people are confusing conservatism and the GOP. The GOP has all but abandoned conservatism. On a few issues, we are still on track, but government is growing and expanding out of control, regardless of which of the two parties is in charge.

And what about SOCIAL-CONSERVATIVES? (Very different from "Conservatives" in that there is more to care about than the mighty buck :)

The sad part for us, SC, is that I see no leadership in the horizon to bring us together. I thought that Huck might have been the one who would do it for us, but frankly, his a**-kissing of MaCaca showed me he is not the one.

Bump to #2.

It’s up to us normal people to hound our Republican lawmakers with letters and phone calls to call them back to conservative principles. We will have to do a lot of letter writing.

I think that the majority of republican politicians are conservative, but too many are moderate or liberal. My congressman, Mark Kirk (of IL), says that he’s a Republican, but he’s pro-spending increases, pro-choice, pro-gun control, pro-gay marriage, pro-illegal alien, and anti-Iraq surge. I emailed him four times, and I asked why he’s a Republican. I didn’t receive a response. I emailed three of his aides and asked why he’s a Republican, but I didn’t receive a response.

The conservatives we sent to Washington DC in 1994 betrayed the cause.

They are conservative until tempted by lobbiest dollars or constituents demanding handouts for re-election. They’re like the husband who is faithful until his coworkers drag him into a strip bar.

It takes more than conservative beliefs and principles, it takes strength of will, which most politicians lack.

Leave it to some foreign know-nothing to write this kind of blather about “transformation”. Conservatives may need to refine their strategies but their ideals and principles remain the same.

We're going to have to rebuild in the wake of the disaster to come this November. The very best thing for conservatives is for Obama to be seen as having a very large lead going into the election the weekend before. That is the only thing that will scare the living daylights out of red state America (and the red parts of blue states), so they can get rid of the Rats they brought in two, four, or six years ago to counter President Bush.

Then, we see which Republican is man enough to defeat Obama's proposals, bork his nominees, and ensure that his presidency is a miserable failure. That man becomes our champion in 2012.

Obama cannot possibly deliver all things to all the people who think his version of change will be exactly what they need. The ultra left has been out of power for a very long time now (they didn't really regard Carter and Clinton as 'pure' enough) and they will be extremely impatient with Obama if he doesn't propose the most socialistic ideas and freedom-destroying judges. The clown will find himself under siege both from our side, and from the crybabies on the left.

Sometimes you gotta go through a Jimmy Carter to get to a Ronald Reagan.

" The conservatives we sent to Washington DC in 1994 betrayed the cause. " and betrayed us.
Or was it just a phony and horse show , a charade that they told us that they would do such and such, big promises ? no wonder most people have a low regard of politicians.

And regardless of political party, we now have “elected Rulers” and not leaders. So far from what our Founding Fathers intended.

It’s up to us normal people to hound our Republican lawmakers with letters and phone calls to call them back to conservative principles.

That's a waste of time for the vast majority of them because a large number of them run as conservatives and them become infected with D.C. Swamp bug called power and exposed them for what they are: RINO's

Voting them out of a job is the only way to bring back conservative principles

They are conservative until tempted by lobbiest dollars or constituents demanding handouts for re-election. They’re like the husband who is faithful until his coworkers drag him into a strip bar.

That's the corrupt "Two-Party Cartel" that have the sheeple conditioned that they must vote in it.

U.S. conservative s Politicians scramble to find a new direction

There.
Fixed it for the doofus columnist.

Some people can't seem to see the difference.

I consider myself a conservative, and my direction has always been unwavering.

Just saying.

...

Sometimes you gotta go through a Jimmy Carter to get to a Ronald Reagan.

WRONG!!! WRONG!!! WRONG!!!

This "12th Imamism Mentality" is absolutely ridiculous. The Stealth muslim candidate the dnc is nominating would destroy this nation. An your strategy is absolute complicity.

obama is distancing himself from his farrakhan roots for self-preservation. those lunatics can't wait to shoot each other. elijah muhammed, malcolm x, and all these other noi people, CAN NOT STAND any other one being the HNC. jesse jackson's actions spoke volumes more than his words.

