Four REAL Ways the GOP Can Save Itself (A Rejoinder to VandeHei and Allen)

Self | 5/15/08 | LS

[LS]

Today in the "Politico," Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen offered "six ways" the GOP could "save itself." There are a couple of good ideas; there's a lot of junk. Here is the link (sorry, I'm html-handicapped):

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=E9CE165D-3048-5C12-0076A085B3FE4630

PREFACE: Let me begin by saying I think that for too long we have avoided being blunt because of a (false) view that we have to be "sensitive" and because people don't want "partisanship." I think people DO want partisanship and combat, only will never say so. But it is very clear from their voting behavior that when one side fights and the other side doesn't the one that is "partisan" tends to win. Pres. Bush, whom I love very much, unfortunately learned (as he has now admitted) that his "new tone" was a great failure.

Specifically for Vandehei and Allen, while I can fully agree with the notion that the GOP needs to "clean up its act" and get rid of the immoral bad apples, the notion that Mark Foley or Larry Craig have much to do with the Republicans' current funk is not credible. If it is, however, it certainly begs the larger question as to why Democrats are never held to a similar standard. Well, we know the answer to that, so the question is moot: no party can possibly exclude every one who has a sin problem of one sort or another, and to suggest it's a "GOP Problem" is a whitewash for the Democrats.

In fact, there are a few things the Republicans can do to "save themselves," none of them comfortable or easy, and some of them will likely nudge a couple of people out of the "big tent," while at the same time opening the flap for thousands more to pour in who agree with us.

1) New ideas? Fine. We're all for new ideas. But as Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun. In fact, Newt Gingrich's techno-wonk mini-fixes to serious problems are . . . well, . . . part of the problem. Social Security does need "new ideas." It needs an honest assault on the original idea, in which a courageous Republican will finally say, "The entire premise is wrong. You cannot tax today's employees for the retirement security of today's retirees and pretend they are 'saving' for their own retirement." Is it a political loser? It was for Barry Goldwater. But that was almost half a century ago, before it was overwhelmingly clear that the system is heading for a massive collapse. No one understands this better than my college students, who are generally liberal, but who are tremendously open to privatization concepts. HERE IS WHERE THE BATTLE IS. Republicans, don't run from it. Get aggressive, for a change.

2) As Rush says constantly, "Go on offense." The last time the GOP was on offense was in the 1994 election. Shortly after Newt and the boys (and girls) got their "Contract with America" points passed, they got simultaneously arrogant and lazy. They assumed they had shown Clinton he was whipped, and he should sit back and accept it. Instead, Clinton got a whiff of smelling salts in the corner, had his eye cut, was splashed in the face with some water, and charged out like a bull, knocking the GOP back on its heels. We did not recover, in terms of Congress, to this day.

What Clinton invented was the first 24/7 campaign mode for his side. We still haven't figured this out and McCain's inane comment today that he wanted there is a time to campaign and a time to govern. Sorry Juan: Clinton broke that mold. There is now a permanent, full-time campaign mode, and if you don't have a war room that is effective at selling your message---all the time---you will lose. If there is one thing that we should learn from Bill Clinton, it is that politics is war and the enemy never, ever takes a break.

A revived, successful GOP must be on offense all the time. Patton had it right: attack, attack, attack. No matter how much people say they "don't like it," they lie. They vote for the side that does it, successfully, more often than not. Learn it, live it, love it.

3) Get personal, get specific. Every single Congress person should be running against Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and whoever is on top of the Dem ticket as follows: "Do you know why you are paying $4 a gallon in gas? Because Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama think you need to pay that. They despise your success, they hate your prosperity, and they think you need to be taken down a peg. High gas prices are a good way to do it." Each message, every time someone speaks on TV, on radio, every time, MUST by name attack Democrats. That is the only way to "nationalize" the congressional elections.

4) Be blunt as hell. For too long, Republicans have tried to say "Sure we want a clean environment, but we also need energy. Do it our way and we can do both." THAT'S TRUE, but it's too complex to express on the campaign trail and in 30-second spots, and it makes us look like we accept the greenie arguments. I think a political party is always better forcing people to choose. Reagan never sugar-coated anything, but he presented the unavoidable choice in an optimistic way---and that's the key. Forget "clean environment," and in political terms, don't even argue the reality of "global warming." I would just say, "You can have global warming $2 a gallon gas, or you can have all these green measures and $10 a gallon gas and no light for your houses. Your choice." Correctly presented, this is a no brainer. Only the most radical greenieweenies will choose the former. But the argument has to be made.

We on the right have been consumed with battling the premise of global warming, while in the meantime, the reality of forcing a choice has been ignored or buried in the argument. I don't buy global warming at all, but for the sake of argument, I'd rather have people who said, "Yeah, we have global warming, but I want my $2-a-gallon gas." In other words, we've been so consumed with winning the environmental argument that we've lost the nuts-and-bolts battles. A great example of this was DeWine's vote on ANWAR: you can't tell me that someone couldn't have twisted his arm somehow, promised him something, to have gotten that one vote.

