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
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
357 comments Add your comment
breckenridge
March 17th, 2013
12:38 pm
“Who is Rusty? We don’t discuss politics at church. There’s something much more inspiring there.
You would know that if you ever put your foot in the door. Try it sometime”
Sorry about that slip-up there Dusty. Rusty is a guy I used to trade stocks with 6-7 years ago. Really smart guy but a bit of a space cowboy. We made some decent money together though.
Now your comment about my church attendance I found a bit snippy but probably well deserved. I do go to church from time to time, I’m a Unitarian and a big believer in rational religion as espoused by the brilliant Dr. Joseph Priestly, one of the co-founders of Unitarianism.
Since I didn’t go this morning I’m watching a sermon by John Hagee. Just kidding……..I’d pull my fingernails out with pliers before I’d listen to him. But I do have to say he is a prime candidate for a heart attack. Man is he fat.
MarkV
March 17th, 2013
1:01 pm
Dusty,
We have plenty of bluebirds, and they are waiting for their food into feeders near their two bird-boxes every morning. They share it – reluctantly, with few cardinals, a wren, and a mockingbird, but are upset by the rude blue jays. Couple of hawks also visits, in addition to the usual doves.
I am sorry you cannot see that getting out of debt sometimes requires borrowing and spending. Or, I should say, reducing the debt, because history shows that countries can thrive with debt practically forever.
getalife
March 17th, 2013
1:23 pm
There will be no attacking our President when he visits the ME.
Got it cons?
Dusty
March 17th, 2013
1:30 pm
Breckenridge,
Sorry about the “snippy”.. Next time I’ll try “snappy”. Anyway, glad you have found a church you enjoy. Tell me about the sermon next Sunday. Political? I doubt it.
Hillbilly D
March 17th, 2013
1:32 pm
Americans know more about Tom Cruise than they know about Rand Paul.
I know more than I really care to about either one of them.
Dusty
March 17th, 2013
1:41 pm
snoqualmiefalls
Why don’t YOU talk about the real issues? YOUR post went right under the “hate other Americans” banner. Is running down former presidents the only way you can make the present administration look good? Well, it doesn’t. You better try something else ’cause that isn’t working.
Remember the Alamo and don’t forget the National debt. 16.5 trillion $$$ US DEBT highest ever achieved! Unforgetable.
Dusty
March 17th, 2013
1:43 pm
Hillbilly D
I know the feeling!!
getalife
March 17th, 2013
1:47 pm
Yet dusty cheered on w when he blew out the deficit.
That is all you need to know about dusty.
Hypocrite.
Dusty
March 17th, 2013
1:57 pm
MarkV
All my birds must have gone to your house. Not a peep here.and there are plenty of birdhouses. My architecture must not be good. I’m a little worried about blue jays, as mean as they are. Last year only one showed up and he sounded very lonesome and had laryngitis. There’s a hawk who shows up sometimes but the birds hate him when he comes. Maybe he finished off a bunch of them.
Anyway, guess what was in my front yard last night??? A DEER! Then he zipped across the road and into the woods below. Maybe I should put our a Deer House. OH dear!! (No smirking, please!)
See ya later. Got some things that must be done.
getalife
March 17th, 2013
1:58 pm
Failed occupations, corporate and bank welfare and a collapsed economy was not free cons.
Own the debt.
You built that.
MarkV
March 17th, 2013
2:01 pm
Dusty @ 1:41 pm
“16.5 trillion $$$ US DEBT highest ever achieved! Unforgetable.”
Dusty,
I know it is probably useless, but I am such an eternal optimist. Try to understand that saying highest ever achieved “ is totally meaningless.
The US national debt was $259 billion in 1946. That was about one and half percent of the national debt we havenow! And you know what? That was a more serious debt for the country in 1946 than we have now.
Dusty
March 17th, 2013
2:04 pm
Bye getalife. Sorry I can’t stay and listen to your complaints.
