget NOW along with lowering taxes and implementing MASSIVE cuts in spending. Talk about “suicidal” if the Republicans fail to do this in the House of Representatives where all spending and taxing bills originate.
Voters shouldn’t be worried about the Tea Party good senses (mainly) and be more concerned about the REPUBLICAN propensity to commit SUICIDE. If RepublicansVOTE to raise that debt ceiling then they can forget about next years elections.
Why would the GOP go to all that trouble to appeal to voters and say that they are going to be different from the Democrats and show it in their votes on spending and taxing and then turn around and act just like the Democrats. For goodness sakes, they turned out over 700 state representatives in the state legislatures last year and took over the US House and came so very close in the US Senate.
I don’t know if these MINI-ME Republicans like Mike Castle is practicing witchcraft or saying he’s a wizard…but I know when something “wicked is coming this way.” But if former Rep. Castle was still in the US House…you could bet he would be falling all over the Democrats to vote with them on raising taxes and not having a balanced budget and raising the debt ceiling.
We can thank Christine O’Donnell for ridding us of that SUIDICAL Republican that wants to be cozy with the Democrats and to blur any distinction between the Republicans and Democrats. The Mike Castle mini-me’s…sure make the Tricia Stalls look down right appealing, doesn’t he? Did you ever wonder why the Democrats like folk in the Republican Party that are like Thomas Norment so much?
If the suicide Republicans stay on this kind of wrong-headed course, they are going to be repudiated so badly this coming November…they may never see daylight again. God save us from the Romney’s and the Huntsman’s and the McCain’s and Lindsey Graham’s and the Susan Collin’s and Olympia Snow’s and Mike Castle’s, etc.
Makes good sense to vote for Michelle Bachman, huh?
Patrick K. Robertson
What has happened in New York this week has brought me back to this particular column. I agree with Ken on many of his conservative beliefs but I disagree with his nonconservative supposition that having a moderate Republican or a leftist Republican or a rhino Republican or a zebra Republican (shifting from one stripe to another) or a mini-me Republican (a wanna be Democrat) is preferable than losing control of a state legislative house.
The Virginia Senate is 18 GOP and 22 Democrats. Therefore a liberal senate prevails. If three more of “those who call themselves Republicans” but vote as Democrats were in the Virginia senate…it STILL would be a liberal senate. I for one would rather have the enemy in front of me (and believe me liberal socialist Democrats are the enemies of both of freedom and a Republic) than to have a back stabber behind me when the votes are cast.
Now let’s take a look at the New York state senate. We are still talking about a state senate. But in New York it’s the Republicans who are in control by a count of 32 GOP to 30 Democrats (Va GOP 18– VA Democrats 20). There’s that different of 2 again.
Two Republican gave a victory to the Democrats by voting FOR homosexual marriage. HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE. Not exactly an issue conservatives would vote for, is it? The two Republicans–Steven Saland of Poughkeepsie (not inner city New York) andMark Grisanti of Buffalo (again not inner city New York) stabbed all the other Republicans in the back by leaving the stated position of the Republican Party that a marriage is between a man and a woman.
With Republicans like that…why worry about the Democrats? Might as well as join those sweet, enlighten Democrats, huh? No wonder why those Republicans in name only are so will liked by the Democrats. Surely these Republicans are the mainstream of American society and those other Republicans are just “purists” and “suicidal” and “scallawags”…eh, what? By the way a “scallawag” is a scamp; a rascal…an opprobrious term used by Southern Democrats in describing white Southern Republicans during the Reconstruction years in the South. Evidently there are many of those still left around in the state of Virginia.
Ken Falkenstein…you are a GREAT conservative but you are putting too much emphasis on controlling a state legislature than you are about the beliefs of the men and women who will be responsible for the votes on the issues that are put in front of our legislators. Do you not agree?
Let’s have a conservative legislature than one that is called conservative in name only. I would rather have a Democrat legislature being responsible for their horrible votes than a phony Republican one taking responsibility for failing to do their duties.
And we Americans have always had the ultimate weapon to defeat these socialist abroad or here at home. And to get the right men in Congress. It takes more than hard work and sacrifice. It takes PRAYER as well.to an almighty God whose people will always love Him and depend upon Him. And He responds to them that love Him.
“…(the) POWER OF PRAYER can never be overrated. They who cannot serve God by preaching need not regret it. If a man can but pray he can do anything. He who knows how to overcome with God in prayer HAS Heaven and earth at his disposal.” Charles H. Spurgeon.
