The debate last night was not a blowout but frankly, McCain never came close. He made a couple of good points about education, scored best with his pointed questions (that Obama never answered) about Ayers and ACORN, and had a couple of other nice moments. (I am not sure that McCain gained any support with his eye rolling, sneering, head shaking, and unmanly giggles. Those things matter to many people and I believe we might see over the next 24 hours that voters were turned off by his reactions.)
But it was hopeless from the start for McCain. This race is pretty much on cruise control now with Obama comfortably (not decisively) ahead. As long as Obama didn’t show up drunk, he accomplished what he had to accomplish at the debate.
McCain needed Obama to show up drunk. He didn’t.
Last May, when it appeared that Obama had the nomination wrapped up, I wrote a post predicting how the race in the fall would unfold:”Party Like it’s 1980 All Over Again” wasn’t breaking any new ground nor was it necessarily prescient. Democratic strategists had been predicting for months that the mood of the country and the trends were all breaking their way and that the November election had an excellent chance of being a “change” election.
But what really resonated with me back then and what recalled similar feelings from 1980 was the nature of the matchup between McCain and Obama; untested and relative unknown versus incumbent (experience). The way the 1980 race developed, people were unsure of the unknown commodity until after the one debate held between Carter and Reagan. When Reagan showed himself to be a reasonable alternative to the status quo, the floodgates opened and he won going away.
I believed then and believe now that Obama’s comfortable 6-8 point lead will mushroom in the next 3 weeks and make election day a holy living hell for the GOP with a landslide in both the popular vote and electoral college for Obama and a sweeping away of many Republican stalwarts in the House and Senate. It will be an historic repudiation of Republicans and will place the party in a position where it will probably spend a decade or more in the wilderness.
Can this scenario be avoided? McCain must find a way to keep it close enough that he doesn’t drag 2-3 additional senate candidates down with him thus handing the Democrats a filibuster proof majority in the senate. I am at a loss as to how he might do this except my sense of the moment is telling me (and the polls somewhat confirm) that most of his attacks on Obama have backfired and he has lost support because of them. Would a “take the high road” campaign where he spends the last three weeks as a wise man/Cassandra, warning of the dangers of “Creeping Socialism” and an abandonment of classic American values work? No one knows but it’s something he hasn’t tried so perhaps it is worth looking into.
If McCain is a lost cause, it is time for the Republicans to perhaps look to salvaging what they can from the disaster. And that means fighting like hell for the filibuster in the senate. It is potentially the only brake on Obama and the Democrats and given how the far left is licking its chops at the prospect of radically changing the economic and social landscape of America, it might have come to the point that we start thinking about shifting focus from the presidency to the senate.
Many of those races are extremely close but the GOP has one advantage in many of them; incumbency. If McCain really goes off the deep end, there’s nothing much that can be done. But if he can keep the presidential race about where it is now, Republicans will lose 5-7 seats and the filibuster will be safe.
Despite what Karl Rove is saying,, it appears to me that Obama has indeed “closed the sale” and is writing up the order. It is at this point that many salesmen have additional temptations to offer the customer. A car salesman might inquire whether the customer wants rustproofing or an extended warranty? A shoe salesman will ask if the customer wants shoe polish or a shoe tree.
Obama will be asking the voter from here on out whether they wish a 60 seat majority in the senate. And it could be that only John McCain is in a position to help the voter turn Obama down.
UPDATE
First, apologies for the slow loading. It should clear up in a few minutes.
Second, I apologize to those of you who came here expecting to read Republican boilerplate or GOP cheerleading. I am a conservative and nominal Republican. But first and foremost, I consider myself a writer. As such, my goal is giving an honest appraisal of what I believe based on 30 years of watching, reading, and writing about politics as well as working on a few campaigns.
You may disagree with my analysis based on other facts and a different reading of history. That’s fine and wonderful. But if you are going to take me to task for “not helping” McCain or “being too pessimistic” I am sorry but you made a wrong turn somewhere. Might I suggest that you visit the RNC website, McCain.com, or perhaps The Corner? There you will get all the spin you could possibly hope for and all the cheerleading your heart desires.
If you want my honest opinion, then thank you for reading. If you think this blog exists to shill for Republicans or for any other reason than an outlet for my take on the news and world events, then I am sorry to disabuse you of that notion.
8:19 am
Hot Air has the “What Just Happened?” ad with notes that the spot has tested out as brutally effective even with independents and Democrats. I might say the RNC needs to be running this ad 24/7 in tight races.
But what do I know? I just spent 15 years as minor functionary in political circles, rousting out angry phone calls to legislators. Undoubtedly the guys who never leave the Beltway know more than me.
If the RNC had the money, I would hope they would do as you suggest. But I think they are looking at the Senate races at this point and such an expenditure could result in less money going to salvaging a few races there.
ed,
8:22 am
I couldn’t even watch last night. My level of disgust overtook my level of curiosity. I feel like I am watching some strange slow motion trainwreck and the debates are simply tha caboose coming off the rails. Rove’s assessment is just misplaced optimism.
What do we do next? Pray to whatever religious honcho you hold dear that we can survive the next 4 years because I have my doudts.
8:32 am
Obama seems to be the likely winner, unless there is something unusual I’m missing. But I just don’t see his coat tails being that long. The Democrats may pick up seats, but I don’t think it’s going to be a rout—those folks saying it’s going to be a rout need to take a look at congressional approval numbers—and a few “safe” Democrats may even get handed their walking papers, even as Obama takes the Whitehouse.
I the there is much dissatisfaction out there with the status quo as there is with the Bush Whitehouse.
9:15 am
Republicans filibuster!!??? Are you on drugs, Rick? Those spineless weasels—led by McCain—will be on their kneepads for the Dems in the Senate for years.
Prepare for a replay of the ‘70s. With Obama in the role of Carter.
Except in the 70’s, there were no conservatives with a voice like you and I through blogs and talk radio who could hold their feet to the fire. I’m not optimistic but it’s not hopeless either.
ed.
9:34 am
Start over folks. Let the tide roll in and saturate your souls. Meanwhile instead of implementing feeble attempts to stop the bleeding, might I suggest looking at the best ideas you have left. Please remember this when your next episode of futile cat herding fails you as effectively as all of your other exercises in subterfuge. These will be my last two words: Rod Dreher
9:52 am
I was talking with the wife last night…my take on it is that Obama wins and in 3 years, we’re in a malaise like during the Jimmy Carter era. For the 2012 election, we see the next generation of Republicans rise up – true conservatives like Bobby Jindal and Sarah Palin and we take back the White House in a landslide after four years of Democrat rule that got us nowhere.
10:00 am
dios mio… no knockout, no love, yet the man is still standing… i counted him down and out so many times i can’t remember, yet the man keeps getting back up… i guess i have to say save your pessimism for darker days (which of course you will reply with something smarmy) go for it… the absolutely amazing thing is that he is still standing, he isn’t down by gorian or kerrian numbers, he has no friends on the right (foxnews was enamored with obama, why? he said nothing?, no friends on the left, media despises him because he running against a black man… yet he is still in it… does it say something about him? us? obama?
whatever, i threw the towel in again when the economy tanked, but for the love of pete, he is beating obama on all the day after polls even the aol poll. keep up the negativity or be positive, whatever, he is still there, and you didn’t like him to begin with and you won’t like him when this is over…
just admit that he is exceeding everyone’s expectations by still being alive in this race. as for senate and congress GOP members, they are the reason this nation is jacked, we deserve what we get in the end, we put them there
Where the hell is Snowball when we need that cat!! and yes it was an incoherent ramble.