I know. Poor Democrats! What a mess!.
getalife
March 17th, 2013
2:07 pm
Dusty,
No complaints.
Just the facts you chose to ignore.
I wondered about the outcome of the w disaster and now we know.
If we can survive w, we can survive anything.
I believe the bushes are cursed because most everything he touched turned to crap.
MarkV
March 17th, 2013
2:13 pm
Dusty @ 1:57 pm
Dusty,
Sorry about your birds. There are, actually, many other here – I just did not want to pour it on. I see a robin almost every day splashing in one of our bird baths, finches seem to have started changing color, I have seen towhees, and one of several woodpeckers seems to be almost permanently on one of bird cakes. The hawks are usually being attacked at this time of the year, here mostly by blue jays, but this year also by mockingbirds.
A deer appeared a few years ago on our front yard, but have not seen one since. Perhaps moved to your neighborhood.
Rafe Hollister
March 17th, 2013
2:59 pm
Well, the progs have really enjoyed poking fun at CPAC! When is LPAC, surely they have one, there is an empty phone booth available for rent somewhere. Or should that be PPAC for the Progs,now that Liberal has been abandoned, as unpopular with the masses.
Maybe the WH, pay for access meetings, serve the purpose of PPAC, but only rich Progs and the ruling class get to go to those. Oh the humanity, of having to survive as an under resourced political activist prog and not be allowed in.
Surely there are prog meetings open to the proletarians.
Rafe Hollister
March 17th, 2013
3:11 pm
Here is what happens when your country, ignores its debt and goes broke. The Obama voters think well, we will just default on the Chinese and the other T-bill holders and it will not affect me. However, Nancy Pelosi and others have said before that there is this large pot of money being untapped in our 401K accts, that could be taxed, so they will probably go there before defaulting on the debt. What is 10% of your life savings anyway, as opposed to sending 27 million to Moracco to teach them to make pottery or 2.5 million to study why lesbians get fat.
———————
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/17/us-cyprus-parliament-idUSBRE92G03I20130317
In a radical departure from previous aid packages, euro zone finance ministers want Cyprus savers to forfeit up to 9.9 percent of their deposits in return for a 10 billion euro ($13 billion) bailout to the island, which has been financially crippled by its exposure to neighboring Greece.
The decision, announced on Saturday morning, stunned Cypriots and caused a run on cashpoints, most of which were depleted within hours. Electronic transfers were stopped.
getalife
March 17th, 2013
3:27 pm
No Americans want to welch on our debt but the gop played politics with a default.
Red States are “reforming the tax code” to raise taxes on you cons.
They tossed you cons under the bus.
Here is our plan:
http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2013/03/filling_in_the_details_on_the.html#incart_m-rpt-2
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 17th, 2013
3:32 pm
Every GOP debt limit proposal included fully servicing our debt.
You’re either ignorant or a liar. Or both.
Prove me wrong.
getalife
March 17th, 2013
4:26 pm
The gop caved on taxing the wealthy and some will cave on more revenue to get a deal.
You can’t beat him.
Bow down con.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 17th, 2013
4:28 pm
Sequester.
Win.
For Americans, that is.
getalife
March 17th, 2013
4:32 pm
Job killer.
Lose.
For American workers, that is.
bluecoat
March 17th, 2013
5:06 pm
Get some cats then the birds will stay away,the ones that don’t become dinner.They are like the libs squawk,eat,shi* all over the place.
Skip
March 17th, 2013
5:07 pm
Then LBB should thank Obama for the Sequester he likes so much.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 17th, 2013
5:13 pm
I will credit Obozo for the sequester if he will accept it. Sadly, he runs from it because he thinks it won’t poll well.
bluecoat
March 17th, 2013
5:18 pm
Well we have the luxury printing more money,and more money.If no 401k why worry.Do not store treasures for moths and vermin to destroy and for thieves to break in and steal.With the Repub congress caution be advised.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 17th, 2013
5:58 pm
If no 401k why worry.