Patrick K. Robertson
Patrick Robertson,
I am Blue Dog Democrat and I voted for Virginia’s Constitutional amendment that defines marriage as being between one man and one woman.
However national polls have recently showed that a majority of Americans are now in favor of gay marriage (not just civil unions) and the trend is upward since younger voters are most apt to be in favor of it. New York is still a blue state, so while I have not been exposed to one, I would imagine that even a larger majority up there is in favor of it then the national average.
Can you blame a New York State Senator for bowing to the will of the people?
Personally, I am going to continue fight what I consider to be the “good fight” but I realize I am fighting a losing battle. My opinion is that society should encourage monogamous heterosexual relationships, but my opinion is now in the minority.
Helloooooo Little David,
You bring up serval points that will take more than one writing to address. Sooooooooo……..the New York state senators.
I wish to discuss this one first…in keeping with Ken Falkenstein’s muddled thinking on how to achieve conservative goals. A great conservative but one shy of a few fenceposts in achieving a good fence [ J. Foghorn Phinius].
During George Washington’s time if there had been national polls, David, Washington would have been looking at the majority of folks wanting NOT to rock the boat but to stay the course with the mother country. THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, so to speak. The patriots of that time were in a minority too. The Tories didn’t want Washington and that pack of rebel firebrands to cut them off from the mother country or a “peaceful” life under British rule. “Don’t swim upstream against the flow of the water” was the common shout by the majority of the people of that time.
YET………there were a few who thought DEATH was preferable to peace bought with chains and slavery and being subjected to the wishes of a corrupt group of people ruled by despots. They DID NOT GO…BY THE POLLS…so to speak or the opinions of the majority of their fellow citizens of that time.
Now, David, let’s get back to you and Mr. Falkenstein. First…you said, “Can you blame a New York state senator for bowing to the will of the people?”
Republican state senator’s Stephen Saland and Mark Grisanti who voted for marriage between people of the same sex, were elected by the majority of the voters in THEIR DISTRICTS and they ARE bound to the will of their constituents of that district ONLY and NOT by a national or state poll or a “will of the people” of the state.
Plus a poll is not the same as the actual votes of a group of people. Polls can be manipulated or skewed to other people’s purposes.
But even if the polls of an actual representation of the people is correct, it still does not excuse the votes of these two sate senators in the New York state senate last week. They were elected as Republicans whose state platform (and national platform) states that marriage is between a man and a woman.
David, you might even say to me that an elected representative has a free will and can vote as to his conscience. That is true, my friend, and also this is what differentiates a Republic from a Democracy.
These two “Republicans” though, David, not only strayed from the Republican platform but also from a great principle espoused by the Republican Party. MARRIAGE IS BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN. It is the right of state senators to vote a free conscience. It is also a right of the people within that party to reject them at the polls if they violate their stated purposes, beliefs or goals.
Now, David, about you and Ken Falkenstein. First, in regards to the things that you say in your blog piece…it sounds to me that you are espousing the talking point of the left wing of your Party. The polls say this. The polls say that. The will of the people is this. We must all abide by what our “media” and “experts” and “consultants” and “scientists” are telling us. LIBERAL SPEECH. And this thing about being a “blue dog” cuts very little slack with conservatives who know “liberal” speech. A rose is a rose.
Secondly, Ken Falkenstein, believes in numbers and NOT who is behind those numbers, per se. What good did those number do those Republicans in New York when it came to passing a law that men can marry men?
The Republicans had a “majority” of senators by two? GOP 32 – Democrats 30? Recount it as Democrats 30 plus 02 Mini-me Republicans (wanna-be Democrats) and you have a real majority of Democrats by two.
So I ask again, “What good did it do the Republicans to brag that they had two more than the Democrats in their state senate, when in reality…THEY DID NOT.” Those other 30 Republicans were sold out and made into a minority party even thought they had a majority in numbers. If Ken, is listening, I know you mean well Ken, but that path just won’t work. It never has.
Rino’s, moderates, zebra’s, mini-me’s…people who disguise themselves as to WHO THEY ARE NOT will eventually be found out. The conservative voter is too educated for someone to go up to one and urinate on his or her leg and then tell them it is raining.
The time is coming in Virginia Republican politics when the conservatives will elect conservatives and not me-too-ers! The day of the Republican in name only will go the way of a bad dream and evaporate into thin air.
