Open Letter to Conservatives

And find some decent candidates who don't alienate large groups of voters.

Not everyone votes a party ticket.

...and tell us what you will do that will be different, instead of harping on the mistakes of the incumbent. Be specific - "I will uphold the constitution" is too broad.

Act like real conservatives, with real ideas about being fiscally responsible, and start by keeping yourself out of the pockets of special interest groups. At least tell us that you'll write your own proposals, instead of letting a lobbyist write it for you.

please shut up about vacations, birthplaces, racism etc. etc. and concentrate on health care, taxes and the war effort.

As a liberal, I join with idlewind's request that conservatives shut up about vacations & birthplaces.

Racism, however, I think is pertinent:
The current issue about whether the Tea Party embraces or tolerates racists should not be swept under the rug.

I welcome honest/informed discussion on health care, taxes & our wars:
I support the health insurance reform act that principally keeps insurance companies from (1)denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions, & (2) raising premiums excessively. The president & congress have accomplished what many liberals have only dreamed of for almost 100 years.
I give the president/congress credit for averting a 2nd Great Depression via the Stimulus Act.
I would like the president/congress to get us out of Iraq/Afghanistan ASAP.
Now it also looks like the president/congress have succeeded in passing long-overdue financial reform.
Also, the president/congress are looking seriously at long-overdue environmental/climate legislation.

Yes, indeed, let's have a discussion/debate on the real/important issues.

I'm voting for Ron Paul as a write in in every election. There simply are no other good options. Anybody have any issues with Ron Paul single handedly runing the country for a few years? He could fix this mess.

As a liberal, I join with idlewind's request that conservatives shut up about vacations & birthplaces.

Racism, however, I think is pertinent:
The current issue about whether the Tea Party embraces or tolerates racists should not be swept under the rug.

I welcome honest/informed discussion on health care, taxes & our wars:
I support the health insurance reform act that principally keeps insurance companies from (1)denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions, & (2) raising premiums excessively. The president & congress have accomplished what many liberals have only dreamed of for almost 100 years.
I give the president/congress credit for averting a 2nd Great Depression via the Stimulus Act.
I would like the president/congress to get us out of Iraq/Afghanistan ASAP.
Now it also looks like the president/congress have succeeded in passing long-overdue financial reform.
Also, the president/congress are looking seriously at long-overdue environmental/climate legislation.

Yes, indeed, let's have a discussion/debate on the real/important issues.

As a conservative I hope liberals continue to talk about racism, we just need to keep quiet and let them hang themselves.

What ordinary working Americans care about is whether they and their children can get a good job and whether the debt we are taking on will cripple the country for their children.

The huge amount of national debt and a plan to deal with it should be issue #1 for conservatives.

Most people like regulating insurance companies regarding pre-existing conditions. But most want tort reform and do not want the government making their health decisions. And the new bureacracy and taxes that the health care bill adds make most people cringe.
The two stimulus bills ( one Bush's and one Obama's) hurt rather than helped. They only succeeded in piling on huge amounts of debt with little or no private sector job growth. This should be issue # 2 for conservatives.

We should get out of Iraq and Afghanistan ASAP. We should have bombed the taliban into hades and came home. Same for Saddam.

I have serious doubts about whether the finance reform act will do anything positive for average Americans.

Cap and Trade will further cripple the economy and would be a huge burden on working Americans. This should be issue #3 for conservatives. People understand higher energy costs and how it they would hurt them.

These are just thumbnail political sketches and I hope we can talk further about all of them.

I think many Americans didn't think the stimulus bills did enough, but were glad for the extra money and extra weeks of unemployment.

We should get out of Iraq and Afghanistan ASAP. We should have bombed the taliban into hades and came home. Same for Saddam.

Sounds like we may have found some common ground on the wars.

I think our war strategies in both Iraq & Afghanistan are based on the mistaken premise that we can kill all the bad guys, and only good guys will be left alive.

Sounds like we may have found some common ground on the wars.

I think our war strategies in both Iraq & Afghanistan are based on the mistaken premise that we can kill all the bad guys, and only good guys will be left alive.

Bush and Obama both think we can build little Americas over there. Not possible. We should eliminate our enemies and come home.

Bush and Obama both think we can build little Americas over there. Not possible. We should eliminate our enemies and come home.

Well, I THOUGHT we had found some common ground.

My point was that we CAN'T kill all the bad guys--we CAN'T "eliminate our enemies."

I think many Americans didn't think the stimulus bills did enough, but were glad for the extra money and extra weeks of unemployment.

This is the basic problem with government stimulus efforts. They produce a few weeks of benefit and then the person is still faced with the same problems. The only long term fix is creation of private sector jobs. No stimulus can help with as much as creating private jobs.

Well, I THOUGHT we had found some common ground.

My point was that we CAN'T kill all the bad guys--we CAN'T "eliminate our enemies."

We can get a good many of them. But keeping our troops on the ground doing police work is insane. Go in, do the job and get out.

If you want conservative candidates to have any chance in November will you please shut up about vacations, birthplaces, racism etc. etc. and concentrate on health care, taxes and the war effort. The liberals keep baiting us with topics that really are inmaterial in order to keep the focus off of how bad they have bungled the economy and led the country towards a drowning in debt.

