Monday, February 22, 2010

Does CPAC and the Tea Party Get Conservative Social Issues?

Instapundit has two items that in my view are very related.

First Mike Huckabee does not like CPAC. See those entries here.

Now what is missing here is that Huckabee does not forget!!! That is sometimes good and sometimes bad. I have to admit Huckabee does hold grudges. However many organization in CPAC tried to make Huckabee out like he was a combination of a Christian Socialist and a combination of Huey Long and William Jennings Bryon. I thought and still do think these attacks were unfair.

What was worse was that these attacks occurred way after the race for the GOP nomination was over often led by people such as LOPEZ at the National Review that devoted a whole front cover to it. Huckabee had to be destroyed and who cared if perhaps it was a dangerous move when the party needed to come together.

Now as to CPAC I don't get to worked up about it. Further to be honest some of the organizations that are in on it are scams. They send out asking requests for money and when you look at their financial statements it seems most money did not go to the cause but to support them. A lot of what I call "Alan Keyes operations" that are mixed up with mailing list companies and other bodies that have a incest like relationship.

Not saying that is all of CPAC but I am always wary.

So yeah Huckabee is mad and I don't blame him. Perhaps the dogs should have been called off after the McCain got the nomination.

Second Glen posted this:
CPAC STRAW POLL: Just one percent list stopping gay marriage as a top priority. Even abortion only made #5 on the list, and a distant #5 at that. Small-government fiscal conservatism seems to be the clear “big tent” on the right these days.
UPDATE: Oops, #5, not #4
.

Now Glen has been on this theme a tad. I agree that right now people are not thinking abortion and gay marriage right now with Obama Care. I also am sort of a pragmatic big tent guy. I understand that for the GOP to win they have to all factions of the conservatives. I am not one , as my posting history shows, who wants to excommunicate people from the party left and right. I think it is clear I think the term RINO is overused.

However the more "Libertarian" folks need to be careful here. For many for the GOP faithful these issues are huge and important. It should be noted that it appeared that the Obama Care was cruising right along in the House till Pelosi and the Press noticed they had a huge abortion problem with the bill.

For GOP Pro-lifers do not think the problem is so called "elites" if it appears we are getting pushed to the side. The problem might be by people in the supposed "grassroots".

This is another reason why I think Huckabee is wary.

I really don't want a Civil War in the party and I spend a lot of time trying to make social conservatives see the big picture in these necessary political alliances. The same needs to go for the other side.

There are reasons why Huckabee is mad that should not be dismissed.

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