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SOUL OF THE PARTY

Top Conservatives Warn House GOP to Resist 'Leftist Apparatus'

They're telling representatives not to cave on the fiscal cliff - or else

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by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

"Anti-feminist" activist Phyllis Schlafly / Image: Flickr

Prominent conservatives are speaking up to demand that America get its principled politicians good and hard (right).

Business Insider reports that over 100 luminaries of the non-left have sent an open letter to House Republicans demanding that they not cave on taxes in any deal reached on the fiscal cliff. The list of those calling on the GOP of Capitol Hill to "stand firm and not surrender conservative principles" includes Phyllis Schlafly, Brent Bozell, Red State editor Erick Erickson, and World Net Daily's Joseph Farah among other conservative icons.

"The whole leftist apparatus is gearing up to panic you and to force you to cave in," the letter warns. "Don't do it." It goes on to suggest that if House Republicans do do it, "Many who worked hard to elect you in the past will never lift a finger for you again..."

The letter ends with this sounding off:

It's in the interest of the country and in your personal interest for you to use the power you unquestionably have now to stand firm and not surrender your conservative principles, no matter how loud the clamor of people whose central interest is to advance the left's agenda.

Via Business Insider.
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Do you agree with the sentiments expressed in the letter?

Comments (view in Forum)

  • o
    NO-BAMA
    !
    Yup I agree. If the Liberals want to destroy something why don't they go off on your own and destroy their own little place? Why do they feel the need that they have to take down a whole country with them under their flawed ideals? Do they hate freedom that much that they have to destroy a whole country?
  • HPthinker
    !
    what does a "liberal apparatus" look like, does it only turn left? the liberals need to realize that they can't fix everything with more tax hikes - see the story about north korea. Some people will make more than others its why there is rewards.
  • o
    NO-BAMA
    !
    Also, Just because one group of people have to be dependent upon the government, because they love having their life given to them, doesn't mean they have to destroy the country and enslave everybody else to their lifestyle and proven to fail Utopia.
    No one is making you live in freedom, don't go around trying to make it illegal just because it offends you.
  • Zazziness
    !
    Why can't you accept that you live in a free nation with diverse ideas. Why can't you just go somewhere else if you don't like the way this nation is run? Why can't you grasp that American weighed the economic "solutions" and oppressive social policies of the far right and they rejected them?
  • o
    Sonny
    !
    The only people who "hate freedom" are the far right wingers who want things "their way, or no way"...Sound familiar? It should...Thats what the far right has been demanding since Obama's first election.
  • Denizen_Kate
    !
    "Do they hate freedom that much ... " That sort of hate-filled rhetoric is the very problem. Just because the majority of the voters in this country disagree with you, that makes them freedom haters? I know it's tough to wake up one day and find that you're in the minority, but try to deal with that fact without spewing scare-mongering nonsense about destroying the country. I'm so tired of all the drama ...
  • View all 77 replies >
  • SavageMazx
    !
    I think many of the GOP and hoping on the leftist apparatus in order to save thier political careers. Lets face it, liberalism is the way this counrty is heading, just like Europe, hang on, its gonna be a bumpy ride.
  • SavageMazx
    !
    @UScentral Bush 1, Bush 2 and the last four years will be nothing compared to whats in store for this country if we dont get a grip on the run away spending,stop spending our kids and our kids kids money and learn to live within our means. Its not a D or R thing, its not an Obama or Bush thing, its a systemtic failure from city governemnts all the way up to Washington. None of them know how to stop this monster that they have created. How long do we spend money on programs that dont work without raising taxes to an insane amount? This isnt sustainable.
  • Zazziness
    !
    @Republican5001 Call the TV show "Preppers." Maybe you can make some money. It's full of kooks who... I mean, it's full of very cautious people. ;-)
  • View all 40 replies >
  • Waynestew
    !
    Hell no! I disagree totally. These legislators first priority should be to their constituents. Most Americans are tired of this silly standoff and we want some type of PROGRESS to be made in Washington. Increase revenue, slash spending and let's move forward as a country DAMN! Raise taxes on the top 2% raise the age of retirement for Medicare and Social Security. This would be a nice first step to a compromise.
  • jessejaymes
    !
    How about them 300.00 hammers and 1,500.00 toilet seats the Military buys millions of? You Ok with cutting out that BS as well?
  • Waynestew
    !
    @jessejaymes Absolutely! I think there is a lot of waist in military spending and we could do with closing some of our bases that are totally unnecessary.
  • View all 22 replies >
  • jessejaymes
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    Let me translate for those who wonder what political speak amounts to. "We the undersigned rich people and shills for the ultra rich are going to be pissed off to the max if you make us pay the same percentage of tax as a guy in Denver making 50 K a year. Don't you dare.".
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    No I don't agree with the sentiments in the letter, but I do want them ro stand firm so the Bush tax cuts expire and there is a 50% cut in military spending...
  • Denizen_Kate
    !
    I agree. Bad choice of photos. They do that will Democrats sometimes, too -- find the ugliest pic possible and run it with the story. That said, I'm pretty sure Phyllis is very representative of those who signed and sent this letter to Republicans.
  • mimi57
    !
    YES, without a doubt...if we go over the 'cliff', Oh well, it will be on Obama's watch. The leader, the man who said
    he will bring the parties 'together' and have a 'transparent' government..they should not give an inch. How much
    more damage he will do we'll just have to see...
  • PoliticalSpice
    !
    You see, this is an example of how I'm not liberal. I don't want to bring the parties together, except to go over the cliff. Then the bush tax cuts expire and we get a50% reduction in the military budget. Win win.
  • mimi57
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    @PoliticalSpice I thought you were a liberal...Thanks for the vote up by the way, I never thought THAT would happen! lol
  • o
    Sharpshooter
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    Exactly.... Axelshaft had his boy promise to Compromise if he won the election... Compromise means giving as well as taking and Der Fuhrer seems to only understand the TAKING part.

