CPAC 2013: Hearing from some of the possible next GOP standard bearers
We’re approaching the midpoint of CPAC 2013, and we’ve heard from about half of the people expected to be contenders in 2016 (at least, those who are on the agenda — and no, Donald Trump isn’t one of the people I have in mind). We can begin to see the ground these potential candidates are beginning to stake out.
The first of these possible candidates was Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Rubio covered the waterfront of long-held conservative beliefs, on both fiscal and social issues. “Our challenge,” he said, “is to create an agenda applying our principles.” The broad outlines of such an agenda from him mostly included conventionally conservative stuff. If there is one theme he wants to own, I’d say it is American exceptionalism.
He cited a different book: “The China Dream,” recently written by a Chinese army colonel. The gist, Rubio said, is that “China’s goals should be to surpass the United States as the world’s preeminent military and economic power,” and that the 21st century should pit China and America in “a race to see who should become the champion country to lead world progress.”
It was in that context that Rubio responded to criticism that the GOP was not promoting any new ideas (as opposed to those new-thinking Democrats who are still pursuing long-time goals such as universal publicly funded health care and gun control) by citing the hope America offers to the rest of the world, such as his parents who immigrated from Cuba.
“We don’t need a new idea,” he said. “There is an idea. It’s called America, and it still works. You want proof that it still works, look around the world today. Who are they copying? Not the former Soviet Union. Not Russia. They’re not even copying China. They’re copying us. They may claim to hate us, but they sure would like to be us.”
***
Immediately following Rubio was Sen. Rand Paul, the Kentuckian and son of former congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul. He took the stage to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and wearing a sports coat, tie and blue jeans. He was dressed like some college professors I had, and he launched into a constitutional semi-lecture that began with a discussion of his now-famous, 13-hour filibuster on the Senate floor about the Obama administration’s drone policies.
“We need to jealously guard all our liberties,” he said, before turning his message to one of those voter groups Republicans know they have to be more successful with.
“The Facebook generation can detect falseness and hypocrisy a mile away. I know, I have kids,” he said. “They are the core, though, of the leave-me-alone coalition. They doubt Social Security will be there for them. They worry about jobs and rent and student loans. They want leaders who won’t feed them a lot of crap or sell them short.
“Ask the Facebook generation whether we should put a kid in jail for the nonviolent crime of drug use, and you’ll hear a resounding ‘no.’ Ask the Facebook generation if they want to bail out too-big-to-fail banks with their tax dollars, and you’ll hear a ‘hell no.’ There is nothing constitutional about bailing out Wall Street. Likewise, there is nothing ‘progressive’ about loans to billionaires to build solar panels.”
As you might have expected, Paul is going to try to pull the GOP in a more libertarian direction. “The GOP of old has grown stale and moss-covered,” he summed it up. His speech didn’t receive as much consistent applause as Rubio’s did, but he had the audience in his hand by the end. Could the same thing happen in the 2016 primary?
***
Friday brought Rep. Paul Ryan to the conference, and the 2012 vice presidential candidate received a very warm welcome. As you might expect, the House Budget Committee chairman focused a lot on budget matters, but he wanted to talk not just about the numbers but the reasons balancing the budget is important.
“A debt crisis would be more than an economic event,” Ryan argued. “It would be a moral failure. By cheapening our currency, government would cheat us of our just rewards.”Even now we are hurting American working families. By living beyond our means, the government is sending us a message. It is saying, if you plan ahead, if you make sacrifices for your kids, if you saved, you’re a sucker. It is brazenly stealing from our children and from young adults, and it has to stop.”
He argued for restoring government to a more appropriate size, one that allows it to do certain things well while leaving other things to the people.
“We need to make room for community, for that vast middle ground between the government and the people,” he said. “They don’t find common ground through grim isolation or government fiat,” but through the connections they make themselves.
***
Later Friday and Saturday, we’ll hear from Rick Santorum (hey, he finished second last year, which was yet another year the GOP nomination went to the “next guy in line”), Bobby Jindal, Jeb Bush and Scott Walker. I’ll post thoughts about their speeches afterward.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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357 comments Add your comment
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
6:56 pm
And, what is this “sea of oil” you speak of? If that were true, American oil companies would be drilling like mad to get it.
And, don’t say Obama is stopping them from doing it.
Uh huh -
The Interior Department on Friday issued a final plan to close 1.6 million acres of federal land in the West originally slated for oil shale development.
