Republican Culture of Death

Facing an election year blow-out even worse than that of the previous cycle, one would suppose those few Republicans who aren't retiring this term might want to give the American people a reason to vote for them, right? One would think. I was at a memorial service about ten days ago for a family friend and ran into a Congressman I won't name because that would be tacky under the circumstances, but he's someone whose name my readers would know and recognize as a "real" Conservative. We asked him if his seat was safe, to which he replied

As safe as a GOP seat can be this year.

And then we asked why the GOP in Congress doesn't start running on a slate of issues --something similar to the "Contract with America." He just hung his head. Not that he and others haven't been begging, pleading, yelling, stomping their feet for just such an action; but they can't get traction with the party leadership or most of the members.

I'd be happy if, as Mr. W. puts it, any Republican Congressional spokesman would simply play the same hardball publicly we're seeing in the Party's solicitation letters (which arrive daily). The fact they won't means the party lacks a certain fundamental honesty. The GOP versus the Dem juggernaut is acting like Old Europe versus the encroachment of Islam. Somewhere --too lazy to search now, but perhaps I'll produce a link later-- I read a poll which shows that America hasn't drifted Left at all. Americans still favor strong defense, tax cuts, traditional morality, etc. It's just that Americans no longer trust the GOP to provide those things.

As far as I can see, the only positive thing the GOP is offering voters this season is the frisson of danger. Congressional Republicans actually chose as their campaign theme

The Change You Deserve.

Someone got paid to come up with that, mind you! As American Digest put it:

How 'bout this for a slogan:

Drill Where The Oil Is.

That would solve 3 of our biggest national crises right there. Or how about an Agenda for Real Life? Real defense; real energy; real marriage; real fiscal discipline; real tax relief; real borders; real strength to the dollar; real judges, and develop the themes from there.