    His offer of talking about cutting spending AFTER the Republicans give in sounds like a high school Lothario in the back seat of a Dodge on prom night. He'll PROMISE anything to get what he wants and conveniently forget in the morning.

    Sandy Fluke may be right about contraception... it looks like Der Fuhrer is going to do his best to add another notch to his belt.

    When we fall from the cliff, EVERYONE in Congress is going to be held accountable, the American Public voted in this election based on what stuff they plan to get.... they'll be very unhappy when the Gravy Train stops rolling.
  • o
    Sharpshooter
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    @Zazziness That assumes that anyone subscribes to the meaningless concept and then only if the analogy were inappropriate. It's not I'm talking about a Egotistical Socialist leader I consider dangerous.

    Nice try at distracting the discussion away from the facts you apparently cannot defend against. Alinsky would be embarrassed by your attempt to invoke his third and fifth rules, you need to be a bit less obvious and adroit with the application.
  • Zazziness
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    @Sharpshooter He's not a socialist, which is your first error. He is definitely not a totalitarian dictator as you continually attempt to imply in your post. That's the second error. And I am not referencing Alinsky. I never heard of the thing until conservatives brought it up which just goes to show they spend a whole lot more time reading the thing than normal people do.
  • Denizen_Kate
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    " ... cutting spending AFTER the Republicans give in ... " The very latest "proposal" Speaker Boehner took to the White House this morning FINALLY included some specific spending cuts that both sides could agree upon, but DID NOT INCLUDE expiring the Bush tax cuts on household earnings over $250k. Obama promised to compromise on cuts if Republicans would compromise on taxes on the wealthiest Americans, so where is the GOP compromise?
  • o
    Sharpshooter
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    @Zazziness He's a Socialist... redistribution of wealth is Socialism. I didn't refer to Axelshaft's boy as a totalitarian dictator, he's not sharp enough to pull that off but his ego is certainly large enough for him to have considered trying.

    I referenced Alinsky, because his his Rules for Radicals are the Liberal Playbook. Perhaps some homework would bring enlightenment to you.
  • mimi57
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    @MongoAPillager It's kinda scary, more for my kids and their kids...It's going to be a different America, for sure.
    What to do?...
  • Zazziness
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    The author shouldn't have called that an opinion piece. It would more accurately be labeled complete fiction or possibly libel. I'll tell you which political party really has openly discussed destroying our government from within: Republicanss. Look up "starve the beast." There are Republican politicians who plot against our government and hope to topple it by refusing to fund needed programs. They're not even ashamed of it which is why you can find their dastardly plan openly discussed by them on the web. Disgusting and underhanded, imho.
  • MongoAPillager
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    @Fuzziness it hardly seems sane to suggest taxcuts are designed are designed to"destroy"the country as you indicate.the purpose seems to be an effort to rein in spending in a manner that is more forceful than current methods.I reckon it depends on which government teat you are sucking on as to the amount of said destruction
  • View all 8 replies >
  • texas_cutie75
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    What I got out of this was, "Lookie here, y'all don't do what we want, you're gonna regret it!" Everyone.... E V E R Y O N E needs to help get this country back on its feet fiscally, it is disheartening that such a great nation can be led down this path. Please Washington, pull your collective heads out of where ever they may be and FIX THIS!!!
  • Politicskid
    !
    That's all fine and good, but what do you think the compromise should be? The Republicans can't in good faith do something they know will kill more jobs then it creates.
  • PayThatCEO
    !
    @Politicskid

    But they sure don't mind doing something in good faith that they know will hurt millions of Americans already struggling to get by...the elderly, for one.

