Posted on 11/10/2006 4:29:40 AM PST by Molly Pitcher
In the end, the Republican "revolution" ran out of gas and out of vision. Too many congressional Republicans appeared to care more about maintaining power than using power to implement an agenda, which they also abandoned.
Republicans reverted to fear tactics about Democrats raising taxes and "cutting and running" from Iraq. Democrats probably will try to raise taxes (they call it "pay as you go") and introduce resolutions to withdraw from Iraq under cover of a "plan" that has little to do with victory. Investigations of the administration will be labeled "oversight," and headed by the most liberal members of the House.
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), a probable 2008 GOP presidential candidate, said on NBC Tuesday night that too many congressional Republicans had not been "careful stewards of taxpayer dollars," nor had they "adhered to conservative principles." He specifically mentioned such spending boondoggles as Alaska's "bridge to nowhere," numerous earmarks, pork barrel spending and scandals. When Republicans behave like Democrats, they lose. Why should people settle for counterfeits when they can have the genuine article?
Republicans can take some solace that President Bush might veto much of the Democrats' stealth agenda, which they hope he will do. Their objective is to win the White House in 2008 and they will turn the tables on the president if he vetoes their agenda, calling him an "obstructionist," a label he has tried to pin on them. The president would be wise to build relationships, at least with the conservative and more moderate Democrats, in hopes of isolating the liberals.
Republicans lost a significant part of their base in this election. Exit polls revealed nearly one-third of white evangelical Christians voted for Democrats, mostly because of perceived corruption in the GOP. They will continue to exercise influence within the Republican Party, but their days of veto power over policy and candidates may be over.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said he wants to cooperate with Republicans and search for common ground. Voters, who have been sickened (again) by corrosive and negative campaign ads, would appreciate that. But Dean has called Republicans "evil," "corrupt" and "brain-dead." That's not the kind of language that is likely to produce conciliation and comity.
One top House Democrat, who asked to remain anonymous until he sees whether his strategy will work, told me he will ask John Boehner, the current Republican majority leader, for permission to address the GOP caucus. The purpose, he says, would be to build a new relationship and reduce inter-party acrimony. Most people would probably wish him well if it results in progress that would benefit the country.
There are serious issues that must be addressed and resolved. Nice talk won't replace important philosophical differences and differing objectives. Most Americans may be tired of the Iraq war, but our enemies are not tired of it. If the United States pulls out of Iraq before Iraqis are trained and equipped to stand on their own against the insurgent terrorists, the terrorists will inherit a base and export terror around the world, including to the United States.
Democrats pledge to do nothing about Social Security, but this is irresponsible because Social Security cannot be sustained without huge tax increases and/or a sharp reduction in benefits. That is a fact that is beyond debate.
The problem for Republicans is their loss of revolutionary zeal. When Newt Gingrich was forced out as speaker, Republicans lost the best idea man they'd had in years. Speaker Dennis Hastert was rarely seen in public (until the Mark Foley scandal) and he has been more of a cautious manager than a bold leader. The retiring Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has been uninspiring. What happened to eloquent Republicans?
Democrats recruited more moderate and even some conservative candidates to blur their left-wing socialist image. But their party leadership is overwhelmingly liberal. They include Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, the latter a self-described "pro-lifer," who voted against the nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito, both presumably pro-life, to the Supreme Court.
Will liberal Democrats, despite all their talk of fiscal conservatism, ethical reform and seeking common ground with Republicans, be able to resist the temptations that come with power and privilege? They didn't when they ran the House for 40 years. Washington and its lobbyists have a way of repaving the road of good intentions for a new majority, as they did with the previous one. But that road can still lead to the same destination.
Good luck, Democrats. You'll need it. You have power now and can't blame Republicans (though you'll try) if you fail.
The man is such an opportunist. He cares about himself, not Arizona.
I suspect you'll see a lot more of Newt in the future. I've noticed he's been on TV a lot more lately. And, I suspect, his consulting business phone is ringing pretty steady.
I am frustrated.
Just as Clinton ascended to power in 1992 just as the economy, thanks to Pres. G.Herbert W. Bush, was surging ahead... so the DemocRats are coming to power now right when the economy is reaching its zenith.
