[Outlaw Woman]

Thank you for that. I know what happened and how it happened. The point I was trying to make was that when there is a backbone, things get accomplished. They seem particularly focused right now and they’re laying out their game plan. No matter how deathcare got through, if all the repubics would have been as focused at that time, who knows what might have happened.

[greeneyes]

The Pubbies lost focus when they were in the majority. I think they have actually been amazingly united since Obama got elected, but what they have been lacking for even longer was a leader that was articulate enough and trustworthy enough to explain conservative solutions to issues.

The last really good leader with ability to get his point across in a way that the average American would immediately agree with was Ronald Reagan.

And when they draw their line in the sand, they often shoot their own foot off. Like holding up unemployment benefits. Democrats scream they don't want to help families who are hurting. Pubbies say we agree with extending unemployment benefits, but we need to find a way to fund it. Not the best issue to pick, and weak articulation. Makes them look like obstructionists.

The American people(not conservatives like FReepers) say you seem to find money for everything under the sun except those little people who need it most. Pubbies should re-frame such issues if they are going to do such things.

For example, something like : The American people have made it clear that they want us to stop adding to the debt, and cut spending. The dems need to hurry up and figure out the funding so that we get the funds to people who need it, and still comply with Obama’s pay-go mandate. Puts the monkey on their back to get it done, and makes them the party of yes how can I help instead the party of no.

This frames the issue as we are soooo anxious to help the people-just as soon as the dems do their job and figure out how to fund it with out increasing the debt, we'll be ready to go. Then ask when can we expect your solution? If they try to take it from defense, the Pubbies say oh no can't do it, the president said that cuts in defense were off the table, and so forth.

They ought to be able to totally use the dems rules and statements against them all the while being Mr. and Mrs cooperative. It would probably cause a bunch of dems heads to explode and Nancy Pelosi might have a stroke, and the American people blame the dems instead of the Pubbies for the hold up in benefits.