It's NOT over for Conservatives!

[Molon Labe]

I think Hamilton shared Burke’s mistrust of human nature and a knowledge that that nature makes government necessary. They also agreed that government must be both strong and answerable to the governed. Compare Burke with Hamilton:

Saw a good book that reminded me of this conversation. You should check it out. I am not particularly fond of Hamilton. Wish Burr had gotten him a decade or two before his ideas set in.

http://www.amazon.com/Hamiltons-Curs.../dp/0307382842

[Troll]

Today we have a two party system from the five letter word "money".

That is why these other partys can't get off the ground, no petro doesn't matter squat about truth and being actually right, or how much better the planes are designed.
McCain stinks worst than a mad skunk in a locked phone booth but it was money that let Obama campaign go where no Democrat has gone before in past elections.

Unless you can find a Perot or two to help then it will be a long road.

I'm still holding on to the vain hope that the Republican party will soon (in effect) go the way of the Dodo. The Democrats outnumber them by a fairly healthy margin of registered voters, and the Independent voters are catching up. Ideally, if/when the Republican party becomes the third largest voting bloc in the country, and it becomes plain that no Republican has a shot at the White House or maybe even a Senate seat, the remaining Republican voters will stop putting party above principles, jump ship, and start really hammering conservative values to their local guys.

Of course, that's my optimistic side, the realist in me says that we aren't going to vote our way out of this mess. For one, old habits die hard, and the continuing Republican losses may just make the ma-and-pa voters cling on that much tighter to their failed party. Also, we conservatives may have too many differing opinions on too many issues to ever get a party position together. Are we for drug decriminalization or not? Do we want to overturn the 16th Amendment or not? Do we support Israel or not? How involved in the marketplace should the government be? How far should 'free trade' go?

[marinejcksn]

Of course, that's my optimistic side, the realist in me says that we aren't going to vote our way out of this mess. For one, old habits die hard, and the continuing Republican losses may just make the ma-and-pa voters cling on that much tighter to their failed party. Also, we conservatives may have too many differing opinions on too many issues to ever get a party position together. Are we for drug decriminalization or not? Do we want to overturn the 16th Amendment or not? Do we support Israel or not? How involved in the marketplace should the government be? How far should 'free trade' go?

You bring up a really great point. There are so many issues Conservatives themselves seem divided over, not to mention what we already have problems with from those of the Left. This is where I favor a libertarian view, but that's entirely based on my beliefs. But no matter how many issues like the ones you've mentioned may divide us, one thing I think we all rally behind pretty strongly is the withdraw of Central Government from our lives. I think most Americans just want Washington to get the Hell out of our way and stop mucking everything up, this is a base we can certainly build on and rally others with.