Sorry, your self annointed leaders (Rush Limabaugh and Palin) have set the new standard of Conservatism, the new litmus test-- vacations and birthplaces are a big part of that test. You are suspect, if you choose speak out against these silly issues, as you have just done.

I applaud you Idlewind for this post, at least you are speaking out. Intelligent, fiscally smart Conservatives are out of fashion right now-their focus is too narrow. No one has to "bait" anyone for that.

They have no one to blame-you stay silent and lay down with dogs, you become part of the pack. That simple.

We can get a good many of them. But keeping our troops on the ground doing police work is insane. Go in, do the job and get out.

OK--let's say we agree on this point.

Wow! That felt pretty good!

As a conservative I hope liberals continue to talk about racism, we just need to keep quiet and let them hang themselves.

What ordinary working Americans care about is whether they and their children can get a good job and whether the debt we are taking on will cripple the country for their children.

The huge amount of national debt and a plan to deal with it should be issue #1 for conservatives.

Most people like regulating insurance companies regarding pre-existing conditions. But most want tort reform and do not want the government making their health decisions. And the new bureacracy and taxes that the health care bill adds make most people cringe.
The two stimulus bills ( one Bush's and one Obama's) hurt rather than helped. They only succeeded in piling on huge amounts of debt with little or no private sector job growth. This should be issue # 2 for conservatives.

We should get out of Iraq and Afghanistan ASAP. We should have bombed the taliban into hades and came home. Same for Saddam.

I have serious doubts about whether the finance reform act will do anything positive for average Americans.

Cap and Trade will further cripple the economy and would be a huge burden on working Americans. This should be issue #3 for conservatives. People understand higher energy costs and how it they would hurt them.

These are just thumbnail political sketches and I hope we can talk further about all of them.

I'm a hard working ordinary American and I care very much about health care and it being affordable.

I'm a hard working ordinary American and I care very much about health care and it being affordable.

I agree, I too want affordable health care. I pay through the nose for what I have. However, I do not think the recent bill is the answer, in fact I think it will do little to reduce cost and will only result in the federal government attempting to make my health care decisions. The reform should have started with tort reform and making it illegal to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions at higher premiums and a prohibition on raising rates if the insured gets sick.

I totally agree. This whole racial issue is backfiring.

FOXNews.com - Video Shows USDA Official Saying She Didn't Give 'Full Force' of Help to White Farmer

To think this was something she thought people would not only approve of but support which they did by clapping. Lets see Al Sharpton address this...

NAACP is very racist. Look at how the crowd responds to her at their meeting.

As a liberal, I join with idlewind's request that conservatives shut up about vacations & birthplaces.

Racism, however, I think is pertinent:
The current issue about whether the Tea Party embraces or tolerates racists should not be swept under the rug.

I welcome honest/informed discussion on health care, taxes & our wars:
I support the health insurance reform act that principally keeps insurance companies from (1)denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions, & (2) raising premiums excessively. The president & congress have accomplished what many liberals have only dreamed of for almost 100 years.
I give the president/congress credit for averting a 2nd Great Depression via the Stimulus Act.
I would like the president/congress to get us out of Iraq/Afghanistan ASAP.
Now it also looks like the president/congress have succeeded in passing long-overdue financial reform.
Also, the president/congress are looking seriously at long-overdue environmental/climate legislation.

Yes, indeed, let's have a discussion/debate on the real/important issues.

I'd like to see one conservative grow a set and admit that one of the quickest and simplest way to eliminate the deficit and reign in spending would be to cut military spending.

Quick question for the conservatives; which country has the largest Air Force after the US Air Force?

Careful it's a trick question.

I'd like to see one conservative grow a set and admit that one of the quickest and simplest way to eliminate the deficit and reign in spending would be to cut military spending.

Quick question for the conservatives; which country has the largest Air Force after the US Air Force?

Careful it's a trick question.

...cut military spending...oh, that's a good one...

I think that we could certainly save money in the defense budget. Our military should be strong enough to prevent any foe from attacking our homeland. The rest of the world should pay to protect themselves instead of America footing the bill. Where we can cut is by bringing the troops home from Europe, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. and let these people pay for their own defense. Some of these troops could be better utilized securing our borders.

I wish some liberal would grow a set and admit that we could cut entitlements to save money.

I think that we could certainly save money in the defense budget. Our military should be strong enough to prevent any foe from attacking our homeland. The rest of the world should pay to protect themselves instead of America footing the bill. Where we can cut is by bringing the troops home from Europe, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. and let these people pay for their own defense. Some of these troops could be better utilized securing our borders.

I wish some liberal would grow a set and admit that we could cut entitlements to save money.

Here's a novel idea: cut both. In fact just take an axe and cut 10% of everything.(Of course, no one would get re-elected, but that might be a good thing.)

Here's a novel idea: cut both. In fact just take an axe and cut 10% of everything.(Of course, no one would get re-elected, but that might be a good thing.)

