My Problem with the Republican Party
By: Jack Nettleton
One Stop Shop Blog
Recently I was talking to a roomful of young conservatives about the economic crisis. All denounced both the bank bailouts done under TARP and the stimulus. I asked: "OK, fine, what was the alternative?" Somebody laughed: "I guess it's lucky that we weren't in power." These are not the words of some left-wing blowhard trying to play gotcha with some conservatives, but the words of David Frum, a former aide to George W. Bush. Frum gives some credibility to a sentiment that is not strictly partisan; however badly damaged the Democratic brand is, the Republican brand is still much worse. Many are predicting a 2010 "Republican Revival" where Republicans will take back seats in the senate and house during the upcoming mid-term elections. Republicans point to Scott Brown's victory in reliably Democratic Massachusetts that this 2010 revival is inevitable, Republicans will rise to the top again. Let's be real, though. If the Democrats have a better candidate who wasn’t taking a vacation a month before the election who did not come across as arrogant and too cool for campaigning would this really have been much of a race? Republicans can get excited about their new pro-choice senator who does not want to repeal Massachusetts gay-marriage law and voted for cap and trade legislation, but what exactly is the GOP going to do to govern differently? What new ideas will they bring that will make our country better?
Almost all Republicans loudly voiced their opposition to the stimulus, using the term "reckless spending" like an addict uses drugs. So when the stimulus money came to the states all Republican governors who loudly opposed the legislation backed up their stance and rejected the stimulus dollars, right? Zero Republican governors rejected stimulus money. Bobby Jindal? No, he took the money he loudly opposed when giving the Republican response to Obama's speech to Congress. Sarah Palin? No, she quit. Mark Sanford? I do not need to go there. The point is Republicans can say what they want about all the reckless government spending, but did we really have any other choice?
On the topic of health care it is clear reform is needed, but only one party is actually committed to pursuing that reform. Compare the health care debate to ordering a sandwich at Subway, but not wanting any meat, mustard, mayo, cheese or veggies. It is pretty clear after all of that that you do not really want a sandwich after all. This is exactly the approach Republicans are taking on health care reform, claiming they want it, but not really producing any ideas or showing much effort at all to work with Democrats. Republicans claim they would do things a lot differently and are actually committed to health care reform, but can you name one time when the Republican Party actually pursued reforming legislation?
Republicans also claim government is way too big to function, which may actually be true, but the only way to make government smaller is to cut programs. So what programs need to be cut? Senate candidate and conservative darling Marco Rubio responded, "I don't have the budget in front of me." I believe the Republicans have a long way to go before their reputation is restored. Republicans want to be champions for alternative energy, yet believe that climate change is some sort of hoax. The Republicans need a plan, a plan that I do not see. The only thing worse than being the party of "no" is the party of "no ideas," and if all the Republican Party offers is opposition instead of ideas, then opposition is all they will ever do.