Posted on 11/09/2006 11:19:29 AM PST by Ed Hudgins
(In my article on "The Battle for the Soul of the Republican Party" in the Fall, 2006 issue of The New Individualist I analyzed the likely results of a GOP turning more and more to big government, interventionist policies. In that issue TNI editor Robert Bidinotto's piece on "Back to the Future?" looked at the philosophical degeneration of the Republican Party. The results of the party's direction were seen at the polls in the 2006 elections.)
November 8, 2006 -- Months of prognostication about the predicted pitiful performance at the polls by Republicans has now given way to prescriptions about the direction of the party. Should the GOP move to the center, the right or the left? Truth be told, Republicans right now are just going around in circles. The party's own confusion and incoherence about what it stands for will ensure that it continues to wander in the political wilderness; it must take up again as its guide the principles of liberty and limited government.
How could the Republicans lose in the face of such a strong economy? Disgust over the Bush administration's confused, incoherent and unsuccessful approach to the war in Iraq certainly was a central factor in the GOP's defeat. So was the perception that the Republicans were corrupt big spenders, which many of them were. Theirs is seen more and more as the party of big government. The rejection of the party itself cut across ideological lines. Liberal Sen. Lincoln Chafee -- who got a favorable rating from 60 percent of voters in exit polls -- was defeated as was liberal Rep. Nancy Johnson. Conservative Sens. Rick Santorum and George Allen also lost, as did Rep. J.D. Hayworth. Further, many newly-elected Democrats are moderates within their party.
Of course, what is missing from the GOP is
(Excerpt) Read more at objectivistcenter.org ...
I keep hearing this. It is irrelevant. They WILL VOTE the way Pelosi tells them to vote.
"Further, many newly-elected Democrats are moderates within their party."
We'll see how long that's allowed to go on.
and even if they don't, they'll still carry the weight of the party next time around ala 2008 ads "xxx promised a new direction but ..."
I saw the first bill Bush is sending to Pelosi is another $160 billion for Iraq. She will have to put up or shut up the first week of January.
"How could the Republicans lose in the face of such a strong economy?"
Because the places in the Midwest, Pennsylvania and even Connecticut where the Republicans lost seats don't HAVE a strong economy. The manufacturing sector and those who support it has been foundering fast with unbridled globalization. The average national economy is good. The financial sector and many services are great.
But if you're in manufacturing, or dependent on it, the economy's terrible and you voted Democrat this time. Look at the places where all those Republican seats shifted in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Ohio and Indiana. They're all manufacturing centers who cannot possibly compete with Chinese slave labor, and the government refuses to use tarriffs or other means to block cheap goods coming in from impossibly low-wage workers. Result: unemployment, anxiety...and Democrat...takeover of seats in these areas.
The unstable secondary manufacturing tier went Democrat this time, because the economy's not great for THEM, and they blame Republican trade policies for it.
And they're right too.
Heh heh heh. Let's see if the Great American Landside REALLY wants to leave our troops in the field. The Commie 'RATS have been screaming about how they "support the troops." Now they are going to have to prove it.
And it has. But worse than I expected. GWB II is the posted child of the party machine. Oh, I'm sure we'll get more conservative rhetoric from the GOP to try to drum up the base in 2008. But the candidate will be even more leftwing than GWB.
"Truth be told, Republicans right now are just going around in circles. The party's own confusion and incoherence about what it stands for will ensure that it continues to wander in the political wilderness; it must take up again as its guide the principles of liberty and limited government."
She'll sign only because she almost has to but for that amount this administration better make sure Iraq gets on the right track. I heard that it would cost $100 billion to rebuild the infrastructure in Iraq so this should work.
Ed,
It didn't help that between 2-5% of Republicans threw their votes away on Libertarian candidates, which in some races allowed the Democrat to squeek by the Republican by a narrow margin. Once again "better becomes the enemy of good enough."
Good job, Ed, you put your finger right on some key points.
The remaining Republicans on the Hill as well as everyone else around Bush should call to his attention the fact that he can and should pick up one of the pens on his desk and write the four-letter Latin word "veto" across the stuff that will flow into his office from Capital Hill.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.