10:09 am
Stop with the crap, we need to get McCain elected at all costs! McCain will win if we keep fighting like “Joe the Plumber”
10:23 am
I am here by way of Malkin’s site. I saw your headline & I had to come. We can not win a blasted thing all fragmented into different goals. Please consider this. This is a bloody hard campaign. Yes. No doubt about it. BUT, we can’t possibly win anything effective if we splinter up into some people who are giving up on the national and going only local with their efforts, and some who want to just concede presidential defeat and focus on Senate seats, and Congress.
We need to adjust to the gift of Joe the Plumber and get on message at ALL levels.
Joe The Plumber is a gift to the cause of conservatism. Joe the Plumber puts a warm middle class connect the dots face on the cause of conservatism versus socialism. It makes a dire subject more palatable to the public (who couldn’t handle the Ayers stuff). I am being realistic. We ENJOY politics (bloggers, commentors, pundits), most people DO NOT. We NEED to connect with these people. Sarah Palin helped us connect with these people. Now John McCain has a way to connect with them. Thank God for the Gift of Joe the Plumber!
Our best chance is Joe the Plumber and Hockey Moms. It takes us right to the middle class. We freakin’ ARE the party of Joe Six Pack. We need to quit kicking each other in the shins and ban TOGETHER. It is the ONLY way across the finsih line.
I mean this in a respectful way.
10:41 am
[...] Wing Nut House says its time to forget McCain and concentrate on saving the filibuster and NOT giving the Obamessiah a 60+ seat majority in the Senate. Possibly related posts: [...]
10:50 am
Please stop with the negativity. I know it is a long-shot but its no time to give up. Fight till the end. I doubt our fine military would be giving up before the battle even took place. There will be plenty of time for recriminations after the election. But for now, Man-Up.
11:19 am
Dude, what is it with all these RINOs? McCain swept the floor with Obama last night.
Maybe you and Kathleen Parker and Charles Krauthammer and other so-called “conservatives” should be speechwriters for Obama. Talk about a Mexican firing squad.
You’re NOT HELPING.
Do you want my honest opinion or some rah rah bullshit? If the former, thank you for reading. If the latter, go somewhere else.
ed.
11:22 am
I remember elction day ‘04. Drudge released early exit poll numbers which looked bleak for Bush. Did the conservative talk show hosts on the air bury their heads behind their legs? If they had, I am convinced Bush could not have won. They were like General Patton and Knute Rockne, rallying the troops to get out and vote, polls be damned, and the rest is history. Snap out of it and rally the troops, or your bleak predictions will only be a self-fulfilled prophesy.
11:30 am
I just told both of my Republican senators to piss-off. I have voted Republican all of my life but the bail-out was the last straw. They just handed a huge mass of money to the most irresponsible people they could find and are expecting the rest of us to pick up the bill. To compound the problem they did nothing to fix the underlying cause of the government insuring as many bad loans as anyone wants to write.
I am in advertising and the sub-prime guys are back in full force. They had all but disappeared but they are out there doing it all over again since they know the government is going to pick up the tab just as it promised.
If my Republican senators can’t make an easy call like not allowing the government to meddle in the markets or not paying people to be irresponsible then there is really no reason to continue supporting them.
Let the Dems control everything so that only they will get the blame.
I think we are at the point where none of us is ever going to see the America we grew up in ever again and there is nothing that we can do to turn the tide. The Republican party is not the answer. It is the lesser of two evils… and the “lesser” part of the equation gets more and more insubstantial every day.
11:44 am
If you wanna save the senate and the house, the White House is the only way.
Lefties are heralding this as the death of the Republican party, and it will be if Mccain’s support drops him like a rock. There is no better (or other in my opinion) way to stop the democrat momentum than by taking the white house from the left’s messiah IN SPITE OF Bush’s approval rating. It would be a sign of life for the party, and hope that they can win even tough fought districts.
The thought of “hope” has inspired the nation to side with a 2 bit opportunist with no experience, imagine what real hope can do.
11:45 am
Joe at 11:22, I would agree with you except for one detail – the starry-eyed youts WILL turn out this time, for the first time ever. Heck, many of their professors will fail them if they don’t. Add to that the already-uncovered voter fraud, and the critical margins in the swing states will – I think – certainly be met.
11:48 am
I don’t care about your opinion, I care about your political objectives. To acheive the latter, sometimes you have to suppress the former.
Do you think Olberman or Couric will go on their shows and objectively say, “You know, Barack Hussein looked flushed and flustered last night”? No. Because they—and the rest of the media—have a political objective to acheive.
Airing every weak-kneed doubt the comes to mind is neither courageous nor admirable. Do you stand for something? If so, make it happen. Stand up with the rest of us and see if we can stop the socialists.
11:50 am
Rick,
You invoked the salesman analogy at the end of your post. I trained professional salespeople for years and one thing I pounded into their heads was to ask for the close. Sen. McCain did not even ask for our vote.
Two things will happen soon, and you will likely disagree with my second prediction. First, the ‘fairness doctrine’ is a certainty. Conservative talk radio will be shut down and freedom of speech for conservatives will be a thing of the past.
Secondly, with the fairness doctrine as law, the new far-left administration and congress will go after people like you and me who give a voice to all of those not on the far-left. The Internet is already run by liberals, the infrastructure, highest-traffic web site and blogs…..it’s only a matter of time before we feel a boot to our necks.
11:51 am
Don’t be so glum about our prospects. Remember that if McCain pulls it off, we still don’t really have to worry about the responsibility of having right-wing policies being implemented. McCain’s a moderate at best, that inclusion strategy that everyone was preaching during the primary sure worked out great, didn’t it?
I stand by my decision to support the McCain campaign in its final hours with some strong prayers, some snap polling of my own, and a fifth of Chivas.
12:03 pm
>>jbinaz Said:
9:52 am
I was talking with the wife last night…my take on it is that Obama wins and in 3 years, we’re in a malaise like during the Jimmy Carter era.< <
It won’t take that long. We will know within the first 100 days what the damage will be and how long it will take to turn it around. Politics is cyclic and the country is restless and complacent, and therefore we are about to swing back to the left for awhile.
The country survived Carter, regardless what Chris Matthews says, we will survive Obama-lama-ding-dong and the demCong. The problem is we may not survive the RINOs. The RNC needs a complete shake-up and clean-out. The RNC should have been holding the feet of the RINOs to the fire or getting them out of office by supporting challengers in the primaries. The RNC didn’t do its job for the last 8 years and we were stuck with Rs that acted just like D/Ls. Have you ever got fed up with your home being too cluttered and decided that it was time to get rid of the junky mess? Well, its time for the true Rs to reclaim their party or fork and join together to form a new party.
The thing to remember, it really doesn’t matter who gets elected to the Presidency, the country is going to have a very tough economic for a long time and it appears that the public is not quite ready to take the bad medicine it needs. With Obama in the White House, the time it takes will be much shorter than if McCain is in the White House. The repercussions of the lifestyles we have been aspiring to live over the last 20 years is about to fall on top of us and people are going to be forced to pay more attention to what is happening around them than worrying about Britney Spears, Paris Hilton or the rest of the Hollyweird crowd.
12:04 pm
Steve Said:
11:48 am
I don’t care about your opinion, I care about your political objectives. To acheive the latter, sometimes you have to suppress the former.
My question to you then is: if not for an honest opinion, what are blogs useful for. If I want a cry to rally the troops I can go to McCain.com. I personally like reading somebody’s honest opinion, think about, agree or disagree (and sometimes comment).
12:08 pm
Why the long faces? This race is still McCains to lose. The on-the-ground RNC machine is in full swing in key states to hold up dem votes. As for “spineless” republicans remember this a democratic congress that has not impeached for spying on americans, torturing prisoners, kidnapping, suspending habeus, etc… They will barely give Obama the time of day and certainly won’t ruffle McCains feathers, er, well whatever he has. Unfortuately McCain will have to rule over the second great depression but at least he’ll do it from the White House and not the hill.
