Not all conservatives fit my definition of conservative. For some, the difference is only the issues that the the government is the answer to the solution. I look to the government only as a last resort and not a first resort.

And, I guess in some circles, I’m a RINO. If the GOP kicks people like me out, the circle will be pretty small.

You assume Bush lied. You have no proof.
You assume Bush is an idiot. He recieved his bachelors from Yale and a Masters from Harvard. He may have made some bad choices but he’s no idiot!
You figure if there were no WMD’s the war in Iraq was pointless. Creating an atmosphere for a democracy to form is the only way to weaken terrorism.
You assume supporting a few Republicans makes you a Republican. If that’s so does voting for a few Democrats make you a Democrat?
If the conservative talk show hosts you speak of, don’t speak for most conservatives, why would anyone listen to them? They are actually bring up topics most people are afraid of discussing -in America-!
I suppose you consider a successful show, a show with low ratings. And that’s why you have such a high reguard for yourself. Or is your show off the air? I never see it advertised so I don’t know.
The difference between you and me, Tony, is that I LISTEN and give ‘em a chance to speak there mind. I’m willing to do that for everybody. Just don’t expect me to change my principles.

My honest answer is no.

Here’s an honest question for all the self-avowed conservatives? Do you believe and think the talk radio hosts like Ann Coulter, Rush, Sean Hannity and Laure Ingram represent the views of most conservatives? If so, no wonder your philosphy isn’t accepted by most rational Americans.

I don’t hate Bush, I just think he’s incredibly dumb and surrounded himself with some people who were more evil than good.

As for Iraq, someone said that we all supported it. Maybe so, but we trusted the President, Rummy and Dick Cheney who collectively got us there and triggered a massive increase in the deficit.

That the whole thing was built on a case of lies is what we should be worried about.

Here they had a guy who really understood the military, Colin Powell, and they ignored him. Now we have a real mess on our hands.

And Guy, what is this fear you have of stepping across the aisle? tHAT FLAG belongs to all of us, not just some self-righteous conservatives.

I applaud our congressional delegation, all of them, for working together on things like Ellsworth, etc.

And do you find fault with John Thune working with his “Gang of 10″ that includes five dems?

And c’mon Guy, do you really believe we went into Iraq to get those who flew airplanes into the World Trade Center? All the evidence indicates Iraq had nothing to do with it.

So, we’ve brought them some kind of democracy, eh? Roadside bombs are still exploding and there are still suicide bombers, and our kids are still getting killed or injured.

Finally, I’m not trying to get back into the good graces of the ultra-conservatives who are hurting the GOP. I juST call them how I see them.

Otherwise, you might think about voting for some more Democrats and hope they don’t think a mileage tax on vehicles is another wonderful idea.

I agree with Troy. You can oppose the war in Iraq, support sound conservation of South Dakota’s incredible natural resources, consider Dubbya an idiot, and like John McCain.

A few years back, I told numerous Republican friends I liked McCain. I think what I liked was his independence, his unique ability to follow his head and his principles. Course, Bush and Rove used every nasty trick in the book to beat him, but we’d certainly have been better off with John in the White House the last four years.

When he went after the nomination this year, the talking radio whackos like Limbaugh, Hannity, Ingram and Ann Coulter did everything possible to zing him but never really succeeded in laying a glove on him.

Now, they’re all supporting him, albeit grudgingly. By the standards here in SD, McCain would be considered a Rino.

But we’ll support him because at least, he’s our Rino, right?

I detest the views of those who think the GOP tent should belong only to hard core, right wing conservatives. There should be room for all views. And the debate should be civil.

Respectful!

Most times, it isn’t.

Questioning integrity does reflect on me. I can take it!

I challenge you to find a single statement by me that demonstrates I don’t stand up for my beliefs. I sign my name as proof of my commitment to my ideals, principles and the positions that I’ve reasoned to with the best of my God-given ability. I don’t consider whether you or anyone else finds them acceptable. I believe my positions to be in the best interest of the nation and people in general. And, I am quite comfortable calling myself a conservative and a Republican. I don’t think that politics is a social club or that the issues we debate aren’t serious. I wouldn’t spend a minute here if I thought this trivial.

You might disagree with my positions but your questioning of my integrity reflects more on you than me.

If our rational for going into Iraq is as you state, I’m even more convinced my position. Who are we to demand repentance? Who made the United States the policeman for the world and remove every terrorist dictator? Where are we going to get the resources to right every wrong in this world? By that logic, we should have first invaded North Korea, Darfur, and many other African nations. The fact that nobody else in the world (especially neighbors) were unwilling to participate should have given us pause.

