‘We few, we happy few, we band of brothers…’
Peggy Noonan, writing in the Wall Street Journal, explores the challenges facing her Republican Party and has some suggestions about how to bring more people into the GOP tent. For starters, she says, “the people inside can’t always be kicking people out of the tent.”
“A great party cannot live by constantly subtracting, by removing or shunning those who are not faithful to every aspect of its beliefs, or who don’t accept every pole, or who are just barely fitting under the tent. Room should be made for them. Especially in those cases when Republican incumbents and candidates are attempting to succeed in increasingly liberal states, a certain practical sympathy is in order.
In the party now there is too much ferocity, and bloody-mindedness. The other day Sen. Jim DeMint said he’s rather have 30 good and reliable conservative senators than 60 unreliable Republicans. Really? Good luck stopping an agenda you call socialist with 30 hardy votes. “Shrink to win”: I’ve never heard of that as a political slogan….
A great party allows everyone in, and allows prospective members to self-define. If they say they’re Republicans, they should be welcomed and helped to find a place where they fit. A great party has a lot of such places. A great party is expansive. A great party has give.”
For the regulars here, that’s a familiar argument. The Republicans think of themselves not as a party but as a movement. In fact, their current approach — to get smaller in number, more disciplined, more united and ideologically pure — sounds like the strategy of some Marxist revolutionary group intent on seizing power through a coup.
And no, I’m not in any way suggesting or implying that’s what they actually have in mind. No no no. I’m saying that there’s an emotional satisfaction and excitement in thinking of yourselves as an embattled, idealistic band of brothers united against a corrupt world, and that today’s Republicans apparently prefer that romantic concept of themselves to the compromises required to build a majority.
As long as that’s the case, the Democrats will keep cleaning their clocks.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2011 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
120 comments Add your comment
DB
May 1st, 2009
11:55 am
Nooners!
TW
May 1st, 2009
12:01 pm
I dunno, they’re pretty much anti-women and Peggy’s a member.
Perhaps a good starting point for the right would be to define what exactly it is they stand for now that fiscal responsibility and wartime savvy are dead.
Might want to scrap the war on education while they’re at it – with ‘w’ out of the picture, stupid ain’t cool no more
I Report/ You Whine
May 1st, 2009
12:03 pm
Heh, I’m a mind reader-
Peggy Noonan is a hack, maybe there is a job opening at the Urinal?-
It is fine to dismiss Mr. Specter as an opportunist, but opportunists tell you something: which side is winning. That’s the side they want to be on.
Such profoundly stupid commentary from a person that then goes on to offer advise to the Republican Party, what is it with you liberals, bookman?
Check it out, with no Pat Toomey in the picture, Spectre would have likely won the Republican ticket for Senator, PA.
But Toomey was stomping Spectre in Republican polling, so Spectre’s only chance was to officially become a lib.
Just like any other democrat, ignoring the will of the people, cravenly cheating, lying and switching parties, what ever it takes to keep their grimy little hold on power.
We do not need sick people like this in our party, thanks anyway, Peggy.
N.J,
May 1st, 2009
12:07 pm
Political parties that have been “exclusive” relying on some sort of ideological purity have always failed. The Communists in Russia ended up failing, because the Bolsheviks rrequired a small core of “true beleivers” but the Social Democracies of Europe thrive because they allow a rather wide range of ideas. India is a Socialist nation, which most Americans do not realize, and China is still Communist, but they use very regulated elements of business and trade to increase their national wealth. Virtually all of the European nations have powerful social safety nets, and like it or not, ignore it or not, the reality is that Western European nations enjoy a better standard of living than 98 percent of Americans.
Look back in history to any period, and you will see Jim DeMint’s in every one attemting to block every polictical,social, medical and technologically progressive innovation in history. Look back to the 1890’s and you will see a Jim DeMint trying to BAN the automobile. Look to 1903 North Carolina and you will see a Jim DeMint at Kitty Hawk saying “It will never get off the ground” and then when it does trying to pass laws that get the airplane banned as a hazard (to his own horse and buggy business) go back to the 1920’s and you will see a Jim Demint saying that nuclear energy is IMPOSSIBLE and then trying to ban that because it is a threat to his own coal industry. In every age, those who have created the things that have made life easier and created wealth for more and more individuals were opposed by a single political force, and that force is called conservatism.