12:10 pm
eeyore,
Maybe you’re right about the youths turning out (although they said that in ‘04). If that is the case, that does not justify throwing in the towel when not a single vote has been counted. If there’s voter fraud, challenge it, but please don’t give up. The liberal bloggers are loving this defeatist attitude. Prove them wrong, or at least try.
12:31 pm
Agreed. The Presidential Race is over. Ronald Reagan himself could not win with this economy following the mess Bush Jr. has left us. G.W. has killed the party of Reagan; R.I.P. We can’t save the Senate either….the blowout in November is going to be of Biblical proportions. So…..on what basis, and how is the Republican party to be rebuild over the next 10 years in the wilderness?? That’s the question. What are the principles that will lead us in good stead? I don’t think we know anymore. Anti-immigrant? Anti-spending (don’t think that will sell anymore after the largest spending spree in the history of the world…it’s not our issue any more…we have nothing to say about spending restraint). Pro-Christian (that doesn’t work too well anymore either…and Christians are “compassionate conservatives…. free spenders)? There is a lot of navel gazing that going to have to take place in America. Circular firing squads don’t win future elections.
12:38 pm
funny man said:
“if not for an honest opinion, what are blogs useful for”
Blogs are to today what pamplets were 300 years ago. They help get out a message that would otherwise be suppressed by the mainstream media. If a blog is ostensibly a voice for the “right wing,” I see no point in said blog holding a pistol to the right wing’s head and pulling the trigger. I can gaze at my own navel; I can depress myself. We don’t need that. What we need is a network of true conservatives working toward an ACTUAL GOAL.
Just my two cents. But if surrendering the Constitution to a socialist regime is just an academic parlor game for some of you, then this kind of stuff is inconsequential to you.
12:54 pm
[...] I am cannot subscribe to everything Rick Moran (Right Wing Nut House) is saying here about McCain and the debate, I see the benefit of striving to ensure that the Senate doesn’t go filibuster-proof liberal, [...]
12:56 pm
It isn’t rah-rah bullshit to stay with the fight. McCain’s waged a fiercely persistent, brave campaign, staying within four, five or six points when economic circumstances ordinarily would’ve dictated a blow-out margin early on, and a widening rather than the tightening of the numbers we’ve been seeing. In boxing, when a fighter’s taken a lot of punishment and too far down to win on points, the options are either staying in the fight and going for the knockout or throwing in the towel. You advocate throwing in the towel (on the presidential race, anyway). I disagree. Your way may seem cooly pragmatic, but perceptions shape outcomes and expectations of defeat make for self-fulfilling prophecies. If McCain/Palin lose, it shouldn’t be because we lost heart and they didn’t.
To stay with the fight is up to you. And I admire those who are fighting, in my opinion, a losing battle. It is always the right thing to do to stand up for what you believe regardless of the consequences.
My point is that if that’s what you want to read, go somewhere else.
ed.
1:36 pm
Forget Joe the Plumber, (you should read today’s news and see that McCain vetted him about as well as Palin), forget Palin.
Even though I am no conservative, there are smart ones out there working hard. Listen to Mr. Moran, David Brooks, Kathleen Parker, etc. if you truly want a balanced government working again. Take your party back and let’s have civil discussions from this point on. I’ll hold my candidate to it if you will as well.
Thanks.
1:41 pm
First of all – back in the beginning of all this, I declared to all my friends that John McCain had a snowball’s chance in hell to win the Republican nomination.
Secondly, I believe that the Republican party would be better off if John McCain didn’t win the nomination. He is not a true Republican.
Thirdly, McCain’s biggest problem is he really does come across as a dotty old man who doesn’t know what he is talking about. Case in point – his health care plan.
That said, Republicans BETTER understand that we can’t take for granted that we are going to win the Congress and White House back in the next ten years. It will damage the republicans if they lose this election – the spinmeisters won’t blame the liberalism of John McCain. They will blame the conservatism of people like Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber.
1:54 pm
Steve,
I agree with you that ‘true’ conservatives should work for a common goal. However, I view an honest look at our current situation and a look back at our history not an ‘academic parlor game’. I found this piece interesting because I didn’t know some of these connections:
http://www.amconmag.com/article/2008/oct/06/00029/
Finally, the world is not going to end if Obama becomes president but rather could be a catalyst to renew the conservative movement.
1:58 pm
This election’s not over yet folks. All things being equal, McCain had a fairly good night, and O! wasn’t nearly as cool and smooth, as evinced by his facial expressions in the split screen, as he may have wanted to be. He was playing a prevent defense, knowing that the ball has bounced his way-big time!-owing to the October surprise of the Wall street metltdown. But, having said that, those of us that follow football knows what often happens when utilizing a prevent defense…
McCain was far from perfect last night. Two areas where I was particularly disappointed were when he didn’t challenge O! on his “tax break for 95% of Americans” meme, and when he didn’t use the debates final discussion of education policy to highlight the detrimental and insidious nature of Ayers and O!s education philosophy and grant policies at CAC. Not only would it have been an opportunity to talk about Ayers again, and how he espouses the “hate America first through social justice teaching” school of pedagogy, but it would have been a great opportunity to reference a half baked give-away program run by O! that never achieved the desired results…
While there are other things that disappointed us all, I’m sure, look on the bright side. To begin with, Mav called him forcefully on the who Booooosh=McSame meme; it had kind of a Lloyd Bentsen to Dan Quayle, “I knew Jack Kennedy and Senator you are no Jack Kennedy”, feel to it. Another good point was him discussing the need for strict interpretation of the constitution, as opposed to the prediliction that the left has for activist judges who legislate from the bench in the name of fairness. Also, He called O! on his tax policy, cited his discussion of wealth redistribution with Joe the plumber, called him out on his abortion posture fakery, called his camp on the liberal employment of the race card, kept stressing that he was gonna raise everyone’s taxes, and pointed out the wide gap between what O! says he’s gonna do and what really happens after the election is over and the promises go unkept…
This election is far from over, folks. I predict that the polls are gonna narrow significantly over the next few days. And when they do, remember what happens when you play prevent defense in a close game…
Buck up, and remember, even if you cant stand McCain, you’re voting against O!
2:03 pm
If Obama being elected is “...surrendering the Constitution to a socialist regime…” then you are all nuts. You may not like him or his policies, but you should have a better idea of what he stands for than that. The ranters who believe that Obama is the second coming of the liberal antichrist better think again. And I thought that conservatives were the self-styled, steely-eyed realists. More likely legends in their own mind. Using that kind of half-baked hyperbole is foolish, believing it is worse.
2:05 pm
My own feeling of impending doom comes from conversations I have had with supporters of “The One”. Policy, ideas, solutions and troubling issues are not their motivation. They have this almost cult-like love for him. There is no reasoning with them. No issue will sway them. He is enlightened and we are hate mongers. We aren’t even human anymore, just caricatures. Fight the fights you can win, and if you can’t, withdraw and prepare for the next fight. I think we need to be considering the next fight.
2:12 pm
@Finrod: That’s out and out nonsense. It’s policy that has me convinced. Try comparing McCain’s healthcare plan to Obama’s. Please. There’s no contest.
2:31 pm
hi
i’m from—and live in—sweden, a country which is arguably one of the most successful in modern times, and arguably one of the most modern liberal socialist countries there is (even though we’re currently run by pure liberals).
calling obamas policies socialist is laughable. he is most often not even close to the ideology we have over here. its not only poor and false retorics, but also furthers the notion out in the rest of the world that americans are very very disconnected from the rest of us out here on this blue planet. do you actually want a president that’s about to make that “creeping socialism” argument knowing its almost utterly false?
if i were american, i’d rather go for someone who can stick to the facts.