———
That’s pretty much the philosophy of the Dirtbagcrats.
bluecoat
March 17th, 2013
7:50 pm
Why a 401k? Why not ssi,medicaid,food stamps,school meals,prenatal care,and the list goes on.Almost forgot free phone.and I hear free internet,computer included I suppose.
Where did you get your phone.Why an incentive to work?AND … the United States Department of Agriculture quietly released new statistics related to the food stamps … the number of households on food stamps was 22,329,713 And encouraging people who qualify to sign up.
breckenridge
March 17th, 2013
8:14 pm
Lil’ Barry you are the 2nd person to mention the 401K today, the best deal going by a long shot. And yet a dismally small number of Americans, somewhere in the 2% range, are taking full advantage of this instrument.
Take they typical Mr. and Mrs. Jones, as in keep-up-with-the-Joneses. They are both 50 years old and have each managed to tuck away about 5K for retirement. That sucks. They should have at least 450K each – 401K + self-directed IRA + Roth IRA – at this stage in their life. Oh sure they have a really nice house full of really nice stuff and two really nice cars and they take really nice vacations. But what you don’t hear is that they’re stupid losers who live paycheck to paycheck and have 150K in credit card debt. It’s good that they like nice stuff though, because in 25 years they’ll be standing in line at the nicest soup kitchen in town. Because they suffer from the dreaded disease known as rampant consumerism.
md
March 17th, 2013
8:30 pm
“Because they suffer from the dreaded disease known as rampant consumerism.”
Which is a double edged sword as that consumerism is propping up those 401k’s…..
bluecoat
March 17th, 2013
8:30 pm
Consumerism makes the world go around.
keith
March 17th, 2013
8:44 pm
Until the GOP starts supporting all the give away programs they wont win. The country has gone over the edge, more and more people want something for nothing. We cant even pass laws to restrict voting to legal citizens without the left yapping about it.
keith
March 17th, 2013
8:48 pm
Obama supported the sequester before he opposed it.
breckenridge
March 17th, 2013
8:51 pm
“Which is a double edged sword as that consumerism is propping up those 401k’s…”
Moderation is the key, that and the ability to delay gratification. And many Americans apparently have no ability to delay gratification or act in a moderate manner. Just count the number of obese people you encounter next time your at the mall or the ball game.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 17th, 2013
8:55 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vppbdf-qtGU
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 17th, 2013
8:58 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH1HBzXhX9o
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 17th, 2013
9:00 pm
obozo still sucks, no comment necessary, rock on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZWQN0n8×00
getalife
March 17th, 2013
9:20 pm
And now a strong dose of reality.
“There’s no immediate debt crisis, Boehner says, agreeing with Obama”.
Boom.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 17th, 2013
9:21 pm
boehner needs to weed up
breckenridge
March 17th, 2013
9:44 pm
Is Paul Ryan really a fiscal conservative? Well in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007 he voted “yea” on the annual budget. Each of those budgets was a deficit budget.
I say to you Mr. Paul Ryan you are a fraud, a pretender, a partisan hack. You sir are no Ron Paul.
independent thinker
March 18th, 2013
8:01 am
breckenridge- Ryan also voted for unfunded Medicare drugs for the elderly so W could get reelected and asked for stimulus money for green energy in his district. But he is a deficit hawk. People in his district were so impressed he lost hit city and his county in the last election,
JDW
March 18th, 2013
8:18 am
I believe the electorate has caught on the Repugnican shtick…
According to the RNC
“Asked to describe Republicans, they said that the Party is ‘scary,’ ‘narrow minded,’ and ‘out of touch’ and that we were a Party of ‘stuffy old men,’” it states.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/rnc-report-gop-scary-out-of-touch-88974.html?hp=t1_3
Contrary to recent reports there seems to the no truth to the rumor that next to that description was a picture of Tiberius as the poster “child” or should I say poster “old &art”
Attack Dog
March 18th, 2013
8:21 am
The possible next GOP standard bearers to carry on their failed policies like a skipped record?
