Before the election I heard many on the right talk about how the President should be elected so that the GOP could have a "super majority" in the leadership of this nation. After the election, when the Democrats were choosing a new leader, I heard many on the right say that they supported Howard Dean because he would lead the Democrat party to ruin.
I can certainly understand where the above sentiments come from. Regular readers of Say Anything are aware of the fact that I am very supportive of the Republican party. The ideals held by the party, for the most part, encompass my own.
The problem I have is this: Without a strong opposition party the GOP is not as good as it could be.
That's a simplistic, perhaps confusing statement so let me expand upon it.
I firmly believe that the Democrat party has been moving itself to the lunatic fringes of American politics for a while now and they continue to move in that direction every time some hack like Howard Dean opens his maw and spews invective across the political landscape. Or when some malcontent like Rep. Charles Rangel tells us that our troops in Iraq are no better than the Nazis. Or when some hack like Dick Durbin tells us that our troops in Guantanamo Bay are no different than the guards at Pol Pot's death camps.
This is why, I think, Republicans currently hold a majority in both houses of Congress and have their candidate in the White House in addition to having a majority of the state governorships. Americans want a party that will lead, not a party that will define their ideas by looking at what the opposition stands for and then choosing the position that is the polar opposite. In the last several years it seems like the Democrat playbook has had exactly one play in it: Oppose the Republicans. Heck, sometimes I'm not so sure that the play doesn't read "insult the Republicans" as that, at times, seems to be the sum total of Democrat response to any Republican initiative.
Is that healthy for this country? I don't think so. Here's why: Republicans aren't always right. In fact, they're wrong quite often. President Bush was wrong to sign campaign finance reform into law. He was wrong about the prescription drug entitlement he pushed through congress. He's got the wrong ideas about illegal immigration. He's made mistakes on the issues of homeland security and the invasion/occupation of Iraq. I could go on, but you get the point.
The problem most Americans have, however, is who do they turn to when Republicans are wrong? Right now I believe that Republicans are getting elected into office not so much because the voters support everything they do but rather because the GOP is the party that is the lesser of two evils. I think people tell themselves that, while the GOP candidate might not be perfect, at least his/her positions are definable beyond the petulant and often zany "oppose-the-Republicans-at-any-cost" shenanigans held up as a political agenda by most Democrats.
To put it simply, the Republicans aren't living up to their potential. I firmly believe that this country would be a much better place if more Republican politicians stood up for the core values that the GOP was founded upon. The problem is that, right now, they don't have to work that hard to get themselves in office. They only have to work hard enough to beat the Democrats.
This is probably a bit of an over-simplification, but currently I believe that the right side of politics in this country is made up of an uneasy reliance between the libertarian-minded, so-called "South Park conservatives" and the "social conservatives." What is uniting this coalition of two rather different political animals is a rejection of what the modern-day liberal stands for.
What I'm hoping for is that the Democrats will hit rock bottom soon. I hope, when that happens (and I think it will), that the Democrats eject Howard Dean and his ilk from the leadership of the party (or at least relegate them to the sidelines) and that the new left-right, Democrat-Republican divide will emerge between the South Parkers and the social conservatives.
That, I believe, would be much healthier for this country as a whole.
You can read more from Rob Port at SayAnythingBlog.com
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Comments: 14
I guess I am one of those libertarians you refer to, but I feel that the party is being forced in that direction by the democrats and their (perceived) mouthpieces. My favorite example is (but not limited to) Bill Mahr, I watch his show on HBO and am amazed by the inaccuracies. But, more importantly, his absolute distain for any religious belief. This guy is the republican's best friend. I'm not sure of the number, but I know it is well above 50% of the voters hold their religion dear. When they hear these tirades they look for alternatives.
And of course this forces the republicans into the social posture that so many find unproductive.
Politics on the whole have changed. The campaigns have become wholly engineered. As a voter it has become almost impossible to make a decision based on anything other than sound bites and scripted “debates�.
During the last election I was looking for any alternative to President Bush. I was hoping that Senator Kerry’s campaign would provide the information needed to make a decision to enable me to support him. After searching for position papers (remember them?) I gave up and voted for a write in candidate. In fact, even knowing his reputation as a flip-flopper (whether warranted or not) Kerry’s web site, the obvious place to put this rep to rest, included not one viable position paper. Instead there were pages (one each) on major topics and in each one was the phrase ‘we have a plan.’
The voters donÂ’t want negative campaigns but without viable information to make decisions, isnÂ’t that all thatÂ’s left? ItÂ’s time for the voters to stand up, regardless of affiliation, and demand the information needed to make a decision. If itÂ’s not provided, donÂ’t vote for the candidate, I think the parties will ultimately catch on. If only 5% of the voters did this weÂ’ll get what we need.
Personally, I think that a stable and democratic Iraq (and Afghanistan) will go a long way toward stabilizing that whole region, which has historically been a threat to the entire civilized world.
I think history will exonerate President Bush, even if his contemporary critics will never admit that he was right.
Which party doesn't care to give an exception for people who go bankrupt because of medical bills or because they were victimized by a natural disaster?
Which party has stood by an allowed the number of uninsured Americans to rise by 5 million people since 2000?
Which party is trying to cut funding from programs serving the poor like Medicaid and Section 8 so that they can make tax cuts for the top 1% of $70 billion permanent?
Which party has stood by and allowed a President to declare that the constitution no longer applies to an American citizen if the government declares him an "enemy combatant"?
The answer to all the questions is the Republican party. How shameful.
So, you know, keep speakin' truth to power, my friend.
I'm so glad you agree with me. Maybe there is hope for you.
I guess I have a hard time appreciating ad hominem, over-the-top attacks. As you can see from the post above I am far from thinking Republicans are perfect. I agree with the base ideologies, but the politicians themselves are wrong just as much as any other group of politicians.
The problem is that the Democrats are not giving Republicans a strong opposition party. They have moved so far to the left that mainstream Americans just aren't going to take them seriously.
Your comment, unfortunately, added absolutely nothing to this discussion. All you did was attack, and it wasn't even on-topic. That sort of thing doesn't help anybody, Gene.
The only thing I said that was an opinion, was "How Shameful" and that the republicans stand for "the interests of the super rich". Everything else I listed was a FACT. So, do you have a disagreement with the republicans on what they stand for or do you support those positions? You have the right to your opinions, but not your own facts. If you think the republicans are wrong on anything I listed, you didn't communicate that to me.
Maintaining a strong central government
Limiting rights of the masses
Limiting consumer protection
Limiting environmental protection
Limiting protection for employees
Refusal to increase minimum wage law and at the same time welcoming 12 million illegal immigrants into the work force to help push wages down
Limiting educational opportunities for the working classes
Limiting public health
As for the new Medicare benefit, The drug companies are making lots of money, and I believe it will be so expensive that it will have to be abandoned, this is the plan, however the drug companies will get to keep their profits.
Campaigning for privatization of highways and other infrastructure
Campaigning for ending Social Security
You might be slightly disturbed by the influence of the religious, but you forget that
religion has always been partners with conservative governments in keeping the poor under control.
This is a very traditional conservative government, I say you are celebrating.
I can't believe you think this war will stabilize anything in the mideast, see you do love this administration. You are not even concerned that outright lies were used to gain the backing of you and your fellow citizens,
And that anyone who objects is unpatriotic, unamerican.
Funny how you don't mention the budget disaster.