2:36 pm
As a independent voting for Obama, I really appreciate this article. I agree and hope that the GOP does refocus on maintaining as many Senate seats as possible. We had a six year example of the stupid decisions that take place when the system of check and balances is removed. (Iraq, Terri Sivo?, etc)
2:37 pm
You are of course entitled to your opinion, I have stated mine. If his ideas trip your particular trigger then great for you. Being retired Army, socialized medicine makes me wanna be sick.Which is really ironic I suppose. But as I said, people I have talked to aren’t interested in his policies. They are voting for him because, he’s cool, he’s not Bush, he’s not a republican, he’s black, he’s young, he’s about change and hope. None of those strike as an issue of any real importance. So, if you disagree with my own very unscientific analysis then fine, its still a free country.
2:38 pm
@jbinaz 9:52 am
>> my take on it is that Obama wins and in 3 years, we’re in a malaise like during the Jimmy Carter era.
Are you serious?? Compared to the present state of the nation compliments of 8 years of republican leadership, a little Carter Malaise would be a big step up right about now.
2:39 pm
I have been reading a lot about Corregidor and Bataan lately. Almost up to the end, the soldiers, despite their lack of supplies and air superiority, were fighting hard enough that they believed they could hold on and—if not win—stave off defeat if they could get just one convoy of ammo, food and medicine.
The convoy, of course, never arrived.
We are much in the same position. We are facing total defeat, and maybe, just maybe, we can get that last infusion we need to hold it off.
But we need to be thinking about the alternative. Conservatives need to start thinking about going guerrilla. We need to be thinking about how to prevent our occupiers* from being able to function and execute their agenda.
Think of the total ineffectiveness of the Republican Congress during the years the Dems held a lock on the Capitol. No one wants that again.
I’m brainstorming here, so here are just a few ideas I have for effective guerrilla disruption of the Obama Regime.
Those are my idea off the top of my head. Who else?
2:47 pm
I do believe that the Palin selection was driven in part by this consideration. Begich probably won’t win in AK because of the Palin selection. Idaho, which could have been in trouble for Republicans, given their awful candidate, Craig’s history and Larocco’s campaigning ability. Colorado is in play, and she may even help in Eastern Oregon.
2:51 pm
You just bought yourself a boatload of credibility as a writer and an editorialist. It’s the shills for either side that have reduced intellectual arguments to tough talk and soundbites. What a refreshing take – honesty! Bravo!
2:56 pm
Saving the filibuster is certainly a reachable and important goal. However, the damage that can still be done by a One Party Government with 57-43 majority in the Senate, and a Republican minority memberships that has proven itself to be easily bought with a few earmarks.
The only way to contain the damage is to keep the government divided by electing McCain. Admittedly, this seems a remote possibility now, but it is the only argument that may still hold sway with independents. Along these lines, my latest windmill tilting effort here, or linked on my handle.
3:00 pm
BadLiberal –
Your post sums up for me why the GOP is losing momentum. Sometimes your idea(s) are not appropriate for the country. Sometimes we need to lean left, sometimes right and the closer to the middle we are the better. In short learn how to lose. Fight on the issues that matter and fight head to head. How would you feel if our military fought with guerrilla tactics?—-> dishonorable < ——your idea is.
3:00 pm
I think this is more than simply an “agree to disagree” issue. You made a comment about Obama supporters and I’m taking issue with that. If I call you an idiot, you might be offended (rightly so).
So who’s advocating for socialized medicine? Certainly not the senator from Illinois. He’s trying to find a way to cover more people. Pray tell, what’s wrong with that?
What does “socialized medicine” mean anyway? Compare the US to Europe…we have lower life expectancy and spend roughly 33% more. Based on the outcomes, how is their model any worse?
3:31 pm
As a conservative first amd a Republican later, it seems to me that the Republicans need to be out of power for some time for their own good. As a conservative, I believe in small government and low taxes. But when was the last time Republicans stood for that? I’m actually in the above 250K income bracket, and I personally will be hurt by the tax increase. Here’s the thing though, whereas I like small government and low taxes, I also believe it is the height of patriotism to actually PAY TAXES. Any idiot can wave a flag and put a flag pin on a jacket, but that’s all talking the talk. Ultimately, how you walk the walk, how you atually demonstrate your commitment towards building a better country is by paying taxes.
Ideally, I would like a government that does remove the tax cuts + cuts spending as well, so we balance the budget and also, while we are at it, maybe attempt to pay down the national debt. That is true fiscal conservatism. But in neither case do I see it happening anytime soon. The one good thing I like is the promise from Obama’s campaign that they will at least cut foreign aid.
3:39 pm
Today’s Gallup Traditional likely voters poll is 49 – 47 (Obama). Furthermore, if such a thing as a 6% Bradley effect exists, then McCain is DEAD EVEN with Obama with registered voters (which is a win for McCain). Finally, there is a huge pool of undecided voters (13%).
A bit early to throw in the towel, don’t ya think, Rick?
It’s not that close – VA and CO not to mention FL are going to be very hard for McCain to come back and win. Ohio is closer but not by much. What blue state does he have a shot in to make up for those red states he will lose?
It may be closer than I’m predicting but it is still a very long road.
ed.
4:05 pm
David Said:
3:00 pm
I think this is more than simply an “agree to disagree” issue. You made a comment about Obama supporters and I’m taking issue with that. If I call you an idiot, you might be offended (rightly so).
As I said, that is your right.
4:30 pm
While voting for the Senate, if you have time, also look for the McCain-Palin lever and pull that as well. Many of the close Senate races are in states that can decide the Presidential race. Who knows, it just might be if a Republican wins the Senate race in your state, McCain just might win the Presidential race.
A horse racing analogy. Winning the triple crown is so hard because in the longest race, the Belmont, the Derby and Preakness winner has almost always faded. If Obama is a thoroughbred, he just starting to enter the turn for the home stretch run. And don’t forget, Obama really does have at least as much of a handicap as McCain.
4:42 pm
Great post Rick and thank you for your honest opinion.
I’ve decided to vote for Obama this year, not because I’m crazy about the guy. I honestly think he’ll be a one term President, if elected, who’ll be hamstrung by the huge financial crisis which looks to continue on for the next couple of years.
The reason I won’t vote for the GOP anymore, at least on the national level, is that they’ve shown that they’ve grown to be inhospitable to centrists and moderates. If you’re a foreign policy and fiscal conservative, but socially liberal or an agnostic, the modern GOP does not want you. See: Joe Lieberman, and the revolt that would have occurred among a segment of the right wing fringe, if McCain picked him for VP. Right now, the Republican party seems to have been taken over by neo-conservatives and religious fundamentalists.
I only hope that conservatives either remodel the Republican Party or form a third party, modeled after the British Tories. Look at the success of David Cameron in Great Britain. He realized that times have changed, a different generation of voters had other concerns and that their party had to change as well.
4:48 pm
Someone mentioned the youth vote and someone else mentioned that that Republicans need to work on winning the White House back in the next 10 years. I am writing a book about the youth vote and I will tell you something that will be hard to swallow. If Republicans don’t win this election and perform well, there will never be another Republican president in our country’s future. (unless the Democrats return us to another misery index that affects everyone).
How can I make such a statement? It’s called social engineering. From grade school kids to graduate students, young people have heard a non-stop diatribe of liberal philosophy. You can argue that young people have adopted a liberal ideology in the past, but my research shows that it is far to the left of anything in the past. (even compared to the anti-war protestors of the ‘60’s/’70’s)
In national polls, why do 35%-40% of 14 year olds characterize themselves as bi-sexual or gay? Again, in a national poll, 50% of 14-19 year olds consider themselves atheist, agnostic or wiccan. This flight from conservatism and the concurrent move towards a far left mindset, will keep Republicans out of office for years or decades to come.
