Moderate is not going to get the job done. "Moderate" is RINO code for I'll work with the unions; for I'll raise taxes to support government "solutions"; for I'll go along to get along so we can all live in harmony and get re-elected.

When seeking a surgeon, I wouldn't be looking for a doctor whose knowledge and abilities are "moderate". I wouldn't want to fly with a pilot whose skills are moderate.

A "centrist" (almost seems like it should be spoken with a lisp) position looks too much like the liberal position. What we need is an entirely new approach, an approach that strongly favors candidates who strongly favor the taxpayers and to HELL with everyone else who wants to play games with our money for their own selfish interest!

Great. The first comment comes from a conservative idealogue (usually spotted by use of the term RINO). If George had spent even one minute researching that which he is is commenting on, he would have seen that fiscal responsibility is the foremost concern of the Moderate effort, and most GOP-based comments on the effort indicate that the fiscal issue is dead on with the GOP.

His ideology prevents him from even considering that a non-conservative can share similar ideas and goals that he has as well.

George, the state GOP has almost no ability to affect legislation at the state house. Does your ranting and name calling contain any kind of a plan to increase that percentage (short of bussing in train fulls of conservatives from other states)?

When trying to build a coalition, Ken, it's always best to toss insults at random. It really draws people to your cause.

Ken,

I'm listening. And I vote. And so does my family and most of my friends.

"George, the state GOP has almost no ability to affect legislation at the state house..."

Right, so lets strengthen the GOP, not abandon, or "moderate"...

I don't mean to insult, but quite frankly I hate the idea of moderation and centrism... You end up with a mediocre effort. You'll be swallowed whole by the status-quo.

It is going to take nothing but an all out fignt to change things around here.

...and
I've heard too many moderates in recent history boast of being "fiscally conservative" when what they really mean is raise taxes to keep up with run-away spending.

I'll never trust anyone who calls themselves a "moderate". It's nothing but both-sides-of-the-mouth political spin talk.

Most rational people dislike moderatation and centrism. It reeks of weakness. However, living in a diverse (another word I've grown to despise) society having things your way all of the time is impossible. The ability so see, while not necessaraly agreeing with, another perspective is imperritive if anything is going to get done. As strongly as you or I believe in our position, there is another side that believes in their position just as strongly. Right now, that side is winning the battle, and no matter how much we want a society based on individual responsibility, hard work producing results and fairness in the marketplace we just don't have the troops to get it done. Decades of bad decisions have gotten us here, it won't be fixed by a small group of rebels with little more than an ideology to spur them on. Therefore, I applaud Mr. Block's initiative. At least he showed up at the OCG candidate school, which is a lot more than I have done.

George and Michael -

Many, many rational people do in fact want our politicians to find common ground and govern from the middle. While the electoral process tends to send candidates away from the center to pander to their 'bases', usually the successful candidate moves somewhat to the middle after winning. The reality is that with the country split roughly 50/50 down ideological lines, successful governance requires finding compromise in the middle.

George - As a conservative, how do you feel about Pres. Bush's record on fiscal responsibility? Can you trust anyone to do the right thing financially?

You are very hung up on descriptive titles, rather than the substance of the platform, which brings me back to your ideological blindness.

Michael - Thanks for the note of support. Only by combining forces and finding common ground can the 'not-the-democrat' forces bring badly needed change to this state.

Ken

Mr. Block, I too respect your efforts. But I'm with others who say RIers have not been offered a true alternative to the more left leaning government it has now. A moderate party seems to say that although our current government has brought us to the brink of disaster, we think improving things a little bit might help.

I believe RIers are in many ways conservative. But the Republican party is a mess and has offered no significant alternative. I don't want to be associated with the current party. It already has promoted "moderates" like Chafee and Almond, which brought no change to the status quo.

But I believe the avenue of change does not have to be outside the two party system. A successful RI GOP will be about fiscal reform only. It will establish a "Contract for RI" and seriously promote it...bring it to every door in the state. It will put into its leadership not a "politician" but a passionate and dynamic conservative who won't be interested in making nice with national party leaders. It will be committed to raising money strictly for the purposes of promoting its fiscally conservative agenda, and supporting its attempts to attract conservative candidates. It will be unashamedly pro-business, and work with chambers of commerce to raise money to promote its healthy business climate agenda.

Justin is exactly right. It is the moderate that has destroyed the Republican party. When our former "Republican" senator endorses Barack Obama, and the House minority leader shows up at a fundraiser for former Green David Segal to make nice, we must realize this is the case.

RI's economic woes need more than moderation, more than “not the democrat” alternative.

The very bloggers on Anchor Rising would make an excellent Republican leadership team.