Extraordinary Eh?

Nolan Finey in some sort of way has hijacked the Detroit News. Last week he was calling for higher taxes. This week he is calling for Republicans to join the Demorats and stand for nothing but rotten mush.  This Finey character believes that REALLY BELIEVING  in something is merely being INFLEXIBLE.  Proof of his madness is, quoting him "inflexible views on abortion, gun control and gay rights". Republicans should be more FLEXIBLE and turn their heads when a new born baby only connected by it's umbilical cord is hacked to death. Republicans should be more FLEXIBLE and help the expanding and richly rewarded BATF merely "register" any means the people have to defend themselves against the government. Republicans should be more FLEXIBLE and forget what the statistical term deviant really means, because we cant hurt the self esteem of Child Molesters or OTHERS who might be labeled deviant. 

Voters should vote for the GOP because they respect what the GOP has the courage to stand for, if voters want to be pandered to that is what the Demorats are for.

Nolan Finey has no respect for core Republican values that is why he belittles the values by saying there is no shame in dropping them! Cool guess we can all go and get women knocked-up knowing there is an abortionist right around the corner, we can let strangers invade our property and haul off their booty while waiting for a 911 operator to rate our level of need, or we can go to the petting zoo for some fun, after all it is only the INFLEXIBLE who are against bestiality. That's what Finey stands for ... no shame.

It’s time for the GOP to open its ideological club

    PHILADELPHIA

epublicans this week can either invite more people to their party or reinforce the perception that the GOP is a closed ideological club.

    They enter the national convention here in seemingly fine shape. Their presidential nominee, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, is leading in most polls and enjoys broader support among women and some ethnic groups than any Republican candidate since Ronald Reagan.

    Meanwhile, he has his opponent right where he wants him. Vice-President Al Gore is so preoccupied with the third party candidacy of Ralph Nader that he’s flailing away on the far left fringes. Gore came to Grand Rapids last week to embrace environmental extremists and foul the air with anti-business nonsense and ridiculous rants about Big Oil’s greed.

    That leaves a big opening for the Republicans as they preen before a national audience.

    Bush launched his campaign with a message of “compassionate conservatism” and a promise of inclusion, a clear signal that there’s room in the Republican Party for those with more moderate views on social issues. Now he has the chance to prove he means it.

    The message from Philadelphia should be welcoming to those who support Republican fiscal principles, but may not sign on to the party’s inflexible views on abortion, gun control and gay rights. Bush needs to say you can be a Republican and support a woman’s right to choose an abortion; you can be a Republican and believe reasonable gun control measures don’t jeopardize the Second Amendment, and you can be a Republican and support gay rights.

    Strident rhetoric on these and other social issues at past conventions has driven away many who would otherwise be drawn to the party’s approach to taxation, regulation and government reform.

    It’s time for the fundamentalist wing drawn to the GOP by Reagan to accept that the GOP is not a religious denomination. Its demand for doctrinal purity on a laundry list of social issues makes the party less representative than it needs to be to govern at the national level.

    So far in the campaign, there’s reason to worry that Republicans don’t really have the inclusion thing down.

    When the name of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge was floated as a potential vice-presidential candidate, he seemed an attractive pick. He comes from a key battleground state, has a sterling record as governor and is compatible with Bush’s reform agenda.

    But he has a fatal flaw: He’s pro-choice.

    Far-right members of the party threatened to disrupt the convention if a pro-choicer was selected for the ticket’s No. 2 spot. Alan Keyes, the ultra-conservative radio host who maintained a no-hope campaign for the nomination right up until last week, made noise about bolting the party unless Bush named a pro-life running mate. He almost certainly would have taken many with him.

    Bush went with former Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, a solid and safe choice who, like Ridge, offered experience and compatibility, but has flawless pro-life credentials.

    Democrats are seizing on Cheney’s abortion record — as a congressman he voted against federal funding of abortion even in cases of rape and incest — to warn women away from the Republican ticket.

    They’ll do the same with the party platform, which includes a reaffirmation that Republicans oppose all abortions, making no exception for rape or incest, and comes down firmly against any form of gun control.

    Like the selection of Cheney, the platform will keep the right wing quiet. But it’s no way to reach out to the middle, where this election will be won or lost.

    Inclusion can only come with tolerance. If Bush is serious about broadening the appeal of the Republican Party, he’ll have to recognize that most voters aren’t as rigid on abortion, gay rights and other social issues as the religious right has made the GOP. There has to be an opportunity for civil discussion of those issues, and perhaps even room for moderation of traditional hard-line views.

    There’s no shame in moving Republicans closer to the middle. After all, that’s where the people — and the votes — are.

Nolan Finley is editorial page editor of The News. His column is published on Sunday. Write letters to 615 W. Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48226, or send e-mail to letters@detnews.com