At least she is being forthright in this case, if nowhere else.
I just wish that some of our Republican elected officials who are up for reelection would take note and follow suit. Then maybe this perennial idea—held by many elected Republicans–of “working across the aisle” will finally DIE. Just one example: in Kelly Ayotte’s new campaign ads she proudly touts the fact that she works with other Senators across the aisle to promote her bills supporting women’s health issues. Even as a woman, this isn’t a big deal for me. I don’t vote for any elected official to work with others across the aisle in order to get a women’s health care bill, or any bill for that matter, passed.
I vote for those individuals who best represent my ideals as a REPUBLICAN. That is it. My criteria does not include: the best person to make nicey-nicey and play well with others, or the person who can “move to the center”, or the person who can “compromise”.
That is not what Kelly Ayotte is demonstrating in her ads, though. Instead, Senator Ayotte is promoting yet another GOPe ideal—moving to the center or “going along to get along” in order to garner more votes from the ever-growing pool of undecided/unaffiliated voters who almost unilaterally (and with moral superiority to boot!) vote Democrat. It is beyond irritating. I’m not sending Ayotte back to Washington D.C. to work across the fricking aisle, for crying out loud. Doesn’t she get it?
Can you name a single Democrat during this election season who makes the same claim–that they want to move to the right to get at the Independent vote? Unheard of, and everyone knows it. If anything, they are feelin’ the Bern and moving to the Left. Think I’m wrong? Just ask Jim Webb.
GOPes continue to move left in order to get those that they think live in the center, at the same time they are alienating their BASE in doing so. Translation: alienating your base means your base will not come out in droves to vote for you. (Hello, Mitt Romney!) They may not vote for your opponent, but they may decide to simply leave that selection blank on the ballot and only vote for those that engender a feeling that they may actually represent a constituency, rather than abuse a constituency to keep their place in the cool kid clique in D.C.
So, to all of our Republican elected officials, (and those new candidates running for office): Please, please, please stop trying to “get along” and simply do your job– represent those of us who have sent you to Washington. Here’s an extra note: the use of the word “bipartisan” is an instant giveaway that you’re pandering to the middle. It *always* means that the Republicans have compromised their positions and given it up to the Left.
Don’t do that!
photo credit: leparisian.fr