The Coming Democrat Counteroffensive

American Thinker ^ | January 20, 2010 | Steve McCann

[neverdem]

The unexpected election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts, driven equally by opposition to the Obama agenda and an inept Democratic candidate, will fuel optimism that Republicans and conservatives will recapture the Congress. However, with ten months to go before the midterm election, this confidence is misplaced and misguided, and it will play into the hands of the Democrat strategists.

Success in taking over the Congress from the entrenched Democrats will require an understanding of their tactics and a unified strategy on the part of all conservatives, libertarians, and independents who recognize why the election is so pivotal. The Democratic machine will pull out all the stops to maintain control of Congress, particularly in light of the Brown victory.

The 2010 midterm elections will be nationalized, and money spent by the Democrats and their allies will be staggering, as will the level of vitriol and mudslinging. Anything and everything must be expected.

The current Democratic leaders will rely on two assumptions: 1) that the electorate, after decades of peace, prosperity, and lack of civic education, is generally ignorant and apathetic towards the machinations in Washington, D.C.; 2) that gerrymandering, skewed election laws, and political financing regulations -- and most importantly, the fragmented nature of the opposition -- will greatly benefit the Democrats. The Left will be confident in the reelection of their own congressmen in sufficient number to maintain control of the levers of power in Washington.

Either rationale stems from one central point: citizen apathy. However slowly, that indifference is beginning to change, as noted by the polls showing a resurgence of conservatism, particularly as reflected by the tea party movement. But a crusade based on emotion and held together only by opposition to single issues cannot succeed in achieving the monumental change necessary to save the country.

At this point in January 2010, the tenuous, multi-faceted coalition that makes up the grassroots resistance to the radical Obama agenda comprises those opposed to illegal immigration, amnesty, excessive government spending, abortion, gay marriage, taxes, gun control, heath care reform, free trade, foreign entanglements, Wall Street, and those who desire to see every Republican politician hanged. Each group expects the other to agree fully with its signature issue.

It is for that reason that the Left treats the conservative movement with such disdain, knowing full well that this coalition has a potential internal time bomb which can explode prior to any major election. All the Democrats have to do is light the fuse.

Everyone is aghast that the Democrats and the liberal media have employed a base and vile vulgarism not only to describe the activities of those who are sincerely concerned for the country's future, but also to denigrate the individuals, their motives, appearance, and social status. This tactic is used because it works.

It works because it distracts from the real issues by fomenting discussions about what is said and forcing a response to an absurd accusation or portrayal. The pundits, politicians, and leaders on the right feel obligated to respond and deny the allegations, thus giving them more credibility and allowing the Left to find ways to make even more outrageous charges, thus perpetuating the cycle.

The Left must personalize every policy disagreement or election by denigrating their opposition, thus steering all conversation away from what is most important: the future of the United States as either a capitalist or socialist country.

A codicil to this strategy is to abet the potential fragmentation of the conservative alliance by falsely accusing an opposition candidate of being less than committed to a particular policy, thus creating an emphasis on the importance of a single issue for one or the other of the myriad groups within the movement. Many within these aggregations are hypersensitive and on constant alert for any perceived slight from their fellow coalition members.

Many have proffered the theory that the Left resorts to name-calling and hyperbole because they cannot defend their socialist and secular philosophy. While it is true that they must resort to emotion to sell their theories to the masses, the political strategy to achieve power is fragmenting the opposition by questioning their motives, accusing them of hypocrisy or criminal and unethical behavior, and by using election laws to skew close elections against them. As long as this strategy works, the Left does not have to defend its philosophical positions.

The only way to defeat the Left is to stop playing by their rules.

First, it must be understood that the enemy we are fighting, the Liberals or the Left, makes up 20% of the country's population. Moderates are 36%, and conservatives are more than 40%.  Based on that breakdown, one might assume that something like 67% of moderates lean to the conservative view. Thus, 64% of the citizenry are potential voters against what is happening in Congress and the White House.

Why does the conservative coalition allow 20% of the people to dictate how or why campaigns are conducted? Why do conservatives still curry favor from the once-mainstream media, who in a marketing death wish choose to appeal to this same 20%? Why, within this alliance, is there so much suspicion among each faction? And lastly, why is it not understood that only by the in-place organization of the Republican Party, under conservative control, can the current tide in Washington be reversed?

