THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume VIII, Issue # 24, February 1, 2006
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
HILLARY CLINTON, JUDICIAL FILIBUSTERS,
& OTHER PAPER TIGERS
By Christopher G. Adamo
THE KEY TO REPUBLICAN VICTORY & THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS' DEFEAT IN THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS OF 2006 & THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2008: THE REPUBLICANS' TOTAL COMMITMENT TO & UNITY IN SUPPORT OF THE CONSERVATIVE
POLICY AGENDA, THEIR UNCOMPROMISING DETERMINATION TO SECURE THE APPOINTMENT OF PRO-CONSTITUTION
JUDGES WHO UPHOLD & PROPERLY INTERPRET THE U.S. CONSTITUTION, & THE REPUBLICANS' RESOLVE IN REFUSING TO
TYPECAST THEMSELVES AS THE PARTY OF THE INSIPID "CENTER"
FULL STORY:
The conventional wisdom is that Bill Clinton won his two terms as President
by portraying himself as “moderate.” Yet such an appraisal of Clinton’s
successes, if presented as the entirety of the situation, is fundamentally
flawed.
Clinton did indeed downplay his unwavering devotion to the Liberal agenda,
especially during the election cycles. But neither in 1992 nor 1996 did his
charade gain a majority of the vote (and in both elections, turnout was
historically low). Rather, his success resulted from the fact that his
Republican opponents had typecast themselves in the insipid “Center,” and
thus garnered even less from the electorate than did Clinton.
The senior George Bush won handily over Massachusetts Governor Michael
Dukakis in 1988, when it was perceived that Bush would represent a
continuation of the Conservatism of his predecessor, Ronald Reagan. However,
right from his inauguration, Bush sought to distance himself from Reagan’s
unabashed Conservatism. In the end, he succeeded, to Bill Clinton’s
undoubted delight.
So, it is with great disappointment that, as America braces itself for the
looming eventuality of another presidential election cycle, and with past
lessons presenting themselves as patterns for success and failure, some
Republicans seem determined to flounder and stumble themselves into a repeat
of recent defeats. This need not be the case.
In a CNN/Gallup poll, released on January 24, 2006, Democratic Party Liberal politicians and their allies in the Leftwing media
were aghast to learn that barely one sixth of the respondents to the poll were committed
to voting for Hillary Clinton, if she should choose to run for President,
while fifty-one percent say that they would never do so. Hillary’s fate
ought to be sealed, and her presidential aspirations should go down in
flames.
However, this interpretation of the polling data conveys only part of the
story. She could not, at least at this point, convince a majority of the
voters to support her, but neither did her husband ever do so. And he
nevertheless succeeded in winning and serving two full terms. So, it is by
no means guaranteed that her effort would ultimately fail.
In light of Hillary’s abysmal lack of popularity among the general public,
it is indefensible that, among Conservative strategists and pundits, the
prevailing thinking has been that she is nearly invincible, and thus
the only possibility of defeating her is to run a candidate who essentially
mirrors her.
For Republicans to allow the opposition party’s candidate to define their
own nominee, as well as how they plan to run their race, is inarguably bad
strategy. But planning to do so in response to an opponent who only garners
support from sixteen percent of the electorate is the height of stupidity.
In light of past Republican presidential successes that bear a direct
correlation to the Conservatism of the candidate, the last thing those on
the political Right should consider is any vain attempt at moving to the political Left.
Moreover, the same principles apply to the ability of the Conservative
agenda to prevail in Washington on a day-to-day basis.
Consider Tuesday’s successful confirmation of Justice Samuel Alito to the
U.S. Supreme Court. Here again, a historically staunch supporter of the U.S.
Constitution triumphed, despite a profusion of threat and bluster from the
Democrats.
In the waning hours of the confirmation process, a vain attempt at a
filibuster was attempted by John Kerry and Ted Kennedy. The
fringe-filibuster effort was quickly turned back, and, in the final tally,
Alito was confirmed by a margin of fifty-eight to forty two. Such numbers
make it absolutely predictable that a post confirmation “spin” of the
situation will no doubt be advanced by the party leadership.
This vote of less than sixty might be construed as a warning to Republicans
that Democrats could indeed filibuster any subsequent candidate, were
President Bush so “extreme” as to nominate another pro-Constitution justice
to fill the nest vacancy on the Supreme Court. Instead, the real message, which should be loudly
trumpeted by the entire GOP establishment, is quite the opposite.
Republican resolve, combined with a solid majority in the U.S. Senate, ought to
ensure that, if a filibuster ensued, the socalled “nuclear option” would be
successfully invoked. Thus, the real lesson of these events is that, if
Republicans remain unshakable in their determination to overcome Democratic Party
opposition, it will quickly dissipate into thin air.
For more than a dozen years, Republicans have been in control of their own
political successes. Thus, they are culpable for their frequent
failures and capitulations. Hopefully, this reality is finally beginning to
dawn on them.
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
American Politics & Political Competition
American Government & the U.S. Presidency
The American Political System:
Politics & Government in the U.S.A.
Liberalism Versus Conservatism in American Politics
-------------------------
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY & POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES:
COMPETING SYSTEMS OF POLITICAL THOUGHT
Conservatism
Traditional Conservatism: Questions & Answers
Conservatism: Attitudes, Types, & Present Status
Constitutional Conservatism: American & British
Liberalism
Classical Liberalism: Intellectual Foundations
Classical Liberalism: Conservative Liberalism
Manchester Liberalism & Social Darwinism
Modern Social "Liberalism": Statist "Liberalism"
Radical & Totalitarian Ideologies
Radicalism, Utopianism, & Totalitarianism
Christopher G. Adamo is a freelance writer who lives in southeastern Wyoming and works in the field of industrial instrumentation.
He is actively involved in Wyoming's political process, serving as a delegate to successive Wyoming State Republican Conventions
and as a member of the Wyoming State Republican Central Committee. He has assisted Republican candidates for local and state
legislatures and for the United States Congress. His articles, which appear regularly in The Progressive Conservative, U.S.A.,
and on a number of other websites, reflect a major concern with the damage being done to Conservatism and Conservative causes by
the Liberal Leftist faction in the Republican Party as well as by the much larger and more powerful Liberal Leftist faction in the
Democratic Party. During the early and middle 1990s, Adamo was Editor of the Wyoming Christian Coalition's official news organ,
The Wyoming Christian.
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