The American Spectator

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Paint It Black

12.21.07 @ 12:01AM

(Page 2 of 4)

But these choices are not inevitable. Conservatives have two fabulous choices that don't split the Republican Party: Fred Thompson and Duncan Hunter. A Thompson/Hunter ticket would be powerful. Of course, a Hunter/Thompson ticket might raise some eyebrows, but they could get the burned out Rolling Stone reader vote!
-- Greg Barnard
Franklin, Tennessee

TACTICAL RETREAT
Re: Jeffrey Lord's So Much for the Ideology of Tactics:

Mr. Lord almost, but not quite, completed the circle of logic. The missing piece was an explanation on the main difference between tactics and strategies, and how that difference is applied to politics.

Tactics are used by liberals specifically to achieve a short term objective -- reelection or, in some situations, a specific power grab. Strategies, on the other hand, are used by the conservative movement to effect long term goals. Note that I didn't say that strategies were used by Republicans who, these days, are no different than liberals -- re the latest Omnibus monstrosity.

To expand upon this difference, one could say tactics were used by the Clintons to great success due to the very short timeframe experienced by each occupant of the Little Rock mansion (2-year increments). When the timing was right, they then applied the principle of tactics on a national level. They succeeded because they were able to change the definition of "short term" in our national discourse. BC (before Clinton), a four year time horizon was "beyond the horizon" for most of Middle America. In the AD era, time became compressed, as history and events compressed. Bill's peccadilloes compressed his White House occupancy to nothing more than a flash in the pan.

The conservative movement, by contrast, is a life-long goal. The main emphasis is not reelection or the latest power grab, but rather, the effort to "re-ground" and "re-direct" this great country to the principles promulgated by our Founding Fathers. The strategy, therefore, is akin to turning an aircraft carrier within the span of a bath tub.

Tactics will still work for the liberals in future (flash-in-the-pan-itis), but for those who care deeply about the long term direction of this country, they had better give the grownups the time they need to effect the greater strategy -- to return this nation to its position as a constitutional republic with limited governmental powers.
-- Owen H. Carneal
Yorktown, Virginia

Wow! Once again Mr. Lord ably identifies and articulates that which makes the liberal (or are they "progressives" now? No matter a rose by any other name...) mind work. It has amazed me, especially in the last 5-6 years that these so called adults are so pathologically committed to getting and staying in power that they assume there are no consequences for the effluvia which emanates from their pie holes on any number of issues in any and all venues. These past 6 years and the tactics employed by the "loyal" opposition has been a disservice to America and her interests. Almost as sad is the wedge it has driven between me and life long friends who in the past participated in spirited, honest discussions on policy and philosophy but now always, always, revert to the lib/Dem talking points.
-- Stuart Reed
Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan

Great article -- it reminded me of something Goldwater said in his book, which is, he felt he would have had a chance against Kennedy in '64 because he knew the campaign on both sides would stick to the issues or ideology.

Against Johnson, Goldwater knew he would be dealing with Johnson's tactics, and of course fell victim to it. At least in the long run, the voice of Conservatism won out.
-- Anthony Mastroserio
Skillman, New Jersey

Jeffrey Lord's article on liberals and the politics of tactics made for stimulating reading. While he makes several good points there is still the nagging reality that it works for Democrats and is illustrated by how Chuck Schumer manipulated many conservatives in 2006 to "punish" Republicans. Now thanks to Schumer's tactical genius the worst Congress in U.S. history is abysmally led by Democrats who have battled hard to increase pork spending, raise taxes and surrender to Islamic rapists and murderers in Iraq. Thankfully, they've been stopped dead in their tracks by the same President Bush and Republicans in Congress that many conservatives so vehemently trashed. According to Mr. Lord's colleague James Antle III the Democrat's tactics are so formidable that they may actually win the White House and increase their Congressional majority even though the electorate has only contempt for Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi's Congress. Either tactics work or the American electorate was dumb in 2006 and plans to be dumber in 2008 (to reference Hillary Clinton�s favorite movie).

It could be said that arrogant RINO Mike Huckabee's campaign is the product of emulating the tactics of the Clintons and Democrats. In the footsteps of Bill Clinton Huckabee has smeared Mitt Romney with veiled attacks on his faith just like the Clinton's smeared Ken Starr. His Christmas ads, that the liberal media miraculously praises while disparaging the faith of those who believe in the Christ of Christmas, could be a tactic to cover up his lack of ethical integrity as Governor of Arkansas. By endorsing a consumption tax he's made another tactical move to keep voters from seeing that he is nothing more than a contemptible tax and spend liberal. Even more stunning is that his tactics have won disciples of Pat Buchanan's 21st century "No Nothing" philosophy to Mr. Welcome Mat's Presidential campaign.

One would hope that 2008 is a watershed year when tactical politicians bite the dust. But that will only become reality when the Clintons, the Democrats (Obama, Edwards, Reid and Pelosi all practitioners of the politics of tactics) and their one notable Republican protege Mike Huckabee go down in defeat.
-- Michael Tomlinson
Jacksonville, North Carolina

Jeffrey Lord's article on Tactics of Ideology is an interesting and (long term) contemplative piece. As an observer of "things political" I'm hoping there's a grain of possibility in what he writes regarding an end result to the left's recent battle positions.

However...

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Taxes, Education, Nancy Pelosi, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Islam, Constitution, Law, Founding Fathers, Military, Iraq, Israel, NATO, Conservatism, Energy