Conservatives will win when we provide sound alternatives expressed reasonably. As long as our brand is nasty, seering and petty then they will never have to discuss issues. They can point to those horrible, mean people who want to sneer rather then contribute. When the discussion is issues we win. Anything else, we are in for a long four, eiught, twelve, sixteen....who knows how many years.
The problem I have with that position is that pointing out the faults in the dem opponent’s positions or records are smeared as being “nasty”, while sealed divorce records are fair game for the dem to use against the republican (ref: Obama’s senate campaign).
Being “nice” while trying to talk about issues has worked wonderfully since 2006, hasn’t it? Being forthright and honest (by putting out LOUD and constant notice of the dems’ shortcomings) while continuing to talk about issues might actually have a chance to break through the Alinksky-esque tactics of the left.
Trying to speak to the issues, wearing a white suit to keep it “clean” does not work when the opponent is allowed to sling mud, crud, and feces at you without notice by the “referee” - being the press.
We’re going to be smeared as “mean”, so perhaps it is time to be forthright and honest with the public. “My good friend across the aisle” should be described in factual, and sometimes brutally honest, terms.
Frankly, when I am presenting a technical solution to a problem to a client, I absolutely MUST be honest about the problem, its causes, as well as its solutions. The bailout of the financial markets is a wonderful example of how the GOP has failed in doing this. The problem is the preponderance of bad paper in the mortgage arena. The root cause is the legal framework that was used to force banks to make the bad loans. Understanding this, and being able to name the very people responsible (most of which are high-profile DEMS) would have led the way to finding a different solution - or at least it would have had a chance.
Once cannot solve a problem without first defining it. Trying to make nice with the political opposition (including the press) means we can’t define the problem - which most of the time is an artifact of governmental action, and commonly a populist position expounded by the dems. By not defining the problem, we cede the solution to the dems who have no issues whatsoever with blaming republicans for anything and everything - especially when the blame lies squarely on their own shoulders.
So, tell me again how being nice allows us to be the “solutions people”?