The media, school teachers, college faculty, pop music, Hollywood and a growing liberal Internet influence are all complicit in this shift.
I am a Republican and a conservative by the way, so uncovering this successful experiment is not a pleasant thing to accept.
5:16 pm
If I had to put money on this election on who is going to win, I’d probably say Obama also. The bailout really tanked McCain’s campaign if you ask me. So I don’t fool myself. And I am of the opinion that if some conservatives have differing opinions, that is a good thing. We shouldn’t all have to toe the line, especially when we are on a sinking ship anyway.
But I don’t know Rick, we may not be totally sunk yet. I smell an October Surprise, and it smells a little like draino. Don’t laugh, but I think Joe the Plumber may be the best thing that happened to McCain’s campaign yet. This subject on redistribution of wealth and keeping taxes low is poking holes in the pipes on Obama’s warship, and if this subject really takes off and we have good voter turnout and not massive voter fraud we may just be able to win. (Well, as I write that, I hardly believe it myself, but stranger things have happened). Joe the Plumber has enabled McCain to change the subject to taxes, and point out that Obama believes in the redistribution of wealth. This is a simple argument that most Americans can understand, and McCain and Palin can make this argument more effectively than they have been able to make points about Obama’s character. The argument about Obama’s character revealed in his past associations was difficult to articulate in rallys and interviews without having those on the left interpret it as racism. The tax issue is also a great argument because everyday Americans who may not have the interest or the time to research and develop informed opinions on things like Obama’s past associations or his voting record can hear a 5 second sound bite about Joe the Plumber and instantly understand why they don’t want higher taxes. Also important: Joe the Plumber is giving interview after interview, which is like free McCain ads, and advertising dollars is something McCain simply can’t match Obama on since Obama turned down public financing and is now being financed by millions of die hard Democrats and odd random names who are listed at working at places that don’t exist.
But, even though I’m a little more optimistic than I was before yesterday, I still think we need to prepare ourselves for defeat. Obama walks on water. I have watched as one “shocking” news story/internet buzz came out about Obama after another, but nothing has stopped him. So how is a silly plumber going to take him down? Maybe this will be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Obama is a likeable politician, something even I can admit as a conservative, so people don’t want to believe he he has a shady past. But leave it something simple like taxes, and you got yourself an excuse not to vote for him.
5:55 pm
McCain is, at the most, 6 points behind. The polls are closing again. Joe the Plumber has been the shiny object McCain has been looking for. McCain needs to stick with it. Hit Obama on ACORN, AYRES, and taxes. This is FAR from over.
6:09 pm
I disagree. Obama has been slipping in the major tracking polls for the last couple of days. While the odds are certainly against McCain (though this has been the case all election), there are enough “soft” and undecided voters to not give up hope. The Obama coalition has weaknesses, and we can exploit them.
In addition, a narrow Presidential defeat will do more to boost down-ticket candidates than any coordinated effort on behalf of Senators could have. The only way shaky Senate candidates (like Liddy Dole) win their elections is to ride on McCain’s coattails. A collapse by McCain will spell doom for the Senate.
Best to fight like the devil for every last vote for the national ticket.
6:10 pm
Justin, I’d expect our military to do what is necessary to win. While I value functionality of an idea more than whether it’s a liberal or conservative idea, I do not see confiscatory tax rates or union thuggery or perpetual dependence on government mechanisms as being ideas whose time has come.
So. What ideas do you have for making our country better? Blindly following an Obama Presidency combined with a Dem. House and Dem. Senate does not count. Show your work.
6:37 pm
I tend to agree that it’s over, but Gallup has it at 49-47. Maybe Obama hasn’t closed the deal yet.
6:54 pm
I often wonder just how people view potential Presidents. I look at them from all side, and when some ones words and message seems to good to be true it usually is. Just because Obama can speak well and has a good speaking manner does not mean he is meant to be our President. I felt in the debate the he showed his teeth, smirked and showed signs of stress in his appearance. We have not seen this attitude much before, usually he was a cold fish. I also research how they have voted, and what they have voted for in their own states.I have always thought the McCain was a great leader and a free thinker trying to change our politics from the inside out. Here is our chance to get it right this time. Sometimes it is not about the party they are with, but the issues only. Being a good or great public speaker does not guarantee a good President. How many of you know how much the politicians- and how much they care about their fellow man? Are you aware that from the facts I have found the Biden gave about $1000.00 (one thousand dollar to charity last year) look at his income vs donations. This tells me that the robin hood plan the democrats have is not something that they would practice what they preach, they do not “Get It!” nor do they really have feelings for the average man. They are elitist- they know what is best for us after all we are considered behind closed doors to be “Joe Blow Six Pack” which is the term the lawyers us to describe the general population (you and me) that we are not educated enough to make these tough decisions, John McCain trusts us enough with our own money. Look at them for their values.I can’t stand the though of tax increase, and the threshold (%250,000.00) will hurt business which are struggling to keep their doors open as it is and now taking money from them will guarantee a big recession and lack of new employment and the failing economics will plunder us further. Really folks open your eyes and think, I believe most of you are just voting for a pretty face. John McCain has the commitment and the scars to prove it. He may appear a bit stiffer in his manor but do not let this stop you from voting for the right person for the right time.
I do not want a person leading this county who does not trust us, Americans to make our own decisions on how to spend/use our money, if he (Obama)can’t trust us – why should we trust him?
7:24 pm
llmpo,
I probably agree with you politically but please don’t bother me and other with this fake class warfare. What is wrong with the best people (the elite) leading the country? Do you want Joe Sixpack performing surgery on you? Trust me neither Democrats or Republicans care after the election.
8:07 pm
funny man,
“class warfare” is no fake – it is as real as real can be – Obama spent a week talking about McCain’s 7 million houses and demagoguing him on his jestful comment that you need to be a millionaire to be considered rich.
There is an intense feeling of jealousy and hatred among a majority of Democrats that they dont have the financial success of “rich people” (read Republicans). Is it any wonder that people on the left openly welcome the idea of the rich paying their “fare share”? of course “fair” for them means fleecing successful people at every possible opportunity. And “fair” means trying to kill conservative radio and union thuggery in the name of “free choice” ! Positively Orwellian.
Two words. Punitive liberalism.
8:08 pm
We are in for a period like the one presided over by Jimmy Carter! LOL You folks must be joking. This guy Obama is a hard core Marxist with a capital M. All forms of socialism are more like religions not some different socioeconomic system. I don’t think Obama and his followers give a damn about GDP, money supply, unemployment rates, the LIBOR rate, or anything beyond some bizarre idea of Utopia. When Marxists gain power they are like a plague of locusts. Only they don’t just destroy some crops or foliage. They destroy everything. They will march a society right over a cliff if they believe it will ultimately get them to a socialist Utopia. Any hardships caused by their policies will be blamed on the fact that the nonbelievers aren’t being good little socialists. Ultimately I don’t think it is possible to successfully turn this country into a totalitarian socialist state. However, Obama could do a lot of damage trying to do so. Ironically the one person that might restrain him is George Soros. Horowitz judges Soros to be a megalomaniac. Whether he is or not he does understand basic economic and financial principles. He is also a thoroughly scurrilous individual that wants the U.S. to be like Euroland and thinks the Constitution should be rewritten.
There is an old Chinese curse (some dispute its Chinese origin): “May you live in interesting times.” If Obama is elected, the people of this nation are going to learn in a very visceral way what that curse means.
8:15 pm
“What is wrong with the best people (the elite) leading the country? Do you want Joe Sixpack performing surgery on you?”
Funny man, you are indeed funny. “the Best people” leading the country huh ? who exactly grades them to be the “best” or “elite”.? Would that be the “best” people at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac who wouldnt know what risk analysis is,if their life depended on it ?
