Tom Coburn: Republicans Are in Denial

WSJ ^ | May 27th, 2008 | Tom Coburn

[The_Republican]

As congressional Republicans contemplate the prospect of an electoral disaster this November, much is being written about the supposed soul-searching in the Republican Party. A more accurate description of our state is paralysis and denial.

Many Republicans are waiting for a consultant or party elder to come down from the mountain and, in Moses-like fashion, deliver an agenda and talking points on stone tablets. But the burning bush, so to speak, is delivering a blindingly simple message: Behave like Republicans.

Unfortunately, too many in our party are not yet ready to return to the path of limited government. Instead, we are being told our message must be deficient because, after all, we should be winning in certain areas just by being Republicans. Yet being a Republican isn't good enough anymore. Voters are tired of buying a GOP package and finding a big-government liberal agenda inside. What we need is not new advertising, but truth in advertising.

Becoming Republicans again will require us to come to grips with what has ailed our party – namely, the triumph of big-government Republicanism and failed experiments like the K Street Project and "compassionate conservatism." If the goal of the K Street Project was to earmark and fund raise our way to a filibuster-proof "governing" majority, the goal of "compassionate conservatism" was to spend our way to a governing majority.

The fruit of these efforts is not the hoped-for Republican governing majority, but the real prospect of a filibuster-proof Democrat majority in 2009. While the K Street Project decimated our brand as the party of reform and limited government, compassionate conservatism convinced the American people to elect the party that was truly skilled at activist government: the Democrats.

Compassionate conservatism's starting point had merit.

[eclecticEel]

Like it or not, Jorge Bush would never have won in 2000 if not for his promise of “compassionate conservatisism”; and believe me, I don’t like it one little bit - yet I have to look at the situation honestly as that’s where the nation is right now.

[freekitty]

He lost me right there. Too bad. He was speaking a lot of good things; but it’s just an appeal to the voters and a tired one at that to vote for McCain.

Dear Mr. Coburn:

Never in a million years will I vote for McCain. He was not chosen by the people and his agenda is so far from what you have described; it’s pitful.

Please do not pander to us. As you say; we are sick of it.

[freekitty]

Oh yes, Mr. Cobern.

McCain has got one to many faults for me taste and they sure aren’t good for America.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

[rabscuttle385]

In his heart, he's a soldier who sees one more hill to charge, one more mission to complete.

You forgot the part about one more amnesty for the illegals that he intends to ram down our throats.

[TigersEye]

Yeah, McCain. Charging backwards up one more hill.

Not even the Dixie Chicks can say whatever they want (McCain goes to bat for fat mouthed trio)

[neverdem]

BTTT!

[goldstategop]

When the congressional GOP votes with the Democrats to expand earmarks and increase the size of government, its leading more conservatives to stay at home in disgust. Its doing a good job of leading itself to political extinction.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[AmericanInTokyo]

tagline sez it all

[AmericanInTokyo]

Don't confuse us with FACTS, here on FR.

We're SUPPOSED to vote for the dude, because he has an (R) after his name.

What is wrong with you, didn't you get THE MEMO!!??

[AmericanInTokyo]

The turning point for the better in the battle for total, objective and intellectual honesty here at Conservative FREE REPUBLIC will be reached when, your excellent post at #14, your litany, your template if you will on John McCain and his actual record, will form the backbone of a new file and hot linked "top keyword", "MCCAIN TRUTH FILE" which will sit right up there, next to "OBAMA TRUTH FILE" right on clear through to November.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Coburn is mostly right...I didn’t read the whole article, but I think he also needs to take into account the incidents of “corruption”—some real, some contrived, upon the party’s national image.

Tom DeLay was unjustly accused, but the media furor around it hurt.

Cunningham and Ney were, apparently, guilty of corruption, and the party was hurt.

The Foley incident(s) were obviously overblown, and so Republicans suffered.

Just mho.

[Leisler]

Too bad he is such a spin weasel.

How's his HillaryCare doing? I see he's abandoned his ‘home’ state of Massachusetts for California. Or was his home state Michigan, or Utah.

Anyways, just as his 2006 strategy of buttering up establishment and out of touch GOP elites gave him zero political support, so will this Soros like attempt. Poor Mitt, thinks he can buy his way in. He should try an elected office and accomplish something politically.

[TomGuy]

Voters are tired of buying a GOP package and finding a big-government liberal agenda inside. What we need is not new advertising, but truth in advertising.

Yeh. The GOP has sold the voters a 'bill of goods' for too many elections. Now, they just want to re-package the same-ole.

Burned once. Burned twice. Burned thrice...

No wonder Obama's message of 'change' is resonating. And McCain just represents more-of-the same.

==

John McCain, for all his faults, is the one Republican candidate who can lead us through our wilderness.

Sorry, Senator Coburn, but if you believe that, you are the one in denial.

McCain has been in Washington 25 years. And he has left (and leftist) signficant marks:

McCain Feingold, an assault on the First Amendment and Free Speech.

McCain Kennedy, an assault on our culture by trying to grand amnesty to some 10-60 million illegal.

etc.etc.etc.

McCain repeated in several debates that "Washington is broken." Yes, it is, and McCain and his 25 years in Washington are a very big party of why "Washington is broken." Now, he claims he knows how to fix it? GMAB! [Give Me A Break!]

[littlehouse36]

Too bad he is such a spin weasel.
How's his HillaryCare doing? I see he's abandoned his ‘home’ state of Massachusetts for California. Or was his home state Michigan, or Utah.

 

Anyways, just as his 2006 strategy of buttering up establishment and out of touch GOP elites gave him zero political support, so will this Soros like attempt. Poor Mitt, thinks he can buy his way in. He should try an elected office and accomplish something politically.

 

This says way more about you than it does about Mitt Romney.

 

 

 

[kabar]

I am still pissed at Coburn for endorsing McCain. I confronted him personally about it in SC. McCain is just the kind of candidate who is undermining the Rep “brand.” A “cap and trade” system to address global warming? Is that what is meant by a smaller, less intrusive government?

[kabar]

According to Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation, amnesty will cost our entitlement and social welfare systems $2.6 trillion. How can Coburn support McCain who wants to legalize the 14 to 20 million illegals already here and the 66 million to 100 million more LEGAL immigrants who will come in thru chain migration, i.e., family reunification?

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

According to Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation, amnesty will cost our entitlement and social welfare systems $2.6 trillion. How can Coburn support McCain who wants to legalize the 14 to 20 million illegals already here and the 66 million to 100 million more LEGAL immigrants who will come in thru chain migration, i.e., family reunification?

[kabar]

LOL. Good poster—just the numbers are understated by about half.

[Puddleglum]

I am still pissed at Coburn for endorsing McCain. I confronted him personally about it in SC

What did he say? I like Coburn but his endorsement of McCain threw me for a loop.