I have often criticize the Republican Party for being too Progressive. During the Bush Years, they became the Democratic Party of the Woodrow Wilson Era. Deficit Spending, Out of touch with Economic reality, Hypocrisy on Social Issues and Wars for Muslim Democracy. They moved away from the Raegan philosophy of Free Markets, Individual responsibility, Personal freedom and Defending America’s interest. In other words they screwed up big time. Voters punished them in 2006 and 2008 and rejected the Progressive based Compassionate Conservatism. They voted in Real Progressives and are now regretting it. The Republicans have an opportunity to come back, but many including myself don’t trust them.
Jonah Goldberg who besides Glenn Beck has helped influence my political thinking has some great advise for the Republican Party.
This is one of those rare moments when the conventional wisdom in Washington is right. The Democrats are poised to have a bad year; the only argument is over how bad it will be. And that question rests on whether or not the Republican party crafts an agenda voters will support.
So far the GOP has shrewdly been the “party of no.” Since I disagree with so much of the Obama-Pelosi-Reid agenda, I happen to think that “no” is the correct position on the merits. But that’s not the point. Saying “no” has worked because that’s what most Americans say, too.
The trick for the GOP is to figure out what it will say yes to. Republicans are a bit like the Democrats in 2006 and 2008. Americans were sick of Bush and the Republicans back then, so they threw their support behind the Democrats by default. The Democrats over-read this support as a sweeping mandate for their agenda.
Read the Rest.
Jonah hits a home run with his article, The GOP can’t just be the Party of no, it must stand for something. The solution is not Reagan 1980 or Gingrich 1994, instead he makes a great point, look to Domino’s Pizza!
I’d look to Domino’s in 2010.
You may have seen the commercials or the YouTube video touting the iconic pizza-delivery chain’s reinvention. But if you haven’t, Domino’s new campaign can be summed up easily enough: “We blew it.”
The Republicans should come clean and apologize to Americans for not keeping to their philosophy when they ruled Washington. Americans love honesty and would respect it if the GOP came clean with their mistakes. Jonah further points out, Compassionate Conservatism must be publicly rejected.
As a conservative who cares more about policies than partisan success, I would hate to see the GOP abandon conservative policies in order to be more popular. That would be like Domino’s listening to critics and then deciding to get into the Chinese-food business. Indeed, by my lights, that’s what George W. Bush tried to do with his “compassionate conservatism.” He surrendered to liberal arguments about the role, size, and scope of government on too many fronts. In effect, he said you can have your pizza and Kung Pao chicken all in the same dish. That’s not a good meal, it’s a bad mess.
Amen to Jonah for saying what I have been writing on this blog. The Compassionate Conservative Gang with their Hypocritical Social agenda, Big Government spending and Wars for Muslim democracy were pied pipers who lead the Right to near death. Barack Hussein Obama and his Totalitarian Progressive agenda has given us a chance to resurrect. By admitting past mistakes and promising to stay true to a Libertarian-Conservative philosophy, the American public will gain respect and vote the Progressives out. Just saying No is not enough, The GOP just needs to promise they will stay true to their ideas this time.
Jonah Goldberg is an Intellectual genius and I really respect his analysis!