>>>>>For some on the right, the conservative decline is simply the result of veering away from the golden age of President Ronald Reagan.

For some? LOL

Its become crystal clear in these last eight years. When it comes to conservatism within the GOP, there have been two distinct groups of Republicans. One group, the true blue, real deal conservative. The other group comprised of liberal and moderate Republicans who stood with Reagan in the 1980`s and Newt in the 1990`s --- and who now can be seen for what they really were. Shifting political centrists who rode the wave of a popular conservative agenda. Now that the GOP has fallen on hard times, its time for these wishy-washy centrists to abandon conservatism in favor of policies that more closely mirror the loyal oppositions leftwing agenda.

So be it.

Fact is, conservatism is not dead. The conservative movement is alive and well. The GOP is down and out, and for good reason.

Conservatives don’t find or look for new directions. Article is bogus.

Conservatives scramble to find a new direction

Find a leader; the rest will follow.
Hmmm...

Political system is corrupt. Term limits need too be set at the ballot box if the polidiots that have infested DC and each state, county and city won’t.

Stick too your guns, vote with your dollars and never re-elect anyone based on promises. Vote based on their records and accomplishments if at all possible.

Just my opinion !

The article is kind of amusing as it recounts the ever-changing views the "scholars" at the "think" tanks who seem to be flailing in the wind (e.g. David Frum). I guess if they keep studying, one of their many positions taken over time may be correct. You gotta love the young whipper-snapper "new generation conservatives" who probably never held a real job in their lives but found a cocoon in the beltway and are already writing books telling everyone else why they are all screwed up.

Another new-generation conservative, Ross Douthat, argues that "Reagan was right for his time, but now it's a different time." Douthat, 28, and Reihan Salam are the authors of a new book, "The Grand New Party..." ..."Conservatives have always criticized the liberal establishment" - universities, magazines, organizations - for a "tendency toward cocooning," Douthat said. Now, it is conservatives who are cocooning, talking only to one another and not looking around for new ideas.

Agreed. The political system is corrupt, but term limits legislation is unconstitutional. The best way to achieve term limits, is through the ballot box. Otherwise, who'll need to amend the Constitution.

The thrust of the article leads many of us to conclude. You can call yourself a conservative and you can go along for the ride, but that doesn't mean you are a conservative. The true test for any conservative is what he/she does when rightwing policies fall out of favor with the people. If you abandon conservatism in order to hold onto elected office, you're not standing on principles. You're engaging in political expediency.

Common guys, this is the New York Times BS were talking about.

The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper.
It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and
is printed at 33 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 180 countries.
The IHT is part of The New York Times Company. It has been based in Paris since its founding in 1887.


International Herald Tribune from Wiki

I seem to miss conservatives dominating politics in the 1980s (Dem Socialists ruled congress), to say nothing of the ebb and flow between Rinos, Dem Socialists, and conservatives from 1992-2006. Where was this great conservative political era anyway? In the minds of Times writers?

The problem with SoCons is that they are a smaller movement than most people thing. If you look at alot of the Demos in those polls that show Americans having some socially conservative opinions, you will see that African Americans and Hispanic Americans tend to bolster many of those numbers, and most are not part of the SoCon coalition in the political sense of the term.

Don't feel so bad. At least the SoCons have a plurality in many southern and lower midwestern states. We libertarians can't seem to get enough people to take over a Starbucks, let alone a political movement.

Common guys...

Who you callin' "common"?
;-)

LMAO......WOW thanks

I thought I proofed it....

DOH

LOL.

“U.S. conservatives scramble to find a new direction”

should read

“U.S. conservatives scramble to find a new home”

btt

Maybe the writer said that conservatives dominated politics in the 1980’s because Reagan was president for eight years and because, 1981-’87, Republicans controlled the U.S. Senate.