    Businesses aren't creating jobs, period. They can get all the tax cuts in the world, but there's no guarantee they'll create any jobs. It'll just turn into a nice, big tax cut for businesses and they'll profit from it.
  • Politicskid
    !
    @PayThatCEO Actually, Republicans don't think that cutting programs and reducing the defecit will hurt anybody. Also, I'm not sure the elderly really need much more help...their poverty rate is the lowest of any demographic.

    So why don't you think lowering taxes (or keeping them the same, rather) will create jobs? Yes, of course they will profit from it, but that's a good thing. If the wealthy have more money to spend, they'll hire more employees because they'll want to expand their investments. They'll also buy more sports cars and nice vacation homes, private jets, etc.

    As long as the wealthy are American citizens, the money will come back here. Oh, and another problem with raising taxes on anybody is that they'll move to another country. If they get too high, we could just get a country full of a bunch of equally poor people.
  • PayThatCEO
    !
    @Politicskid

    It won't happen. You could remove every tax on every business in this country and it wouldn't make them higher anyone they didn't need or want to hire. What makes you think they'll get a tax break and suddenly rush out and put wants ads in the paper? If they're getting along now on a skeleton crew, why not continue to do so and pocket the savings?

    Of 26 industrial nations, 18 have higher tax rates than the U.S. so your poor, pitiful American companies are bemoaning taxes not because they are high, but to cover up the fact that they absolutely HATE paying for employees. THAT'S the gist of their gripes. They're using the "we'll hire more people if you give us a tax break" excuse, but they have absolutely no intention of hiring anyone. It's a load of horse crap.

    What a damn shame the people in the United States don't have near as many brains as those in England. They are boycotting Microsoft products after it was revealed that Microsoft in Britain hasn't paid a dime in taxes and owes millions. Instead, here in America we coddle big business while they do everything they can to destroy the rest of us.
  • Politicskid
    !
    @PayThatCEO You don't understand how capitalism works, and why it is such a great system.

    2/4 of America works for smaller businesses. Sure, the owners are in it for profit, but aren't the employees, too?

    How can it not benefit you're economy if you create circumstances that are favorable to business? Look at what happened under Reagan. He took us out of Carter's liberal mess and helped our economy boom for a really long time. Give me an example of anything close to that in a time we had such a great economy under Obamanomics-type circumstances?

    Also, if big business is "destroying us", what do you want to do, get rid of it? And why have we had such a high quality of life for such a long time if big business is destroying us?

    Guess what, if it weren't for innovation by individual looking to earn a profit, we wouldn't have iPhones. Our computers would be much more primative, and our cars would be terrible. You think GM's are bad, the US government would make the most gas guzzling unreliable cars in history. The only way people could afford them is because they'd be heavily subsidized by the Chinese on the condition inflation increases
  • View all 9 replies >
  • Denizen_Kate
    !
    "Many who worked hard to elect you in the past will never lift a finger for you again..."

    Right. All the hundreds of millions of dollars the far right PACs and Super PACs spent on this last election weren't very effective, so why would this scare any incumbent? The GOP continues to eat its own young.
  • o
    Sonny
    !
    Of course not! And this sort of "no compromise" nonsense always seems to come from someone who is NOT holding any elective office...The entire system of our government REQUIRES that the factions COMPROMISE. There is NO other way to do it. And for these political novice to (who are just stuck in their own ideology) to get in the middle of all of this is just ridiculous. If they think their views are so great...then let THEM run for office, instead of merely trying to instigate from the sidelines...I am sick and tired of these "side-line" conservatives...screwing up America.
  • Post Removed by Moderators
  • u
    SmedleyButler
    !
    I have friends who were from the former Soviet Union and what happened when the state took all their money? They stopped working. That's coming here soon. Devalued money, oppressive taxes, lack of competition, bailing out special interests. What's left? f*@k it!! They all DO NOT WANT YOU TO ACQUIRE ANY GENERATIONAL WEALTH, THEY WANT IT ALL AND THINK THEY DESERVE IT.
  • u
    mtkopf
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    You don't want to pay4% more in taxes? Fine let's go back to tax rates of the 50s and 60s where the top earners paid over 90%. Funny thing, the economy did very well back then too because the middle class thrived.
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