As always, John McCain — a man I find utterly repulsive as only those without core principles can be repulsive — is held up as the shining example of what we Republicans could be if we only aspired to be Democrats. Or something like that.
I thought I'd link this morning's Wall Street Journal Online column from my friend Brendan Miniter on McCain (or, as I prefer to call him, "Hillary in drag"). A caveat...Brendan is neither ignorant nor in denial...
What's changed since 2000 is that it's become clear that the conservatives have become the Republican establishment by being able to claim credit for almost every ballot-box victory since 1980--including that of Vice President Bush, who in 1988 had the support of the conservative wing, which hoped--futilely, it turned out--that he would continue the Reagan revolution. After Mr. Bush's 1992 defeat, conservatives took over Congress in 1994, and a moderate Republican lost the presidential race in 1996. No one represents the changing of the guard better than George W. Bush himself, who is now pushing revolutionary conservative ideas in every arena from defense to Social Security to tax reform.
Having come this far, what Mr. McCain and the other Republican Senate "moderates" in last week's compromise would have the party do is give up on the very principles that is winning elections. All in the name of appealing to the "middle" of the electorate that is already voting for the party.
"What's changed since 2000 is that it's become clear that the conservatives have become the Republican establishment by being able to claim credit for almost every ballot-box victory since 1980"
ReplyDeleteThey're claiming this, but is it true? Are there people would would vote for a conservative but not a moderate Repub.? Who would instead not vote or vote Dem.? Or, is it the Dems. that have moved further left causing the voter shift? I believe everyone has moved left. I belive todays Republicians are closer to 60's Kennedy Dems, than curent Dems.
Is the president blamed for a good or bad economy? How much infuence does he have during his tenure? I've allways assumed that the economy is slow to react, and takes 5 years or so to see any effective change (crisis aside). Would today's economy be different if Gore had won in 2K? I think maybe just now it might, but the economy from 2000-2003 at least was predetermined by Clinton's legacy.
I believe that we're looking at the wrong factors as to the cause of recent Repub gains. Here in Colorado the Dems won the Senate and key local races. However, CO voted Repub for President. Gotta be the guys, not the parties?
Overload in Colorado
There's a lot to "it's the guys," but I think in Colorado it was a weakness in the Repub guys as opposed to a strength in the Dems. As near as I can tell, most of the people in Colorado state government need only big floppy shoes and a fake red nose to reach their true calling.
ReplyDeleteMy prediction is that the Dems in Colorado get to stay in power right up until the point that the voters realize that the Dems *ONLY* platform is "tax the living hell out of the shills...Roads! Schools! Chickens! Pots! Cars! Garages!" And a big, big bill. Then the Repubs are back in business.
Denver is FantasyLand for liberals...they recently announced that they would "end homelessness in 10 years." This is on par with their magnificent decades-long campaign to rid Denver of prostitutes. And gangs. And Columbus Day. And low riders.
I went to a Denver City Council meeting once (as a reporter, I covered a zillion city council meetings in various places, so I was hardly a virgin). You could have added up their IQs, multipled by two, and not come up with a salad bar. It was like trying to watch a barnyard full of chickens explain gravity. Thank heavens I'm not cynical!
Michael B
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ReplyDelete