The Sword of Damocles
After reading Savage Republican's post, he makes some great points.
We seem to be experiencing the "Death of a thousand cuts" as it concerns taxes, regulations, liberty. The Republican Party has a platform. Is it merely a list of suggestions or the guide for what Republicans believe and execute politically? When someone calls themselves a "Republican" what does that mean? What would a voter expect from that person over their elected term? Seems that people who call themselves Republicans (and in some cases a "conservative") are willing to take the party over another cliff in 2008.
Savage Republican and I keep hearing the same thing from the state party leadership and the same cry down here in Scott County-"We have to elect Republicans". That's been the cry for the eight years I've lived on Scott County and been involved in Republican politics here in the county . And that same philosophy that was sown for years reaped the disastrous results last election day. And that piled onto the disastrous results in Minnesota in 2004. And now, again, the platform, the constitution are seemingly and merely lightly held suggestions.
After the drubbing the Republicans experienced in November, what have the Republicans done? Elected the same leadership that was in power before and during that drubbing. Same philosophy "Elect Republicans!". Not "Platform Republicans" as my favorite Scott County Republican senior citizen proclaims with her button.No being held accountable. No political Sword of Damocles always hanging over the candidates/elected officials heads letting them know that they are being watched and are answerable for their performance and actions.
I again refer to the Pat Toomey article on a survey by Basswood Research whereby Republicans are now seen as the party of Big Government when the electorate still wants less government. And the critical swing voters in the middle and nearly 30% of Republicans see the Republican party that way.
And this summation is a stern and ominous reminder to the state and local party leaders: "if the Republicans continue to present voters with no reason to prefer them to the Democrats on fiscal issues, they likely will fail to reclaim these lost swing districts."
And Republican leadership appears willing to strictly adhere to the principle :"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."
Prepare for another hard landing in 2008 (and for the next decade as re-districting starts after the 2010 census).
2 Comments:
Two suggestions for you, one short term and one longer term:
In the short term, if you want a better representative, pray for (and harrass) the one you have.
Longer term, if you don't like the Republican you've got, get a better one! Complaining after the fact isn't nearly as satisfactory.
J. Ewing
US President Tim Kalemkarian, US Senate Tim Kalemkarian, US House Tim Kalemkarian: best major candidate.
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