All the conservatives have to do is hard work, make sacrifices, and use the most potent weapon they have while they are doing these activities to accomplish a strong America. Prayer. The Lord is always faithful to those who love Him and follow His will.
” Four things let us keep in mind. God hears prayer, God heeds prayer, God answers prayer, and God DELIVERS by prayer.” E. M. Bounds
Patrick K. Robertson
Patrick Robertson,
If George Washington had not been willing to swim against the current, we would not have the USA.
If certain members of the Gay community had not been just as willing, we would not be seeing Gay marriage increasingly become legal in the USA. Their horse has passed ours in the race and according to the trends of the opinion polls, the future shows that they are only going to pad their lead and we have lost.
As for “Rino’s, moderates, zebra’s, mini-me’s” that the Republican party is so successful in keeping from being nominated is why I am a Democrat. At least as a Democrat I occasionally get a moderate (Blue Dog) to vote for because the liberals need us so much to win elections.
Well, little David, there you go again. Once more the “polls” say it all, huh? That gay community “horse” hasn’t passed the majority will of the American people in the United States, David, or else the majority of the states would have that law on their books.
I don’t know what crystal ball you have in which “the future shows” that the homosexual communities are only going to pad their lead and that “we have lost”? “WE?” Sounds like Liberal Speech to me. What kind of talk is that? Sounds like more left wing crazy trying to convince people that such a thing is going to happen.
I love that part about you saying that you are not just a Democrat but a “blue dog” Democrat. Sounds like someone trying to convince another someone or someones that he is actually a moderate and not a left winger. I’m glad that you have decided it was best for you not to be in the Republican Party. How confusing would that be with your stated purposes?
A United States with laws of marriage between men on the books in the majority of the states within the United States? A depressing observation if it were true. You do have a few of the most radical blue states in the United States with that law on the books. But then there is so many of them and few at that and then that’s it.
I have never considered Iowa as a radical blue state and they passed such a law. But as soon as some of those laws come on the books (such as Iowa), I believe you will see some of them start to come off in the near future. I believe the Iowa voters will rise up and repudiate what the Iowa legislature has done there.
And I think that there will be a constant fight even in some of the blue states such as in New York state to repeal that law and the fight may last for many years to come. Not every body in New York comes from the inner cities dominated by socialist “anything goes” thought.
Oh, and thank you, David, I agree that the Tea Party conservatives, the Republican conservatives, the independent conservatives, etc., ARE taking back the Republican Party by defeating the Democrats within and it WAS hijacked by those who were not voting conservative Republican Platform values. One can’t defeat the Democrats with Republican-crats (Are you listening, Ken).
And, yes, the Democrat Party does need those rinos, moderates, mini-me’s and wanna bees to win elections for them…but they aren’t going to be there in the future. Why? Because they are being exposed for who they are…and are being defeated by conservatives. This is good because those rhinos, mini-me’s, etc. should be where they feel more comfortable…in the Democrat Party.
“PRAYER is my chief work, and it is by means of it that I carry on the rest.” Thomas Hooker, Puritan
Patrick K. Robertson
Staying on point with Ken Falkenstein’s topic…”Suicidal Conservatives” I would like to toss out the idea that the article would have been better served if it had been entitled “Suicidal Republicans”.
Republicans can differ on minor points but the major planks need to be adhered to and kept.
The Republicans need NOT to subvert the conservative message that the Republican Party has to offer in response to the liberal message of the Democrat Party. And if those who want a moderate message (that neither Party wants)… then let them form a Moderate Party and work for it.
Are the Republicans in your state sticking to the conservative planks that were put into the Republican platform? If they want to vote the Democrat line then let them run on the Democrat line. Not look for a way to get into congress or a state legislature because they can’t find an empty line on the Democrat ballot with which to win and choose to be put on the Republican ballot so that they can win from there, perhaps. Yepper, there are some that do that. That’s one thing.
However, if whatever reason they want to be on the Republican ticket but NOT vote the Republican conservative values (Yes, in what most Republicans believe) then they need to be rooted out and not subvert the system. Conservatives need to stay on their guard.
The Tea Party, the mainly conservative independents, and conservative Republicans have to fight on two different fronts…but even that will change soon. What they are having to do right now is to fight the Democrat Party on the outside and then fight the Democrats that call themselves Republicans within their own Party. Blah. But freedom is never easy.
How successful HAVE the Tea Party and other conservatives been doing in regards to the above statement…the past two year alone? Read my next post and find out.
