Noonan: Baseless Confidence. It may take a defeat in Nov for the GOP to unlearn the lessons of power

WSJ Opinion Journal ^ | May 11, 2006 | Peggy Noonan

[FairOpinion]

The Republicans talk about cutting spending, but they increase it--a lot. They stand for making government smaller, but they keep making it bigger. They say they're concerned about our borders, but they're not securing them. And they seem to think we're slobs for worrying. Republicans used to be sober and tough about foreign policy, but now they're sort of romantic and full of emotionalism. They talk about cutting taxes, and they have, but the cuts are provisional, temporary. Beyond that, there's something creepy about increasing spending so much and not paying the price right away but instead rolling it over and on to our kids, and their kids.

So, the normal voter might think, maybe the Democrats. But Democrats are big spenders, Democrats are big government, Democrats will roll the cost onto our kids, and on foreign affairs they're--what? Cynical? Confused? In a constant daily cringe about how their own base will portray them? All of the above.

Where does such a voter go, and what does such a voter do? It is odd to live in the age of options, when everyone's exhausted by choice, and feel your options for securing political progress are so limited. One party has beliefs it doesn't act on. The other doesn't seem to have beliefs, only impulses.

What's a voter to do? Maybe stay home, have the neighbors over for some barbecue, and then answer the phone when a pollster calls asking for a few minutes to answer some questions. When they get to the part about whether America is on the right track or the wrong track, boy, the voter knows the answer.

[RobbyS]

Yeah, that was when Bob Taft was minority leader.

[sinkspur]

Peggy is a bitter old coot who can't get over the fact that she is no longer employed to write presidential speeches. Now she just bitches. She has become predictable and boring.

Yep. The phone doesn't ring, so she knows that nobody at the White House is interested in her contributions.

And she takes that out on the rest of us in her periodic dumps of effluvia in the WSJ.

I don't even bother to click on the link to read the rest of her bilge.

[JasonC]

Smash mouth crap won't re-elect a Republican congress this year. They can listen to the base, or they can stiff it and get smashed themselves.

[Rokke]

"Again, Rokke, you are reading things into my posts that simply aren't there. You really need to work on that."

I'm sorry. I guess I just assumed you were agreeing with Noonan. My mistake.

[Rokke]

"The deadline is the first Tuesday in November."

Glad to hear it. It would appear some people have already decided to quit.

[Rokke]

"They can listen to the base, or they can stiff it and get smashed themselves."

So if they retain control of Congress, or even gain seats, will we have a better idea of who the "base" actually is?

[OKIEDOC]

Thats my sentiment also.

I think possibly that Peggy like so many others on these forums are concerned and frustrated about their party. These loyal Republicans are just trying to do something sensational to wake up the dummies currently heading our leaderhsip.

I listened to Bill Frist on Fox and his answers about the border, Iran, NSA, declining popularity of Republicans astounded me.

Frist has no idea just how much of a pantie waisted sissy Hairy Reid wannabe he sounds on issues near and dear to most conservatives.

[LexBaird]

Hello. I'm a libertarian who voted for Bush. From everything I've heard from liberals, libertarians and moderates I know and have read on the web, there are three main problems with Bush: Iraq, Iraq and Iraq. Noonan does not even discuss Iraq.

That is because she is not addressing the votes of liberals, libertarians and moderates. She is talking about why Bush is losing the base Republican conservatives. Bush is not at 31% approval because liberals don't like his Iraq policy; they never did and were never on his ledger in the first place. He still won in '04. He's at 31% because he has stopped listening to 50% of his base.

Iraq, for good or ill, has reached a place of equilibrium in voter perception. Minds are made up and nothing short of a spectacular win or loss will move the needle on the balance.

[LexBaird]

We haven't been hitting well lately, but we've been able to eke out some wins. This cannot be sustained, so what we have to do is lose on purpose so that we can really start hitting... No, that doesn't make sense either.

How about cutting the dead wood from the team and training up some new talent?

[Kenny Bunk]

The RNC has put us in a very difficult position.

Their hope is that the electorate as a whole, will see through the Democrats, hold their noses, and put the RINOS back in the saddle.

Oddly enough, that is the right thing to do. I wish I shared their confidence in the intellect of the electorate. I remember hordes of them pulling the lever for a nut case named H. Ross Perot, to "send the Republicans a message." I am worried that this time, they won't do anything.

