Republicans' 'what now?' challenge

NY Post ^ | August 9, 2010 | MICHAEL BARONE

[Scanian]

Republicans are starting to think about how to answer the Robert Redford question.

You know the scene. In the 1972 movie "The Candidate," the Redford character, having won the election, turns to his political consultant and asks, "What do I do now?"

Many Republicans fear they'll look as clueless as Redford. They entered this campaign cycle with little hope of winning congressional majorities. Now they have a good chance to do so in the House and an outside chance in the Senate.

Some cynical Republicans say candidates should just harp on their opposition to the Obama Democrats' policies and figure out what to do if they're in the majority when they get there. Others say they should present policy alternatives.

Some young House Republicans have put out a call for voters to e-mail their ideas. House Republican leaders say they'll put together something in the nature of a 1994-style Contract with America over the August recess.

That's a good idea. Politicians like to win elections. But if they're not in the business in order to shape public policy, why are they there at all?

Let's put this in some historic perspective.

[dajeeps]

But if they're not in the business in order to shape public policy, restore constitutional order why are they there at all?

[bossmechanic]

If conservatives (not necessarily republicans) stick to their principles and cut spending, shrink federal gov’ment, and protect our borders,
Wouldn’t hurt to defund every single Obama/Reid/Pelosi initiative, dissolve EPA and dept of education, trash NPR, permanentize the Bush tax cuts, throw the UN out of this country, muzzle McCain, stick a pole up Shumer, Frank, Dodd, and castrate lindsey graham-——
but it’s late and I suppose I’m just dreaming.

[ClearCase_guy]

Tax less
Spend less
Respect the Constitution.

It's not hard, if they've been paying attention to the Tea Party movement.
On the other hand, I suppose the RINOs will have a tough time deciding which Obama policy to abandon (if any).

[Enterprise]

I am not yet convinced that Boehner has the nerve to demand severe or even fatal cuts to some Federal agencies, general recipients of Democrat and leftist largesse, and all Government pork.

[03A3]

castrate lindsey graham

Rather optimistic aren't you?

[dajeeps]

All they have to do is repeal everything that is beyond the bounds of the enumerated powers, restoring Federalism. The states can and should take care of themselves in all other matters.

If they really want to have some impact, they should pass an amendment that either repeals the 17th amendment, or gives the right of recall and sets term limits for senate seats.

It is the senate that is killing us with their advice and consent role and the fact that states no longer have a role at all. Congress can vote themselves usurpations of power and then put justices on the court who will uphold it.

The state challenge to the healthcare bill is an excellent example. We are not a democracy, we are a republic and according to the constitution we cannot vote ourselves things from the Federal government that fall outside of enumerated powers. SCOTUS is supposed to be the protector of federalism, but because it no longer comes from a senate that has states as its constituents, it has no stake in federalism at all. And what to do when SCOTUS says “TFB - you will get healthcare and like it” because it is of the beast that created it? The only thing left is secession because states cannot nullify when it is enforced with the IRS.

[nathanbedford]

I have a hunch that the debate among Republicans about whether to proceed into the election with a "contract with America" approach or simply to ride the cresting wave against Obama without risking specific proposals which might make Republicans vulnerable, will be a proxy for the debate between the populist constitutionalist wing of the Republican Party and the establishment wing.

If one takes seriously the recent article which so pungently described the elitism which dominates Washington and the Republican Party as well, one accepts that much of the Republican Party does not want to be held to a commitment to roll back what Washington has become. They want power, yes, but they want it managed according to their lights. They want the whole apparatus of the federal government kept intact but they want it the way it was, growing but under control.

The populists within the Republican Party, slightly different in outlook than populists of the Midwest historically, want to dismantle the whole apparatus and get back to bedrock values. Many of them will insist on their social values finding respect, a stand which is anathema establishment wing.

Normally these things are determined by the selection of the presidential candidate and midterms usually coast along without a soul searching experience. But we are going to have to search our souls this time (either before the election or certainly afterwards) and we cannot do it by selecting a person as the proxy. I think it's possible that this whole idea of a written commitment-I happen to favor Paul Ryan's approach-could well develop as that proxy.

We will see with the heavy hitters like Sarah Palin on the populist side and Mitch McConnell or Romney on the other side contribute.

[randita]

Well reasoned and I agree. The energy in the GOP is coming from the Tea Party. GOP candidates must throw some red meat to the Tea Party, and not just hamburger, but prime steak. And they have to mean it. If they don’t, the Tea Party is going to become even angrier and more disillusioned with politicians of both parties and we’re likely to see the emergence of a third party which would split the GOP and doom them to defeat.