“We can do nothing without prayer. All things can be done by importunate prayer. That is the teaching of Jesus Christ.” E.M. Bonds
Patrick K. Robertson
Pat K. Robertson,
I am on your side with the Gay Marriage issue, but like you I am on the losing side. All the laws and state Constitutional Amendments were passed while we had the majority. Now that the majority has shifted, the laws and amendments can be overturned as quickly as they were originally passed. It is not going to happen immediately here in Virginia, but it is in the future if the trends continue.
It might happen even sooner rather then later depending on if the Supreme Court takes up the issue. If the issue comes before the Supreme Court it will all depend on how Justice Kennedy rules. Justice Kennedy has been quite sympathetic towards gay rights in previous rulings that have come before the Court.
Little David…talk about being in a rut. You keep saying over and over that you AND I are on the losing side of Same Sex Marriage issue. Maybe your fuzzy thinking will add up to six states out of 50 that have same sex marriage laws as being on the loosing side. So speak for yourself.
By the way the Supreme Court can only rule on the constitutionally of a law. Not write it. Now I know that the liberal elite like yourself and others would like to change that.
The vast majority of the states have written into their constitutions banning same sex marriage or have a Defense of Marriage Act in them. A good reason why the Republican Party needs to weed out the Democrats in their midst that call themselves Republicans such as is the case in New York.
” The word of God is the food by which PRAYER is nourished and made strong.” E.M. Bonds
Patrick K. Robertson
Here’s that post, Virginians, just highlighting a few of the Republicans that the Tea Party movement and the conservatives of all stripes whether they are independents or conservatives connected with other groups have been successful in their winning ways of defeating establishment Republicans that don’t stick to conservative principles.
01). Tea Party candidate (unknown) Mike Lee defeating well known incumbent US senator Mike Bennett in Utah at the convention and winning in November.
02). Tea Party backed (unknown) Marco Rubio defeating well known incumbent Governor Charlie Crist in a state wide primary for the nomination of US Senator and then going on to win the general election in November.
03). Tea Party backed former US Rep. Pat Toomey bucking the GOP establishment and winning the nomination to run against incumbent senator and former Republican senator (zebra and mini-me) in the November general election.
04). Tea Party candidate Rand Paul of Kentucky beating back the establishment Republican candidate and going on to win the general election as the new Republican senator of Kentucky. I bet Mitch McConnell didn’t like that.
05). Tea Party supported Rod Johnson coming out of nowhere and winning a United States senate seat formerly held by a Democrat.
And yes, the Tea Party and other conservative groups lost some contests. There are sacrifices along with victories. They lost in Alaska and in Delaware. Who’s perfect? There will be more losses but there will be many more wins along the way.
Now that was just some of the victories that we had in the United States senate in 2010. The Tea Party conservatives beat many more Republican rhinos, moderates, mini-me’s within the Republican establishment…besides in the US Senate.
They went on to challenge many, many more Republicans in name only in US House seats and state legislatures winning numbers there by the scores. WOW. More about that on the next post.
Ken…those Tomas Norments and other Virginia establishment types “aign’t seen nuthin, yet”. Clear the decks…the conservative uprising is just beginning. Watch out Richmond. There’s a Tea Party near you.
” We do not pray at all until we are at our wits’ end.” Oswald Chambers.
Patrick K. Robertson
Republicans can be suicidal. For every
Marco Rubio and Alfonse DeAmato there’s
A Christine Odonnell and Jamie Ratkie.
As to the NYSenate, Republican control
Means things come up for a vote. In the
Va Senate many conservative biLls are killed
Because they are sent to committees stacked
With liberals even though a majority of
The total membership of the body supports
Them.
Patrick K. Robertson,
I’m an elite liberal? That one gave me a big belly laugh. I am a retired Navy CPO (Chief Petty Officer) and now a self employed truck driver. I can understand where you come up with calling me a liberal (although true liberals call me a conservative) but I do not know how you come up with elite.
Sorry buddy, but in this case the excrement didn’t even hit the fan. As soon as you threw it, it blew back in your face without even getting to the fan blades.
The federal DOMA (Defense Of Marriage Act) is certain to come before the Supreme Court. Presently there are 4 almost automatic votes on one side and 4 on the other. The deciding vote is going to come down to Justice Kennedy and I would bet the Vegas odds are that he is probably going to rule against DOMA.
I’m in the rut? You are so deeply in your personal rut you are below the top of it and therefor can not see the approaching bulldozer that is going to fill it in and bury you in it.
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