Been a busy day and evening, didn’t even get in any law study, and it’s way past bedtime. There’s other topics I had in mind for commenting on recently, but frankly there are just always things of higher priority that take greater precedence in my life. I have slightly less than four weeks left until I take the national certifying exams for the certified legal assistant/paralegal license, so that is going to have first claim on my time until then.
Just this quick comment on yesterday’s election. I see that “El Rushbo” is adamantly against conservatives running as third party candidates, believing that that would only serve to ensure permanent Democratic Party victories. To that end, he spent some effort on his show today explaining why NY-23 was a one-off special case that ought not serve as an inspirational model for conservatives elsewhere. If this, and that, and one more thing had been different, then it might be significant, but it isn’t. I disagree.
How many elections did Norman Thomas and the Socialist Party USA win? None. Does that mean they were failures? According to Rush, and Newt, and most “pragmatists” the answer is obviously “Yes”. You can’t implement your policies if you’re not in office, right? Or can you?
In fact, almost the entire platform of the Socialist Party has been successfully implemented and institutionalized by both Democratic and Republican administrations. Norman Thomas was the stalking horse, field testing socialist policy proposals and proving their public appeal. The major parties defeated the Socialists by co-opting them. So, the question is:
If your opponent(s) can only defeat you by adopting your policies… have you really been defeated?
If your goal is to gain and exercise power yourself, then yes, you were defeated. But if you believe that your policies offer the best hope for the country, then no- you won. As a wise person once observed, there is no limit to what one can achieve if you’re willing to let others take the credit. For most people, that’s too high a price to pay. That’s too bad, especially if you claim to love your country and to want what’s best for it.
Rush says a Conservative third party is a prescription for permanent Democratic Party victories. And how well has it worked out being loyal Republicans?
Filed under: Conservatism, Elections, Politics