The proposed plan would fence off a majority of the initial blueprint laid out in the final days of the George W. Bush administration. It faces a 30-day protest period and a 60-day process to ensure it is consistent with local and state policies. After that, the department would render a decision for implementation. – The Hill
By Blocking Gulf Drilling, Obama Costs Jobs and Raises Gas Prices – US News
Virginia Tries to Circumvent Obama on Drilling – new yorkkk times
Obama’s Great Alaska Shutout
Interior bans drilling on 11.5 million acres of ‘petroleum reserve.’ Wall Street Journal
Need more?
Hillbilly D
March 15th, 2013
7:13 pm
” and that the 21st century should pit China and America in “a race to see who should become the champion country to lead world progress.”
In my opinion, a big stumbling block for China is going to be their aging population. The “one baby” policy may eventually prove to be a big minus for them. They’ll face the same thing,the U. S. and other nations are facing, not enough young people to support the old people, only it may be more pronounced in their case.
Rafe Hollister
March 15th, 2013
7:21 pm
Hillbilly
Germany is on the rise again, maybe they will peacefully take over Greece, Spain, Italy, and Portugal, by offering to prop up some of the government entitlements those people are going to lose otherwise. Folks will sell out for a ham sandwich, if they are hungry. Just a “what if” idea. No one can predict the crazy things that happen in this world.
I agree with you on China, that one child policy will come back and bite them at some time, especially since all the children are male.
Hillbilly D
March 15th, 2013
7:23 pm
Germany is on the rise again,
True; in my opinion, the EU will only last until the Germans get tired of it. It’s doomed when that happens.
Rafe Hollister
March 15th, 2013
7:30 pm
For our Poet Laureate Dusty:
Sad to say, America suffers today,
because Ole Mitt lost his way!
Rand and Marco and Paul
Pick me say all
A winner will get his day,
When 2016 comes our way.
F. Sinkwich
March 15th, 2013
7:32 pm
O’bozo will not approve the Keystone pipeline. His war on fossil fuels win continue unabated. Lookie at what this idiot said recently:
“WASHINGTON — Jobs numbers and other benefits touted by supporters of the Keystone XL oil pipeline are probably exaggerated, President Barack Obama told House Republicans on Wednesday, according to lawmakers who attended the closed-door meeting.”
All he wants are POS Volts and solar powered windmills, and he doesn’t care a wit about the damage his energy policies do to our country.
Rafe Hollister
March 15th, 2013
7:37 pm
McConnell: Dems’ 2106 ticket “shaping up to be a rerun of the Golden Girls.”
Not sure who the other golden girl is going to be, Assault weapon queen Feinstein? Maude is dead I believe, but Hillary can play the part, I’m sure, she may have to work on the empathy thing tho.
Worst case scenario is they get elected. At least it will be a huge improvement over the incompetent extremist we have now.
MarkV
March 15th, 2013
7:58 pm
“Lookie at what this idiot said recently:”
“WASHINGTON — Jobs numbers and other benefits touted by supporters of the Keystone XL oil pipeline are probably exaggerated, President Barack Obama told House Republicans on Wednesday, according to lawmakers who attended the closed-door meeting.”
One must be a real idiot to call an idiot someone who said the above.
getalife
March 15th, 2013
8:02 pm
Krugman predicted the collapse and that austerity would fail in Europe.
He uses facts, reality and common sense.
rw economists are always dead wrong.
wsm_marathoner
March 15th, 2013
8:08 pm
Portman!!!! We need more pro-Gay republicans at the national and local level. As a 50 year old gay evangelical I am changing things at the local level with my condo association. They voted against me because I am Gay although they blamed there vote on the fact that I did not know the by laws. I know that it is otherwise. A real man can wear a red velvet blazer!
getalife
March 15th, 2013
8:10 pm
Yeah, lets not use free wind and sun like the other countries rising to the top.
Lets do nothing as usual.
No cons, our President said no and is pushing for green jobs.
This is called leadership.
Doing nothing is called more con ignorance.
Get out of his way.
You can’t beat him.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
8:11 pm
The Keystone XL pipeline is a no brainer if you are interested in creating a bunch of jobs. People have to make the pipe, build the pumps, truck the materials to the various work sites, assemble the pipeline, provide power and communication to it, build the terminals and then years upon years of maintenance work, all completely paid for by private industry, with taxes being paid the whole way from all directions, nothing is being exaggerated.
But some total thirteenth century moron worried about spilling some oil on the ground that you extracted it from, seems to be more concerned with brutalizing the US economy so he can blame Republicans for the suckwester.
Our country is in a bad spot right now and most of us don’t even know it. Or maybe they do and just want to kill us off. Who knows?
getalife
March 15th, 2013
8:14 pm
The pipeline is risky because if it leaks, it is a disaster.
It is not oil, it is chemicals.
What do we get for risking our environment?