There is a place for reasonable conservatism that says, “wait a minute, we may be going to fast, lets examine this before we procede” but that conservatism is rare, and even more rarely a part of the political arena. Conservatism in reality is never a force for good, never a partner to positive change, and exists only in terms of negatives.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:08 pm
“We have to recognize that we have to get used to fighting ourselves at times and we have to recognize that we are in the business of conflict management. We are not in the business of conflict resolution. You only resolve conflicts by kicking people out and that means you become a minority. So, if you intend to be a majority, you have to be willing to live with a lot of conflict because that is the nature of a majority.”
Newt Gingrich, 1990
Purging a party of those who only agree with you 70% of the time is not the way to win elections.
I Report/ You Whine
May 1st, 2009
12:08 pm
I’m saying that there’s an emotional satisfaction and excitement in thinking of yourselves as an embattled, idealistic band of brothers united against a corrupt world, and that today’s Republicans apparently prefer that romantic concept of themselves to the compromises required to build a majority.
Or you could be smart enough to understand that the moderates like Spectre are the problem.
Tell us again how McCain did, now there is a stalwart right wing nut job if I ever saw one.
Why would someone choose a liberal Republican if they can have the real thing in a democrat?
And why did millions of Conservatives sit out the last election when all they have to pick amongst is left wing confused debris?
This is still a Conservative Christian nation no matter how much bookman whines about it.
I Report/ You Whine
May 1st, 2009
12:12 pm
Now lets all watch in wonder as Obozo shows us what a real “big tent” the democrats have by picking a kook pinko liberal fanatic for the SCOTUS.
duh, bookman, duh.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:13 pm
I Report/ You Whine,
Why are moderates such a bad thing? I would say the majority of voters would consider themselves moderates. The truth usually lies in the middle.
N.J,
May 1st, 2009
12:14 pm
If Spector is an opportunist, so have many of the figures we now consider as great names in history. Winston Churchill is one example. He flip flopped from conservative to liberal to conservative three times in his life. FDR’s most left wing supporter in his cabinet started out his political career as a right wing Republican. When he saw the fact that Roosevelt and Keynes ideas actually had a massively positive effect on the economy, which carry through until today. (most conservative home owners could never buy a home had Roosevelts plan for homeownership been overturned after he died…to buy a home required 50 percent down, the rest paid off in ten years, you never got equity until it was all paid off, miss the last payment, you lose every dime you put into paying for the house, downpayment, and 9 years and 11 months of monthly payments. Every home owner, subprime mortgage or not, owes a big portion of the ability to even have it to the New Deal.
Most conservatives pull this “ignore the will of the people” crapola.
Spector is following the will of the people. A huge chunk of the people who voted him into office have switched party affiliation. He has followed them.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:15 pm
I Report/ You Whine,
Last time I looked we had a secular govenment, not a Christian one.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:17 pm
Didn’t Reagan switch parties in 1962?
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:18 pm
That is, didn’t Reagan switch parties in 1962 after GE fired him?
I Report/ You Whine
May 1st, 2009
12:19 pm
Good question number #1, jcowboy, the definition of “moderate” is usually transgendered partial birth abortion doctor who believes in “global warming,” hahahaha, any thing short of that is a wingnut crackpot.
Second comment, I said NATION, not government.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:22 pm
I Report/ You Whine,
Then you will concede that elected official represent all constituents, not just the conservative Christian ones?
DB
May 1st, 2009
12:24 pm
Obozo shows us what a real “big tent” the democrats have by picking a kook pinko liberal fanatic for the SCOTUS.
Where “pinko liberal fanatic” = Agrees with 60-65% majority of Americans that Roe shouldn’t be overturned.
ty webb
May 1st, 2009
12:25 pm
Who’s been “kicked” out of the party? Specter left to save his political career.
Mr. Snarky
May 1st, 2009
12:26 pm
Good luck at the Battle of Tours, boys. If Rush is your King Henry, you’re gonna get slaughtered.
N.J,
May 1st, 2009
12:28 pm
I report, you whine, this was never a Christian nation and the people who put this nation together designed it so it never could be. The very mildest of them mocked both Christianity and religions (Alexander Hamilton) and the most open one of them simply called Christianity the greatest evil in a history of evils (Tom Paine)
Need examples?
“Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon, than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind.” – Thomas Paine (The Age of Reason, 1794-1795.)