Your country faces a 53 Trillion dollar entitlement crisis that the “elite” people have lead this nation to. I dont think even Joe Sixpack would have managed to financially RUIN this country over just 2 GIANT entitlement programs – Medicare and Social Security.
It is so distressing to find people supporting the “elite” who are the biggest reason America is in the crapper today.
8:15 pm
Nagarajan Sivakumar,
I was actually referring to this elitism versus Joe Sixpack spiel. I just don’t buy into this ‘the average guy knows best how to run Washington’. I’d rather have my (conservative) educated elite.
8:35 pm
Nagarajan Sivakumar
Despite the criticisms, those programs seem to help a great deal of people.
What do you mean by entitlement? Would you have those programs abolished? What, if anything, would replace them?
8:38 pm
BadLiberal@39 Said:
2:39 pm
What you propose is ridiculous, and does neither you, your party or the country a whit of good. The very thought of continuing with what we have had for eight years is a nightmare indeed.
8:40 pm
I am not an economist or an accountant, so perhaps I’m missing something. But how can a small business that has made a profit of $250,000 be “hurting”? Has something changed and businesses now pay taxes on gross income and expenses are no longer deductible? Perhaps a quarter of a million dollars is chump change to the commenters here and conservatives in general, but I don’t think most “Joe Six Packs” or “Hockey Moms” would agree. Rick is right. Give it up, already.
9:09 pm
McCain’s senior financial adviser is Phill Gramm-he almost singlehandedly doomed the American economy with his 1999 Gramm-Leach Act and also the 2000 Modernization Act that allowed our banks to become degegulated and give loans without financial backing. These 2 acts also allowed ENRON to delude the country before it collasped. McCain PALED around with someone who allowed our socio-economic system to fail AND Last but not least Gramm produced PORNOGRaphy in the 1970’s with his brother in law-McCain has done nothing for V.A. bebefits-they gave him a ‘D’ when he did not attend the last 6 mtgs- Obama attended 4 who are you going to trust now America-McCain is dividing the country with his hate campaign—
9:09 pm
Its refreshing to find a conservative Blog that has some sensible comments. As a Regan Republican I will be voting for Obama because as Regan once said I did not leave the republican party the republican party left me. I am actually a centrist now, and vote for a candidate not a party. That’s why I voted for Regan he was good for America and had a vision after the excesses of Carter and liberalism. Well now we have to deal with excesses of Bush and neo-conservatism. As I see it, we need a swing back to the left some to bring us back to the center. These Scary “Tax Increases” Obama is proposing really only brings the tax structure back to the level they were at during the Regan Administration. The same with the Regulations on the Stock Market that had been in place then. It seemed to work fine then why not now? Those who carp on about “creeping socialism” really have no idea what socialism is. Go read up on Sweden and Norway and their system of government and tax structure (Can you say 98% wealth tax?) then get back to me. Unless you think America in the 80’s was socialist. The problem with Conservatives is the same as that of Liberals. Myopia. You can never see the forest for the trees. Even as the whole neo-con Ideal is going down in flames you will never admit that too much of anything liberalism or conservatism is no good for anything especially the country.
9:13 pm
It’s not about taking money away from “Joe the Plumber.” It’s about making sure that “Joe’s Mega-Plumbing Incorporated” gives back to the country and the people who gave him:
.Public Works Departments with sewers so the drains he clears actually empty into a functioning waste treatment facility.
.Roads and bridges for his trucks to roll on.
.Support for research and development for his latest plumbing equipment.
.Well-funded top notch public education so he can have a well-trained work force.
.Markets so he can raise capital.
.Police and firefighters so his business is protected.
.Health care so the employees who helped him build his business can stay on the job.
.Freedom so that he can build his business creatively.
9:18 pm
funny man,
Conservative educated elite have absolutely no chance in hell of being heard – they are conservative to begin with and that in itself guarantees that they will be shut down. Unless of course they agree with liberals. David Brooks is a pretty good example of this.
Chuck Tucson,
Hey, we meet again. Though you may not remember.
Let me first define entitlement – take social security and medicare. You pay taxes for both these programs every day you work ( assuming that your salary is above 40K which is approximately 67% of the working population). How ever, you are paying for other people’s retirement and other people’s health care.
When you do finally retire, you now expect the younger generation to do the same. After all, you did that when you were younger didnt you? There in comes the feeling that you are entitled to receiving these benefits. You feel that you have a “right” to getting these benefits after contributing to these very benefits when you worked.
Unfortunately these benefits dont fall from the sky – if there arent enough younger workers, you actually may not receive you stated benefits fully. either that or the Government taxes younger people more so that you get your benefits. With higher taxation, younger workers now have lesser to save, invest, spend. And this problem never really goes away.
“Would you have those programs abolished? What, if anything, would replace them?”
Well, i wont blame you for going straight to the question of “abolishing” them – there isnt much moderation in this country is there? Keep the program or abolish it – is that the Hobson’s choice we are left with ?
I would reduce the current payroll taxes by half – with the reminder that social security benefits will be halved for the current workers (who got their taxes slashed in half). I would abolish the “employer co-pay” – this is the charade of employers paying their share of 6.25% on SS taxes.. news flash – they DONT. they reduce this amount from your annual salary and make it look like they are paying as well. Of course passing on the cost of higher taxes to consumers is the oldest trick in the book of businesses – they know how to “distribute” too.
This leaves us with the current retirees- what about them? First off, there is enough money in SS to go through 2017 without raising any more taxes.The Govt then dips into the “trust fund” (i dont know what the hell that is) which is last till 2042. After that period, the Govt can only pay about 75% of the actual benefits.In short, the current generation of workers who joined the workforce in 2006/07 are estimated to face 25% reduction in benefits 35 years from now.
This obviously means that Government has to reign in spending. What exactly are the biggest priorities? How much waste is there in Govt ? Is the Govt efficient in managing its finances ? i dont see people asking these questions any more. In fact most of them have given up.
It would require a dose of principled conservatism -but that is no where to be found in this country and is an absolute laugher when a supposedly conservative Bush Govt has increased the size of Federal Govt more than
what LBJ did !!
If people think that that we can tax our way out of these two monster Govt programs without any recognition of the side effects it will have on job creation, growth etc, i feel for them.
The financial crisis bailout costs, the Iraq/Afghan war costs, the present federal deficit all combine to about 8 or 9 trillion. Unfunded entitlement programs are about 6 times more !
9:21 pm
[...] Posted on October 16, 2008 Yes he can! He actually has a reputation of coming from behind. It will most definitely be the ultimate anti-climax for Obama fans with his slick rock star image if McCain can pull it off. It will also surprise quite a few of my more pessimistic friends. [...]
9:24 pm
Well said Gustav these anti-tax freaks think we can go on spending our Kids futures away and still have the infrastructure needed to keep the country going. On top of the most bloated government in the history of the United States. The worst type of shortsighted selfishness imaginable.
9:29 pm
Gustav,
A quick question – how much exactly do people earning say between 45,000 and 60,000$ contribute towards all those services you mentioned ?
Do those people who earn say more than 125K have to pay more from their income for the same services ? I assume that you want them to feel “fortunate” that they are earning a high salary?
Why exactly should people earning more than a certain arbitrary amount that you decide give back more to “society” ? You think they get this money by chance and happenstance? You think that they dont contribute to society by creating jobs ?? Jobs that allow 95% of this country never to worry about creating jobs themselves? Jobs that allow 95% of the people in this country to live and of course be taxed by the Govt ?
Have YOU EVER created a job for some one else? Ever worked for a start up where you can see how difficult it is for your boss to meet his payroll every month ? Try starting a business on your own and see how it is when you are expected to pay for your employees health care, social security AND still manitain a profitable margin without which it is meaningless to start a business.
