You said it clearly:

“But if you seek to use conservative principles to govern a hugely diverse nation of 300 million people with clashing interests, differing needs, and even different ideas of what it means to be an American, then there should be a realization among conservatives that there is no “big” government or “small” government at all. Rather, it is using government to address the legitimate needs of the people consistent with the Constitution that matters in the end.”

But it appears your compatriots don’t perceive such a nation. They seem to see some misty fiction of a country that only exists in their dreams; homogeneous in all ways and adhering to their particular ideas about government. Good luck!

We have all this activity including Ted Kennedy writing the national health care act on his hospital bed. Rahl Emanual declares never let a crisis go to waste. Tom Daschle states it’s best to not debate controversial health care. Obama openly stoking the doom and gloom by saying the Grim Reaper is in the building and will not leave until his stimulus bill passes.

A great “strategery” to strike at this time. One would not be surprised if even amnesty for illegals is tossed in as part of the “recovery” since all economic issues would need to be dealt with in toto. As Rick points out the Congressional Republicans have almost a Hobson’s choice. Add some drama, perhaps, of votes on Jan 19 at midnight or such with suspension of the rules including filibuster if needed and a new day will truly dawn on Jan 20. The MSM likely will not even give a Republican (including McCain) face time.

On the plus side, now would be a good time to invest in green companies. Anyone know if there is a market in union futures?

Did mommy and daddy send you to law school, baby boy? You like to be cared for, don’t ya boy?

What a waste. Govermnet is force; it’s coercison? Who said that Levi-boy? G. Washington.

Government is LAWYERS. I want nothing to do with sending my money to lawyers in order that they “launder it”, then pass it out to their favored constituencies. That’s government Levi-boy.

Maybe your leg too tingles whenever you see Barry Hussein, you get a little sexual jolt. Go ahead, admit Levi-boy.

Or perhaps you have trouble understanding English. I don’t like nor want government. I am as self-sufficient as possible and I love it. Period.

I think you hit on something here: as Republicans we do need to find relevant alternatives to expanding the size of government, because fighting for small government is an irrelevant battle if small government no longer exists.

Government IS THE PROBLEM. Get off the government nipple. Live your own life.

Government is the only reason you don’t live in a cave. Do you like having roads and a military and hospitals and schools? All of those things exist because of government. Do you like the idea of civilization? Of rule of law? Of a code of ethics? These principles flow from government. Government has guided human development for thousands of years. As a species, we’re as complicated and complex as we’ve ever been, and to think that we’ve outgrown the need for the organ that is fundamentally responsible for getting us here is just stupid.

Government isn’t the problem. Morons electing other morons to run the government as poorly as possible is the problem. There’s nothing inherently evil about the idea of government. That’s such an obvious propaganda play from big business that if you can’t recognize it you really are useless for most purposes. You can scrub toilets, maybe.

Considering that we just went through the longest, most sustained economic growth in the history of industrialized civilization, you would do well to listen.

ed.

-Economic and trade policy which supports long-term growth and can respond adequately to changing real world conditions (domestic and foreign)
-National defense (military, border security, internal security)
-Public health and safety (i.e., prevention and control of disease outbreaks through adequate immunization, sanitation standards, etc.
-Public emergency response (which needs to be carefully and competently integrated with state and local response) - law enforcement, disaster recovery, etc.
-Maintenance of national transportation infrasutrcture (air traffic control, seaport control, interstate highways and non-private rail lines)
-Upholding law and liberty in the context of constitutional guidance

The Democratic party ideology seems to advocate a “federal government knows best” approach to the above points, and public services in general. While I have seen this concept work quite well in small, well integrated countries like Singapore (where I now live), it relies heavily of federal government knowing exactly what is going on at a macro- and micro- level, and having the resources and plans of action to do the right thing. I do NOT see this happening in the US; the bureaucrats is Washington are so often out of touch with the people they supposedly represent, that it would be impossible for them to make accurate decisions about the welfare of the entire country on a consistent basis.

The GOP tends to advocate more of a state-level approach, rather than federal government involvement. Even at state level, much of the government is ineffective due to incompetent/clueless politicians and various budgetary constraints.

I don’t have an easy answer to the problems that the US is facing now, but there are many areas that need a serious rethink with regard to who has oversight authority and the scope of that authority. Above all, the many facets of government need to be well integrated to be effective and eliminate the “pork” and gross waste of taxpayers money.

Our new boy-king truly does harbor socialist leanings.

Prediction: Big time conservative backlash and recovery in 23 months in 2010. Big time.