Republicans: Political Somnambulists

A conspicuous theme in Sunday's news shows was the fate of the moribund Republican Party and what could be done to resuscitate it.  From Brit Hume to Bill Kristol to strategist Mike Murphy on Meet the Press, opinions varied about ways to bring the party back from the dead.  Ideas included a moratorium on earmarks, making the Bush tax cuts permanent, highlighting differences on foreign policy and national security--all solid starting points, but the problem is deeper and more profound.

A maxim of Beltway politics is that newly elected officials with reform instincts are imperceptibly indoctrinated with the perverse way in which things get done in Washington.  By the time you've learned the system it has you by the jugular and you've become part of the problem.  In defense of those politicians, it can be argued that constituent demands and competition for finite dollars will guarantee that the most scrupulous official will eventually assume his place among the rest of the field, working the system to ensure re-election.

With the advent of the Republican revolution, ideas were once again being debated and the apparently permanent hegemony that Democrats enjoyed disappeared.  Now, Republicans are on the outside and seem stunned and shocked that voters are rejecting them.  American politics is all about contrasts, distinguishing how different values and ideas play out in public policy.  However, governing takes discipline and Republicans have become a spineless lot that seems incapable of making the argument for their core values.

To wit, when we have a $300 billion farm bill that sails through Congress and when Democratic candidates can pledge to raise taxes with impunity, something's fundamentally wrong.  When our energy policy doesn't include developing more resources and we're heading for $150 per barrel oil, the picture is skewed.   Yet Republicans seem feckless in make the case for a new approach.

They could begin with a pledge to stop spending while demonstrating the importance of a strong dollar.  Coupled with a coordinated message that savages Obama et al for their emasculated recommendations on foreign policy, voters might just get the message that Republicans stand for something.

Indeed, the only hope is to fight for the values and principles that brought the party to prominence, and doing so with conviction--because the Democrats have smelled the blood in the water and unless something changes it will be a massacre in November. 

Curiously, there is a chance that McCain will prevail against Obama, not just because the Illinois senator is so adept at unforced errors, but because it's really difficult to tar McCain with the Bush brush.  Recall that McCain disagreed with Bush on the Iraq policy in 2004, and voted against the tax cuts because they didn't include spending cuts.  Add to the mix his support for prohibiting speech in campaigns and you have an unpredictable amalgamation of positions, many of which are in direct conflict with the Bush Doctrine.

There's nothing so unsightly as a party in disarray, with the twin forces of atrophy and entropy insidiously eroding confidence and credibility.  There's still time for Republicans to make their case to the voters, but the fact that they're voices have been muted thus far isn't encouraging.