How absurd is it that people earning 245K are not touched with these tax increases while those earning 250K and above are hit ?
When Ayn Rand wrote Atlas Shrugged, she probably knew what was coming. She did try to warn us.
9:44 pm
Another point i would like to make in response to Gustav’s long laundry list
“1.Support for research and development for his latest plumbing equipment.”
LOL ! latest plumbing equipment !! discovered by the geniuses running Govt? and that which possibly cannot be discovered by private enterprise ??
2.Well-funded top notch public education so he can have a well-trained work force.
Please…give me a fricking break… you get educated because you want to get ahead and live a successful life – not because you have an altruistic attitude in providing man power to businesses.
Wow, what’s next ? you breathe in oxygen so that the trees can get the CO2?
3.Markets so he can raise capital.
It seems Governments create markets – and i thought that people did. well, Govt certainly does everything to distort and regulate it to hell.
4.Police and firefighters so his business is protected.
This is a neccessary function of any decent Govt.The question is “why does Joe the Plumber” have to pay more to get these services? You know why ? Not because he owes some “special” debt, but because without his money, that dreamy society that you talk about wont exist.
Talk about slapping the hand that feeds you. And then asking it to feed you more.
5.Health care so the employees who helped him build his business can stay on the job.
Some people want to live in the United Welfare States. This above statement alone is proof of that.
Govt run health care for every business…. i shudder.
9:56 pm
Rick,
I have new hope for McCain-Palin. You are dead cock-sure positive they’ll lose. You were also dead cock-sure the ‘surge’ wouldn’t work. And lookie! The polls are closing. I’ll post you election night.
10:33 pm
Burnie
Looks like I touched a nerve. What, specifically, about funding pro-conservative university chairs, filing RICO lawsuits against ACORN, or joining the NRA is ridiculous or unconstructive?
Show your work.
10:36 pm
Many of those races are extremely close but the GOP has one advantage in many of them; incumbency.
A colon, not a semi-colon, would have been the appropriate punctuation mark between “them” and “incumbency”.
10:59 pm
As a conservative I have been disgusted by the “compassionate” big spending Repbublicans for quite a while. I know that McCain really isn’t conservative but he is to the right of Obama. My real fear is the Supreme Court going far left if Obama and a democratic controlled congress are in charge. Our nation may never recover from that disaster. As a nation, we seem to forget the hell true liberalism does to our ecomony, our defense and our morals and have to remind ourselves just how bad it is every 30 years or so. God help us all if Obama is elected. God help our allies as well.
11:24 pm
Rick,
[ Warning: left-leaning independent here. ]
In this modern world where highly indoctrined opinion-makers (both right and left) gush fountains of crap for the consumption of ignoramuses, it’s a pleasure to read a concise, frank, intelligent evaluation of the current state of the election from an apparently pragmatic rightie who isn’t Karl Rove.
There is a wilderness indeed ahead for the GOP, but surely not for a decade. As a dedicated observer of politics and history I assure you that the Democrats will be throughly incapable of handling the current economic crisis. Many unforseen events will transpire quickly over the next 4 years, many of them originating from sources outside of our control.
In 2012, BHO will most likely stand a greater than 50% chance of losing a bid for reelection. Why? Simple. In this crisis, America needs a fighter, not an accomodater. BHO simply doesn’t have enough spine to stand up to his friends. Congress will have the whip hand.
You can only imagine the results! A destructive storm of deficit, regulation, tax-code convolution to hide true tax burdens, a very plethora of well-meaning government programs will descend upon this fair land.
At the very same time, a severe global recession of 2, even 3 years duration will crush local and state governments, businesses, and familes alike. The more capital channeled to the corporate sector to keep the battleships of industry afloat, the more losses the public will be made to bear.
It is surely an understatement to predict that the growing populist sentiment in America will continure to grow under BHO. BHO will inherit this crisis, and his honeymoon will soon be over in mere few months. Unless he displays FDR-like stature, government-by-liberal-committee-and-resulting-disaster will reign supreme.
In the end, BHO may be nothing more than Congress’s Bitch.
Perhaps the American people sense this. That’s why BHO hasn’t “sealed the deal”, not quite yet. We’re nervous, we Americans, distrustful of both parties and of the entire government now. We’re scared, like any addict whose supply is threatened. But we’ve been burned, burned bad by a poor choice of leader. This is the incontrovertable burden of the GOP - for now. The GOP will be punished, yes. But take solice, right-wing nuts! This is a temporary situation, not born from a systemic rejection of true conservative principles. Your coming defeat is due to a personal grudge held against GWB.
My advice to the GOP. Be content to the role of the honorable opposition for 4 years. Loudly and repeatedly point out the inevitable ridiculus practices that are certain to occur in the coming three-ring, four-year circus of solution-by-government-consensus. Purge your ranks of impure thoughts. Figure out what your party stands for and recast your ideology into a single piece of steel, powerful and appealing to the common man.
And most importantly, find yourself a real leader.
In the end, GWB has become a cipher.
I have great respect for Sen McCain and salute his long service to the Republic. However, his temperment is that of a lovable and well-meaning rogue. He’s much better at pissing into the tent than gaining a governable majority of support.
Regards,
Secular Buddhist Nutcase
11:43 pm
Nagarajan Sivakumar
“It would require a dose of principled conservatism -but that is no where to be found in this country and is an absolute laugher when a supposedly conservative Bush Govt has increased the size of Federal Govt more than
what LBJ did !!”
I agree. Wholeheartedly.
Now, here is where my dilemma lies in the world of conservatism and how it relates to government and individual freedom.
The one thing that I am sure of is that without a very large, very healthy middle class (with a reasonable standard of living), this country will implode and die a horrible painful death.
In light of that, I feel that there absolutely must some form of public safety net to ensure that this does not happen. The form of that safety net is debatable, but I don’t think its existence is.
I understand the concept of entitlement programs, and why they upset so many so called conservatives. What I don’t understand, is how reducing the funding and benefits for future recipients will preserve the middle class when it comes time to use those benefits.
There are so many people that absolutely need those benefits, I don’t see how reducing them would help anything.
11:46 pm
Clinical, dispassionate, objective, unbiased, forthright, subtle, independent (no team player), hacker adverse, intelligent, elitist, egotistic, erudite, viscious, opinionated, tanked, atheistic, conservative, and challenging. That is my view of Moran: mostly human in his contradictions, and he plays them out every day here for all to read. I love thinking about how one can be elitist, conservative and atheistic, all at the same time. Or, objective and opinionated. Or independent and nominally Republican.
It is like trying to contain a plasma in a complex force field.
11:52 pm
Manning,
you are on a roll here!! How about a crack in a liberal/conservative continuum?
12:41 am
Joe the Pumber is your miracle weapon???
Oy vey, you guys really are hopeless.
12:46 am
“viscious”
Rick isn’t THAT slow….
3:21 am
You are falling into the trap the media is setting up. This is a very close race by all means, it will continue to tighten. With great conservative turnout, we will win the presidency again. Don’t let them destroy your enthusiasm. Remember they are outpolling democrats, especially since the number of new registering Democrats is really fake because of Acorn’s fantastic blunders.
I believe it can still be done. It has to be done, otherwise we’ll subject the country to a new era of socialism in this country. The Democrats aren’t going to gain a filibuster-proof majority, they would have to pick up 10 seats, and that won’t happen. Plus, greater enthusiasm on the top of the ticket trickles down, and higher poll numbers for McCain means higher poll numbers for candidates down the ticket.
Don’t give up and keep on fighting. We’re gonna win this thing, I believe it.