4) Stop wasting time on inane, utterly ridiculous goose-chases such as NFL taping, MLB steriods, or televangelists. How completely ridiculous. The Founders would be sickened that our senators have nothing better to do than to investigate the New England Patriots and Benny Hinn! This convinces people, more than ever, that the Republicans are out of touch. USE YOUR POSITIONS TO EXPOSE THE DAMAGING RESULTS OF DEMOCRAT POLICIES AND POLITICIANS!!! Investigate them! Expose them! Attack them!

Finally, it's silly, as VandeHei and Allen do, to chide donors for not "opening their wallets" when as of now, they have nothing or no one to open them for. Soros was important, not because he poured money into the moribund Democrat Party, but because they gleefully used the money to attack Republicans. Right now, it would be a total waste of money for millionaires to support this group of whiners, "bipartisans," and wimps. If, however, you can find candidates and officials who are effectively attacking Democrats, they should be funded out the wazoo.

History shows us that since the end of the Whigs (who never had a chance, hence they were called "stillborn" by one historian), we have had two viable parties and only two viable parties. That won't change. Change must come within the GOP. We did it before, we can do it again. But a major purge is in order, and I fear some black times are ahead for the country until we get our act together.

[Mr. Jeeves]

This is all good advice, but I'm not sure there's enough time left to implement it before November. These are the kind of things that lower your approval ratings in the short run while people are getting used to hearing your new, aggressive tone. The time to have started doing these things was January of last year.

[Anti-Bubba182]

“1) New ideas? Fine. We’re all for new ideas. But as Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun. In fact, Newt Gingrich’s techno-wonk mini-fixes to serious problems are . . . well, . . . part of the problem. Social Security does need “new ideas.” It needs an honest assault on the original idea, in which a courageous Republican will finally say, “The entire premise is wrong. You cannot tax today’s employees for the retirement security of today’s retirees and pretend they are ‘saving’ for their own retirement.” Is it a political loser? It was for Barry Goldwater. But that was almost half a century ago, before it was overwhelmingly clear that the system is heading for a massive collapse. No one understands this better than my college students, who are generally liberal, but who are tremendously open to privatization concepts. HERE IS WHERE THE BATTLE IS. Republicans, don’t run from it. Get aggressive, for a change..”

Stupid! This is a recipe for GOP destruction, especially in these times. This is the third rail.

[Grunthor]

History shows us that since the end of the Whigs (who never had a chance, hence they were called “stillborn” by one historian), we have had two viable parties and only two viable parties. That won’t change. Change must come within the GOP.

---

Those currently populating conservative third parties were once Republicans. They rightly feel especially this year, that their prescence in the party is not wanted. You get the Republican Party back on track and these folks will come home.

I say this as a 20 year Republican voter with one foot out the door.

[nicola_tesla]

You think that Republicans should remain as whiny Dem-lites ?

[G.Mason]

" ... Stupid! This is a recipe for GOP destruction, especially in these times. This is the third rail. "

You're right.

The reason is that our colleges are teaching socialism, and other than sex with anything is alright, and a few math classes that's the extent of the education for most.

Middle agers are keeping their fingers crossed that the stock market & economy doesn't go bust, causing them to lose their savings & investments.

The retirees are saying give me more of someone elses money.

The youth could care less. It will all be fixed by the time they retire ... which to them is a few thousand years from now.

[ASA Vet]

The thread to which you're responding was posted twice.
Shouldn't you post your response twice too?

[griswold3]

No response to #4 Burn the Bush.

Yeah, folks we’ve watched how the office was trashed from day one and we’ve got notes.
Karma is a bitch!

[Anti-Bubba182]

I think they should use common political sense. This is not it. It is in the category of suicide by high sounding bromide. The Democrats will slaughter the GOP if they go this way.

Mike Allen

"..Mike Allen is the chief political correspondent for Politico. He comes to us from Time magazine where he was their White House correspondent. Prior to that, Allen spent six years at The Washington Post, .."

Jim VandeHei

"..Jim VandeHei, 36, is one of the co-founders of Politico. He left The Washington Post, where he was national political reporter, to join forces with John F. Harris (his former boss at the Post) and the finest collection of journalists around to attempt to create a new and exciting way of delivering political news..."

Do you think these two have any sincere good will for the GOP?

[LS]

Why, is my response that good? Feel free.

[mo]

Guys..a lot of folks seem to think what’s happening to the GOP is suicide....I contend its homicide.

In my mind, I keep coming back to what happened to Tom Delay.....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1802383/posts

Washington is so jammed with parasites looking for a teat...that ANY organized opposition-IOW any Conservatives-will be run out of town . Period. This, folks, is a far BIGGER problem than just one with the Republican leadership.

Pay attention the the Farm Bill that just passed. Its not the average American Joe that is demanding handouts that’s driving the bus here.

Its any large organization that has the cash to buy a few K St. lobbyists to twist congess’ arm. The boys on Capitol Hill that are unresponsive to said arm twisting...well these organizations can afford to make sure they’re replaced in the next election cycle-and in fact, with what the new boys will send them legislatively will far more than make up for the cost of replacing a recalcitrant congresscritter. We American’s have a far bigger problem on our hands here than any of us could possibly imagine in our worst nightmare.