When we went into Iraq we went into a land-locked country to remove a terrorist dictator. Do you think the neighboring country had no idea this was going to happen? We even warned Saddam himself. We gave him a chance at REPENTANCE, if you will. But the other countries didn’t participate in this confrontation. We stood at our Word and carried out our promises, by ourselves if need be. That’s leadership!

I have no problem debating you. I have no problem with you voting Republican. I DO have a problem with RiNO’s thinking this is a Social Club; that not going into Iraq could mean, we fight the Terrorists here. That NOT using the Death Penalty could result in more murders, robberies, child abductions and rapes.

The Government is not dealing with Christians who would be glad to give you a chance. Some people won’t allow you to LOVE them. The government deals with all people, good and bad. That’s why laws are made and they should be followed.

RiNO hurts because it means you don’t STAND for what you believe, in Name Only. With these two issues I see them as ‘protecting the weakest from harm’. I see loving our enemies as a good way to LOSE our Government and our Loved ones.

I BELIEVE the strength of our nation lies with the individual and that each person’s dignity, freedom, ability and responsibility must be honored.

In my prudential judgment, the death penalty detracts from the dignity of all of us. I think that life in prison is sufficient punishment and protection of society. More importantly, I think that empowering the government to kill people is a government too strong.

I believe that my view is consistent with this Republican Principle. I respectfully disagree with Republicans who feel otherwise.

I BELIEVE Americans value and should preserve our national strength and pride while working to extend peace, freedom and human rights throughout the world.

In my prudential judgment, during the debate on Iraq, I felt that the greatest risk to was to Iraq’s neighbors and that our usurption of their protection without invitation by Iraq’s neighbors would not contribute to peace and was contrary to our American values of respecting the sovereignty of the region.

Now that we are there, I believe we have to clean up the mess until it is such that the Iraq government can adequately serve the Iraqi people. I support the world-wide fight against Terror. But this is not just our fight. Please don’t lecture me on either my patriotism or opposition to terrorism.

But this goes to why I oppose the use of terms of RINO. You and I disagree on two items. We both feel we have positions consistent with Republican principles. But you seem to just want to kick me out because I’m not pure enough or at least not credible as a Republican. I’m willing to debate with you on this issue and unite on those items upon which we agree.

I am a member of the Republican party. Not a member of the “Guy” party. The idea that I must conform 100% of my policies with your interpretation of Republican Principles is the ultimate in rejection of Republican Principles- disrespect for the individual.

I don’t claim to be a spokesman for the party or the conservative ideals. I don’t expect everyone who calls themselves a Republican or conservative to conform to my positions. I don’t think every Republican is a RINO.

Finally, I reject the idea that we need the death penalty and war to change hearts. It is contrary to my Christian calling. Hearts don’t change at the point of a gun but with love. And we can’t love who we don’t first respect.

Where do YOU STAND? Will you STAND? Because Regan wasn’t GREAT because he had good ideas. He was GREAT because he STOOD beside every American and he LIFTED every American up who wanted to better themselves; without prejudice! It wasn’t accident. It was ATTITUDE!

The problem today is I don’t see ANY GOOD Republicans; except for what I’ve seen of Gov. Bobby Jindal. MY Representatives need to stand for their beliefs. Maybe I need to START with myself; but I’m willing to do so.

And why do you think you know everything?

Discussion is necessary for living in a society. But once you stop being what you say you are. You CAN’T expect us to believe you!

But go to it. I like to see how all sides of the SD Republican Party are irrelevant in the current mess they have generated.

Since we can’t send the police to remove them from office. We can only vote!

When I vote for a liberal Republican. I only do that so the conservative voice of other Republicans are louder. But that doesn’t lend to filling Washington with conservatives.

The problem isn’t with the voters it’s with the Representatives who don’t hold to their standards. We, as constituents, need to FLOOD the offices with hand-written letters. When they don’t behave.
I know it sounds crazy, but Washington is a corrupt place. They need reprimanding and encouragement. I will use the website Gid started ‘SD Wingnuts’ as a Call to Arms for these issues.

In 1977 or 1978, Reagan came to SD to speak at Mount Marty College to raise money for the state party. He didn’t even take reimbursement for his travel expenses. He came to “educate and advocate and help Pressler get elected to the Senate, Abdnor re-elected and Thorsness elected to the House, and have money to support our Governor nominee, ultimately Janklow.

I think these are great principles for us to unite behind. And I do think part of the GOP’s problem has been a lack of fidelity to our general principles. Bush is a case in point and been a liberals dream. He has governed like a liberal while talking like a conservative. They got their policies as well as a person to stir up their base. It is a trifecta with only two components!

