Dear Friends,
It seems to me that the Republican brand is tarnished for a number of reasons.
The first is corruption. Republicans and Democrats are as corrupt as a three day old dead skunk. Both parties have enjoyed power for far too long. The Republicans however have not only had their own corruption scandals to contend with but those of the Democrats as well. The Democrats, whenever they are caught in some scandal, always point to Republicans in general and claim that the do it too. And that both parties should be censored for it.
A legislator from Louisiana was caught with bribe money in his freezer. Both Democrats and Republicans condemned the FBI for resorting to such tactics as setting up a sting operation on a fellow congressman. The congressman was a Democrat. But Republicans stood up for him… The man was caught on film, taking marked bills, dutifully casting the vote and was later caught with the marked bills in his freezer. I wonder, if a citizen who was caught similarly but with marijuana, if Republicans would come to his rescue? Or are they more afraid of getting stung themselves? This is shows what measure of corruption there is in both parties… At least on the Congressional level.
The next is that Republicans are just as much a tax and spend party as the Democrats. The only difference is the rhetoric. The Republicans claim, even when they are in office, that they are fiscally conservative. When in reality they just choose to spend on different factions. The Democrats run on tax cutting, but as soon as they get in office, they eschew tax cuts as being for the rich. At least Democrats say what they believe in, taxing and spending, even if it is after they are in office. Republicans say one thing then do another… No one likes the hypocrite, and it smacks of corruption.
Another is that Republicans were largely responsible for invading Iraq. Regardless of the long term outcome the American people see that as adventurism. The results of no terrorist attacks on American soil during the Bush administration will be illuminated, when the Obama administration’s, foolish and Pollyannaish international policies come to fruition. Then the American people’s attitude about Republican foreign policy will subside. Until then the American people will give Obama, reluctantly, the benefit of the doubt.
The amazing thing is that the American people are in sync with the Republican party as regards social issues. Americans stand on Gay marriage, Abortion and the like are more and more conservative. As the fruits of the Progressives ripen, the American people, (who always apply William James philosophy of pragmatism), will turn against them. The backlash will be similar to the one that led to the Victorian era.
But the Democrats have successfully destroyed the Republican brand even as they are more corrupt, out of sync with the American people on social issues and wrong on almost every economic point. The Democrats showing themselves to be head and shoulders above the Republicans at politics.
The Republican party is swirling in the drain. The country club Elite in the Republican party, (the original Progressives until FDR stole the mantle), seem to think the answer is to be more “progressive”… That’s just what America and the World needs, nothing but progressives, with no real alternatives.
Who needs liberty anyway? We can have free health care…
