How did GOP right get it so wrong? (Dick Armey editorial)

Houston Chronicle ^ | 11-4-06 | Dick Armey

[Hydroshock]

Somewhere along the road to a "permanent majority," the Republican Revolution of 1994 went off track. For several years, we had confidence in our convictions and trusted that the American people would reward our efforts. And they did.

But today, my Republican friends in Congress stand on the precipice of an electoral rout. Even the best-case scenarios suggest wafer-thin majorities and a legislative agenda in disarray. With eight days before the election, House speaker-in-waiting Nancy Pelosi has already begun her transition planning.

Where did the revolution go astray? How did we go from the big ideas and vision of 1994 to the cheap political point-scoring on meaningless wedge issues of today — from passing welfare reform and limited government to banning horsemeat and same-sex marriage?

The answer is simple: Republican lawmakers forgot the party's principles, became enamored with power and position, and began putting politics over policy. Now, the Democrats are reaping the rewards of our neglect — and we have no one to blame but ourselves.

In 1989, Newt Gingrich rose to the number twoNo. 2 leadership position in the House after a contentious three-way race pitting young backbench conservatives such as myself, Bob Walker, Joe Barton and others against old bulls such as Minority Leader Bob Michel and other ranking members. We thought they suffered from a minority party mindset and were too accommodating of the Democrats. Out of congressional power for nearly two generations, Republicans had become complacent. Senior members of the party were happy to accept the crumbs afforded by Democratic chairmen. Life was comfortable in the minority as long as you did not rock the boat. Members received their perks — such as travel abroad and special banking privileges — and enough pork projects for re-election.

[HitmanLV]

Frankly i think the accusation may have won Gibbons some votes in LV. Strange little town I got here.

I'm confident for Heller. I think the GOP will do dandy in NV, and better than expected all over the fruited plain.

[blues_guitarist]

Dick says the GOP has already lost . . .

Don't be a Dick,
Vote on Tuesday!

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Dick, we hardly knew ye.

BTW Hydro, Kinky still has not called me. No e-mail, no glossy kindling paper. Nothing.

This is a nice try at demoralizing the base. It will not work.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Pssst. Hydro is a Kinky/Strayhorn/Libertarian fan. Just so's you know. His contempt for the Republican party is only surpassed by his hatred for Rick Perry.

[Pietro]

dick armey is a spineless gutter worm. why is he attacking the GOP now?

a freakin' whore.

[mountainfolk]

Exactly. I once had great respect for Dick Armey. He may be wondering where the Republican Party went wrong, but I am wondering where he himself went wrong. A self styled conservative being in bed with the ACLU spells MONEY to me. This was a hit piece intended to hurt the GOP on election eve. His 'wedge' issue of homosexual marriage just happens to coincide with the ACLU pro-homosexual agenda. Maybe the current congress persons he criticizes are just being more honest that he was.

[Puddleglum]

Gee Dick...sour grapes?

What an unclass act. A lot of conservatives stuck up for him.

[KDD]

Armey says that "Dobson and his gang" have split the conservative Christian movement into two camps: those who want to "practice their faith independent of heavy-handed government" and "big government sympathizers who want to impose their version of 'righteousness' on others."

I agree with Dick. The GOP may well fall out of power because of its sucking up to pious self righteous religious leaders like Dobson and Haggard.

Those pushing the politicians in Washington to legislate Christian morality on everyone else will cause a backlash on the GOP just as I predicted in 03.

The religious right has gambled that they have enough numbers to disregard the wishs of small government libertariarn Republicans who wish to see Federal power devoled to the various States. We will reject a national nanny, no matter which political label it wears.

[Rodney King]

I love all the people here shooting the messenger. Gee, that is a productive long term strategy.

[raybbr]

Good chart, whats a link?

I presume you meant "what about a link"?

From here.

[Clintonfatigued]

Why couldn't he have waited until after the election to put this out? While Congressional Republicans arguably don't deserve reelection, a Democratic takeover of Congress would be a disaster for the country.

Dick Armey deserves a BAD TIMING award.

[Clintonfatigued]

His editorial was dead on, but his timing was dead wrong.

[q_an_a]

In his own words - "became enamored with power and position, and began putting politics over policy>" Judas explains what happened when he put a knife in Newt's back. DA was my congressman and he was the worst. He did not get a single highway dollar for one the the fastest growing areas of N. texas - his district. So thr four years after he left office his voters have been in endless traffic jams. He did not know the difference between helping his district and killing it.

[Dog Gone]

I already voted for Perry. Not sure if I can do it again on Tuesday, but it would be nice.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

No need to stoop to 'Rat tactics.
Check this out:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1732842/posts

[Dog Gone]

I don't think this is going to be nearly the bloodbath that most "experts" are predicting.

[mad_as_he$$]

I admire your optimism!

Next time I see Jim I still gonna ask him "What the hell were you thinking?".

Dawn must of ripped him a new one. I've saw her wound up once and it ain't something you want to be on the receiving end of - fun to watch though.

[rob777]

"Another pretend Conservative sell out."



Far from it, Dick Armey now runs a group called Freedom Works that remains committed to the limited government agenda which brought the GOP to power in 1994. Though it would be a cold day in h--- before I would vote for the Dems, I must say that I am, in complete agreement with his assessment of the current GOP leadership. Though the GOP has done some things right, they have pretty much abandoned the core principle that was the glue holding the various strands of conservatism together. That principle is a commitment to opposing big government social engineering.

I already voted and selected a straight GOP ticket (as much as it pained me to do so considering some of the choices I have here in Vermont), but am looking forward to a showdown within the GOP similar to the revolution of 1994.

[rob777]

"Dick Armey works for the ANTI-CHRISTIANS LOVE US (ACLU)....need I say more."




Actually, he runs a group called "Freedom Works". It is an excellent group that remains committed to the principles of limited government which brought the GOP to power in 1994.





"He doesn't like Christians it seems."




That is simply not true, he is a professed Christian himself. He is a little upset at some of the organizational leadership that claim to speak for Christians, but has made it clear that such criticism does not apply to rank and file Christians. His beef is that some of the organizational leadership have backed away from a principled commitment to limited government, which was the glue that held conservatism together, and became immersed in power politics. Not knowing the particular players personally, I can not say how accurate his view is.
On the whole, I do consider the argument that a significant sector of the conservative movement has cooled in its fervor to reign in the role of the nanny state a no brainer.

[rob777]

"He's saying that the GOP went from its grand vision of 1994 (e.g., passing welfare reform and limited government - in short, the Contract With America) to little more than frivolous sideshows (e.g., banning horsemeat and same-sex marriage)."



Yep, that is like saying that the sun rises in the morning. I am having a hard time seeing what is so controversial. I agree that the timing of the article may be a little inconvenient, but have no argument with its substance. It seems to me that he is preparing for the post election jockeying to define the direction of the GOP. He must assume that he needs to get out in front of the debate if he is to have any hope of steering it in the direction of a principled commitment to limited government.
I am in completer agreement with his goals, but not so sure of his tactics.