10 jobs to illegal labor.
I would pass..
breckenridge
March 15th, 2013
8:22 pm
“Breckenridge hasn’t been in a church in so long he actually thinks he knows something about it. Kinda pathetic when he’s welcomed there any time but never goes..”
And you sir are confusing the evangelical right with real Christians. Have you ever heard of them? They’re the people that try to live their lives according to the message and examples set by Jesus Christ. They are not a bunch of busybodies trying to tell everyone else how to live their lives.
But be that as it may here are some problems the GOP faces……
2012 GOP Platform: “We reaffirm our support for a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.”
REALITY: 63% of Americans support either gay marriage or civil unions.
2012 GOP Platform: “We assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.”
FACT: 70% of Americans don’t think Roe v Wade should be overturned.
2012 GOP Platform: The assurance of religious freedom has never been more needed than it is today, as liberal elites try to drive religious beliefs – and religious believers – out of the public square.”
FACT: In order to promote both good government and religious freedom, the intent of the Founders was to create a 100% secular federal government.
GOP: Both sides of the origins of life should be taught in public school science classes.
FACT: Intelligent Design, a repackaging of Creationism, is in no way scientific theory. See Tammy KItzmiller v. Dover Area School School District, 2004.
GOP: Abstinence-only sex education is effective.
FACT: Abstinence-only sex education is a complete failure. Nine separate studies have shown no difference in teen pregnancy rates between teens that have taken an abstinence-only course and those that have taken comprehensive sex education.
GOP: The earth is only 6,000 years old.
FACT: The earth is millions and millions of years old.
ALSO: Interestingly the huge move in America away from Christianity in the past decade is in large part the fault of the religious right elements that have corrupted the GOP. Young adults look at the intolerance and hatred espoused by conservative Christians and say “Oh that’s Christianity? No thank you.”
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
8:29 pm
You could swim in oil and it won’t hurt you.
Or you could be a thirteenth century moron and spend all your time wondering why the sun is so angry with us.
liberalism, our gateway to the Stone Ages.
getalife
March 15th, 2013
8:31 pm
Shhhh, let them stay the course.
Forget about the majority of voters and what they want.
Our President will take care of the majority.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
8:33 pm
Abortion is the solution to the question of eugenics. In case you were wondering what eugenics is, it’s the excuse that Hitler used to put a bunch of “undesirables” into the gas chambers. Notice how “undesirable” and abortion seem to go hand in hand?
Birds of a feather flock together.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 15th, 2013
8:37 pm
China will continue to kick our butt until their populace becomes like the Obozo supporters: fat, stupid, lazy, greedy, grasping takers.
getalife
March 15th, 2013
8:38 pm
portman timidly coming out for his son reminded me of dick cheney.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
8:38 pm
REALITY: 63% of Americans support either gay marriage or civil unions.
Some Americans are doing everything they can and expending all of their energy towards surviving the obama economy. They don’t have the luxury of being carried around by the government, they actually have to work for a living. A minute of their time spent defending themselves from being called bigots and racists is a minute wasted.
So yes, congratulate yourselves, low morals herd, on again taking advantage of the strength of this country to advance your perverted past times.
You rock!
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 15th, 2013
8:41 pm
FACT: Abstinence-only sex education is a complete failure. Nine separate studies have shown no difference in teen pregnancy rates between teens that have taken an abstinence-only course and those that have taken comprehensive sex education.
——–
So what you’re saying is that the prog version of sex ed is no more effective than abstinence-only.
Might as well teach abstinence. It has the added advantage of being morally correct.
getalife
March 15th, 2013
8:44 pm
Lets get your big government out of our bedrooms.
It is creepy and not consistent with your failed ideology.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
8:47 pm
I’d rather get big government out of our place of employment.
getalife
March 15th, 2013
8:49 pm
You will pee in a cup and call it freedom.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
8:51 pm
Carry some clean pee, gitmo.
getalife
March 15th, 2013
8:53 pm
I don’t pee in a cup for anybody.
Don’t tread on pee.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
8:56 pm
Our first hurdle would be actually going to work, wouldn’t it, gitmo?
getalife
March 15th, 2013
9:00 pm
Retired.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
9:06 pm
So what’s the paranioa over peeing about? Is your own freakish government starting to worry you?
getalife
March 15th, 2013
9:08 pm
“Realistically, we aren’t likely to get a Grand Bargain any time soon. Nonetheless, my sense is that there is some real movement here, and it’s in a direction conservatives won’t like.
As I said, Mr. Ryan’s efforts are finally starting to get the derision they deserve, while progressives seem, at long last, to be finding their voice. Little by little, Washington’s fog of fiscal flimflam seems to be lifting.” Krugman.