“Question with boldness even the existence of a god.” – Thomas Jefferson (letter to Peter Carr, 10 August 1787)
Is uniformity attainable? Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error
all over the earth.” – Thomas Jefferson (Notes on Virginia, 1782; from George Seldes, ed., The Great Quotations, Secaucus, New Jersey: Citadel Press, 1983, p. 363.)
“During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution.” – James Madison (Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments, 1785.)
“As the Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.” – (Treaty of Tripoli, 1797 – signed by President John Adams.)
(ANY Treaty signed by a president and ratified by Congress is constitutionally the LAW of the land. This treaty legally makes the United States a nation that is NOT founded on Christianity)
John Adams:
From a letter to Charles Cushing (October 19, 1756):
“Twenty times in the course of my late reading, have I been upon the point of breaking out, ‘this would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it.’”
John Adams:
Where do we find a precept in the Bible for Creeds, Confessions, Doctrines and Oaths, and whole carloads of trumpery that we find religion encumbered with in these days?”
“The Doctrine of the divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity.”
Thomas Jefferson again:
“I almost shudder at the thought of alluding to the most fatal example of the abuses of grief which the history of mankind has preserved — the Cross. Consider what calamities that engine of grief has produced!”
James Madison again:
Additional quote from James Madison:
“Religion and government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.”
Ben Framklin, from his own autobiography:
From Franklin’s autobiography, p. 66:
“My parents had given me betimes religious impressions, and I received from my infancy a pious education in the principles of Calvinism. But scarcely was I arrived at fifteen years of age, when, after having doubted in turn of different tenets, according as I found them combated in the different books that I read, I began to doubt of Revelation itself.”
From Franklin’s autobiography, p. 66:
“…Some books against Deism fell into my hands….It happened that they wrought an effect on me quite contrary to what was intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quote to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations, in short, I soon became a thorough Deist.”
Ethan Allen, the man who said “I regret that I have only one life to give for my country”
Ethan Allen
From Religion of the American Enlightenment:
“Denominated a Deist, the reality of which I have never disputed, being conscious that I am no Christian.”
The religious right has in and of itself twisted and distorted the desire of the founders to keep Christianity out of our national discussion.
Mr. Snarky
May 1st, 2009
12:30 pm
“Or you could be smart enough to understand that the moderates like Spectre are the problem.”
Yeah, those fricking moderate and independent people are the worst. Who wants them around anyway? Better to try to convert everyone to your extreme right wing views…great strategy! Brilliant! Stick to it and success is guaranteed.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:31 pm
N.J,
Very nice.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:33 pm
Mr. Snarky,
The trouble with the 20%ers is they’ve taken to many intelligent design courses and not enough math courses. 20% can win an election right?
I Report/ You Whine
May 1st, 2009
12:37 pm
Check it out, at one time McCain was a “maverick” beloved by the pinko media, mostly because he would reliably bark at his own party on command, which thoroughly excited the New York Times.
So McCain, believing he was the one the libs had been waiting for, runs for president.
The libs promptly rewarded that decision by hurling disgusting and stupid rhetoric at him by the truckload, not to mention bookman, who spat on him like a dog in the street nearly 4 times a day for months on end.
Yes, doesn’t that just make you want to hurry it up and become a Republican moderate?
duh, geez, duh
Mr. Snarky
May 1st, 2009
12:38 pm
Jewcowboy, they’re just praying that Obama fails and they can make a comeback…it’s their only hope. So they’re working on their ideological purity in the meantime.
Billy Bob the anti-THUG
May 1st, 2009
12:38 pm
NJ
Virtually all of the European nations have powerful social safety nets, and like it or not, ignore it or not, the reality is that Western European nations enjoy a better standard of living than 98 percent of Americans.
That’s a mighty expansive statement there, pardner. Could you, like, maybe, provide some support for that statement.
Oh, and try not to forget that part about how our defence and other spending protects the Europeans from spending their resources on such trivial matters.
Thanking you in advance,
Billy Bob
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:39 pm
I Report/ You Whine,
Or perhaps it was because McCain turned around on his principles to win the election. People do not like to be pandered to. If he would have stuck to what he believed in, perhaps he would have won.
PinkoNeoConLibertarian
May 1st, 2009
12:42 pm
Hmmm…Was Billy Shakes a republican?