If the GOP takes back the House and has an agenda of lower taxes, rolling back regulations, border enforcement, smaller government, more states’ rights, Obama will probably stand in the way of any progress toward that end, so I doubt little can be done UNLESS Obama sees that his only hope of re-election is to use Clinton’s tactic of moving toward the center and actually cooperating with the GOP on some important legislation.

I’m not sure that Obama is a canny enough politician to thread the needle like Clinton did. Obama’s base is much narrower and more liberal and I don’t think they will let him get away with moving to the center. We’ll see.

[Jim Noble]

There's no doubt that the majority of GOP elected officials believe their responsibility is to keep the base under control, while preventing as much of the conservative agenda from being enacted as possible.

This is exactly the opposite of most Democrat elected officials, who share the values of their base voters and want as much of their agenda enacted as is politically possible.

[RoadTest]

Don’t these dufuses even know what they stand for?

[Caipirabob]

Tax less

Spend less

Respect the Constitution.

What?...Now?...

[drdirt333]

What now?...simple.....SECEED.
its not fixable

[Jim Noble]

The Republican establishment is committed to preserving the structure of the central State intact - Department of Education, EPA, all of it.

It is very important to demonstrate the ability to eliminate entire agencies along with their employees and their budgets.

It really does not matter where to begin, because until the GOP demonstrates that it can be done, it's merely blather.

For myself, I'm not so sure that a legislature (State or Federal) chosen by universal franchise CAN actually eliminate any section of the administrative state whole hog.

Imagine what that would mean.

"Effective January 1, 2013, the Environmental Protection Act is repealed. The Environmental Protection Agency is dissolved. No funds may issue from the Treasury to support any agency, bureau, program, contract, or grant created subsequent to January 1, 1971 under the authority of the former EPA. All Federal administrative rules or regulations issued by the EPA are null and void. All powers claimed by the EPA are returned to the States, or to the People."

Do you really believe it is possible to choose a Congress under non-revolutionary conditions that would do this?

[Texas Fossil]

What next?

It is TIME to DownSize DC!

Eliminate entire Departments. (Education, EPA, etc)

Move any worthwhile functions back to the State & Local level where it has a better chance of being controlled efficiently.

Force Congress and Senate to telecommute most of the year from their home district. Away from the Lobbyists and under the thumb of their constituents. Can you imagine how this would reduce the cost of the Federal Government and it would change the entire center-of-gravity of government.

Strip all Federal authority that is not specifically granted by the constitution.

Then go on a hunting expedition to remove those who have brought us to this point. Remove, try, convict and punish those traitors who did this to us.

That would be a start.

[Scanian]

As long as the DC social scene is controlled by libs, mediocrity is the result we can expect from the GOP establishment.

They seem more concerned with the opinions of Sally Quinn than those of their constituents.

[Steamburg]

First, the election hasn’t happened. The GOP needs to concentrate on making the democrats run on their record, not the mud they are slinging.
Then, there won’t be any questions about what to do. When in doubt, don’t fund.

We the people who put the next congress in office have an obligation to keep their feet to the fire. Government by the people isn’t a one time show of effort. It is a daily effort to make sure you are represented. Congress should have no doubt about what to do next.

[Kozak]

1. Stop spending buckets of money.
2. Cut Taxes
3. Defend the border, that means a real fence with real enforcement.
4. Stop the war on our domestic energy sources.
5. Stop the green assault on the economy.
6. Stop slurping up to tyrants and dictators and demand we support our allies.

That should work for starters.

[Little Ray]

Tax less.
Spend less.
De-fund a bunch of Cabinet level agencies (like the Dept. of Education) and boondoggle programs (like the National Endowment for the Arts and NPR).
Stop hiring of Federal employees and cut the size of the government through attrition.
Outlaw Unions for Federal employees.
Eliminate protection for Federal jobs (A return to the “spoils system?”)
Investigate the SEIU and ACORN (whatever its name is now...); cut their funding and put leaders in jail.
Investigate media bias and the revolving door between media and Democrat administrations.
Investigate the State Department and eliminate all security risks.
Eliminate funding for left-wing organizations or laws that favor them.
“Go nuclear” from day one on the Democrats.

Basically, in the unlikely event that the ‘Pubbies regain power, they need to pull knives and gut everything in sight...

On the other hand, I don’t think they going to win the House and definitely not the Senate.

[ClearCase_guy]

Sadly, I agree. I do not anticipate a great power shift in Nov. I think the Dems will hold on, although with somewhat fewer seats. But I also expect more Republicans to agree to "reach across the aisle" after the election.

The big goal of the GOP is to keep the Tea Party candidates out of office and that will hurt us in Nov and hurt us after Nov.