Republican Angst
There’s a lot of angst out there among Republicans. Many it seems are tired of being in power - in the few places they still have it like the Executive branch, and haven’t really gotten fired up to snatch it back from the Democrats in the places they’ve lost it – like most of the governorships and the Legislative branch. Some of the ideas that get the rank and file fired up – like gun rights – have been avoided like a political 3rd Rail by the Democrats. Other ideas like free trade and a strong defense have been taken for granted so long that they’ve lost their ability to fire up the base. Worst of all the issues that do fire up the rank and file – like lower taxes and smaller government – have been stomped on over the past 8 years by the Republican leadership and the Bush administration.
Republicans have a right to be questioning their leaders and the status quo right now; the Party has failed them. The question becomes: will this failure kill their chances in November?
6 months is an eternity in politics, and the real fight between the two parties hasn’t even started. It remains to be seen whether the Republicans will continue to lose their stomach for a fight while the Democrats begin to seriously wail on them this Summer, and especially after Labor Day. We’ll get a good sense by then whether they have, or if the Democrats have forced them to get off their asses and fight back.
mgroves:
To the very conservative, McCain just isn’t inspiring…of confidence or anything else. I know he’s the right move for foreign policy, abortion, and a couple other things, but…I don’t know…I just don’t feel like voting for him.
16 May 2008, 4:20 pmJack:
If bravery contagious were by ‘Publicans stillborn
16 May 2008, 4:38 pmThey would not by dishonor be so publicly adorned,
But the paradox of power is potential will not keep
It must be sown kinetic or forever will it sleep,
No battle is forever and no victory assured
Tomorrow is another day, the past has no allure,
To triumph at your winning you must win at every day
The world does not stop spinning cause you tire on the way,
If men are best in conscience then to action let them go
To falter in the struggle will not comfort soon bestow,
It seems a good appeasement to take finish in your fight
Yet when the work’s abandoned comes the wrong to till the right,
I wish that I could say to you your day is at an end
But that is just the kind of lie I cannot e’er commend,
So if you sit upon your ass to catch at stumbling breath
Do not be surprised to find you’ve apprehended death.
Scott Kirwin:
mgroves
That’s because you feel that foreign policy, abortion and those couple of other things aren’t as important to you as other issues. And that’s a problem for the GOP because if you, a diehard party member, feels that way just imagine how the swing-voting Independent feels. The GOP does well when America feels threatened; today 9-11 is a distant memory and success against al-Qaeda has made worrying about terrorism seem outdated paranoia.
Of course that could change in an instant. One terrorist attack – even an unsuccessful one – would hand us the election on a platter.
McCain needs to stoke the fire. He needs to take control and “frame the election” as experience vs incompetence, military power vs appeasement. He needs to get vicious in his attacks on Obama and the Democrats, and not apologize for making them out to be the appeasers that they are.
16 May 2008, 5:13 pmJack Snyder:
You’re right, Scott. One terrorist attack – even an unsuccessful one – would hand the Republicans the election on a platter. Of course only a monster would hope something like that would happen! Let’s hope the Republicans don’t get that desperate.
16 May 2008, 5:59 pmScott Kirwin:
Jack
Nice poem. Yours?
Jack Snyder
16 May 2008, 10:10 pmLife isn’t that dramatic – fortunately.
Jack:
“Yours?”
Only if you mean I wrote it.
16 May 2008, 10:36 pmJack Snyder:
Yes, you’re right. Life isn’t that dramatic.
17 May 2008, 1:58 amScott Kirwin:
Jack
Yes. That’s all I meant. Thanks!
I notice that the Republicans fired another salvo yesterday over foreign policy. I thought this comment by an Obama strategist said volumes:
Those would have been wasted dollars. If Mccain can get the Democrats to fight on Republican turf – and foreign policy is Republican turf – then Republicans will win. The aide’s comment might fly with Obama’s liberal supporters, but his policies towards Iran won’t work well with people who haven’t forgotten how a Democrat president’s policies failed towards that nation 30 years ago.
It’s good that the Reps are starting to fight back; it’s never too early to frame a candidate or his policies in American minds.
17 May 2008, 8:06 amScott Kirwin:
I also notice that Chris Muir has picked up on the theme too.
17 May 2008, 10:38 pmUnless we start seeing some fire in the belly of the party, we’re toast; You can’t sleep walk into office.