party, if we stand for the principles that it was founded upon.
In fact, when we got our Reagan, it was when the liberal Republicans, the Rockefellers et al, had lost so many times to the Democrats that we barely had any representation left. The party was morose, many wanted to change the name after tricky dick. It was ONLY when Reagan touched the hearts and minds of a depressed nation with optimism, conservatism and yes, many libertarian ideas that created an enthusiasm to vote for him regardless of party affiliation.
Reagan, at CPAC 1975- (Times are the same now)
"Since our last meeting we have been through a disastrous election. It is easy for us to be discouraged, as pundits hail that election as a repudiation of our philosophy and even as a mandate of some kind or other. But the significance of the election was not registered by those who voted, but by those who stayed home. If there was anything like a mandate it will be found among almost two-thirds of the citizens who refused to participate.
Bitter as it is to accept the results of the November election, we should have reason for some optimism. For many years now we have preached "the gospel," in opposition to the philosophy of so-called liberalism which was, in truth, a call to collectivism.
...Americans are hungry to feel once again a sense of mission and greatness.
I don `t know about you, but I am impatient with those Republicans who after the last election rushed into print saying, "We must broaden the base of our party"-when what they meant was to fuzz up and blur even more the differences between ourselves and our opponents.
It was a feeling that there was not a sufficient difference now between the parties that kept a majority of the voters away from the polls. When have we ever advocated a closed-door policy? Who has ever been barred from participating?
Our people look for a cause to believe in. Is it a third party we need, or is it a new and revitalized second party, raising a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people?
Let us show that we stand for fiscal integrity and sound money and above all for an end to deficit spending, with ultimate retirement of the national debt."
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