On Tuesday, Republicanism, not conservatism, lost

www.unionleader.com ^ | Nov. 9, 2006 | PHILIP KLEIN

[neverdem]

THOSE CONSERVATIVES who are waking up dispirited about the Democratic Party’s takeover of the House and its gains in the Senate would be wise to think back to a Wednesday two years ago.

On the morning of Nov. 3, 2004, conservatives were euphoric as President Bush was re-elected comfortably and the GOP gained seats in the House and Senate — knocking off Tom Daschle in the process. Republicans began to talk in terms of being a permanent majority. The Democrats, meanwhile, were demoralized — seemingly destined for political irrelevance.

A lot has changed in two years, and a lot will change between now and Nov. 4, 2008 — when Americans go to the polls to elect President Bush’s successor. Rather than seeing Tuesday’s defeat as a crisis, Republicans should look at it as an opportunity to rehabilitate the party in time for that crucial election.

In assessing Tuesday night’s results it is important to note that it was not a defeat for conservatism; it was a defeat for Republicanism, or at least, what Republicanism has come to represent. In the past 12 years, Republicans went from the party that promised “the end of government that is too big, too intrusive, and too easy with the public’s money” to the party of the Bridge to Nowhere; it took control of Congress on a pledge to “end its cycle of scandal and disgrace” and went down in defeat as the party of Tom DeLay and Mark Foley.

Having abandoned its core principles, the Republican Party had nothing to run on this year, so its campaign strategy centered on attacking Nancy Pelosi — a questionable tactic given that, according to some polls, more than half of the country had never even heard of her.

Republican strategists who projected optimism over the past few months cited as reasons for their confidence: fundraising, incumbency advantage, gerrymandering and new innovations such as “microtargeting.” But as this election made perfectly clear, none of this can bail out a party that is bereft of ideas.

We will hear a lot of reasons for why Republicans lost this year. We will hear that they lost because of an unpopular war, an unpopular President, a culture of corruption, a traditional anti-incumbent six-year itch and a dispirited base. But one thing is for sure. Republicans did not lose on a platform of limiting the size and scope of government.

Just as this election wasn’t a defeat for conservatism, it wasn’t a victory for liberalism. Democrats intentionally avoided a publicized “Contract With America”-style platform advancing a progressive agenda in favor of making the campaign a referendum on President Bush. The closest thing they had to a platform, “A New Direction for America,” was not a sweeping ideological document, but a laundry list of initiatives such as making college tuition tax-deductible, raising the minimum wage, and negotiating drug prices. Though a Democratic majority will likely roll back President Bush’s tax cuts, they didn’t advertise that in the “fiscal discipline” section of their platform.

(It is a testament to how enamored Republicans became with big government that they enabled Democrats to run as the party of fiscal discipline.)

After controlling the House of Representatives for the last 12 years and the White House for the last six, a lot of pent up anger developed toward Republicans. If the GOP had to lose an election as a result of this sentiment, better this year than in 2008, when Americans will choose who will lead the War on Terror into the next decade.

The Democratic Party will take power in January. Either they’ll demonstrate to Americans that they have no governing philosophy, or they’ll play to their anti-war base by pushing for a premature withdrawal from Iraq and go overboard with investigations of President Bush.

While the exposure of the Democratic Party during the next two years will help Republicans, the GOP should not head into the next election thinking that running against Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton will ensure victory. Instead, the Republicans need to differentiate themselves by returning to their small government roots and once again becoming the party of ideas.

In 1994, Republicans swept into power by signing a contract with America. That contract has been breached, and unless they want to lose the big prize in 2008, it’s time for that pact to be renewed.

Philip Klein is a reporter for The American Spectator.

[goldstategop]

We have to become the party of ideas again. The Democrats beat nothing with nothing. But they can't put up liberalism against conservative ideas. The Chinese word for crisis is also the word for opportunity. I view what happened on Tuesday as a chance to develop conservative ideas that appeal to the country and take them to the voters. When that happens, Republicans will win again.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[NormsRevenge]

In 1994, Republicans swept into power by signing a contract with America. That contract has been breached, and unless they want to lose the big prize in 2008, it’s time for that pact to be renewed reNEWTed.

---

Thanks for posting, ggod read and good points. I am not endorsing Newt for the GOP ticket in '08, btw. :-]

[HisKingdomWillAbolishSinDeath]

Yes Virgina, there is a "Bridge to Nowhere".

The trail itself follows the remnants of a roadway that the Army Corps of Engineers was attempting to build in the 1930's as an alternative route to the high desert than Angeles Crest Highway. However in the Spring of 1938 a massive rainstorm (more than 12" in less than 24 hours) hit the San Gabriel Mountains and the resulting flood wiped out nearly all the road work. It has been estimated that nearly a hundred feet of water was flowing thru the gorge spanned by the bridge and it was only the height of the bridge span (150') that saved it.

