Posted on 01/20/2010 10:25:30 AM PST by bmweezer
Massachusetts voters have created a political upheaval not seen in recent memory. However, now that the red, white and blue balloons in Boston have come down, it’s time for Republicans to have a reality check.
Scott Brown is a moderate Republican, at best
There once was a time when the Republican Party was truly a big tent, in the sense that conservative and moderates a like worked together for the good of the country and to a lesser extent, for the party. However, in recent years, as the balance of power in Washington got so close between Republicans and Democrats, causing one or two votes separating the two sides, on key issues certain Republicans were forced to show their left-of-center hands, with some leaving the party all together. (Think: Arlen Specter, Jeff Jeffords, to name two.)
While we are all thrilled about Brown’s victory, in some respects he will quickly become a disappointment. While the Senator-elect will be with us on health care, defense and on ways we can create private sector jobs (less government), he won’t make us happy on other issues. For example, while Brown confirms that he will vote against the current health care package (whatever that is), he also indicated that he is open to restarting the debate to get a bill passed. In addition, don’t forget that Brown is pro-choice, which down the road will certainly cause some conservatives pause. And let us not forget that he will represent blue-state Massachusetts and will be up for reelection in just three years time.
It’s only 41 seats
Brown’s accession will quickly slow down President Obama’s agenda, but not completely. One might recall that when the president was inaugurated, the Democrats did a lot in the U.S. Senate when they also had (just) 59 seats. Then, Arlen Specter caucused with the Republicans, but the president was still able to get enough Republican support to push through the stimulus plan and the like, because people like Specter supported the president. While the GOP now has 41 seats again (the Democrats gained their 60th seat when Specter switched parties last spring), it only takes the Democrats to peel off one GOPer to move their legislation through. The only way a filibuster can stop the president is if all 41 members of the Republican team stay in place and that might not happen in certain cases.
We need moderate Republicans in moderate states, like it or not.
Most of us on the right would like to believe that the entire nation is conservative and because of that, all moderate and left-wingers are bad people with bad ideas. However, Brown's victory needs to show us that for the GOP to survive (and govern), the party needs to return to the days of a 'Big Tent Strategy.' In blue-states in particular, a tried-and-true conservative will most likely not win. However, moderate GOPers will. Therefore, we need to keep that in mind when we discuss our party's goal of taking back the majority - it cannot happen with just conservatives, like it or not. Conservatives, therefore should praise the recruitment of moderate candidates in areas where they are required, while helping to defeat less conservative Democrats in states where true GOP conservatives can be elected. (Think Arkansas, Indiana)
However, 2010 isn’t 2009
And yet, we should be optimistic about the year ahead. First and foremost, the Brown election proves that the president’s popularity is indeed waning. Representatives on the Hill react to presidential poll numbers and with the 2010 mid-terms looming, Democrats know their days could be numbered. Unlike in 2008 and 2009 when all woes could be blamed on George W. Bush, in 2010, it is the Democrats that will get the blame on the economy, national security and the like if things don’t change. Therefore, Brown’s election is simply one battle won in a long war ahead.
I’m not sure he even sees himself as a Republican. If I were him, I wouldn’t. I think he’s the more conservative equivalent to Lieberman, in that caucusing with the stupid party can only hurt him. Boehner, Steele, and Cornryn are the Larry, Moe, and Curly of political strategy right now.
These guys were ready to concede. Gingrich? He dropped his tranny in NY23 endorsing Dede Babykiller as a rock-ribbed conservative.
All Brown has to do is use common sense and his voting record is likely going to be just fine. Common sense seems to be most uncommon nowadays.
The only thing this election really did for me is confirm that I’m not crazy - that there are others out there that think we are intentionally being led to hell by a crew of bitter, half-crazy, career politicians that have lost the artificial horizon on their instrument panel.
Cool tag. I guess my dog just left an Obama in my neighbor’s yard.
Who put every Democratic seat in the country in play this year. That is even better than stopping ObamaCare. It means Tim Gill, Soros and others cannot, as they have been doing for years, pour money into a dozen or so of the few competitive races and pick up seats for the Rats. They won't know where to put their millions. They can't target this or that Republican. They have to play defense and they can't defend everyone. They can't defend a fraction of the seats which the GOP could grab.
You are going to get a firestorm...backing out of here...
I am willing to forego legislation on the squishy Social stuff . . . if only the Democrats would let it be. They will not. I don’t want conservatives initiating legislation on the squishy Social stuff any more than I want Dems doing it . . . but, when the Dems try for same sex marriage legislation or drive thru abortions paid for by taxpayers, I’d like to think that there are Repubs who would sink the effort. These are issues that should be dealt with at the state level.
