A Urgent Plea to Pro lifers and Conservatives in the GOP- Don't Do Something Stupid

I guess I have reached a new level of frustration today. I am seeing statements being made by pro-lifers that are not only short sighted but could cost the lives of millions in the long run. This needs to be nipped in the bud right now.

The issue are threats by some well known "conservative voices" that they will bolt the GOP if Giuliani gets the nomination. Some pro-life people are making this noise too.

First a word of caution to those that are justifiably upset. I would be very careful about labeling these rash comments as the voice of all "conservatives' or all "religious value voters". It is not. I am Catholic Christian Conservative and I do not share this view at all. However, you are just as bad as those you protest if you want to use this fiasco to score some "points". I often find if you put all people in the same box then they will get defensive and start acting that way. I have seen some things written about Christian conservatives on blogs by people that are upset that quite frankly are offensive to me. You can be part of solving the problem or join Tony Perkins, Dr Dobson and the usual suspects and bring the whole thing down. In other words if you want to make this a war on the so called "religious right" that is nothing like the borg from Star Trek that thinks with one mind then you are a part of the problem and not the solution.

Before I begin this post let me make my position on Giuliani clear. I shall oppose him in the primaries. I might even put one of those "Catholics Against Rudy" stickers on my blog. However if he gets the nomination I shall support him. I hope my reason for doing so will become clear as we proceed.

The whole incident revolves around a so called "secret meeting" . Salon magazine had the details in a article called Religious right may blackball Giuliani. In it we learn:

The meeting of about 50 leaders, including Focus on the Family's Dr. James Dobson, the Family Research Council's Tony Perkins, and former presidential candidate Gary Bauer, who called in by phone, took place at the Grand America Hotel, during a gathering of the Council for National Policy (CNP), a powerful shadow group of mostly religious conservatives. James Clymer, the chairman of the United States Constitution Party, was also present at the meeting, according to a person familiar with the proceedings.
"The conclusion was that if there is a pro-abortion nominee they will consider working with a third party," said the person, who spoke to Salon on the condition of anonymity. The private meeting was not a part of the official CNP schedule, which is itself a closely held secret. "Dobson came in just for this meeting," the person said.
The decision has also been reported in an unsigned article by WorldNetDaily, a conservative online news service. "Not only was there a consensus among activists to withhold support for the Republican nominee, there was even discussion about supporting the entry of a new candidate to challenge the front runners," the article said. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, WorldNetDaily's editor, Joseph Farah, attended the larger CNP gathering.

Ok people need to take a big breath here. Let me telling what is going on here in the background. It is $$$$$$$$$$$. I am smelling people that are just inching to get their wallets thicker with money through direct mail and Internet fundraising and the selling of mailing list.. I have seen this all before.

Before well meaning pro-life Republicans and infuriated "moderate" republicans go off unhinged they should be aware that they are about to be played for fools. I spent a good part of last year researching Worldnutsdaily which is a tabloid, CNP, and various other direct mail folks. It is a scam. Anything that has the looney Constitution party involved just smells of a lot of so called conservative players that in their past lives made money off Diploma Mill scams and other silliness. It is all inside the political consulting inside the belt way stuff and the Democrats have it too. No one talks about it because everyone is getting rich at it.

I am not gong to reinvent the wheel on this. Many other Bloggers have hit on this. A must read is a post from the very Orthodox Catholic Blogger The Anchoress. Her post Clintons and the Christians third party gambit - UPDATED is pretty much where I am at. If you think she is wrong then I suggest lets discuss it the comment section. I also think the Pink Flamingo has some good thoughts as well as a good set of links that are keeping up to date on the situation at her post Conservative Angst Reaching Wacky Proportions. I do disagree with the Flamingo a little. I am Christian conservative and these people do not all speak for me. Again all sides need to be careful not to start a war here.