3:25 am
Btw, gallup likely voter tracking says its a 2 point race now. Rasmussen says it’s 4 points. Republicans are underpolled ever year. And the still remaining undecideds, by the looks of things, will break toward McCain by 80%. If the election were held today, I firmly believe it would be very close, probably a 1 or 2 point win for Obama. That’s not much ground to make up. It can happen, I believe it will. I have a gut feeling that it will.
4:26 am
From my post number 56 and to all the following ones
1) I am highly educated and I am not an elitist; I can do surgery and economics too. I am a mother, a wife and have 3 children. I own my own business.
2) Have you every owned your own business. You know even if you have a good year and have $250,000.00 profit based upon maybe employing say 15- to 20 people you MUST put money aside for rainy days (or months like now) to work hard to keep the employees you have employed even when your business is off. This will not really be enough. Consider that one of your main piece of equipment you need to do your work is $60,000.00 and you have to replace it in a downturned economy, so now your money set aside is $190,000.00; and another issue you just got a rate increase on your health insurance and you know that your employees will probably not be able to afford an increase in the portion they contribute and that several will probably drop insurance if there is much change, but beside the premiums the copays and deductibles go up and co-insurance percentage the employees of this company pays- so they decide to use this to help with the premiums, this leaves them with less money to protect the employees they have as the struggle to make ends meet in a loosing economic time. You just do not get it. The trickle down effect is better for the economics in the country. This is where the country turned around from before, not from large corporations driving the employment. If you want to tax businesses and people $250,000.00 should not be the number it needs to be higher. This is not big money and the taxes on this are huge already the government initially takes 35.65%, and you have to pay more when you file, for a family of 5 and having usually 25k to 30k in medical expenses. This is too much. If you tax this class of people they will not hire people to clean homes, do yard work, clean cars, do home repairs- you think spending is down- I have never seen so many expensive cars in Wal-Marts parking lot. Just you wait if Obama wins you have seen nothing yet. “Robin Hood Plans do no work” I am not want the rich to get a tax break- but $250,000.00 is not rich it might be a good year and then back to $45,000.00 for 5 people to live on, you do not get it. I believe you do have a wealth envy idea, sorry have you looked at how little Obama will put in your pocket? The one year we were even close to that $250K area we gave over $12,000.00 to charity, ya a lot more the Biden gave last year
He gave $1000.00 and look at what he reported on his released tax return. Like I do not get it-
It is not a replay of Bush, McCain and Bush have disagreed on many issues. He thinks differently. Clinton road the tailcoats of the previous economics which Reagan put into place and Bush senior continued- do your history- Clinton did nothing to keep the economy going- beside keeping the same federal chairman- Greenspan. Remember Clinton was a good public speaker and look at what we got with him? I sure do not want to just vote based upon a good speaker. He (Clinton) had a chance to get Bin Laden and passed it up, for what? So that friends of our family would die in the world trade center? I do not want their one-sided judgement. McCain steps across the party lines, Obama does not. What type of person gets things done in Washington? A person who is not dependent upon only their party to get items passed.
Wake up American – if the man seems too good to be true he probably is-
However, I do think if a company is “OUTSOURCING AMERICAN JOBS” they should be paying more taxes here. They should not be able to get away with this since these major corporations have contributed to the mass unemployment here in this country- this includes my husband. And now we have the health care insurance issue of insurance being too high to afford. I do believe the $5000.00 will not be enough to help, but having grown up in “socilized” medicine programs as a military child I can tell you having totally socialized medicine is not the way to go. Look at Canada and how long people have to wait for major surgeries. I know many who come here for surgery and treatments due to the two plus years of waiting.
7:20 am
Wow… gotta say that it’s refreshing to see an old-time Conservative, someone who is honest.
Good job, Rick!
And just a note, to those that bring up the 70s & Carter. Had Pres Reagan not killed Carter’s energy initiatives, we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in now.
Probably no Iraq, 9/11, we’d have been weened off oil already, alternative technologies would’ve advanced, with the research tax credits, etc.
I don’t like Carter, but as much as everyone likes to bash Carter, the guy was prescient about energy… and Israel/Egypt have remained in relative peace for 30 years.
Lastly, I think my fellow Conservatives, need to get off the kool-aid, and start opening their minds again. Too many of us, have invested so much into the Limbaugh/Hannity ditto thought process, that the world is moving by us. Anger & hate aint going to get us back into power… it’ll be ideas & creativity, something the right has forgotten about for years. The Dems aren’t the Dems of the 70s anymore. They actually get fiscal responsibility, more than their forebears. We need more of an argument, than they’re Liberals, to regain power.
Another example, most of the military people I know, and there are many, are voting for Obama.
Why? Because the Libs are the ones unfailingly supporting the troops, these days, with their actions.
They actually learned from Viet Nam. We on the other hand, just keep believing we’re the righteous. We need to wake up, and revise our thought processes, and arguments, and move into the present. It aint the 70s anymore.
The old arguments don’t work. And this election is illustrating that people are moving away from the old time-tested arguments.
8:28 am
Basically Rick your analysis of both McCain’s debate performance and the Republican predicament are on the money. McCain’s performance the other night was fairly dire, the split screen images showing his agitation and tics was brutal. The invocations from some of “Joe the Plumber” are risible, Joe has turned out to be a phony, someone who doesn’t earn anywhere near $250k a year, doesn’t have a plumbers license, and has fiddled his taxes. As for Palin words fail me, if the GOP think she’s the future we’re out of power for 25 years. It’s hard to tell at this point whether this will turn into a blowout or a narrower victory. I’m deeply suspicious of these national polls because of the ability to play with screens in pursuit of the message the media want to present, that’s media of left and right btw. The state polls seem to be showing a decisive move in Obama’s direction, and it’s hard to argue when we’re having to defend NC and FL that things don’t look anything other than gloomy. Overall therefore, I lean to the blowout theory because believe me there is huge anger out there against Bush and the Republicans who are perceived to have created this huge mess. And there no getting away from the responsibility he and the party bear for one of the most disastrous periods of govt in US history. And this is without the impact of the younger vote, African Americans and Hispanics who I do think are all going to vote this year in numbers that are going to amaze the chattering classes. So in truth I don’t know what the solution is because if McCain goes down the rest of the ticket goes down with him. I suppose this is an argument for dancing with who brung you but at this stage in the game Rick it doesn’t really seem realistic to dump McCain.
11:11 am
Good analysis Rick, this blog is quickly becoming the go-to blog for free-thinking conservatives.
Regarding your update, the days of the Right wing “echo chamber” are over, whether or not all of your readers realize it. The weird pathology of one-mind orthodoxy that developed among conservatives since Clinton has simply ceased to serve us. Failed policies are failed policies, it doesn’t matter how loudly a political party wants to scream otherwise. The future of the Republican party lies with thinkers like you, Kathleen Parker, Christopher Buckley, and other smart people who are unafraid of entertaining new ideas and different approaches to entrenched problems.
On a related note, the liberals don’t need the Fairness Doctrine to make conservative media irrelevant. We’ve done it to ourselves by repeating each others’ empty rhetoric ad infinitum and refusing to adapt our thinking to changing circumstances. I look forward to a new generation of intelligent conservative representation, and if it takes a painful electoral defeat to get there, so be it.
12:53 pm
Gurldoggie,
thank you, I couldn’t have said it better.
1:34 pm
The Electoral Vote is another way to hold the people down and not allow the voice of the people to be real. Because they can’t trust us and me fellow Americans. It is like taxation without representation – and all the pork belly pigs put together.
There should be no such thing as a career politician there should be term limits and they should be out of office.
This would clean up Washington and should make they much more transparent. However if you insist in having Obama I will be glad to let him take the failed economy down more and the Dem’s get the blame.
I never really realized how many socialist we have.
5:26 pm
it is not over,,,,,,