[goldstategop]

The other thing is we must never stop teaching. Conservatives got sassy and complacent in power and assumed their being in power meant the country agreed with them! Oops! Nature abhors a vacuum. If Republicans are not constantly explaining and defending their ideas, the Democrats will continue to get a political free ride like they did this year. We must not make that mistake again.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[familyop]

Business, Investors Root for Split Decision, Gridlock
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1734737/posts

[Dustbunny]

On Tuesday, Republicanism, not conservatism, lost

I really love dubya, he is a Republican but not a conservative. His 'New Tone in Washington' is what killed this election.

[unspun]

Philip, American republicanism is conservatism -- which is not to be confused with partisanship.

[Pacothecat]

We have the ideas, we have the truth, we fight for what's right but you know what we don't have (besides the power right now)WE DON'T HAVE A SALESMAN like Reagan or Clinton or Newt. Bush never toots the horn and in this world of wobble sound biters WE NEED TO SELL IT!!!!! WE FOUND THE WMDS - 1.7 TONS OF ENRICED URAINUM CAN SOMEBODY FEAKING SAY IT!!!!

[goldstategop]

Bush is not the head of an ideological movement like Reagan. I was angry with his comments over comprehensive immigration reform - code word for amnesty and the continued inundunating America with millions of more illegal aliens. He will be impeached and forced out of office if he goes down that road. For me and the rest of the base, that is a red line. We will be watching.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[wai-ming]

The Chinese word for crisis is also the word for opportunity.

No it isn't. See here for more information.

[goldstategop]

You know academics' opinion, to which I give short shrift. Anyway, America is a country where second acts are possible. There will be another Morning In America again in our future.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[catholicfreeper]

The only problem with this analysis is this

"Also, the tight alignment of the electorate, which, I think, boils down to the fact that a large proportion of the Republican delegation is in the South. By my count, the Republicans lost 11 seats in the Northeast, 10 seats in the Midwest, 4 in the West and 4 in the South. The West's numbers are not terribly impressive for the GOP, considering that many of the Republican seats in the west are in gerrymandered-into-stasis California, which only saw Abramoff-tainted Richard Pombo go down. However, their success here might also have meant that immigration helped them.

The South's numbers are truly stunning to me. It was in the South that, despite a wide and deep anti-Republican national mood, the party still managed to hold all but 4 seats and almost won 2 Democratic seats. In 2 of these Republican-held seats, the Republican candidate was not even on the ballot, and in 1 of these seats -- he nearly won! The Republican's capacity to hold the South despite the pro-Democratic national mood is a stunning feature of our contemporary politics. Just as urban centers are Democratic bastions in the House -- so also is the South the bastion of the Republican Party."

http://www.time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/


If this was truly a conservative revolt. That is conservatives sending the GOP a message. Then why in the most conservative area of the country we didnt see that happening

[goldstategop]

The South is our fortress. If the GOP remains competitive nationally, its because the South kept the Democratic onslaught from turning the GOP's losses into a complete rout.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[onyx]

IMO, because we vote. We do not stay at home and pout when we do not get 100 percent of what we want.

Lott easily won reelection and while I am not particularly fond of him, he is 100 percent better than his democrat opponent.

[catholicfreeper]

I think that is real true. I also think that some of these people that lost have not had a real race since 94 and really underestimated their opponent

[Anita1]

Re: "If Republicans are not constantly explaining and defending their ideas, the Democrats will continue to get a political free ride like they did this year. We must not make that mistake again."

I totally agree!

When the accusations and lies about the Republicans came out - there was NO response from our leadership!

And that old saying - the Squeaky Wheel Gets The Grease! (The more noise you make, the more attention you get.)

I hope our leadership has already started preparing for the '08 election -

Because the DemocRats already HAVE!

[onyx]

We have our share of democrat pockets. Gerrymandered comgressional districts. It's impossible to get rid of Bennie Thompson, given the inclusion of the delta in his district. I voted for Yvonne? Brown, but never saw one sign or anything about her and I have no idea who many votes she garnered.

We do well in statewide and national elections.

[lesser_satan]

bump

[lesser_satan]

You're absolutely correct. Our "message" was a pathetic, cynical bromide: "We may suck, but vote for us because the dems suck worse"; and it was a poorly delivered bromide at that.

Also, the entire focus has been on GOTV and "firing up the base". This worked for a couple of cycles, but it won't any more. If the base shrinks, or even fails to grow at the same pace of independents and/ or the dem base, this will obviously fail in the long run. The primary focus needs to be on communicating conservative ideas (like limited government, the defining charateristic of consrvatism in this country) to the public effectively so we can grow the base and draw swing-voters to our side. GOTV should take a back seat to this.