Death to Inclusiveness!
I’m starting to wonder if the reality I live in is the same that “Republicans” like Colin Powell live in. Powell states
“I believe we need a strong Republican Party that is not just anchored in the base but has built on the base to include more individuals,” Powell said. “If we don’t reach out more, the party is going to be sitting on a very, very narrow base. You can only do two things with a base. You can sit on it and watch the world go by, or you can build on the base.”
First off why should the Republicans take advice from a “Republican” who endorsed the most liberal Democratic candidate since Walter Mondale? Even Jimmy Carter portrayed himself as a conservative in the ‘76 election. “He said the reason he endorsed Barack Obama for president last fall—a decision that prompted a wave of conservative discontent with Powell—was he believed Obama was “best-qualified” to lead.” Okay. That makes someone an independent; party people vote for Mondale, Dukakis, and Clinton twice not because they are “the best qualified to lead” but because they are Democrats and Democrats vote for Democrats. I know because I used to be one and I voted for each one of those Democratic candidates. Regrets, I have a few…
Imagine if all Republicans voted like Colin Powell last November, all merrily voting for the “best qualified” to lead. The Party would be dead; after all what need would there be for one when the other team is better? And yet Powell has the audacity to blame a “narrow base” (read Conservatives), Rush Limbaugh and Dick Cheney for the troubles of the party.
The Republican party is in dire straits because of “leaders” like Colin Powell and the other RINOs and so-called “centerists”. These are the people who sold-out our party’s principles during Bush II’s term – who pushed for big government, higher deficits, and took the power out of the hands of the People and handed it to federal and state agencies. That’s not Republicanism – that’s what Democrats do!
Aside from Iraq, the GWOT, and judicial appointments, the Republican party under Bush II wasn’t very Republican at all; it was Democrat-lite. The base realized this and agitated against it but the party leadership ignored the base – and the Republican base did what the Democrat base did during the Clinton years. It stayed home and the party got walloped.
Today the bond between the Republican base and party leaders is gone. It doesn’t exist. The base is adrift, attending TEA parties and rubbing shoulders with libertarians and conservative Democrats. Cheney and Limbaugh recognize this – but all the GOP politicians in Washington seemingly don’t have a clue – and that especially goes for Michael Steele.
When the Democrats were in the wilderness during the Contract for America and early years of the Bush II admin, their party leader Terry McAuliffe was just as clueless about the problems besetting the Democrats. There were calls for the party to become centerist, more Republican-lite in order to win elections. But what saved the party and laid the foundations for its dominance today was one man: Howard Dean.
Howard Dean inspired the hard-left at the Democratic base with his opposition to the Iraq war and his support for other progressive causes like gay marriage and universal health care. His Wikipedia entry notes “By challenging the war in Iraq at a time when mainstream Democratic leaders were either neutral or cautiously supportive, Dean positioned himself to appeal to his party’s activist base… His message resonated among frustrated Democratic primary voters who felt that their party hadn’t done enough to oppose the policies of the Republicans.”
Dean’s meteoric rise scared the pants off the Democratic establishment in Washington. In Nov 2003 he received the endorsements of two influential unions. The next month he was endorsed by Al Gore. Dean was a juggernaut going into the primary season, but his early flameout allowed the centerists to reassert themselves – which they did. They were soundly beaten the following November.
Their loss forced Terry McAullife to fall on his sword, and the base replaced him with Dean. With the base solidly behind Dean, it was able to field candidates that the base supported. Conservatives like Zoell Miller were shown the door. In their place were leftists like Barack Obama. In 2006 the Democrats retook congress. In 2008 centerist candidates like John Edwards and Hillary Clinton were pushed aside for the inspirational figure of Obama and his hard-core liberal policies. The centerists ended up going along for the ride when Obama and his agenda was swept into office last November. His election was due not to “inclusiveness of the party” but to a base energized by his policies.
Unfortunately it is a history that “Republicans” like Colin Powell haven’t read, and until they do the party is doomed. It may eke out a governorship here or there, and might even gain a few seats in the House and Senate as the Democrats overextend themselves. But the party will not return to power until it learns from history.
It is not time for the GOP to become inclusive. It is time for the GOP to reevaluate its principles. That will come from the base, and will be channeled by a man like Howard Dean – not by the centerists like Colin Powell. Powell should leave the party officially; by endorsing Obama he’s already left it in spirit.
