Who wudda thunk?
Posted on 12/3/2005, 2:27:44 PM by governsleastgovernsbest
By Tony Snow
Dec 3, 2005
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When Democrats gibber about Republicans' writhing in a culture of corruption, they're on to something -- but not what they think. The Republican Party in Washington is in trouble not because it's overrun by crooks, but because it's packed with cowards -- and has degenerated into a caricature of the party that swept to power 11 years ago promising to take on the federal bureaucracy and liberate the creative genius of American society.
The collapse stems from the simplest and most natural of causes, the survival instinct. Within months of seizing power in 1995, Republicans began backing away from Big Ideas, from tort reform to the necessary overhaul of the Social Security system. They started consulting pollsters to assay "correct" issues and positions. They played it safe -- or so they thought.
Over time, imagination-grabbing ideas melted away. Gone was the Reaganite breadth of vision, and in its place stood the musty idol of Incumbency. Republicans drew the wrong morals from the decline and fall of Newt Gingrich. They thought his boldness got him in trouble, and chose to crib plays from the Bill Clinton playbook -- tacking left, at least oratorically, so as to appease, rather than confront, their critics.
Hence, George W. Bush's "compassionate conservatism" -- a slogan that exceeded skeptics' worst expectations. That phrase, aimed at reassuring suburban white moms and queasy left-wing Republicans, became a white flag on the core issue of government size and might. Bush insiders even began boasting about "big government" conservatism -- oblivious to the fact that big government does not conserve or preserve; it crushes and digests, devouring institutions that challenge its supremacy.
Leaders in the Party of Lincoln stopped talking about people, and started talking about programs and expenditures. They justified head-snapping shifts in policy by claiming the need to take issues "off the table." The multi-trillion dollar Medicare "reform" is a case in point. It was designed less to save a system than to deny Democrats a talking point. Yet, the only things Republicans really took off the table were their moral authority and the loyalty of their partisans.
This helps explain one of the great ironies of the age. We live in what ought to be an era of Republican triumphalism. The president's one reliable bit of domestic-policy conservatism, his tax-cut agenda, has succeeded brilliantly. The most recent Commerce Department figures peg the third quarter economic growth rate at a sizzling 4.3 percent -- despite the ravages of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the oil shocks that followed.
Republicans have won the battle over whether centralized bureaucracies can eradicate poverty, or perform social services more efficiently than private or volunteer operations. Throughout the country, the same patterns appear: Where elected officials govern with a light touch and without imposing onerous tax and regulatory burdens, prosperity flourishes -- and people flock to the scene. "progressive" states, on the other hand, are becoming empty husks, with more rigid class distinctions than in any other section of the country.
The GOP also wins big on values. Virtually every time the ACLU files a lawsuit, Democrats lose supporters. Despite these advantages, however, the GOP founders. Its Washington potentates simply refuse to embrace the party's ideals or successes (including the war). They have forgotten the most important rule of political survival: If you want to remain an incumbent for long, you don't jettison your principles. You act on them.
When House Speaker Denny Hastert broke arms to secure votes for a pork-packed highway bill, calling the legislation a "jobs bill," it was an embarrassment. When the president signed a campaign-finance bill he called unconstitutional, he seemed to lack not only conviction, but vision.
Fortunately, irate constituents roused some conservatives from their dogmatic slumbers. Young Republicans rebelled against the apostasy of their elders, especially in the matter of the federal budget, and state parties seized the initiative on everything from spending limitations to school choice.
Capitol Hill Republicans now admit their Democratic colleagues don't want peace -- they want the Alamo. So the GOP is fighting back. Hastert approved calling the bluff of anti-victory Democrats last week by demanding a floor vote on the idea of vamoosing Iraq immediately. He scored another triumph this week by restoring the good name of the National Christmas Tree.
Who knows, he may even figure out the Paradox of Incumbency. Politicians who run just to protect incumbency may save their seats, but only by destroying their party's heart and soul. If you really want to build lasting power in politics, you need to forget about mere incumbency -- and remember the principles that got you elected in the first place.
