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| Posted: 05 Apr 2010 20:25 |
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So this is what, I've been thinking lately.
The Republicans said healthcare would be Obama's Waterloo, and they were right, they just didn't realize that Obama was Wellington.
So now the Republicans are discussing running on a platform of repealing the Obamacare plan.
The problem with this as I see it, is it opens them up to fearmongering by the Democrats, that with repeal will be a repeal of medicare, of social security, of medicaid, all things that various republicans have championed, and all things that spell disaster for politicians.
I get the feeling that Obama has just ju jitsued the republicans into a corner on this, and they aren't quite sure how to get out of it. Aside from the fact that repeal is all but impossible, pressing for it only opens you up to allegations that you're going to cut off Grandma's medicare.
Maybe I'm over simplifying it, but it seems that the Republicans have tied themselves to healthcare, and can't seem to back away from it. They've made a central plank of their platform that Healthcare reform was evil, and as such, they can't really back away form the repeal argument, but if they go there, it leaves them open to democratic attacks.
I just can't see how the Republicans can pull this one out. They've relied for so long on the incompetence of Democrats, that I don't know if they know what to do now that Democrats are actually making strategic political decisions.
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| Posted: 05 Apr 2010 22:22 |
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Can I hope that if the Repubs die, that it'll eventually tank the Dems too? I'm not terribly fond of a one party state.
__________________But the backdrops peel and the sets give way and the cast get eaten by the play, there's a murderer at the matinee, there are dead men in the aisles
And the patrons and the actors too are uncertain if the show is through and with sidelong looks await their cue, but the frozen mask just smiles
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| Posted: 05 Apr 2010 22:41 |
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No, if the Republicans die, what you will get is the rise of a third party. Either the Greens will make a play for the Left, pushing the Dems Right, or the Libertarians will make a play for the Right, seizing up much of the Old GOP.
Or, much more likely, is the GOP, after being completely trounced will do what other Conservative Parties had done in similar situations, and just reform and move to the center.
When I say Doomed, I mean that specific election.
The common wisdom in these cases is that the president's party will lose seats in Novemeber. However, this hasn't always been the case, and I am wondering if the republican message is such that going into November, they leave themselves open to a very bad spot.
After November, if they do lose, it will likely mean a changing of course in the Republican party before 2012. Or it could mean a redoubling of efforts downt he rabit hole. If the Republicans change direction for 2012, they will likely surivive until 2014 when they likely will start to make gains again, but if they redouble down the rabbit hole, Expect to hear a lot more from the Libertarian, Whig, Green, and probably a few other parties going into 2012.
Heck with the opening up of corporate coifers, and the Libertarian promise of low taxes and local rule, you may see the Libertarians making a pretty big move in 2012.
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| Posted: 05 Apr 2010 23:07 |
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All the Libertarian party needs is to start campaigning under the notion of 'real conservatism' and they'll start scooping up a hefty load of disaffected ex-Repubs who might have given up on the political process altogether.
Not that this is a bad thing necessarily.
__________________But the backdrops peel and the sets give way and the cast get eaten by the play, there's a murderer at the matinee, there are dead men in the aisles
And the patrons and the actors too are uncertain if the show is through and with sidelong looks await their cue, but the frozen mask just smiles
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| Posted: 05 Jun 2010 03:31 |
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Unfortunatly, as the Rand Paul debacle has shown, Libertarianism just isn't ready for prime time.
It's great on paper, and on the individual level, I should be able to do X in my own home or in my own business. But breaks down once you realize how much our society depends on the interdependance of individuals (who require rules to moderate behavior) and a central authority to punish various unsavory entities (such as BP).
Some libertarian ideas are powerful, small government, less taxes, more freedom, but exactly how small, how little, and how much more is where it breaks down.
We all want a smaller government, but we do want the pot holes fixed and the mail to get where it's going. We all want fewer taxes but we also want to make sure the taxes raised cover the government we do want. And we all want more freedom, but we really are suspicious of others freedom, especially when their freedom interfers with ours (such as Mr. Pauls desire to resegregate grocery stores and resturants).
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| Posted: 09 Jun 2010 23:05 |
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yeah, but we all don't want drunks sitting around watching talk shows all day while collecting government crazy checks either though.
__________________Lucas McCain the Rifleman: A man doesn't run from a fight, Mark...but that doesn't mean you should go running *to* one, either.
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