Jack Snyder:
Scott, I would never question your historical knowledge of politics, or vast knowledge of politics in general, but I am questioning your interpretation of recent political events.
I think, when it’s all said and done, that Barack Obama won the presidency because of our economic troubles. Plain and simple. I don’t think “the base” had as much impact as you are suggesting. Without a doubt it did to some extent, but I believe most people are centrists and vote with their wallet.
If the economy turns around, for ANY reason on Obama’s watch, he’ll be reelected no matter what the Republican game plan is. I think if the economy was in great shape when Bush left office, the Republicans would’ve been unstoppable in keeping the White House.
Again, I would never question your political knowledge but I consider myself somewhat a student of human nature (I think I learned a thing or two in all of my years) and it seems most people do vote whichever way the “economic wind” is blowing regardless of how little or much control the president has over such things.
24 May 2009, 3:52 pmScott Kirwin:
Jack
Gore lost in 2000 even though the economy was in great shape. Why? Because the Democratic grassroots weren’t excited about him (note: keep in mind that I voted for him). Even though he lost on a technicality – if one can call the Electoral College and a Supreme Court decision technicalities – he should have trounced Bush on economic conditions alone.
Grassroots Republicans were furious with the second Bush administration. Bush spent like a Democrat. Worse the government grew on his watch. After 2006 the grassroots were demoralized and backed McCain only tepidly. Sure they supported Bush when it came to Iraq, GWOT and social issues – but his economic plans and government stewardship were pretty much a continuation of the Clinton era.
I respect what MoveOn.org and the DNC did on Howard Dean’s watch. In fact I wish the Republicans would learn from their achievement. But the Democrats didn’t achieve their dominance by luck. There is much more to it than that.
24 May 2009, 5:22 pmScott Kirwin:
Oh and one more thing. Don’t confuse my dislike of centerism of the political elite with that of the general public. Americans are quite moderate in their views but like bandwagons. MoveOn and the grassroots organizations created by leftists and unreconstructed liberals were the force behind Obama’s candidacy and drove the bandwagons followed by Americans.
This moderation of the public is in itself a good thing. It reminds me of the nearby Atlantic ocean which tends to keep the East Coast relatively cool in the summer and takes the edge of winter’s harshness. But the GOP doesn’t need centerists right now. It needs die hard libertarians and extremists to energize the party and create the next bandwagon that will appeal to the American public.
24 May 2009, 5:29 pmJack Snyder:
Almost everybody thought Gore was an empty suit. Even the Clinton’s didn’t support him. I remember Chris Matthews on Hardball (way back when) where he put Hilary on the hot seat because she couldn’t come out and say she supported Gore. He wouldn’t let her move past it and she couldn’t worm her way out of it. Yet, Gore came sooooo close!
If the economy had been in the toilet he would’ve lost in a landslide. The fact the economy was in good shape is why, I think, he (the empty suit!) came as close as he did. I say it’s the economy. If the economy recovers in the next 4 years, Obama will walk away with it. I stand by that. If I turn out to be wrong, then I’m wrong. But right now I stand behind it. And we’ll see in 4 years.
25 May 2009, 1:33 amrunescape gold:
There was a time when I would gladly have voted for General Powell. I was even more impressed with him when he stated that he would not run for President, citing his promise to his family to put them first, and his wife did not want to have the public life of a candidate’s spouse. A man who keeps his word is rare, especially in politics, and I was greatly impressed.
26 May 2009, 3:06 amWatcher of Weasels » The Makings of a Dictator - GOP Contributors Appear Targeted in Chrysler Closings:
[...] The Razor – Death To Inclusiveness! [...]
27 May 2009, 7:58 amThe Glittering Eye » Blog Archive » Eye on the Watcher’s Council:
[...] The Razor, “Death to Inclusiveness!” [...]
27 May 2009, 9:53 amGW:
There is nothing at all extreme about advocating for strong defense, limited government and fiscal responsibility – although they seem ultra-extreme in the current political climate. The problem comes in with fiscal responsibility and how much our current class of Congressional republicans have jaded the base. If and when a true fiscal conservative comes around, they can start to energize the base again. I think that is why we started to see so much excitement around Gov. Palin. Oh well, great post.
28 May 2009, 4:20 pmWatcher of Weasels » The Irrational President: Barack Obama:
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29 May 2009, 1:05 pm