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Re-defining the GOP in 2008

Submitted by creativestrategist on Tue, 05/27/2008 - 14:28
in

A friend of mine recently contacted me to talk political strategy in 2008 and beyond, and took up the theme of what or how the GOP should or should not be defined moving forward. After about 45 minutes of deliberating on issues and not coming to a firm conclusion, we came up a few things that should help deliniate where things should start--simply by process of elimination, "what the GOP should be."

1. Truthful

2. Accountable

3. Responsive

4. Inclusive

5. Family-friendly

6. Transparent

Simply by championing these 6 items, even by small measure, the GOP would quickly put itself back on the road to obtaining a majority in the House and Senate.

The next question: Does anyone think it's possible beyond lip service?

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Comments

It depends what the issue

Submitted by Kevin Boyd on Tue, 05/27/2008 - 15:02.

It depends what the issue proposals are behind those themes. As for the accountability part, it depends what happens the next time a Republican gets caught with their pants down, tapping their foot, stealing, etc. Will the leadership make excuses for it, like they have done previously or will they take action?

I'm going to have to disagree

Submitted by Langley Perry on Tue, 05/27/2008 - 17:16.

The six things you listed out that the GOP should be would not alter the Republican Party.  These are just soundbites - "Truthful"?  "Accountable"?  How about adherence to Federalism for starters?  Oh, wait, that's too politically incorrect, we need to water our message down to the point of blandness in the name of being "Inclusive"!

Talk about a big-tent all you want.  Talk about playing to win - great.  I'm all for that.  Politics can be a game, and is more than just talking about ideology, and as those in the Leadership Institute taught me, you owe it to your philosophy to learn how to win with it - but at the end of the day, without core principles leading a Party's agenda, and not just fluffy words like "Family-friendly" (what in the world does that mean anyway?  Is someone else running on the "non-family-friendly"! ticket?), the party, the movement, and the country will not be well-served by dressing up the same old Washington, D.C. politicos in this season's most popular taglines.

Republicans need to quit complaining about losing a "message" and actually try sticking to the message that they run on - limited government.  It's just that simple.

the issue is what will put the GOP back on the road...

Submitted by creativestrategist on Tue, 05/27/2008 - 18:08.

...to obtaining a majority in the House and Senate, not how to "alter the Republican Party," per se.

I think it's fair to say that the American people are growing tired of vague messages that are being used on both sides, even those who 'talk' about federalism and 'limited government.'  THAT is what I would define as "politics as usual." Let's have a more grown-up conversation with our GOP officials, and talk about what they are willing to commit to, PROMISE, and DELIVER within that context--signed with a guarantee that if they can't deliver what they promise, they won't seek re-election.

Only problem is that we've been down this road before.

The Democrats are cutting through the clutter of political rhetoric, in some respects, by trying to be more specific. Not that it holds water. But the trouble is that the American people are going along with some of it, naively speaking, ("raising taxes") without engaging in any critical debate, because it goes beyond vagueness, arrogance, glibness, and generalities--something that some GOP lawmakers are known for.

When people are being convinced that it is Ok for the government to raise our taxes and institute socialism, that should tell you something very fundamental about the way the Democrats and GOP are being received, and what the Republicans needs to do to be a part of that conversation and regain the confidence of the American people.

 

 

adding to that...

Submitted by creativestrategist on Tue, 05/27/2008 - 18:15.

I would merely add that, regardless of the issue, if the GOP can position themselves as the more responsive, more accountable, more truthful of the 2 political parties, that would probably go a long way to re-establishing them as the dominant poltical force in our country.

The American people need and deserve responsive and accountable government--and I say the GOP should be the party to own that space by doing more than just pointing out all of the negatives owned by the Democrats in Congress.

 Also, what points do you think should be added to that list? Please be candid.

You're not listening.

Submitted by Langley Perry on Tue, 05/27/2008 - 19:03.

Making the GOP once again the majority party in the Senate and the House isn't going to do jack if those who dominate the party structure continue to ignore Conservative principles when push comes to shove.

You may have no problem with a watered-down GOP that ideologically is a shell of what it once was, and fights not for limited government, just for not growing the government quite as much as the Dems will.  I for one, and many other conservatives, will not tolerate that.

As more and more Republicans in the House are choosing not to seek re-election, I have no qualms about this.  It's called "sharpening the blade" - if these people simply want to be in Congress to be in the majority and get their share of the power, glory, and pork factory, then good riddance!  We are already in the minority; I don't mind our caucus getting a bit smaller, but more conservative, more apt to listen to people like Eric Cantor, Mike Pence, and Jeb Hensarling, so that one day when we do regain the majority, it isn't simply another sham all over again.

The Republican Party is just that, a political party, a vehicle for power.  With the wrong people dominating its structure, once it has that power, there is no telling what nonsense they may pass into law.  Conservatives need to make their voices known in the party and quit tolerating the "lesser of two evils."

Again, you may be alright with feel-good soundbites that really don't mean anything, but I'm not.  And I'm not alone.