Elections matter.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
9:11 pm
krugman can bleat all he wants. The prez is still a Lame Duck.
getalife
March 15th, 2013
9:13 pm
I think peeing in a cup and giddily handing it over to government is not freedom.
I think too big to jail is ridiculous and we have one justice system for the wealthy and one for the rest of the American people that are not too big to jail.
I think our President will not fix our cheating culture because that is the people’s job to elect pols that will change it . You cons elect pols to do nothing and now red States will raise your taxes.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
9:16 pm
I give them fake pee.
obama should be in jail, not in the white house.
Such is life.
getalife
March 15th, 2013
9:18 pm
He is too big to jail.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
9:22 pm
This a dummycrat presidency, so that means it will end in impeachment, they all do.
getalife
March 15th, 2013
9:23 pm
No drama Obama.
td
March 15th, 2013
9:26 pm
41% of the American people can not even name the Vice President.
breckenridge
March 15th, 2013
9:28 pm
Have you considered that you may be the second coming of Jerry Falwell? Not necessarily a bad thing mind you, he made a ton of money spewing his venom.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
9:29 pm
Meanwhile, the Republicans, decent and morally upstanding individuals all, try to figure out how not to be called “extreme” by the low morals herd.
Does it get anymore insane than this?
getalife
March 15th, 2013
9:35 pm
“Does it get anymore insane than this?”
“You lie”.
Give us what we want our we default on the debt.
Give us what we want or we shut down government.
Calling our President a terrorist sympathizer the day after a attack.
I am sure the gop will get crazier in his second term.
breckenridge
March 15th, 2013
9:45 pm
They’re equally effective? Good point, that’s one way of looking at it. But the “prog” version of sex ed? No, it’s the educational version. Abstinence-only is simply promoting ignorance and that’s no good.
getalife
March 15th, 2013
9:48 pm
We have guns to take, illegals to deport and climate to change.
This is a recipe for cons to go over the edge.
Good bloggin times.
breckenridge
March 15th, 2013
9:49 pm
“Meanwhile, the Republicans, decent and morally upstanding individuals all, try to figure out how not to be called “extreme” by the low morals herd.”
Well actually at least one-third of the 70% of Americans that don’t think Roe v. Wade should be overturned are personally opposed to abortion. They just don’t believe it’s their place to tell other Americans how to live their lives. And guess what? They’re right!
In my opinion there should be just one test for prospective mothers – a fiscal test. Can you prove you’ll able to raise a child without taxpayer assistance? If not let me pick up that phone and make an appointment for you at the nearest abortion mill.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 15th, 2013
9:56 pm
Comfort yourselves with polls, heathens.
breckenridge
March 15th, 2013
10:12 pm
Well and that’s the rub isn’t it? The GOP wants to decrease funding for social programs yet at the same time restrict or do away with abortion.
You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
breckenridge
March 15th, 2013
10:27 pm
He probably had a tough childhood.
It’s time to move past the 12 years on death row and the multitude of appeals. Trial, conviction, firing squad waiting in the courthouse parking lot, goodbye.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 15th, 2013
11:29 pm
Lets get your big government out of our bedrooms.
———
Except that you want your big government in childrens’ bedrooms.
Perv.
USC-69
March 16th, 2013
8:23 am
CPAC 2013. If anybody wants to know why the Republican Party is disintegrating, watch a bit of this malarkey on C-SPAN. Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, Rand Paul? This is Clown College. Couple this collection of white reactionaries with the embarrassing collection rolled out for the Republican Primaries and one has a clear illustration of the Republican Problem. Has anybody mentioned the corporate holdings of $4.75 Trillion cash? Has anybody mentioned minimum wage? Has anybody mentioned crumbling roads and bridges? Has anybody mentioned unnecessary military suffering induced by Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld? Has anybody mentioned Jihad? Has anybody mentioned healthcare? Has anybody mentioned excessive executive compensation? Has anybody mentioned gun murders? Has anybody mentioned global warming? NO. The topics at hand are two: 1. How to increase personal wealth for those present, and 2. How to use taxation policy (more reductions) to make this possible for those present without doing any work. Join up if you are a billionaire and do not want to do any work. Or, if you are a fool, join up and contribute whatever money you have to these billionaires. They are happy to take it. They will guarantee that you will NEVER become wealthy but you will be able to rub shoulders with these clowns.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 16th, 2013
8:26 am
Some Americans could see their insurance bills double next year as the health care overhaul law expands coverage to millions of people.
So, in other words, they’ll probably triple.
Jefferson
March 16th, 2013
8:29 am
So will yours, why don’t you do something about it.