The Failure of Republicanism

 by Steven D. Laib  

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What may be at the heart of the problem is a simple fact.  Many Republicans have developed the same disease that Democrats have previously; they no longer trust the American public. 

Back during the Clinton administration when there was a lot of wrangling going on about control of the House of Representatives I found myself in a discussion with someone who contended that the number one winning issue for conservative candidates was taking an anti-abortion stance.  The basis for this belief was the number of pro-life candidates who had been successful in recent elections.  My counter position was that anti-abortion candidates were likely to also take on strong conservative causes such as low taxes, reduced spending, real individual liberties and support for the second amendment.  Thus, while a pro-life position was important, it was not necessarily the determinant of a candidate's success.  

This analysis may be one that bears examination in the climate of the approaching 2006 autumn congressional elections, and possibly the 2008 presidential campaign.  A spur to this approach is provided by polls taken during the last six months showing a decline in the popularity and job performance ratings of President George W. Bush.  As has been pointed out by many commentators, a marked decline was noted, especially among conservative voters; people who might be expected to support Mr. Bush ideologically, and without regard for issues.  Apparently, this expectation is dead wrong.  

What has happened, apparently, is that the conservative voter expected Presidents Bush, father and son, to follow in the footsteps of Ronald Reagan.  They have also expected legislative representation in the same vein.  When this didn't happen they have become more frustrated, and less supportive of a political party that shows many of the trappings of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society; a position they do not personally support.  They are not satisfied with a party that says "vote for us because the opposition will be so much worse that you can't afford to let them get in office. " They are also dissatisfied with party functionaries who refuse to fight, and fight dirty if necessary, to win the points that are supposed to make up a conservative agenda.  

It is obvious that politics here in America has become more polarized during the years since Bill Clinton was elected.  Much of this centered on the necessary investigations of Mr. Clinton's personal affairs, about which little was done, culminating in the impeachment proceedings, which were stonewalled on partisan lines despite his obvious guilt.  Much of the Democratic Party has never forgiven the fact that these events happened.  They have taken it personally, and have ignored the fact that everything was legal, proper, and not strictly politically motivated, compared with, for example, Mr. Clinton's use of the Internal Revenue Service to attempt to silence his critics including World Net Daily.  They have also forgotten that the Republican leadership turned against Richard Nixon when the Watergate scandal broke.  If nothing else, they owed the Republicans one for that.   

Even more so, the Democratic stage has become ever more the domain of crackpot theories such as disarming the US as a way to solve the world's problems, appeasing our enemies abroad because there must be something we have done to get them upset, and assuming a tax and spend mentality similar to that prevailing in France in order to bring our economy to the same level of failure to meet its own needs.    

Instead of taking advantage of this "loony left" mentality, Republican candidates and office holders have emulated its less loony elements such as increased regulation and continued massive spending on state sponsored charity, while turning less attention on national security than they should, and taking a "business as usual" approach to their dealings with opponents such as Ted Kennedy rather than putting him in his place with a few well placed words about his past when it would be apropos.  

It is a small wonder that there aren't more desertions from the ranks of the Republican Party, considering the attitude taken by President Bush on the Dubai Ports deal, illegal immigration, and now the apparent attempt to set up an American Union, along European Union lines; something that has been attacked as a violation of the Constitution, particularly as it has been going on behind what are essentially closed doors, with nary a member of the public allowed to peep through now and again.  

Michael Savage, recently suggested that conservatives should avoid voting for Republican candidates because they refused to act like conservatives.  Perhaps he is right, and that we should allow the RINOs to have their heads handed to them in the fall elections in the hope that they will learn to 1) be true to a conservative platform, and 2) to behave like winners by fighting to win, rather than to avoid losing.  After all, a tie is not going to benefit the political base that they are supposed to be relying on for votes, and who expect to be represented actually, rather than virtually.    

What may be at the heart of all this could be one simple fact.  Many Republicans may have developed the same disease that Democrats have previously; they no longer trust the American public, or the individual.  Instead, they trust themselves, their positions of power and prestige, and would rather see the nation go to hell in a hand basket, than reassert the rights and attitudes that made America so successful for so many years.  This contrasts with the Michael Moore / Nancy Pelosi Democrats who appear to have developed an intense hatred of America only to the extend that they  simply want to see America go to hell, period.  

Of course, the average American doesn't want this to happen either way.  They simply want an nation where they can live in an orderly manner with their rights protected against foreign and domestic aggression.  Unfortunately, when domestic aggression is practiced by those in government, there is little that can be done by Mr. and Ms. America to counter it, except elect new leadership, which frequently follows the same template as their predecessors.  Thus, the man and woman on the street never wins.  

In the past, the stakes were less significant.  Today they are extremely high, and it is high time we came to a solution that will counter the trend toward a bigger, less constitutional, and less representative government replacing it with a body that understands that its duty is to the average citizen, first, last and always, and that such duty can be best served by leaving that citizen in a position to control his or her own destiny.  
 

Politics: General, Congress & the Legislatures, Elections & Political Parties

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