[Glenmerle]

I am deeply disappointed in Peggy having joined the "cut off your nose to spite your face crowd".

Me too. It's an emotionally satisfying stance that is ultimately self-destructive. What's the lesson we teach Republicans if we stay home in November? They're only going to hear what the media tells them -- that the country has moved to the left.

And the Christine Whitmans of the world will again admonish Republicans for not being moderate enough -- and her proof will be that the voters swung left. WE would know that's not true, but let's face it, Republicans are mired in Beltway thinking, and they wouldn't get the real message.

Besides, this November I want to rub the smug looks from the faces of the left-wing media pundits, Howard Dean, Hillary Clinton, etc. They're so sure they're going to win.

[Joe Brower]

I agree with this (that first paragraph again):

"The Republicans talk about cutting spending, but they increase it--a lot. They stand for making government smaller, but they keep making it bigger. They say they're concerned about our borders, but they're not securing them. And they seem to think we're slobs for worrying. Republicans used to be sober and tough about foreign policy, but now they're sort of romantic and full of emotionalism. They talk about cutting taxes, and they have, but the cuts are provisional, temporary. Beyond that, there's something creepy about increasing spending so much and not paying the price right away but instead rolling it over and on to our kids, and their kids."

Again, just being a card-carrying Republican doesn't mean I'm happy with everything they do. When they are in the wrong, I tell it straight. When they do good (like SCOTUS judges, for example), I tell that straight too.

To use your previous example, just like I treat my kids. They don't learn right from wrong if you do otherwise.

[rock58seg]

I am deeply disappointed in Peggy having joined the "cut off your nose to spite your face crowd".

RINO politicians disregard Noonan's sound analysis and advice at our peril. Their misreading of the public mood is awesome. Unfortunatly, some Conservative Republicans will get washed away in the tidal wave.

The twin problem of having a tin ear and a tin drum, makes mythical phrases such as "ROP" and "guest workers", possible.

[Glenmerle]

I remember hordes of them pulling the lever for a nut case named H. Ross Perot, to "send the Republicans a message."

Yup. And that gave us eight years of Bill Clinton, two left-wing Supreme Court justices, countless leftist judges, Hillary Clinton as senator, a decimated military, and so on. Give me a RINO any day.

The time to go after these RINOs is in the primaries -- or in the fund-raising arena -- not when they're facing a liberal or leftist Democrat.

[phillyfanatic]

I too am tired of 'you have to lose to win' mentality. Laura Ing. has it as do many conservs. But, Rush, Sean, Fred Barnes, et al do not. I'll stick with them and put pressure on the GOP daily to keep their focus on just conserv agendas. It can still be saved but each day wasted leads to Speaker Pelosi.

[nathanbedford]

I agree with that. But I completely disagree with Noonans contention that to loss the House or Senate would be helpful. That is defeatist. It is surrender.

And I agree with that. The following paragraph, if we take her seriously, seems to advocate staying home on election day. You are right, worse advice could not be offered. If the conservative base does not come out in the areas where they can tip the balance, the game can be lost and lost for a generation. Add the illegal immigrant vote which will be incorporated as soon as an activist judge or a liberal congress or legislature get their way, and the system will be skewered beyond redemption.

Here is Peggy's ill considered suggestion:

What's a voter to do? Maybe stay home, have the neighbors over for some barbecue, and then answer the phone when a pollster calls asking for a few minutes to answer some questions. When they get to the part about whether America is on the right track or the wrong track, boy, the voter knows the answer.

[papertyger]

How about cutting the dead wood from the team and training up some new talent?

We survived eight years of Clinton after the last republican purge; I'm sure we can survive two years without absolute control of every branch till they figure out "diplomacy" is as limited domestically as it is internationally.

[papertyger]

If the conservative base does not come out in the areas where they can tip the balance, the game can be lost and lost for a generation.

And all the administration has to do to pervent that is close the $@!^@%#$ border.

[rock58seg]

Obviously, she does not wish it to happen. Hence the "wake-up" call to our President and RINO's as to the seriousness of their action/Non-actions.

They are so busy beating their tin drums, they are unable to focus their tin ears on the voters who would actually be willing to vote for them.

I will vote. I feel my representatives could be more forceful in aligning with my positions. But they have earned reelection.

[ElPatriota]

You are a CRUEL person putting all those pictures in one place and one time :))... Please I am having lunch...uhggg... I'll be back! :)