See #14.
Brown specifically supported tax cuts, med-mal reform, and vocally opposed Obamacare and cap and trade.
Specter or Jumpin' Jim wouldn't have done that.
He said he thought abortion should be legal -- IIRC that was early-term abortions -- but opposed public funding for them.
IIRC, he was against gay marriage.
I don't know what his position on 2A was but it certainly wasn't worse than Coakley's (or Kennedy's).
For Massachusetts, I'll take him.
Brown will go a long way toward generating the re-establishment of a conservative principle base under the Repub party. Washington is running on a liberal thugocracy base now, and that will be where the war will be fought. Displacing the radical, anti-Constitutional thug base with a conservative-principled core. Upon that, much can be done to improve many things, including health care.
Let us not get lost from the fact that this present so-called “health care bill” is about improving your health care. It is all about big government control of your life and wealth. Add to that, CAP AND TAX. All about Marxist control of America. Period. The Repub party has all the ammo it needs now to put these radicals out of business in 2012 in a big way and set the stage by serious house-cleaning and positioning in November of this year.
There is a big difference between a moderate that joins the Dems acting like a Dem in the spirit of ‘working across the aisle’, and someone who works within the Senate on issues to advocate the conservative positions. We won’t know who Brown is until he gets there, but it is possible to have valuable team members who are not lock step on every issue, but are advocates for limited govt and fiscal conservatism.
I’m just happy that someone who sees through the Obamacare debacle will now occupy ‘Ted Kennedy’s seat’. That’s a big deal not only for Massachusetts but the entire country.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus
Exactly, there is no reason why red states like Arizona, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nevada, Alaska, and maybe a few others have to settle for the weasels that represent them.
“PRESSURE BROWN TO BECOME A CONSERVATIVE!
It can be done.
The PEOPLE must be ACTIVE in doing this.
Forget putting up your feet and smiling like a Cheshire cat. The REAL work remains.”
_______
Agreed. Let him hear the base. He promised to represent us, let’s make him do it. On immigration, some seem hopeful.
Brown Wins: Victory May Stop Comprehensive Amnesty Legislation - Illegal immigration became a top issue in the Massachusetts
[snip] “The Brown victory not only breaks the Democratic 60 vote hold on the U.S. Senate needed for cloture votes, but it sends a clear message that voters prefer pro-enforcement candidates instead of pro-amnesty candidates.” said William Gheen, president of ALIPAC. “We will be working hard to defeat the Amnesty legislation filed in Congress and to repeat the Brown-Coakley scenario in hundreds of races this November.”
Illegal immigration became a top issue in the Massachusetts Senate campaign, with Scott Brown issuing a statement that he opposed amnesty and taxpayer benefits for illegal immigrants and favored tougher enforcement measures. Brown had a background opposing illegal alien amnesty measures as a state Senator.
Martha Coakley gave voters a clear contrast on the issue as she indicated her support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform Amnesty, which most people in the nation consider a sneaky form of Amnesty dubbed Shamnesty. Coakley also admitted that she created a sanctuary state in Massachusetts by turning a blind eye to the immigration status of those charged with crimes in her state, while she served as attorney general.
“The national and local polls are clear.” said Gheen. “Illegal immigration is not the lone issue that decides races, but it remains a top priority among voters and the voters overwhelmingly demand that our borders be secured, our existing immigration laws be enforced and the Obama, Gutierrez, Schumer, McCain and Graham Amnesty legislation be abandoned or defeated.”
he’s against embryonic stem cells, he’s pro-gun...this is not another romney
It doesn't help the credibility of the pundit if they can't fact-check the names correctly.
-PJ
Moderate or not, there shouldn’t be an elected Republican that will break his contract with all Republicans by voting for any bill that directly opposed the Republican platform.
The platform is the only way to keep the party grounded and honest. It is voted on and passed by all Republicans instead of the elite few elected to office.
Any Republican in office that has violated his contract with all Republicans should be replaced in the next election.
That means even though they believe in killing babies, they should be ready to oppose any bill that allows abortions to be paid for by federal dollars.
You still have to find a candidate with a lot of dough to take on a sitting incumbent. He or she would not get any of Steele’s backing.
“I recognize that our strength as a nation is built on the immigrant experience in America. I welcome legal immigration to this country. However, we are also a nation of laws and government should not adopt policies that encourage illegal immigration. Providing driver’s licenses and in-state tuition to illegal immigrant families will act as a magnet in drawing more people here in violation of the law and it will impose new costs on taxpayers. I oppose amnesty, and I believe we ought to strengthen our border enforcement and institute an employment verification system with penalties for companies that hire illegal immigrants.”
no in-state tuition? Huckabee won’t like that
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