Let me point out something on the Flamingo's site that all people need to read. Richard Viguerie, who is the guru of direct mail had a few thing to say about Reagan back in the day. He has his mutty paws all over this and is behind a good bit of Faux "outrage" . I think before everyone joins people like him and their ilk like children following the Pied Piper they should look at his credibility. The Flamingo wrote a excellent piece a couple of months back called Once Upon a Time Conservatives Turned on Reagan! . Among the gems:
“[Richard Viguerie], who also is a leading fund-raiser for conservative candidates, indicated he would not support Reagan in 1984, adding: ‘I'm very disillusioned with a president that walks away from the Soviet Union.’” -- “Conservative Leader Blasts Reagan on Plane Reaction,” Associated Press, September 8, 1983

“‘Just like Jimmy Carter gave conservatives the back of the hand, we see the same thing happening in the Reagan administration,’” said Richard Viguerie, the direct-mail wizard who is the leading fund-raiser for conservative candidates and causes. ‘Almost every conservative I have talked to in the last two months has been disappointed in the initial appointments to the Reagan cabinet,’ Viguerie said.”-- “Conservatives Angry with Reagan,” Associated Press, January 27, 1981

“‘The White House slapped us in the face,’ says Richard A. Viguerie, the conservative direct-mail expert. ‘The White House is saying you don't have a constituency we're concerned about. We don't care about you.’” -- “For Reagan and the New Right, the Honeymoon Is Over,” Washington Post, July 21, 1981

“[M]any longtime conservative activists are not buying Reagan's rhetoric. ‘The emperor has no clothes on; just about every conservative I know is now acknowledging it,’ said Viguerie.” -- “Reagan Seeks to Calm His Right-Wing Critics” Los Angeles Times, September 6, 1987

“In other important matters he [Reagan] has changed sides and he is now allied with his former adversaries, the liberals, the Democrats and the Soviets," said Viguerie.” -- “Conservatives Hit Reagan on Treaty,” Los Angeles Times, December 5, 1987

“Eight years after Reagan's nomination for president, the conservative movement is directionless” -- Richard Viguerie, “What Reagan Revolution?” The Washington Post, August 21, 1988
Richard A. Viguerie Replies to White House:

Don't be played for fools people. Again that is warning to all factions in the GOP.

So why will I back Giuliani if he gets the nomination. Let me interact with some comments I made at Astonished Yet At Home blog at his entry Tearing Down the Big Tent . Now I am not picking on Tobias here but I expect that his views are the same of many in the pro-life and Catholic factions That shall be raising their voice. In response to comments I made he said:
I am almost rooting for Rudy to win the nomination so it does happen. The GOP lip service on abortion is offered to keep the pro-life movement in its servitude. The political realm where you want to maintain ground is illusory - we have no real ground in the GOP.Besides, any Democrat running would be closer to Catholic social teaching than Rudy - not that I would vote for any of them.

I guess I disagree. I think many people like Astonished think what they got so far has been wholly insufficient. I too wish progress was made faster. But to call what pro-lifers such as myself have tried to achieve as "lip service" is incorrect. It will take sadly a Hillary Clinton Presidency for those that make that complaint to see that. We live in a World where pro-lifers don't bat a eye that we have a President that is vetoing a lot of anti life legislation. Everyone takes it for granted. They take it for granted that the pro-life movement and pro-life Republicans have done substantial things in the legislatures around the nation and in the Congress. I am but one man and I am sorry I could not do more as A republican. But quite frankly if all these people complaining would get out and support Pro- Life Republicans in the primaries we would be further along.

Tear down the big tent. Well there is no tent at all on the Democrat side. They hate us and we are the enemy. The fact is if Giuliani does get the nod chances are we shall have at the very least a very strong Pro-lifer as VP. That he will have to listen to us. We are in this for the long term.

The problem is this. For years we(pro-lifers) have elected very conservative Pro-life Republicans as our nominee. We have asked the moderates to vote for them. Most of Reagans, Bush I and Bush II judges are far more conservative than many of the GOP Senators that voted for "yes" on their nomination. If we run now because we lost a primary fair and square then the big tent on the state and national level will dissolve. This is practical politics. The question I ask those that disagree with me. Do you want the pro-life movement as a political force to be impotent like it is the UK or Canada or the State of New York where no major party listens to their interest. I think New York is a prime example of where this third party talk will get us. If you do just remember this. Millions of unborn children and the very old are at serious threat while you enjoy your so called moral high ground. So root for the big tent to come down. Problems is there will be no tent at all left to go too.

There will be no "Christian" party or "Catholic" party. If one does occur I am willing ot bet that it will not elect one person to Congress. Think smart people.