They will bogusly claim credit, no doubt.
It's like the idiot who stands on the shore and orders the tide to rise and fall... and then believes HE is the cause.
It is crystal clear that GOP policies continue to improve economies.
It is frustrating to see how the craphead media constantly twists the facts to attempt to give credit to the Dems.
It seems to me that many on this board have, in my opinion, forgotten that it is the actions of Congress as a legislative body that is most important. Santorum, even though he is a terrible loss, could not overcome the inaction of the Republican congress by saying "I tried but they wouldn't do anything". The knee jerk reaction of the people... was to kick him out to punish the rest of the group. He is as much a victim as we are. Boy do I hate to use the term victim. Even Elizabeth Dole on Fox News Sunday had bigger ones than Bush and Hastert, to sacrafice Rumsfled after the fact is pure stupidity and pandering at its worst. The best defense, in most cases, is a good offense (in this situation it is probably a trite expression) and we should be reading Machiavelli instead of turning the other cheek. We must fight in the primaries and before to get the best candidates and then stay united until the next primary. We don't have to abandon principals to maintain power, but we sure don't have to commit suicide. With the Muslim Jihad in progress we can't take any more chances. If we do I'm afraid we will loose our heads in more than one way.
Wait until the Oprah puts on the full court press for Obama.
Catholics vote for Dems..it is a mistake to think evangelicals are any more or less devout than those; it is impossible to know what is in the heart. People will decide their greater loyalty- to principle, to life, to blood, to faith, to union, to country, to party, to race, to class- and then try to rationalize the petty decision. Voters like all of us overlook the important in favor of the urgent.
According to a Freeper who met him at a GOP event back in 2004, Santorum knew he was toast more than two years ago. He supported Specter over Toomey because he knew there was no way in hell anyone more conservative than Karl Marx was going to have a very difficult time winning in Pennsylvania.
PA is a very old (I believe it has the highest or second-highest median age of any state in the country) and increasingly dysfunctional state. Take a ride through the state on any of the major interstate highways (I-70/I-76, I-81, I-80) and you'll understand what I mean.
Maybe so. But see Post #48 for an interesting take on this.
He ran on a Conservative agenda in the middle of liberal La La land.
Just was not gonna last.
Actually, the Republicans were diverted from the continuing battle against Marxism by the War on Islamism. Unfortunately, both wars need to be waged. The obvious connections between the two need to be framed in a way that will bring back the moral clarity of the real fight.
The first paragraph of my Post #48 doesn't make sense, but you know what I mean. LOL.
The basic premise of this article is incorrect. Tuesday's election was hardly a "counter-revolution" in any sense of the word -- any more than Olympia Snowe's victory in Maine was a sign of conservative GOP strength in New England.
btt
"Who is our General Patton?"
He isn't even a General these days. Not enough political correctness to pass the Pentagon tests.
Good. Having hardcore religious fundamentalists appearing to run the party has hurt us far more than it has helped us. There's not much you can do when the person you're trying to persuade to vote GOP says, "Sorry, but I'm just not comfortable having evangelicals telling me how to live my life." (And I've lost count of how often I've gotten this line over the last six years.)
I'm usually a Cal fan ... not so much now, but this sentence sticks out as anive in the main: "Democrats ... You have power now and can't blame Republicans (though you'll try) if you fail." Cal doesn't seem to realize that the propaganda arm of the DNC (the entire of alphabet net work leftists) will make sure Democrats are never blamed for their failings over the next two years. Since 2000 we've had a democrat party functioning to accomplish only one thing in order to empower themselves/their party, OBSTRUCTIONISM at any cost, even America's safety and our courageous military being trashed by fools like Kerry. We've seen how the media leftists have painted the truth as anything but the actual truth. It will not get better now that their efforts have been rewarded by duped voters.
You're either a liar or a liberal in liberal circles, to hear such drivel 'so many times'. But that was a nice try at pushing your anti-God agenda. You probably think Barry Linde is a Christian conservative.
...to say nothing of staunchly supporting Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey...though I'd have to question the conservative's credentials who'd vote Dem or stay home to help the Dems on that issue alone...
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