Posted on 05/14/2008 9:26:57 PM PDT by Zakeet
If there is such a thing as a useful election defeat, then Tuesday's Republican loss in a special House election in Mississippi would qualify. Maybe this thumping in a heretofore safe GOP seat will finally scare the Members straight, or at least less crooked.
Democrats won with 54% of the vote in a district that a Republican won with 66% in 2006 and that President Bush carried in 2004 by 25 points. It was the GOP's third special election loss this year, and it has Democrats predicting that November will be another rout of 2006 proportions. Oklahoma's Tom Cole, who runs the National Republican Congressional Committee, captured the GOP reaction when he declared that "There is no district that is safe for Republican candidates."
This is the lesson Republicans should have learned in 2006, but the Members preferred to blame their failure on President Bush and Iraq. House Republicans pooh-poohed their own earmarking scandals, spending excesses and overall wallowing in the Beltway status quo. Rather than rethink their habits, they re-elected the same party leaders and even kept Jerry Lewis as their chief Appropriator. Congressman John Shadegg of Arizona is right when he says that "Since the 2006 elections, Republicans have done absolutely nothing to redefine themselves. We can't even get behind an earmark moratorium bill."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I never would have imagined that I would not vote in a general election and I have voted in every one since Nixon.
Living in CT. there is not even a local choice for a conservative to vote for.
I have already registered as an independent since the immigration fiasco. No longer a republican as it has come to represent liberal Ideology almost inseparable from the democrats . The republicans are done for, empty and vacant of will and purpose.
It’s no fun living in these times to watch the insanity that rules the US of A today but it is only a matter of time IMHO before the republicans completely collapse. this election may be it or maybe the midterms but soon I believe.
Secure the G$%*AMN BORDER !!
TELL CONDI TO SHUT UP AND STAY HOME UNTIL OUR BOYS ARE DONE WITH THE KILLING IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
When employees don't do what the bosses ask, they get fired. If all of the employees forget their places and get big heads, they STILL GET FIRED. The damage to the business is great, and it's the employee's fault, not the boss's !
You haven't listened, therefore our first step is to fire you all....Period. this is not negotiable. Don't look at the damage from this and blame it on us, YOU GOP PASNIES DID THIS TO OUR COUNTRY !!!
After we have cleaned house, then we will rehire at the next election. Between now and then it's going to suck, AND IT'S YOUR FAULT, NOT OURS !!
Good. Throw the bums out.
"I don’t consider myself Republican any more. I want a Conservative party."
Yup. There's a word for political parties which -- when increasingly confronted by anger and rejection on the part of the electorate -- routinely blame said voters for "not getting it," rather than re-examiming their own product for warts and flaws.
That word is "losers."
Yep. Sadly, I think it will take a few more defeats for the GOP to finally learn the lesson. And God only knows what damage the Dems will have done to America by then...
Greetings Zakeet:
The last straw which broke my back was Juan’s Global Warming Bravo-Sierra. Back in 2000, believing George W Bush was too liberal, I canvassed for John McCain. Since then Juan abandoned all conservative principles.
Juan has a Columbus, Ohio rally today, so we’ll see if enough Republicans show up to fill a telephone booth. I could be wrong. But if Juan wins this fall, maybe it happens if our local Republican races drag Juan along on their coat tails.
Cheers,
OLA
Greetings Owen:
Excellent platform, follows the KISS principle. McCain will bring no conservatives on his coattails.
Cheers,
OLA
If anything: we're now getting those first, "early warning" indications that Juan possesses, if anything, NEGATIVE coattails.
Which the vast majority of posters here at FR have been coolly (and correctly) predicting would be the way of things, all along.
LOL for your tagline.
Just when I thought Obama’s 57 states stuff was finally exposing Barry for the ignorant fool that he is; McCain trumps. Juan votes against restocking the Strategic Petroleum Reserve depleted by Slick Willie in 2000.The SPR could have been one more campaign issue.
Cheers,
OLA
Thanks! All these months later... and still: not one single, solitary member of Team Juan's Flying Online Apolgia Squadron has offered (or even attempted) any rational and/or intellectually defensible answer to that question...
... which, when you stop and think of it, says practically everything right there, doesn't it...? ;)
Meantime. . .when was the last time you saw a Repub defend a Moral Principle; demand to correct the record for a 'right' made wrong by Pelosi, Inc.? When was the last time you saw any Repub at the end of a Congressional day defending the War or defending America; or defending their President. When was the last time they spoke the truth about their opposition? (Or even, tell the truth about their own accomplishments; when they managed to have any.)
Why are they not out front and in 'our face' - Demrat style - deconstructing the Left's 'reality-bytes'?
Bottom line, WHERE are these Repubs? They had better come to the fore; and those that have any core-value commitments; they had better start fighting for them; and for their Party as well. And they had better get their message to the people - everyday - before the Demrat enemy, claims the ground. . .
For sure, an invisible Party has no definition. . .and no boundaries and cannot be recognized. So, how do you vote for an 'unknown' and why would you?
Long past time for Repubs to 'get real'. . .
Our Country will not survivie with a 'too late smart' Republican Party.
That is why, in this era of official evasion and posturing, we offer instead a detailed agenda for national renewal, a written commitment with no fine print.