But we shouldn’t be distraught when those in the family promote policies with which we disagree such that we throw people out for “impurity” on some issues. To do so would be “Goldwater-esque” and not “Reagan-esque”. For this reason, I don’t like the term RINO’s. People of good will, sound mind, and intellect can disagree on particular policies while holding the same principles.

For instance, am I a RINO because I oppose the death penalty? Am I a RINO because I opposed going to Iraq? Am I a RINO because I support securing our border and then pursuing a policy of normalization for those who are here?

Or am I a “good” Republican because I’m an unabashed capitalist and believer that we spend way too much money, tax way too much, regulate way too much, have too many laws regulating behaviour of individuals and believe that many programs and policies sold under the banner of helping the poor actually impose the most harm on the poor.

Am I a RINO because I think Bush has been a bad President overall. Am I a good Republican because I think he still was better than Gore or Kerry?

Let me tell you a story to illuminate my views on these groups.

I was in D.C. in the early 1980’s. There were two Republican mostly social groups (conservative Coolidge Society and liberal Ripon Society) where people gathered for Christmas parties, celebrations of Lincoln’s birthday, and other such quarterly or so occassions. I was aligned with Coolidge and my housemate was an officer of the Ripon Society. Steve and my differences were mostly a matter of degrees but we never forgot that we shared common principles. Personally, I enjoyed the Ripon gatherings as much as the Coolidge gatherings. Never was I made to feel inferior or unwelcome and neither did Steve. There was no rancor between the groups.

Steve was a huge backer of John Anderson in the 1980 Republican Presidential primary. But, he cried when Anderson chose to run as an Independent. Prophetically, he told me that party politics would never be the same because we would cease to see the forest for the trees. With Anderson’s defection, Republicans would start seeing specific issues of the day as preeminent verses our core beliefs that government solution to problems is a last recourse not a first recourse, the most legitimate role of government is defense from foes and violations of basic civil rights. All other differences were perspective and execution details but the goals were the same. Where we agreed, we could come together and where we disagreed we expressed ourselves in respect without personal rancor.

Anderson’s act made it acceptable to take your toys and go home as opposed to giving in celebration of common principles. Pat Buchanon’s 2000 candidacy on the Reform Ticket is just a conservative act of immaturity ala Anderson. Personally, I judge these sub-factions (Mainstream and SDCAC) on the standard are they more like Coolidge/Ripon or are they like Anderson/Buchanon.

Steve abandoned Anderson and worked hard for Reagan after the primary. I often wonder if I’d have been the man he was and done the same if Anderson had won.

When I look back with some perspective, Anderson still would have been a better President than Carter, the differences between Reagan and Ford weren’t really so great that the conservative cause would have been served if the party had blown up after Reagan lost in 1976.

And this is the lesson. Reagan won in 1980 because he saw that he had more work to advocate and educate within the party. He didn’t kick anyone out. He reached out.

Goldwater was marginalized because in defeat he pouted.

Final comment. Bill Buckley can also teach us some lessons. His intellectual fidelity to conservative ideals was unswerving. But, he maintained relationships with everyone regardless of political views. And, there are many people who he converted because he never quit educating and advocating while never running over anyone.

Thus #3, the answer isn’t to kick out those who generally hold GOP principles. It is to bring out the Reagan in you and educate and advocate. And even some Buckley.

I BELIEVE the strength of our nation lies with the individual and that each person’s dignity, freedom, ability and responsibility must be honored.
I BELIEVE in equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, creed, sex, age or disability.
I BELIEVE free enterprise and encouraging individual initiative have brought this nation opportunity, economic growth and prosperity.
I BELIEVE government must practice fiscal responsibility and allow individuals to keep more of the money they earn.
I BELIEVE the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations and that the best government is that which governs least.
I BELIEVE the most effective, responsible and responsive government is government closest to the people.
I BELIEVE Americans retain the principles that have made us strong while developing new and innovative ideas to meet the challenges of changing times.
I BELIEVE Americans value and should preserve our national strength and pride while working to extend peace, freedom and human rights throughout the world.
Finally, I BELIEVE the Republican Party is the best vehicle for translating these ideals into positive and successful principles of government.

I think if every Republican office holder believed this and practiced this the Republicans would hold 90% of the offices.

I fail to see what would be bad about some of those. I personally don’t care whether someone has the letter “R” or “D” after their name. I try to vote for who I think will do the best job in that office. I’ve voted for Democrats and Republicans. I get tired of seeing this partisan BS where people think party affiliation matters more than the person we’re voting for.

(John, unless you missed the masthead, this is a Republican website. -pp)