GOP Leadership And Axes To Grind

Does any real or imagined GOP leadership have serious problems right now? You bet.

Unfortunately, so do many of the Right's alleged major pundits.

Ross Douthat picks up on an item from David Frum to skewer said GOP leadership, or lack thereof. They both pick up on one tiny element from one mostly insignificant floor speech to make their case. Maybe it's the only bit of the stimulus debate they managed to catch in between grabbing a latte at whatever un-profitable coffee bar serves as the latest rage in Washington or wherever these days.

They would have done better to listen to a rather sweeping and articulate speech on policy, particulars and American government by Senator Coburn I managed to enjoy amidst all the tripe.

So the Republicans who promoted the mouse story came closer to the truth than Nancy Pelosi’s spokesmen did when they blasted the story as a “fabrication.” I’m prepared to bet my share of the Obama tax cuts that the mouse will indeed get its money in the end. The problem with the story is not that it was false. The problem with the story is that it was stupid.

Eventually Douthat does get around to pointing out the obvious - credit him that:

... the more likely road to revival for the GOP probably starts outside Washington

Unfortunately, what he misses is that the voice of the GOP through any punditry is going to come from outside Washington, as well. That's so, as so much of that today is stale and rooted in old battles, more personal than they are productive.

It's as much a part of the problem, as opposed to any solution, as are some of the very politicians they would criticize.

Comments

[templar knight]

Dan, as we speak, there is no other organized option to the Democrats other than the Republicans. There is no other choice. The fact that all the Republicans in the House opposed the so-called stimulus bill is at least something in their favor.

We should concentrate on throwing our support behind the leaders who most support the conservative position, and attempt to pull the rug out from under the ones who don't. The turncoat Senators from Maine are a case in point. We should do everything possible to defeat them. Nothing could bring moderates over to the conservative position quicker than seeing a moderate or liberal lose an election.

[MG]

Conservatives have less than two years to win many seats in congress. With the republican senate unreliable and not united, who is going to lead this trainwreck? The senate had a chance to identify a leader, but failling to fillibuster, leaves any potetial leader with zero momentum.

[WBestPresidentEver]

The problem I see with the republicans right now is their approach and iilustration ability to bring to light all this crap the democraps are doing right now.

Rather than simply complaining about everything they need to approach it entirely different than they are doing now.
I have yet to find one of them that grabs your attention to the core. What I mean is they need to do comparison studies and charts and show them to the American people that they mean business on their objections. Run huge ads in the major news papers, Get on the net and get the word out. Encourage others to start their own blogs in protest and it can go and on. It needs to be done in a kinder, gentler manner so the dems maybe will pay attention.
The way it is now most dems(voters) are ignoring anything the republicans are saying because they think they are just whinners.

In reality I think that over time some how, some way, people just maybe will begin to listen. I hope so for the good of our country.

I really don't think that the good folks in this country want to see us go completely socialist.
If they do then they are not very "good" folks.
Surely, we don't have more low class (welfare type) people in this country than we do honest working folks.

PLEASE SAY IT AINT SO ! If this is the class of our society now then whatever is left of people who work for a living and don't ask for governement handouts are doomed.

We will become a socialist country and then later it will become worse. Communist.

[MG]

We need the government bubble to burst.

[Rob in Michigan]

I'm not a conservative (except when it comes to crime and punishment) so you can take this as you may... including ripping me to shreds or simply ignoring me. But, as somebody who is one of those Moderate-In-the-Middle-Don't-Have-A-Strong-Idealogue people in middle America, I can tell you this:

I won't support you in 2010 because I'm not hearing any IDEAS that haven't already been put paid to from your ideology/political party. It's that simple: More tax cuts to corporations and the top 1%? Already did that... where was my "trickle-down" that was supposed to happen?

"We don't have the money for a stimulus package?" Then, again, why try to pass more tax cuts to multi-billion dollar corporations and the wealthy? And, where the hell were you all when President Bush burned through the surplus we had and then dropped us into this deep hole.

"Get back to smaller government?" Sounds great. But since you didn't do that when you had Congress and the White House, why should I believe you now?

The GOP and Conservatives in general need a reality check... one not being played out in the media, so that those in a position of power can feel free to argue with one another openly and honestly. Instead, I see a lot of grandstanding, which I have to say, comes out looking far too much like they want the country to continue falling into a depression, so that they'll be able to say "I told you so". That's not helping anyone. In fact, it makes me even less unlikely to vote your party again.

And for the record, I did vote for a Republican in the last election, it just wasn't for McCain/Palin.

I can tell you that the nuttiness of Coulter, Limbaugh, Malkin, Hannity and O'Reilly may play to the bases' delusions and conspiracy nuts... but its doing you no favors in convincing the independents to keep you in a position to become/remain an effective opposition.

There: my two cents. Begin the character assassination.

[Dan]

I don't actually think we have broad disagreement, Rob. I'm not happy with the GOP, nor do I think Bush was a conservative. So while I understand your points, not sure I get the anger. I'm talking about making something better. You seem to be talking about just being mad about it. Whatever floats your boat, dude.

[Greg Ransom]

Many elite "conservative" pundits have shown themselves to be far more brain dead when it comes to economics than any GOP Congressman.

Frum? And economic moron from anything I've read. If you've got evidence otherwise, send it to me. I'd love to read something that proves Frum knows anything at all on the topic.

What does Douthat know about economics? Anything?

Where's the evidence of that?

I've you've got it, I'd love to see it.