Advice to Republicans: Don't go back and check on a dead skunk

The Wall Street Journal | November 9, 2006 | Dick Armey

[Zakeet]

If there was still any doubt, the Republican Revolution of 1994 officially ended Tuesday night with the loss of at least 28 seats and majority control of the House of Representatives. As I write this, the race in Virginia that will determine if the Republicans also lose control of the Senate is too close to call, but leaning Democrat.

It was a rout.

How did we get here? The war in Iraq and historical voting patterns that favor the opposition party in off-year elections are factors suggested by many post-election pundits. Certainly, the mounting problems in Iraq were on voters' minds, but responsibility for the conduct of the war lies with the executive branch, and President Bush was not on the ballot.

That said, this was a national election, driven by national issues. One big issue in exit polls suggests widespread voter backlash against the "culture of corruption." There is something to this, I think. Over time, too many Republicans in the governing majority forgot or abandoned their national vision, letting parochial interests dominate the decision-making process.

[avile]

Corruption hurts only reps. The rep voters still have standars and will throw out corrupt reps, but dems will not and will in fact elect the likes of Menendez.

This is unfair but a reality.

[Fury]

Armey makes some interesting points.

The problem was is that he acted like an ass in writing an especially damning article in the WaPo *9* days before the election titled "Where We Went Wrong" -- Dick Armey on the GOP.

If he holds those views, fine. But geez, don't write them *9* days before an election when several Republicans were fighting for their political lives! It was irresponsible.

[7thson]

Armey is full of it. When did he leave - 2003? As I recall from the Gingrich revolution, they were going to cut down the size of government. Their first test - the National Endowment of the Arts - they folded quickly at the first signs of criticism and complaint. Every time Armey said something critical of a Dem, he would come out the next day and apologize for it. I want to hear nothing from him! Give me a conservative who takes a stand and win or lose, will not apologize for what is right.

[jwparkerjr]

re: Armey's turning secular

I think you can lay the blame for that squarely at the feet of the little old lady who was his Sunday School teacher years ago back in Texas. Seriously. He tells the story of going home the first time after he had risen to power in Congress. He stopped by to see he Sunday School teacher of years ago. He couldn't wait to have her know how well he had done. He says she listened patiently while he described how big and important her for Sunday School student had become in government. When he was finished she said, in essence, "That's nice, Dickey, but don't forget, IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU, IT'S ABOUT GOD." When I heard him tell the story you could tell from his demeanor that he was really bummed out by being put in his place by a Sunday School teacher! Not in a bad way, but just the sudden realization that someone he had revered so long ago and was so anxious to impress in his adulthood had cut to the chase so perfectly. I don't think he's been the same since that day!

[NEPA]

Payback is a b@tch, and now she's speaker of the house.

Can I steal that for a new tag line?

[Raycpa]

It doesn't include Catholicism, and it doesn't include people of Christian faith who simply go to church and pray. The emphasis is on spreading the word.

You believe that Catholics are not evangelical? You believe that people who simply go to Church and pray are followers of Christ?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church in its paragraphs 1302-1303 teaches:

It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:

- it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15);

- it unites us more firmly to Christ;

- it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;

- it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;

- it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross:

Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with his sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts.

Source

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_%28sacrament%29

[seppel]

Expect the WSJ to rant about anything but the real issues: immigration and globalisation.

[Jim Noble]

Demographics talk for Protestants.

Protestants who still believe in God, you mean...

[LikeLight]

The problem I see is that we lost that 1994 passion along with the 1994 representatives.

Remember in 1994 how we were going to de-fund National Public Radio and the National Endowment for the Arts, and eliminate the Department of Education? Remember that? But during 12 years of opportunity, it never happened. Nobody had the guts. Everybody went squishy. Now we're paying the price.

[caver]

Well said!

[thinking]

I think what the Democrats have learned in this election is....capture the women's vote, and you are in business...the society is divided, along political, and gender affiliation...it is a women's world.../p>

[LikeLight]

The thing this rout of the GOP says to me is that Fox News and talk radio do not have as much influence on the public as we thought.

Consider this. What if, by the law of unintended consequences, the en masse migration of the best and brightest conservatives away from MSM news sources has actually emboldened the MSM to become more radical and brazen in manipulating the vast remaining audience of dimmer bulbs? In other words, have we thinking conservatives inadvertently isolated ourselves in an ivory tower echo chamber where we have less and less influence on popular culture?

[Youngman442002]

"That "lesson" will dissolve in destruction the minute an American city gets nuked by terrorists."




and at that time...there will be a lot of religious Americans.....its coming..to a city near you....thank the Democrats...it will be their fault..appeasement does not work with terrorists/p>

[Jezebelle]

I'll trust Merriam-Webster over Wikipedia anyday, besides which it is widely known and accepted that evangelicals are protestant, not Catholic.

Do a little research on it.

[Guenevere]

He might not have said it in this piece, but yes, you are right, he has been talking against Evangelicals, especially James Dobson.

[Guenevere]

What is an 'ordinary Christian'..?

[Strutt9]

MSM did choose to give the bridge to nowhere prominent play. They also chose to keep quiet regarding the Libs pork spending. Just the Repubs. In regards, to culture of corruption. They hid Reids corruption and many other dems only consentrated on the Repubs. MSM wanted Repubs out of power and they got thier wish. How does one make MSM focus on the corruption of the lib/dems? Especially, if msm assist dnc.

[ItsForTheChildren]

Parochial: Narrowly restricted in scope or outlook; provincial: parochial attitudes

Contrast with national.

[bcsco]

I don't think anyone has a problem with God. But the nutcases who worship organized religeon are certainly a problem.

Well, being Lutheran, I guess I know where I stand with you. However, I'll still pray for you. You really need help if that's what you think.

[Tribune7]

They have to stop passing and start repealing laws.

For what is the last Congress going to be known? Banning online gambling and ending the long-standing practice of selling horse meat overseas.

And this is not knew.

The Pubs are almost as much control freaks as the Dems. The Digital Millenium Copyright Act -- passed by Pubs in 1998-- is something I still credit with helping bust the tech bubble, and the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act passed that same wasn't helpful to those who want to be left alone.

I still can't bellieve we have not started drilling in ANWR.