Dear Republicans

Unfortunately, it appears as though you simply don't get it. While you've enjoyed some benefit from a new alternative media ... it also comes with a potential down side. Some of that is exemplified here at Tapscotts Copy Desk today:

Note: Expect to hear this "across-the-board-spending-cut" mantra over and over from GOP proponents of this deal. No matter how many times proponents use that phrase (remember Al Gore's "no controlling legal authority" repetition?) , however, the only way such an approach be taken seriously would be to apply it to all spending bills.

The reality is the compromise would preserve the bulk of the earmarks treasured by the Senate's Old Bulls while reducing funding needed by the military in the War against Terrorism.

Now, with another legislative subterfuge in the offing, we see all too clearly that we've been taken for a ride. Come November, the ride will be over for a bunch of Republicans who think the base "has nowhere to go."

Along with a certain independence enjoyed by alternative media, comes a fair amount of education in, and attention to issues like, oh, ... pork barrel spending, lobbying scandals, immigration, ... maybe even term limits sometime down the road.

And if you start to hear that last one, it likely won't come from your PR folks looking to seal a deal with America this time, especially given what many have observed over the last several years.

Empowered by a new media, it just may come from the bottom up, as can happen in this little thing we call democracy. And the bottom, if you will, has a collectively louder voice than it has ever before enjoyed. Though you might not always enjoy hearing it in the end.

President Bush's ratings are completely tanked because he is losing conservatives right and ... um, far right. And that goes for the Republican Congress, too. You have not only failed in what you were elected to do, you have become the very thing you were sent to Washington to defeat - bloated big government long on promises, short on ideas, self-serving and in the wishy-washy middle, or worse on just about everything.

I've voted Republican in every election since my first. I voted for Carter that year because I was young and naive, okay and maybe drunk. I am none of those things now.

Maybe a few years back wandering in the wilderness will do you some good. From the looks of things, you may have already found your way there on your own. And don't look for your base to help you out this time. When push comes to shove, we conservatives aren't really all that compassionate when betrayed by our own.

Tell Karl Rove to chill with all the talk of 100 conservative judges. It won't be an effective diversion. What good are conservative jurists if we still have a Republican legislature which runs away from almost every good fight, one also intent on leaving spending out of control?

And, by the way, as for two years from now ... don't try and scare principled conservatives, assuming you know what one is, with fears of a Hillary Clinton Presidency. I'd rather stay home with my principles than give in to voting for a party I can't believe in. And I am hard pressed to find good reasons to believe in Republicans as things stand.

I'd suggest you not bank on winning by telling us to imagine how bad things could be under the Democrats. We may be more willing to find out than you think. When I read things like the Tapscott post, I figure how much worse could it be?

Comments

[Steel Turman]

Damn man.

You wield a weighty pen.

Your writing has made 'quantum leaps' Dan.

It's a wonder to watch.

Just keep doing that.

THAT.

The focus you bring to the keyboard.

You have my undivided attention several times a day amigo.

[Skynyrd Plays Trumpet]

Dan,

Just a reality of partisan politics.

I'm a lot like you but the other way around. I voted for Reagan in 1984 when I was young and naive, and then voted Democrat up until 2000. I stayed home then because I felt that Clinton/the Demos had sold out progressive values just the way you feel that Bush/the Republicans have sold out conservative values.

Look man, this is the first time since I was in my late teens that I've told anyone to vote Republican. But I'll give you a piece of personal advice. If you REALLY believe in conservatism (and only you know whether or not you really do), then you should vote Republican, warts and all,mismanaged agenda and all. When you are in office for a long time, you have the luxury of self-criticism. You have the luxury of deluding yourself into thinking the new boss has become the same as the old boss.

I ended up voting for Kerry in 2004. Not because I like him, and not because I didn't have many of the same issues with him that I had with Clinton. But I realized then how much of a mistake it was (in MY eyes) to have Bush in office. I shoulda taken my Dad's advice when he expressed regret for not voting for Humphrey in '68. I guarantee you that if you stay at home you'll end up regretting not voting Republican just as I regretted not voting Democrat in 2000.

Can't believe I told you that, but I did!