[LS]

You’re right. I certainly didn’t mean to suggest the GOP could do this before November. I fully expect to lose in November, and lose big. This is the long-term battle plan for after McCain and a few more of the incumbent wimps are gone.

[BrewingFrog]

I submit that there is indeed a large segment of the GOP voting base that thirsts for a leader who will simply tell it like it is. Somebody in the Republican Party who will stand up in front of the mics and say, “I’ve had it. McCain is a loser who ought to be in the traitor rat party.

Republicans don’t go for illegals running wild in the streets and then being given citizenship over people who have waited in line for years to do it right.

Republicans don’t go for the b.s. of Globull Warming or for taxing and holding back only one country for its supposed effects: the United States.

Republicans are for crushing our enemies on the field of battle, as expeditiously as possible, while avoiding pointless diplomacy and negotiations with terrorists who cannot be trusted in the first place.

Republicans believe in smaller government, and work to reduce the bureaucracy.

Republicans believe in business, and work to see that American business thrives.

Republicans believe in a strong dollar, and work to see that the money we invest and save retains its value.

Republicans believe in freedom, and work to see that others who value freedom succeed in their efforts, at home and abroad.

Republicans believe that America is the best friend you’ll ever have, or the worst enemy imaginable; your choice.

Republicans believe that being dependent on foreign oil is unacceptable, and work to be self sufficient by drilling our own damned oil to drive our cars and trucks, building hundreds of Gen 4 Nuclear Reactors to produce electricity to run our growing factories and improving electrical infrastructure to reflect our growing economy.

The current nominee-in-waiting has expressly come out against these points. He is unfit to be the nominee of a party that stands by them.”

Of course, nobody in the Republican Party believes any of that anymore, or, if they did, have the guts to stand up and say it.

Rush is wrong. We’re screwed.

[M. Dodge Thomas]

This:

is the world in which we are increasing bidding against China and India for oil.

This:

is how much difference drilling in ANWR (for example) would make.

And that is why baring another worldwide depression along the lines of the 1930s, the only way we are would be getting back to $2 gas would be to invade the countries with larges slices of that first graph, and take their oil by force.

Which is why the VandeHei & Allen and their ilk are no friends of any sort of conservative movement that intends to play a useful role in US energy policy, and why time spent listing to their brand of ignorance is time spent avoiding REAL (and politically really hard) choices about energy policy.

[LS]

Burn the Bush is equally stupid. Learn from the Dems. They NEVER abandon their own. William Jefferson? Carter? Kerry? All continue to be supported. The message is, when you start trashing your own, everyone thinks less of you immediately.

This has been one of the GOP's biggest problems---the willingness to throw overboard Foley, Burns, or whomever. As much as I don't want a Foley in the party, the time to deal with him is when you are in a position of strength, quietly. You get him re-elected first, then he "suddenly" has "family issues," leaves, and you replace him. NEVER turn on one of your own currently serving. The Dems have that right.

[LS]

These young voters will be tomorrow's regular voters, and no, they "don't think it will be fixed." Quite the contrary, they know better. They want solutions. They are eager for ANYONE to take this on, and don't see anyone on the horizon.

If there is one issue in 10 years that I've seen younger voters actually glom onto, it's SS reform.

[LS]

These young voters will be tomorrow's regular voters, and no, they "don't think it will be fixed." Quite the contrary, they know better. They want solutions. They are eager for ANYONE to take this on, and don't see anyone on the horizon.

If there is one issue in 10 years that I've seen younger voters actually glom onto, it's SS reform.

But this was just an EXAMPLE of the kinds of arguments that the GOP is losing. You can't fix the country by continuing to spend on Medicare and SS. Everyone knows they both need serious repair. It's a winner.

[rstrahan]

RE: Oil There’s double the proven US reserves under North Dakota, enough to shatter the stranglehold of OPEC. RE: Ethanol. Sorgum generates four times the ethanol of corn, costs much less to produce, gives more grain per acre.

However, the big problem is that Republicans are “Democrat lite”. Until they become a different party, and become a true conservative party, there’s no reason to vote for a Republican.

[LS]

HUH? I just heard Rush agree with every one of those points. The only question is whether a Republican liberal or a Democrat liberal will be in office in 2008. I personally prefer the Dem, because I think you need to rub the GOP's noses in defeat so they really get it. I think Rush still prefers a blocking action while regrouping, but I don't know. But he has said many times we are screwed no matter who wins.

[LS]

Exactly, and this is precisely the type of argument our side should be making. "Why in the world are we paying $4 a gallon for gas when the U.S. has more than enough oil to handle us AND China?"

BTW, I think anyone in ANY discussion of energy who doesn't first and foremost begin with, "China will use more oil in 10 years every day than we import now," is utterly failing to pin the tail on the donkey. We need to make it clear that if we changed every damn light bulb and stopped every car, China and India will still suck up all the existing oil in no time. The only answer is drill, drill, drill and continue to substitute effectively and experiment. But there is no alternative but to get more energy!