Wow! What's got into the normally mild-mannered Tony? You go, boy!
Because I think that what Tony Snow has to say is so important, I'm taking the liberty of pinging it to the Today show ping list.
The Present-day GOP is lead by "Contry-Club" "Mommas-Boys". If you want to see why the GOP is in decline look no further that Trent Lott and Bill Frist not the mention John Warner.
"When Democrats gibber about Republicans' writhing in a culture of corruption, they're on to something -- but not what they think."
Actually the Dems are attempting to brand Pubbies with what the Dems actually are.If anyone is writhing in a culture of corruption, its the Dems.
Republicans ARE parliamentary cowards.
SOLUTION
Thats why we need Tom Delay for POTUS.
Thats why the Hammer's disentanglement with his false lawsuit is of the utmost importance to our nation.
Pubbies are not cowards when Delay is leading them.
It's the Conservatives , Stupid !!
While the Conservatives Gossip and argue, the world goes right bye them !!!
06' looks like a BIG loss !!
How many posts will it take until the Bushbots and party-uber-alles RINO enablers start attacking Tony Snow? I say, within the first 20 responses.
Who knows, he may even figure out the Paradox of Incumbency. Politicians who run just to protect incumbency may save their seats, but only by destroying their party's heart and soul. If you really want to build lasting power in politics, you need to forget about mere incumbency -- and remember the principles that got you elected in the first place.
Just as I've said for years, even to my local Republican Party leaders: "For what does it profit a party to win the election but lose its soul?"
Tony's Top Hits:
"The Republican Party in Washington is in trouble not because it's overrun by crooks, but because it's packed with cowards."
"George W. Bush's "compassionate conservatism" -- a slogan that exceeded skeptics' worst expectations."
"Leaders . . . justified head-snapping shifts in policy by claiming the need to take issues "off the table." Yet, the only things Republicans really took off the table were their moral authority and the loyalty of their partisans."
"They have forgotten the most important rule of political survival: If you want to remain an incumbent for long, you don't jettison your principles. You act on them."
Tell it, brother Tony!
Who wudda thunk?
Amen, Brother Tony! Republicans that can't stomach conservative values or the stated goals of the Republican platform should get the hell out of the party. Since they lack the moral decency to do that, they should be thrown out by leaders with the stomach to act in accord with Party goals.
Tony's hit the nail with this one!
True, True and I have written both the NRSC and the NRCC and every elected representative and told them this. They are one their knees in front of their democrat masters and refuse to say one bad work about their room mates the democrats.
There's a fire down below, I'm telling you :)
The talk show hosts are ginning up the sheeple against republicans rather than against democrats. Winning elections is not about being bullies, it's about persuasion.
When Tony says it, we know that the GOP is in deep trouble.
We should all send copies of this article to every Republican in Congress. Let them see that we SEE.
Tony Snow has it exactly right. I love this president and think he will go down in history as a great man, but he is not a fiscal conservative, although he is a social conservative and both are important to me. We'll never get everything we ask for in a president. Ever.
I believe we're getting exactly what the president advertised when he ran for the office, with the exception of his strange silence this past year when he let the left tell lies about his administration and the war in Iraq and didn't defend himself. It's the Republican Congress who has really disappointed and, as Dick Armey said the other day, he is hearing from Republican volunteers that they are disgusted because there is no difference between our party and the Democrats.
I think that's oversimplifying it a little because certainly Republicans take national security seriously.
The Stupid Party comes to mind.
You might want to ping the Snow Show list for this one!
Tony is the man!
It probably won't take many posts at all. And we'll hear the mantra "I'll never listen to Tony again." Etc.
I can't tell you how many of us got snotty comments because we were discouraged that the president wasn't defending himself against the left's malicious lies and dared to post about it. It was ridiculous. I've never seen so many supposed smart conservatives actually think there was no reason for the president to defend himself. It was like lying was just A-OK.
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