N.J,
May 1st, 2009
12:42 pm
Most members of the religious right have no idea of the history of the portion of the constitution that creates religious freedom. It was largely to protect the followers of a relatively new group of Christians from being persecuted by the British and the religion of Britain, Anglicanism. What was that dedomination, the Baptists of course. The founders created the first Amendment, not to make religion a part of government, but to keep religion out of government, to keep religious persecution out of government, and they added that no “religius test” will be required to be elected to government to allow both beleivers and non beleivers to be qualified to be elected, as a significant number of the founders were non beleivers in the doctrine of Christianity and did not want to be kept out of office for it.
There are also a number of referenced to Alexander Hamilton. When Franklin called for prayer in Congress, Hamilton was often reported to have said that he saw no need for calling for foreign aid, and this is also reported of him when he was asked why there is no mention of God in the Constitution. On another occasion when asked why there is no mention of God in the constitution, he simply said “We Forgot” which is typical of Hamiltons very dry and nasty wit. Hamilton never forgot anything.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:42 pm
Of course, I’m sure McCain’s return to D.C. due to the economic crisis was not pandering for a photo op.
I Report/ You Whine
May 1st, 2009
12:44 pm
GFY, Mad Harris, you can spam the board with Daily Kook cut and pastes all you want, it doesn’t change the fact that the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock from a journey from England to escape persecution of their Christian beliefs.
Apparently, you can never escaped the sicko Godless heathen degenerates, no matter what you do.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:44 pm
N.J,
Good point, U.S. Consitution = Freedom FROM religion.
Mr. Snarky
May 1st, 2009
12:44 pm
Whiner, so republican moderates are switching over because of the abuse they’re suffering at the hands of the media? Interesting. Loopy, but interesting. Love to know where you get your theories…retract that…I’d rather not.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:46 pm
I Report/ You Whine,
How many of the architects of the Constitution were pilgrims?
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:51 pm
I Report/ You Whine,
The pilgrim colony was the 2nd colony, after Jamestown, which was founded by the Virginia Company. So it seems the U.S. was not founded on religion, but on business.
Reebok
May 1st, 2009
12:52 pm
The GOP is doing an interesting job of self-immolation, responding to the fact that the public is rejecting it at every level of government by becoming MORE extreme. BTW, the leading-edge indicators of the economy (industrial output and consumer confidence) are moving in the right direction. We will look back and see that the nadir of this recession was approximately Mid-March. The GOP should probably decide to start crediting the visionary economic poliicies of George W Bush NOW for ending the recession. They certainly don’t want President Obama to get to take credit for it in 2012.
Mr. Snarky
May 1st, 2009
12:52 pm
“Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock from a journey from England to escape persecution of their Christian beliefs.”
True, but most people came to Virginia to grow Tobacco, and Maryland was a Catholic state, and Georgia was started by prisoners.
The fact is that the religious diversity of the colonies required that no particular religion be established, though most folks were Christian…not the case today though and being a democracy, the government should reflect the nation as it is now…not as it was in 1700.
Midori
May 1st, 2009
12:53 pm
The Republicans think of themselves not as a party but as a movement.
yeah.
a bowel movement.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
12:54 pm
Midori,
Funny, but ewww.
Billy Bob the anti-THUG
May 1st, 2009
12:58 pm
NJ
Would those people in the “religious right” include members of Obama’s church – the Trinity United Church of Racism in Christ, Chicago, IL? I’ve always wondered whether they qualify on the grounds they’re a “church” or a “hate group” or both?
I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy. -Lloyd Bentsen
…and you’re no Hamilton.
Midori
May 1st, 2009
12:59 pm
JewCowboy,
that’s just the impression I get every time I scroll past one of Andy’s idiotic posts.
Bosch
May 1st, 2009
1:05 pm
Has anyone seen this? It’s hysterical
Jon Stewart commenting on Jim DeMint interview with Rick Sanchez:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLecRAuhoFk
N.J,
May 1st, 2009
1:06 pm
Never claimed to be. I simply report what the founders said, and they were rather clear in their intentions.
When at the the last meeting that George Bush attended at the G-20, the other members states simply ignored the president of the United States.
The net conclusion of that meeting was that the United States has a third world economy and it has to stop exporting this economic instability:
Hey U.S., welcome to the Third World!
It’s been a quick slide from economic superpower to economic basket case
Dear United States, Welcome to the Third World!