Conservatives must discipline themselves to stop being so thin-skinned about what the media, bloggers, and pundits on the Left say about them. These immature and self-righteous blowhards must be ignored and allowed to talk among themselves without any response from anyone on the right. The only response necessary is to correct or rebut immediately and firmly the mistakes and misrepresentations of the once-mainstream media. 

The Tea Party Movement, instead of reveling in its declared independence, should immediately either join forces with or take over the local Republican Party establishment in its respective county or state.

Each person has one political or social issue that is of the highest importance to him.  Regardless of what it is, everyone must now realize that without individual freedom and liberty, plus a limited government -- all of which are now under massive assault by the Obama administration -- it matters little what that issue is. 

In order to overcome the Democrats' misuse of "community organizations" and biased election laws and officials to skew close elections, the members of the conservative coalition must turn out in massive numbers to vote and support one political party.

Everyone must stop the absurd belief that one should vote for the person and not the party. The lesson of the passage of the Health Care Reform Act in Congress should never be forgotten: There is no such thing as a "conservative Democrat" once installed in Congress. There is a major difference between the parties. Conservatives can influence what happens in the Republican Party; they cannot do so in the Democratic Party.

Above all, everyone in the current coalition opposing what is happening in Washington, D.C. must unite behind one theme and put all differences aside. That cause should be this: For future generations, the United States must remain the dominant global economic force able to underwrite being the unrivaled military power in the world. The destructive path the current government in Washington has chosen will relegate our country to long-term economic stagnation and secondary world status.

The upcoming midterm election is one of the most pivotal in history. Despite the current optimism surrounding the outcome of the November 2010 election, the conservative movement will not triumph unless it unites, remains disciplined, and above all, understands and learns from its adversaries.  

The overwhelming and unexpected victory in Massachusetts should not be allowed to lead to complacency or overconfidence. The Democrats and the Obama administration will be more determined than ever to hold on to the power necessary to transform the United States into their image.

[kabar]

I disagree. The Tea Party movement got behind Scott Brown within the Republican Party because he espoused their views of smaller government, lower taxes, opposition to obamacare, etc. They, in effect, took control of the Republican Party on the grass roots level, in spite of the state republican leadership, and directed statewide support toward Brown's conservative view points.

The Dems outnumber the Reps three to one in MA. Registered Reps make up only 12% of the electorate. There are more independents than either Dems or Reps. Brown did not advertise or seek Tea Party support publicly recognizing that this would hurt him politically. Instead, Brown expressed support of Tea Party principles and appealed to voters, including tea party members, who held those views.

This is what must happen in every state - Tea Party movement people, or just people who empathize with their views must simply “take over - get involved and get to work” within the republican party and direct it themselves. Scott Brown demonstrated how this can be done. The republican party is the most open to conservatism, but it must be directed by conservatives within the local precinct, district by district. Weed out the rinos - it can happen. We just saw this happen in Massachusetts.

I am active in the Tea Party movement and in the Rep party in VA. It really depends where you are locally as to how much influence the Tea Party can have in the Rep party. The best way is to get involved in the primaries and support those who are the most conservative and can win Tea Party support. You can't just "weed out the rinos." You need all the support you can get, especially from independents.

Scott Brown may not pass all of the conservative litmus tests nor will many Tea Party members who have differences on social issues like abortion. Don't confuse Tea Party members with conservatives. We share many common beliefs and values, but not all of them.

[BIGLOOK]

Why does the conservative coalition allow 20% of the people to dictate how or why campaigns are conducted?

A numbers game, Doc. You know and I know that a vicious and determined adversary can inflict tremendous damage on an economy, a country and its way of life.

Hopefully, we're not to far into this dilemma to reverse it, but it'll still take a long time.

[Post Toasties]

Voters are angry because their representatives are ignoring the wishes of the majority of their constituents. The only way to hold them accountable is to vote them out of office.

For the most part, you are talking about Democrats. I'm impatient with these attempts to siphon off only Republican support with 'anti-incumbent' rhetoric. This broad brush anti-incumbent sales pitch would have much more credibility in my book if it was also peddled in Democrat forums, but it isn't.

[Psalm 144]

The Tea Party Movement, instead of reveling in its declared independence, should immediately either join forces with or take over the local Republican Party establishment in its respective county or state.
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Hmmm. Not sold on this. For tactical reasons right now, perhaps. But we already put the GOP in complete control a mere nine years ago for them to fumble it all away. Not sure I can ever trust them again.

[kabar]

Chump change or not, the point is that the GOP had to do it surreptitiously because it would have hurt Brown politically if it had become public.

