Posted on 04/16/2005 9:13:32 AM PDT by Mobile Vulgus
It's just that simple.
The GOP has been out of the channels of power since FDR's Democratic Party co-opted socialism to remake their party into the "Party of the people" at the end of Hoover's term. That was in 1934, for those keeping track.
Previous to 1934 the Republican Party had long stretches of and often a choke hold on political power in Washington for most of the 74 years between the first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, was elected in 1860 and Hoover's disastrous last days in office in 1934. The Democrats had to suffice with brief periods during Woodrow Wilson's immensely disappointing term and Grover Cleveland's barely remembered days in office.
But the GOP lost their potency when socialism became King and FDR became the patron saint of the Democrats. Again, that was 1934, 71 years ago. Nearly as long a stretch of time as the years during which they were the Party of power the Republicans have been out of power and they have grown prosaically used to being so powerless.
Some may say, "Now hold on a minute, aren't they the power players today?" Well, one might think so by looking at the ascendance of the Party locally as well as nationally or by listening to the conniptions of the mainstream media moaning about Republican excess. One could be excused for imagining that the GOP had retaken the controls of Lincoln's powerful machine and that they were ready to focus their sites on wielding that power.
One would also be mistaken to believe it, too.
Since the GOP began to get serious about winning elections in the 1960's with Barry Goldwater's abortive attempt to capture the White House, the Party has claimed that things would change if they ever got in power. No longer would Democrats run roughshod over them and no longer would the Dems set the agenda and run the show as if the GOP wasn't even in the theater. When Bush won a second term, the GOP claimed victory and said NOW was that time … they had arrived at long last.
Then Bush sent some judicial nominees to Congress and the wheels came off the bandwagon before the music was fairly struck. The Democrats played their tune of obstruction without sending the Republicans the sheet music and the GOP found that they had forgotten to even tune their instruments much less make sure to see that they were all starting on the same page of music.
The symphony of political power that the GOP assured us that they were ready to conduct has turned from a Beethoven masterpiece to the caterwauling more befitting a Yoko Ono. As John McCain croons in an off key imitation of Tom Daschle, saying he will support the Democrats in this judicial filibustering fight instead of his own Party, and as several other Republicans in the Senate run for the hills we are witness to Republican ineptitude at power politics.
Here is a challenge for the readers. Can you name a major political show down during which Democrats abandoned their Party and supported Republicans when they were in a position of national power? I would say that you won’t be able to find very many examples. In fact, you have to go all the way back to the days of Scoop Jackson or the absurd Democratic nomination of McGovern in 1972 to find any real dissention among Democrats. It's because they don’t do it. They know that unity is the key and that they can haggle within their party for their pet issues after the victory celebration. THAT is how to play power politics.
The Democrats know that they don't have to worry about 2 years from now, or 10 years or 100 years if they don’t win the fights today. If they need to get something done they get it done now. And they don’t snipe at each other in the process. Politics is about compromise for the most part, but someone still has to set the agenda, to write the rules, so that the issues are clear enough for compromise to have a starting point. Democrats are experts at this.
Republicans have for over 70 years been the Party led by the nose. They have been the henpecked husband of the domineering Democrat wife. They have smiled meekly for nearly three quarters of a century and made what minute gains they could as the Democrats set the agenda and offered the GOP some scraps from the table as an after thought. The GOP is apparently used to this role and they haven’t the spine to break out of it even when they have majorities in power all across the country.
In this judicial fight, the GOP has allowed the Democrats to set the agenda they have allowed them to create the goals and they have pleaded with them for a few scraps from the table just like they have done for 70 years. Senators like John McCain are more interested in being loved by the press corps than standing for the gains of his Party, one that a majority of Americans have supported.
This will lose the GOP the hard fought points that they have gained since 1994. And with no obvious presidential candidate to offer the voting public in just a few short years this could see a Democrat winning the White House in a cake walk in 2008.
After all, why vote for a Republican when the Democrats are controlling the agenda anyway?
So who would you suggest that the Republicans be replaced with?...... You've found the problems now what is the solution as to whom should have the power you want them to exercise....
We were having the same discussion this morning at breakfast. The Republcians had better enjoy their moment in the sun; Because it isn't going to last.
As ugly as the democrats are, they, with MUCH help from the media, will walk all over the Republicans. Wait until Hillary becomes totally vocal in 2008.
