A Republican sees what’s coming
WSJ/Peggy Noonan: What happens to the Republicans in 2008 will likely be dictated by what didn’t happen in 2005, and ‘06, and ‘07. The moment when the party could have broken, on principle, with the administration – over the thinking behind and the carrying out of the war, over immigration, spending and the size of government – has passed. What two years ago would have been honorable and wise will now look craven. They’re stuck.
Mr. Bush has squandered the hard-built paternity of 40 years. But so has the party, and so have its leaders. If they had pushed away for serious reasons, they could have separated the party’s fortunes from the president’s. This would have left a painfully broken party, but they wouldn’t be left with a ruined “brand,” as they all say, speaking the language of marketing. And they speak that language because they are marketers, not thinkers. Not serious about policy. Not serious about ideas. And not serious about leadership, only followership.
This is and will be the great challenge for John McCain: The Democratic argument, now being market tested by Obama Inc., that a McCain victory will yield nothing more or less than George Bush’s third term.
That is going to be powerful, and it is going to get out the vote. And not for Republicans.
May 16th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
[…] Patrick Ruffini wrote an interesting post today on A Republican sees what’s comingHere’s a quick excerptMr. Bush has squandered the hard-built paternity of 40 years. … a McCain victory will yield nothing more or less than George Bush’s third term. […]
May 17th, 2008 at 5:28 am
Peggy Noonan can be quite accurate from time to time and this is one of those times! Glad you posted this, LeftHook!
May 17th, 2008 at 5:59 am
Here’s the problem. And names are named!
http://tinyurl.com/4c432f
May 17th, 2008 at 7:09 am
Neoconservatism has been a poison from day one. And the “old school” simply didn’t have the wherewithal to “lock out” these former Democrats in high places. But now these neocons with their lock on power (fascists) are actually looking at some of the old school conservatives as a bigger threat than Hillary or Obama.
May 17th, 2008 at 7:12 am
And of course this corporate fascism isn’t just restricted to one religion or political party.
May 17th, 2008 at 8:49 am
Noonan is smoking crack, as usual. She says, “The moment when the party could have broken, on principle, with the administration – over the thinking behind and the carrying out of the war, over immigration, spending and the size of government – has passed.”
The GOP lead Congress could have sided with the president to reform entitlements, but GOPers were chickenshits.
The GOP lead Congress could have sided with the president on allowing oil exploration in N. America, but spineless GOPers caved to enviro wackos.
The GOP lead Congress could have passed major tax reform (or at least extended Bush tax cuts beyond 2010), but again, GOPers backed down to dem pressure.
Noonan has a vendetta against Bush and comes across as a whiney ass old primadonna bitch. Her relevance subsided years ago.
May 17th, 2008 at 9:24 am
The truth is the GOP congress and Bush created a 9 trillion dollar debt via the Dick Cheney debts does not matter economic policy. This is why the dollar is in the toilet which is driving our economy into the ground.
When I first spoke about this issue about out of control government spending years ago in front of the GOP in Cherokee many ignored the warnings.
The truth is both parties sold us done the river. Yet the GOP lost any creditability on this issue. The only hope is a new breed of real fiscal conservatives will emerge.
May 17th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
“Out of control” spending is a very small part of the problem John.
Bush tried to push through entitlement reform, Congress blocked him. Bush at least tried to address the real problem…why won’t you give him credit where due John?
May 18th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
“tried to push through entitlement reform”
He also pushed through an unjustified invasion/occupation.
He was successful in convincing others to support the invasion…
Perhaps he should have focused more of his attention on domestic issues?
You don’t get credit for trying… you only get credit for accomplishing the goal.
You sound like a typical modern-day conservative… “we should all get credit for trying…”
Pathetic.