This year's election offers the chance, after four decades of one-party control, to bring to the House a new majority that will transform the way Congress works. That historic change would be the end of government that is too big, too intrusive, and too easy with the public's money. It can be the beginning of a Congress that respects the values and shares the faith of the American family.
Like Lincoln, our first Republican president, we intend to act "with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right." To restore accountability to Congress. To end its cycle of scandal and disgrace. To make us all proud again of the way free people govern themselves.
On the first day of the 104th Congress, the new Republican majority will immediately pass the following major reforms, aimed at restoring the faith and trust of the American people in their government:
Thereafter, within the first 100 days of the 104th Congress, we shall bring to the House Floor the following bills, each to be given full and open debate, each to be given a clear and fair vote and each to be immediately available this day for public inspection and scrutiny.
1. THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT: A balanced budget/tax limitation amendment and a legislative line-item veto to restore fiscal responsibility to an out- of-control Congress, requiring them to live under the same budget constraints as families and businesses. (Bill Text) (Description)
2. THE TAKING BACK OUR STREETS ACT: An anti-crime package including stronger truth-in- sentencing, "good faith" exclusionary rule exemptions, effective death penalty provisions, and cuts in social spending from this summer's "crime" bill to fund prison construction and additional law enforcement to keep people secure in their neighborhoods and kids safe in their schools. (Bill Text) (Description)
3. THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT: Discourage illegitimacy and teen pregnancy by prohibiting welfare to minor mothers and denying increased AFDC for additional children while on welfare, cut spending for welfare programs, and enact a tough two-years-and-out provision with work requirements to promote individual responsibility. (Bill Text) (Description)
4. THE FAMILY REINFORCEMENT ACT: Child support enforcement, tax incentives for adoption, strengthening rights of parents in their children's education, stronger child pornography laws, and an elderly dependent care tax credit to reinforce the central role of families in American society. (Bill Text) (Description)
5. THE AMERICAN DREAM RESTORATION ACT: A S500 per child tax credit, begin repeal of the marriage tax penalty, and creation of American Dream Savings Accounts to provide middle class tax relief. (Bill Text) (Description)
6. THE NATIONAL SECURITY RESTORATION ACT: No U.S. troops under U.N. command and restoration of the essential parts of our national security funding to strengthen our national defense and maintain our credibility around the world. (Bill Text) (Description)
7. THE SENIOR CITIZENS FAIRNESS ACT: Raise the Social Security earnings limit which currently forces seniors out of the work force, repeal the 1993 tax hikes on Social Security benefits and provide tax incentives for private long-term care insurance to let Older Americans keep more of what they have earned over the years. (Bill Text) (Description)
8. THE JOB CREATION AND WAGE ENHANCEMENT ACT: Small business incentives, capital gains cut and indexation, neutral cost recovery, risk assessment/cost-benefit analysis, strengthening the Regulatory Flexibility Act and unfunded mandate reform to create jobs and raise worker wages. (Bill Text) (Description)
9. THE COMMON SENSE LEGAL REFORM ACT: "Loser pays" laws, reasonable limits on punitive damages and reform of product liability laws to stem the endless tide of litigation. (Bill Text) (Description)
10. THE CITIZEN LEGISLATURE ACT: A first-ever vote on term limits to replace career politicians with citizen legislators. (Description)
Further, we will instruct the House Budget Committee to report to the floor and we will work to enact additional budget savings, beyond the budget cuts specifically included in the legislation described above, to ensure that the Federal budget deficit will be less than it would have been without the enactment of these bills.
Respecting the judgment of our fellow citizens as we seek their mandate for reform, we hereby pledge our names to this Contract with America.
Can only hope McCain has other Liberal traits as well; like 'saying anything' to get that vote. . .
Pathetic, that we have this as a 'standard bearer' for our Party. Worse, that he is still the better and only 'choice'.
Shrink....
I hate to say it, but Bob Barr is looking better every day. To bad he went the Libertarian route and not put some wind in the sails of the Falcons....
It’s so useless to complain... but so difficult not to.
We had it all. I mean the Republicans did. Congress, Presidency and the Court. It should have been the Golden Age for less government, controlled spending, Conservative judges... the whole shebang.
Instead?
I don’t even want to think about it. It’s just too damn depressing.
I’ll vote McCain because as bad as he is, the alternative really is worse, but that’s hardly an endorsement.
Sometimes I think I should just give up following politics and get a more relaxing hobby.
Watching the Republicans this last decade or so, it is clear that they long to be the minority party again. They have looked uncomfortable in their own skin. Seems they are tracking to be a super-minority party because we don’t really need two democrat parties duking it out for narrow turf, yet that is what they are doing. Meanwhile, as evidenced by McCain and his 8 year campaign - conservatives are being tossed to the wind.
I don’t feel bad for abandoning the Republican party. I feel they abandoned me by becoming the second democrat party.
Running on a platform as the lessor of two evils isn’t necessarily a good campaign strategy. Yet, that is precisely the way it is shaping up. ‘Vote for McCain otherwise you are doomed...’
Blech.
The problem is House Republicans long ago forfeited that ability. They have made themselves indistinguishable in many respects from House Democrats.
Good post and you nailed the reasons and solutions.
That said, the knotheads at the top will not listen. They are content with their losing party, sending their minions out to alienate and insult the people whose votes they need to win, while the Democrats are picking up votes by running conservatives.
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