ALL of the US "Legislative" branch is WORTHLESS and begs TOTAL replacement with STRICT Constitutionalists. ALL 535 of them have the Washington DC disease and need replacement! If we as a people accomplished that then this republic MAY stand a chance beyond 20 or so yeas. Other than that be ready for rule by the DC, CA and the NE(Northeast) "elites" when Hildabeast wins in 2008.
We really can't do much. We did our share, we elected them. We can email, call and write till doomsday, they DON'T listen. Until we replace Frist and others, nothing is going to happen. Republicans, by nature, are well mannered. I don't want them to turn into democrats, I just want them to get some courage. We need more NEWTS...
Question:
Would you care to furnish the make up [numbers of Senators Republican vs. Democrats] for the years you specify all the power wielding?.......
That would be an interesting statistic to use in comparing how much power they really had.....
Question:
Can you supply the numbers asked in Post #5...... That will tell you how the power is divided and why things can get done or not get done in the Senate....
When I set out to work for a Republican majority government, I was hoping to get some fiscal discipline and a reduction in the scope and power of the Federal government.
What I got was the exact opposite.
I'm still trying to be optimistic, but it's getting difficult in the face of the evidence that our party seems to be as interested in reigning in the Beast as the opposition is.
I thought that was in 1933.
An interesting proposition.
IF we ever get terrorism under control and..
IF we get some constitutional judges and..
IF we get a promise that the RATs won't raise taxes and...
well, I'm not sure there is a reason.
...bring on "The Beast"
I wouldn't take the poison elixir just yet. There are many scenes to be played out, and the filibuster of judicial appointments, and now legislation, is but symptomatic of the large boil on Congresses butt.
It has been probed and prodded as the patient lays writhing in pain. Sooner or later it will be lanced.
All that is needed is for the doctors to get their courage up, which seems to be what you are saying. ;)
Democrats kick asses to get elected.
Republicans kiss asses to get elected.
Like I've said to others a million times, if the people wanted smaller government, they would have it. Win the hearts and minds of the rest of the populace, and the politicians and smaller government will follow.
Politicians being the spineless creatures they are, are too prone to simply sticking their finger in the wind.
Alway considered getting into power, making friends in the military, and declare Martial Law, while shutting down the Federal mess and retool everything compared to the Constitution. Sometimes a chainmail fist works better than a silk glove....
A blinding glimpse of the obvious: Democrats and Republicans are the left and right wings of the centrist ruling elite, which draws its strength from the strongly instilled belief of most of the electorate that "solutions" come from top-down exercises of power from "the center".
"Send me to Washington, and I will fix up the mess!"
LOL. Washington is "mess central". State governments, to the extent that they are more than provinces of the Federal imperium, draw on similar "solutions from the top" mentality. "UN world order" - - - just one order of magnitude more insane than "fix the mess in Rome-on-the-Potomac and all will be well".
Strengthen yourself, your family, your congregation, your community. Resist depredations from any higher level. Once the centrist idols are manifestly bankrupt, bereft of legitimacy, and impotent to continue their depridations, a generation or two will have passed, and our descendants will work out the rest. Focus on producing strong minded, well mannered, wise and capable descendants. There is no other way.
Very interesting read. Well done.
"more Newts"
Oh really .. well your darling has been all over the TV bad-mouthing Tom DeLay .. sorry .. but Newt needs to shut up.
"Oh really .. well your darling has been all over the TV bad-mouthing Tom DeLay .. sorry .. but Newt needs to shut up."
Yeah, I wish Newt would recall the 11th Commandment, but ... Newt did get us welfare reform and the Democrats even controlled the White House. Now we have the White House as well and all we get is a massive expansion of Medicare entitlements. Give me Newt any day, thank you very much.
Well, I am not suggesting "replacing" Republicans. I am suggesting that they don't know how to use the power once they get into Congress. No where did I say we need to dump the GOP!
What I am suggesting is that we, as voters, keep the pressure on them to perform. The Democrats have no problem wielding power. The GOP is timid. But they WILL get the message if we push them.
Frist has already found his presidential hopes are now probably finished because he has shown he is a weakling. Stick a fork in ‘im, he is DONE.
Besides, only a fool would imagine he could run for president from the Senate. Not a SINGLE one who has tried it in over 200 years has won the position.
Keep calling them and emailing them. Vote against any who are timid or too ready to let the Democrats set the agenda and stop donating money to the ones who show the yellow stripe.
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