It’s not every day that a superpower makes a bid to transform itself into a Third World nation, and we here at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund want to be among the first to welcome you to the community of states in desperate need of international economic assistance. As you spiral into a catastrophic financial meltdown, we are delighted to respond to your Treasury Department’s request that we undertake a joint stability assessment of your financial sector. In these turbulent times, we can provide services ranging from subsidized loans to expert advisors willing to perform an emergency overhaul of your entire government.
As you know, some outside intervention in your economy is overdue. Last week — even before Wall Street’s latest collapse — 13 former finance ministers convened at the University of Virginia and agreed that you must fix your “broken financial system.” Australia’s Peter Costello noted that lately you’ve been “exporting instability” in world markets, and Yashwant Sinha, former finance minister of India, concluded, “The time has come. The U.S. should accept some monitoring by the IMF.”
We hope you won’t feel embarrassed as we assess the stability of your economy and suggest needed changes. Remember, many other countries have been in your shoes. We’ve bailed out the economies of Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia and South Korea. But whether our work is in Sudan, Bangladesh or now the United States, our experts are committed to intervening in national economies with care and sensitivity.
We thus want to acknowledge the progress you have made in your evolution from economic superpower to economic basket case. Normally, such a process might take 100 years or more. With your oscillation between free-market extremism and nationalization of private companies, however, you have successfully achieved, in a few short years, many of the key hallmarks of Third World economies.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-brooks18-2008sep18,0,7282720.column
this is a complete summation of what occured at the last several economic meetings that George Bush attended. The world told the United States that it would ASSIST us repair our economy, but only under certain conditions.
Mrs. Godzilla
May 1st, 2009
1:09 pm
SHHHHH! Don’t tell the Rad Right they can’t win with 20%.!!!
Chances are if we keep it quiet they’ll never figure it out by themselves.
Hillbilly Deluxe
May 1st, 2009
1:16 pm
I thought all politicians were opportunists.
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
1:19 pm
Bosch,
That was great. Whenever a hard question comes up, respond with “FREEDOM”
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
1:21 pm
Mrs Godzilla,
Don’t worry. They don’t teach math and logic in intelligent design classes.
N.J,
May 1st, 2009
1:22 pm
Yup Mrs G.
I am very much reminded of the mindset of Great Britain after WWII that exists in the United States. Britain still thought of itself as the greatest Empire on earth, with the familiar “pink’ colors on the globe that represented the nations that were part of the British Empire.
Economically the United States today, resembles the Britain of 1948, with a mountain of debt that was created not by spending internally on its own citizens, but on a vainglorious attempt to retain control of one quarter of the globe. The United States on the other hand, emerged from WWII with a good deal of deficit, which was 99.9 percent eliminated during the Truman years when the nation demilitarized from a war footing. The cliche of Eisenhower warning about the “military industrial complex” was a rather true cliche, because for the first time in history, the United States started to increase its military spending to larger and larger percentages during peace time, something that never occured before this. After WWII, defense spending was dropped to ten billion dollars. The Generals and the defense contractors didnt like this.
And why do you think the necessity to bail out GM and other automakers. If they go what will we do, outsource the manufacture of our tanks, armored troop carriers and other top secret high tech automobile type equipment to China. We already outsource very large amounts of our aircraft construction to Canada.
Repeating the statement that the United States is the greatest nation on earth will not bring those days back. Nor will threat to use our military force against the rest of the world. The world can come at the United States from many directions, they have a single target, while we would have many, many enemies who could come at us from many many directions on many, many fronts. Economic, political and even military.
The worse thing we ever did was overthrow the Soviet Union. Now, with Russia as part of the world markets, there is much less separating Russia from Europe, politically as well as economically. There is much talk in Europe about disbanding NATO as a relic of the Cold War, and at the same time many European nations perform joint military war games with Russia. What do you really think that is all about?
Susan Myers
May 1st, 2009
1:22 pm
As Noonan said recently, “Some things in life need to be mysterious.” She also said “Sometimes you need to just keep walking…” – so there’s movement there.
Mrs. Godzilla
May 1st, 2009
1:26 pm
jewcowboy
those folks are meshuggah!
jewcowboy
May 1st, 2009
1:27 pm
N.J,
Nice use of the word vainglorious!
Taxpayer
May 1st, 2009
1:28 pm
Well, what do you expect, Jay. After all, we all need a little romance now and then.