As the Republican Party enters the proverbial wilderness to re-brand itself, civil war is erupting within the party of Lincoln over which faction will dominate the brand. Since 1980, Republicans have basically consisted of a coalition, formed by Reagan, of fiscal conservatives and social conservatives. However, like two warring children, the leaders of these factions have always fought for ultimate control, asking “Who’s the real Republican?” Now, what’s the point of this re-branding? To win elections. The only reason the major parties exist is to accumulate and maintain power. So if the purpose of this re-brand is to win elections, then Republicans should honestly look at why President Obama won in 2008. Aside from the economy in the toilet, a never ending war, an unpopular President, and a Republican candidate who so confused his message, what qualities attracted voters to Obama in the first place?
Obama's Campaign Qualities/Issues:
1. Optimistic
2. Calm
3. Consistent
4. Tax cuts for 95%
5. Get deficits under control
6. More affordable health care
7. Create Environmentally Friendly jobs
8. Clean up corruption in Washington
9. Reduce the number of abortions
Now, one can argue whether Obama’s policies will achieve his campaign rhetoric, but these are nine major qualities/issues I associate with Obama’s campaign. Frankly, it is a fairly moderate to conservative list. A Republican or a Democrat could run on these issues and do well, one would think. But the problem facing Republicans is that many within the party want everything their way or they pout. An inability for some to compromise within reason on some issues will be the biggest test facing the future of the Republican Party. So what should the party do? I’ll try to lay out what I think would be a winning, conservative brand for the party in the next couple of posts by first turning to the words of one of my favorite politicians of all time – the late Jack Kemp.
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A short critique of Oboma's campaign promises and the reality of the first 100 days in office can aptly be described using the old time line "Liar, liar pants on fire!"
Optimistic - yet spent the first several months after the election running down the economy. The stock market fell over 2000 points since his election to March 1, levels that hadn't been seen in a dozen years.
Calm - as long as the teleprompter is working.
Consistent - not hardly. He states goals the Amrican people want but the policies he then announces will produce results that are totally contrary to the stated goal. Example: Stated goal - Make US less dependent on foreign oil. Policy - reverse Busg policy to open new offshore drilling, advocates higher taxes on domestic production which will lead to less domestic production and more dependence on foreign oil just like it did when these policies were enacted during the Carter years.
Tax cut for 95% of Americans - what a decietful lie. 40% of Americans don't even pay income taxes so they can hardly get a cut. The "cut" that shows up in employees paychecks is simply a reduction in the withholding; you still have the same total tax liability for the year. PLus he didn't mention the extra cost of gas and electric necessities due his carbon cap and trade policies.
More affordable healthcare - outlines a plan that would put government bureaucrats in a position to decide is a treatment is economically worthwile. Why bother with a $50,000 surgery that will only extend an old person's life a few months or years. And he purposely under estimated the cost of his plan knowing it would really cost 3 times that amount.
Creste environmentally friendly jobs - he is definitely advocating "green" jobs but I am not so sure they are really environmentally friendly. It takes more enegry to produce a gallon of ethanol than it produces. In the past we've changed things to be evironmentally friendly only to later discover they really weren't - like plastic bags instead of papaer bags.
Clean Up Corruption - I guess in everyone but his own appointments and own party. How many of his appointees were dodging taxes and under corruption investigations. Some withdrew while others were confimrmed anyway. Charilie Rangel with thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes yet he is the chairman of the House Tax Committee, Murtha steering millions of no-bid contracts to his relatives via earmarks, and so on.
Reduce the number of abortions - so he signs a policy to have the US pay for abortions around the world. He doesn't want one of his daughters "punished with a child" so he advocates simply killing the child through an abortion.
Liar, liar pants on fire.
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