It would be a great start. And we surely could use some politicians who are more concerned about the good of the country instead of getting reelected.:roll:

we surely could use some politicians who are more concerned about the good of the country instead of getting reelected.:roll:

That's exactly what its going to take but I can't think of any holding Federal office right now that fit that model. Its all about reelection and money.

I'd like to see one conservative grow a set and admit that one of the quickest and simplest way to eliminate the deficit and reign in spending would be to cut military spending.

Quick question for the conservatives; which country has the largest Air Force after the US Air Force?

Careful it's a trick question.

Since no conservative has jumped to answer your question, I'll have a go:

The US Navy has the second largest air force in the world after the US Air Force.

On this thread there seems to be a consensus forming--among both liberals & conservatives--that the US needs to cut its defense budget. I want to join that consensus.

I spent 27 yrs in the US Defense Dept., a lot of that working in NATO w/ our European allied countries. While the US poured a large share of its budget into "defense", our allies were content to let us provide most of the ?defense umbrella,? while they put most of their budgets into health care & education for their citizens.

Clearly, the US got the worst of this deal. All our allies now have better health care* & education & we're stuck w/ a bloated dinosaur of a Defense Dept. (*I don't mean better technologically, just that they provide universal health care coverage for their citizens).

The US spends more on "defense" than the next 20 or so nations combined.

Our principal enemies are not nations at all--just guys who live in caves! We don't need more tanks, planes, ships, missiles, bombs. We need military intelligence & common sense.

Bring the troops home from Iraq & Afghanistan.

Bring the troops home from Europe & Japan.

Cut the defense budget.

Since no conservative has jumped to answer your question, I'll have a go:

The US Navy has the second largest air force in the world after the US Air Force.

On this thread there seems to be a consensus forming--among both liberals & conservatives--that the US needs to cut its defense budget. I want to join that consensus.

I spent 27 yrs in the US Defense Dept., a lot of that working in NATO w/ our European allied countries. While the US poured a large share of its budget into "defense", our allies were content to let us provide most of the ?defense umbrella,? while they put most of their budgets into health care & education for their citizens.

Clearly, the US got the worst of this deal. All our allies now have better health care* & education & we're stuck w/ a bloated dinosaur of a Defense Dept. (*I don't mean better technologically, just that they provide universal health care coverage for their citizens).

The US spends more on "defense" than the next 20 or so nations combined.

Our principal enemies are not nations at all--just guys who live in caves! We don't need more tanks, planes, ships, missiles, bombs. We need military intelligence & common sense.

Bring the troops home from Iraq & Afghanistan.

Bring the troops home from Europe & Japan.

Cut the defense budget.

I agree with two cavats:

1. Instead of funding more entitlement programs use the savings to balance the budget and begin paying down the debt.
2. Put the troops on the borders and secure them once and for all.

As a conservative I hope liberals continue to talk about racism, we just need to keep quiet and let them hang themselves.

What ordinary working Americans care about is whether they and their children can get a good job and whether the debt we are taking on will cripple the country for their children.

The huge amount of national debt and a plan to deal with it should be issue #1 for conservatives.

Most people like regulating insurance companies regarding pre-existing conditions. But most want tort reform and do not want the government making their health decisions. And the new bureacracy and taxes that the health care bill adds make most people cringe.
The two stimulus bills ( one Bush's and one Obama's) hurt rather than helped. They only succeeded in piling on huge amounts of debt with little or no private sector job growth. This should be issue # 2 for conservatives.

We should get out of Iraq and Afghanistan ASAP. We should have bombed the taliban into hades and came home. Same for Saddam.

I have serious doubts about whether the finance reform act will do anything positive for average Americans.

Cap and Trade will further cripple the economy and would be a huge burden on working Americans. This should be issue #3 for conservatives. People understand higher energy costs and how it they would hurt them.

These are just thumbnail political sketches and I hope we can talk further about all of them.

I agree with most of this. I also believe that America has wisened up to the those who scream racism and I do believe we will begin to see those factions crumble.

I think many Americans didn't think the stimulus bills did enough, but were glad for the extra money and extra weeks of unemployment.

I wrote Mel Martinez a letter asking for my Congressional Hearings for my personal bailout. The response was pisspoor at best.

I'm a hard working ordinary American and I care very much about health care and it being affordable.

I do as well and I believe tort reform is the quickest, most efficient manner to creating affordable health care and healthy competition among a buffet of carriers.

I think that we could certainly save money in the defense budget. Our military should be strong enough to prevent any foe from attacking our homeland. The rest of the world should pay to protect themselves instead of America footing the bill. Where we can cut is by bringing the troops home from Europe, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. and let these people pay for their own defense. Some of these troops could be better utilized securing our borders.

I wish some liberal would grow a set and admit that we could cut entitlements to save money.

When someone wants to cut the defense budget, I need a little more information because it's a loaded question. Pulling out of Afghanistan and Iraq, I agree with, but it should be handled very methodically by experienced military personnel. Closing military bases in the United States like Clinton did I absolutely oppose. This makes us appear weak. I think a country is as strong as her military.....then currency and GDP.


We can't cut out entitlements. I do not agree with this.....there are too many dependents and we are already taking care of them. However, we can enforce the laws surrounding the entitlements.