November 08, 2006
Our Just DessertsI have been very tough on the Republican party for its total abandonment of any pretense of limited government principles. After Republicans have worked hard at the grassroots level for years to finally build a solid majoirty, it only took the insular arrogance of a handful of Beltway-ensconced, power-hungry, profligate and comfortable political creatures with names like DeWine, Taft, Stevens, Hastert and Chafee to bring us one step back after having been carried two steps forward.
Now we have a chance to learn from this loss. Make no mistake: the Democrats did not wiin yesterday; the Republicans lost. The Democratic strategy was to refuse to offer any hint of an agenda or to provide voters with any indication of what the Democrats want to do. They sought to make the election a referendum and not a choice, which was wise given the GOP's mainfest failures. But the flip side is that the Democrats have no mandate.
Democrats will either do nothing in this Congress or attempt to advance their liberal agenda and surprise voters with tax hikes and leftist social legislation. Either option provides Republicans with an opportunity, but only if they internalize the lesson of 2006, which is to return to 1994. First: dump Hastert, Boehner and Blunt. Second: put Shadegg and Pence into the leadership. Unify around an agenda of limited government, low taxes and definace against terrorists. Let the Democrats show voters their true colors and 2008 should be very different.
Posted by Jonathan R. on November 8, 2006 08:57 AM
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Comments
We need to add McCain to your list as well .... there is probably no other RINO that as done more damage to the conservative cause than him!
Posted by: Wayne Wilmans at November 8, 2006 09:15 AM
the insult dealt to the republicans is that they had fallen into such disrepute that the public would vote for a party without a plan.
except.... and here is the kicker, that isn't quite true:
*Impose new rules and regulations to break the link between lobbyists and legislation
*Allow the government to negotiate with drug companies and fix Medicare Part D
*Stop Social Security and Medicare privatization plans in their tracks
*Raise the minimum wage to $7.25
*Cut the interest rates on student loans in half
*Roll back subsidies to Big Oil and gas companies
*Enact all the recommendations made by the independent 9/11 Commission
*Enact the findings of the Baker Commission
secondly:
i have to disagree, as someone who holds every little brief for the republican party the only way they can win is with more poeple like Mccain on the national stage. People want Pay As You Go government, and he seems to be one of the few congressional figures who has stood up for that.
Mccain also has high ratings among independents (who largely broke democratic yesterday) - picking candidates who appeal only to the base does not work. The Democrats have just learnt that lesson by only just starting to select Southern Fried Dems to stand - and they won.
As i say, i have no love for the republican party, and a diminishing liking of Mccain, but a compromise figure is needed in the presidential election.
Bush won in 2000 promising to be that man.
Al
Posted by: Al at November 8, 2006 08:13 PM
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