I agree that those in the GOP who think that Brown won because he adhered to GOP principles and beliefs are like roosters claiming credit for the sunrise. Brown won because this was a referendum on Obama and his health care proposal and the growing anti-incumbent feeling among the electorate. Brown understood those factors and tailored his campaign accordingly. He was the "people's candidate."

[Psalm 144]

To be merely anti-incumbent without understanding the issues and probable outcomes of ones choices is to be intellectually derelict because, for one, that viewpoint often enables the greatest of possible evils.

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Like betrayal by machine incumbents? The American nomenklatura?

[Psalm 144]

I got the impression that the GOP didn’t really help Brown out that much. I’m sure Steele will be on T.V. taking credit tomorrow, though.

*********************************

Mitt’s cheerleader squad stole a march on lil’ Mikey Tinsel.

[c-b 1]

But the National Precinct Alliance estimates that about 60 percent of the roughly 150,000 local Republican committee seats are vacant and can be filled by essentially showing.

That's a fact, we have several precincts that have no PCs, others we keep all the openings full, we haven't been able to get people to get the 10 signatures to get on the ballot. I typically get the signatures for all the PCs in my precinct.

[Brugmansian]

Success in taking over the Congress from the entrenched Democrats will require an understanding of their tactics and a unified strategy on the part of all conservatives, libertarians, and independents . . .

The libertarian strategy Tuesday was to attempt to siphon off enough votes from Brown to ensure a Coakley win.

They can go to hell.

[Psalm 144]

I _am_ willing to buy an alliance of convenience.

So long as it delivers.

[Psalm 144]

Oooohhh. $500k. That’s my point. $500k is chump change, especially when it is the only race going on at the time.

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1/2 of what they wasted on Scozzafava.

[Cobra64]

The GOP sent secretly over $500K to the Brown campaign. They intentionally [and correctly] stayed below the radar so Brown could attract independents.

I think you have one too many zeros in that figure.

[kabar]

For the most part Democrats are the ones who are the statists and supporters of big government and who don't support the Constitution and the values of our Founders.

I am in favor of getting rid of Reps who act like Dems, e.g., Specter, Snowe, and Collins. Specter already demonstrated his true colors by switching parties. The time to do this is in the primaries. If we can continue to elect the Lincoln Chaffes and Specters, then we are blurring the lines between what the GOP stands for. If we want to be Democrat lite, then many of us will just move to a third party or sit out the elections.

Ronald Reagan, in his famous 1975 speech at CPAC, said,

" Americans are hungry to feel once again a sense of mission and greatness. I don 't know about you, but I am impatient with those Republicans who after the last election rushed into print saying, "We must broaden the base of our party"-- when what they meant was to fuzz up and blur even more the differences between ourselves and our opponents.

" It was a feeling that there was not a sufficient difference now between the parties that kept a majority of the voters away from the polls. When have we ever advocated a closed-door policy? Who has ever been barred from participating?

" Our people look for a cause to believe in. Is it a third party we need, or is it a new and revitalized second party, raising a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people?"

I could care less about what is peddled in Democrat fora. We need to rebulild and revitalize the GOP.

[kabar]

Yep. We nominated the Party’s maverick to be our standard bearer in 2008. He supported amnesty and cap and trade and was against drilling in ANWR and for the closing of Gitmo. Only the Stupid Party does that.

[kabar]

RNC touts election role

[Jet Jaguar]

BTTT!

[des]

The media is already stressing that this is the work of independents, not the GOP, and they are joining up....hilarious.

[des]

When you think of what has been spent in vain during this health care “DEBATE”....excuse me while I go puke.

[neverdem]

Hmmm. Not sold on this. For tactical reasons right now, perhaps. But we already put the GOP in complete control a mere nine years ago for them to fumble it all away. Not sure I can ever trust them again.

The GOP has to think that it is always the opposition party. It should have told GWB to jump in a lake with his compassionate conservatism.

His "No Child Left Behind" Law was written by Ted Kennedy and Ted's pals, IIRC. States then lowered the scores for passing. GWB's expansion of Medicare for a new, unfunded Part D was written by Big Pharma, IIRC.

Any majority GOP Congress must learn from that disaster.

[ari-freedom]

“The libertarian strategy Tuesday was to attempt to siphon off enough votes from Brown to ensure a Coakley win.”

yeah but his name was Joe Kennedy. Stupid liberals probably voted for him thinking he was the guy who kisses up to Hugo Chavez.