The prolife radicals, at the LAST hours, began a huge letter-writing and email campaign to influence Congress to act when they lost in Florida for the umpteenth time. Since prolifers and religious conservatives are part of the base, and they were being LOUD, Congress took that to mean that THIS si what that base faction wanted to expend its political capital on. Thus, that capital was spent. Unfortunately, such capital is finite. This means that, to save Terri, the radicals had to give up something else. That was the "nuclear Option" (and the judicial nominations) and Social Security Reform. Those are now off the table, probably never to return.
Oh, and since this expenditure of capital is actually a LOAN, it must be repaid in the form of votes delivered by the recipient...in thi scase, the radical prolifers and religious right. To make up for this mess that they led the GOP into, they have to provide AT LEAST a gain in the Senate in 2006, no losses in the House, and help hold the White House and COngress in 2008. All the evidence, however, indicates that these groups have no idea that they owe anything for the trouble, and in fact are talking of boycotting the GOP! This indicates a fundamental, and fatal, lack of knowledge in the political process.
You see, if they do that (boycott the GOP), or even if they fail to deliver votes enough to pay the debt (as they failed in 1996), their creditors will asume them to be "deadbeats"...and will never do business with them again. In fact, no party would. Deadbeats at Macy's are not popular at Gimbel's, either.
So, to sum up...we've lost the judges we wanted, lost SS reform, possibly lost the Senate at least, and pretty much killed tax reform. So much for the President's second-term agenda. What did we GET for it?
What we got was for the President and the Governor his brother to be compared to Pontius Pilate, denounced for NOT provoking a COnstitutional Crisis or a gunfight between LEOs, and declarations of intent to LEAVE the GOP. Oh, and poll numbers dropping like a stone.
Not to mention the fact that we shot all of our principles in the head.
All for one woman who was FOUND to have wanted to be let go by a judge; whose condition was the result of her own bulimia; and whose parents called in the radicals.
The ONLY way the GOP could have avoided this fiasco was to refuse to be steamrolled into precipitous action. They failed at that simple task of leadership. Look what it got us.
Bingo. Far from thinking they owe anything, they actually think they are owed.
Excellent post.
Prove it.
A rather dire view. Let's hope you are wrong!
We got a lot of apolitical security moms to think long and hard before they turn their personal lives over to the GOP next term.
Disagree ..
"Oh, and since this expenditure of capital is actually a LOAN, it must be repaid in the form of votes delivered by the recipient...in this case, the radical prolifers and religious right".
Fat Chance.
With Friends like these.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/letters.asp