Posted on 01/31/2009 10:40:10 PM PST by Salena Zito
There is not much glory to being the political party out of power, but that does not mean it is without opportunities.
In fact, there is a little more room to act riskily when you aren't running the joint.
The challenge for Washington's remaining Republicans is to think of constructive, not obstructive, ways to help fashion a better plan on every issue facing the country.
One way, St. Louis University professor Joel Goldstein says, is for GOP congressmen to think of ways to use the stimulus package to strengthen the role of state governments. "Or they might envision ways to make certain that the proposed spending package is not permanent," he adds.
Another approach he suggests is to address some of Wall Street's flagrant abuses that contributed to our economic crisis.
A bold approach by a minority party certainly worked in 1990, when a group of freshman House Republicans -- the self-described "Gang of Seven" -- began taking on House banking issues and ethics reform.
GOP boldness did not defeat President Obama's stimulus package, passed last week without a single House Republican vote. But it did send a message from the minority party: "We are not going to lie down."
Some observers say the original Gang of Seven contributed to 1994's GOP House takeover, and the gang deserves credit for raising topics, such as corruption and waste, that took hold in 1992 and 1994.
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
The first thing to do is throw out every Republican that comes up for reelection. Throw them out in the primary’s
and be sure to have a good replacement for them. Start now to recruit replacements. People with some morals, that are nor afraid to stand up and be counted.
Each and every Pubbie up for re-election should be dead meat.
“....standing firm on not misspending the stimulus package....”
What “Stimulus Package”? The entire “package” is misspending. What little that can be determined to be “stimulus” within the proposal is insufficient to call it a “Stimulus Package”.
It’s a “Payoff Package” intended to secure favor and support for the Socialist/Democrats and their Leftist sycophants.
"...at least not when the vote is safe and will gain me political capital amongst my constituents."
I can’t see that there is any life left in the Republican party...and that life won’t come back until we throw every “Lifer” out of office and replace them with those who actually represent the conservative base.
It’s a bad situation when those who we place into office to represent us do not fear us. They rely on the straight-line vote every election season and expect our vote regardless as to how bad they represented us.
Now, in a blind panic, they elect a black person as the party chairman simply to garner the black vote. That’s their strategy this time around. Even though the new chairman is a decent, intelligent and good person, the color of his skin was the main reason he was selected.
They have already turned their hand we have seen the cards for the next four years.
Sounds like anyone who votes against the Swine-ulus is "obstructive." If so, "obstructive" is good.
absolutely not at all. that was the right thing to do.
Specifically why do you want Mike Pence and Clifford Stearns to be defeated?
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.