Thomas Heyward Jr
March 18th, 2013
9:02 am
Standard Bearers?
.
The only person to win the CPAC Polls THREE times was not there.
Everyone else only spewed empty rhetoric.
.
For those still interested in constitutional government and personal liberty can listen to the Good Doctor Paul @
.
http://podcastone.com/program?action=viewProgram&programID=401
.
Let the GOProgressives RIP.
Robert
March 18th, 2013
9:09 am
Whatever “Savior” the GOP and CPAC resurrects they must represent all the American People (elderly, young people, women, minorities, gays & lesbians, Christains, Muslims & Jews, etc.).
Mitt Romney should have rejected the ideas of the homegrown terrorist group(s) known as the “tea party” (klansmen, skinheads, militia’s, birther’s, etc.) and who ever the GOP chooses to run in 2016 they must change their strategy and show compassion for all the American People.
Speech to the American People – Voters
Hello American People – I am a GOP candidate and I want your vote in 2016 for the Office of the President of the USA. Before I get started first, I want to apologize for the hatred, fear and bigotry displayed by the GOP. We are all Americans and I will fight for your rights if I am elected.
Second, I reject the values of the homegrown terrorist group(s) known as the “tea party” (klansmen, skinheads, milita’s, birther’s, etc.). The whole world saw the hatred and bigotry displayed by the “tea party” and heard their call to battle (take back my country).
Third,I promise the American People to never let any group(s) dictate how the American People will be governed in the future. No more contracts with Grover Norquist, Karl Rove, etc.
Fourth, I am putting distance between myself and all special interest groups looking to “buy” my vote. No more pandering to the rich and powerful.
Know that I have confessed and I agree to represent ALL the American People can I have your vote?
The American People
(elderly, young people, women, minorities, gays & lesbians, Christains, Muslims & Jews, etc.).
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 18th, 2013
9:12 am
JDW: “Asked to describe Republicans, they said that the Party is ‘scary,’ ‘narrow minded,’ and ‘out of touch’ and that we were a Party of ‘stuffy old men,’” it states.
———————–
Right, because working for a living is out of touch, personal responsibility is narrow minded, and free-market capitalism is scary.
Being a Republican: Not for the weak or the stupid.
indigo
March 18th, 2013
9:13 am
Robert – 9:09
I believe that is correct.
And, looking at the current crop of Republican hopefuls, excluding Christe, I believe those promises will be made at the same time the new Pope decides to renounce celibacy and take a harem.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 18th, 2013
9:14 am
Robert: Mitt Romney should have rejected the ideas of the homegrown terrorist group(s) known as the “tea party” (klansmen, skinheads, militia’s, birther’s, etc.)
————————–
I wonder if Kyle would chastise me if I were to tell you you’re an ignorant, gullible moron.
Robert
March 18th, 2013
9:30 am
@-Lil’ Barry Bailout –
OBAMAPHONE!!!
Congratulations!!!…Thank you for taking off your hood, sheet and combat boots. What branch of the homegrown terrorist group(s) are you affliated? Are you a klanmen, skinhead, milita or birther? Your family, friends and neighbor know who you are. Welcome to the civilized world.
Dusty
March 18th, 2013
10:05 am
Well, good morning and all that. I see the early libations of loco libs have already started their daily dozen of insults and ironies. Oh well, this blog is so old it already smells like stale cheese. Why not add libs to the aromatic atmosphere.of ancient articles. Whew!
If Kyle ever gets back with the airspray I may join you again Until then, hold your breath and dream of peace. “Tis a fine state.
Rafe Hollister
March 18th, 2013
10:19 am
change their strategy and show compassion for all the American People.
Compassion used to be reserved for those who needed help and were unable to help themselves. Now, the Dems have redefined it to include those, who just decide they personally are oppressed and are victims.
At some point we have to prioritize, who we are obligated to help, there is never going to be enough money to support all those who volunteer to be supported.