So, how goes the GOP?
As Doug has shown repeatedly, we Republicans are just loving the show that the Democrat Presidential wanna-be's are putting on. As far as I'm concerned, as a conservative, I am enjoying the show as Hillary and Obama just beat each other senseless with everything including the kitchen sink. I have to say, Rush's Operation Chaos is just desserts (after all, Democrats were doing it here in NH, so what goes around, comes around).
The best thing that has happened is that it has put one of the Left's greatest clubs out on the table - identity politics - and is using it for and on itself. Do you support and vote for Obama because he's black? Do you support and vote for Hillary because she's a woman?
From this conservative's viewpoint, I cannot think of any worse reasons to vote for either one of them. There they are, yabbering about "the issues" and the real talk is about race and gender. The problem is while the Left talks about tolerance among all (and make no mistake, both Obama and Hillary are Leftist bordering well on Socialists on a lot of issues), this shows that facade cracking in real time. Hypocrisy? You bet! This talk of tolerance is a mere show for the political heads - when it comes down to it, tolerance and "we're all in this together" mantras head right to the gutter.
What about the leadership? And issues? Shouldn't those be front in center? They should but face it - there's nary a tinker's dam worth of difference between the two (except for the fact that Obama wants to make Kumbaya with Iran and AQ - at least Hillary used the word 'obliterate' if the Iranians continue on theyr talk of erasing Israel). Right now, after every primary, what's being talked about - identity politics masked as demographic slices as to whom is voting for whom.
However, this doesn't mean that all is well in GOP land. There are lots of problems, perhaps even bigger ones. They aren't related to identity politics - rather, it is foundational philosophical ones...
Here in NH, I have my doubts. I believe that we do have a good number of candidates for Congressional Districts 1 & 2 (Bradley, Stephen, Bosse, Horne, Steiner). In the Senate race, Sununu has a long row to hoe against former Gov. Shaheen.
But then what? We can't even seem to scare up a reasonable, well known guy to run against present Gov. Lynch. Certainly, the "wise men" of the NH GOP aren't backing anybody just yet. Or is it that they can't coax anyone of high stature to run? Why is this (other than the GOP may well be dysfunctional here in NH)?
There is a significant problem - as other pundits put it - with the GOP brand.
What does the GOP stand for?
Is there a cohesive, rational message that can drive elections?
What are we FOR (versus just what are we against)?
WHY are we not resonating with the public at large?
Where is the enthusiasm?
Not so much from my ground level view.
I keep ranting about this (I'll go look for my previous posts later and scarf them up) but it is endemic of the problem - the Rs HAVE to be about more than "vote for us, we're better than them". We HAVE to be about more than "vote for us so we can regain power and then we set the agenda."Yeah, those have worked out real well so far lately, havn't they?
There's a lot of Republicans out there that are real annoyed - especially the activist types that actually carry the water - I know, I is one. And mostly, we are wondering where the Party is going (or went).
I think what is about to happen is that the Republican leadership, at all levels, is about to find out a huge lesson. In the stretch to be the big tent, to acquire the Independants and conservative Dems (who are wondering where the heck their Party is going too), is that conservatives are Conservatives that view the Republican Party merely as a vehicle to push the Conservative philosophy into the public and legislative squares. When the Party pushes them away, all that carried water is going to land on the floor.The leadership will then realize that in acquiring their new base, that it may not be as active as the old base.
And that old base has moved on and turned to other ways of getting things done.
For that's what activists do - they do!
And the Rs - what have they done on behalf of the taxpayers lately...
Comments
Posted by: mer | May 16, 2008 11:53 AM