You Can’t Beat Obama with Personalities
Republicans, continually out of touch with the American people, often seem like children trying to understand complicated information. They get focused on one issue and seem unable to move away. During Clinton’s years, it was attacking Clinton. If they did that, they viewed themselves as having success. For Bush, it was terrorism and 9/11. Now as their star has faded, with Democrats solidly in control of both the Legislative and Executive branches of the Federal government, what do the Republicans focus on? Race and personality.
They must see Obama as a man who won only on the basis of his charisma and his race. This is a mistake made time and time again by his opponents. Hillary Clinton attempted to attack Obama on this basis. So did John McCain. What they both came to realize is that there’s a lot more substance behind that style. Sure, Obama’s a great speaker, but he’s got solid ideas.
But who do the Republicans trot out? Michael Steele, African American, for Chairman of the Republican Party. Bobby Jindal, Indian American, Governor of Louisiana, to give the response to Obama’s speech. Sarah Palin, woman, Governor of Alaska, to sink the McCain campaign. These people don’t have fresh ideas, but they aren’t White males. Republicans, get it straight – “different” only exists in your whitewashed world. These folks don’t sound any different, they just got on a different polish.
It doesn’t help the Republicans that Obama now owns the word “bipartisanship.” In any poll, when the American people are asked who they think is trying to unite the parties, they aren’t saying Republicans. And the Republicans arguments aren’t working. So running on a platform that merely opposes Obama isn’t going to work either.
When Republican governors stand up and tout the fact that they will turn down some of the stimulus money, it rings as shallow. Their states are suffering, their people are suffering, and the Federal government is here to help. When they turn down $90 million, it sounds like a lot, but on the whole scale, $90 million of $3+ billion is pretty pitiful. If they want to live their “principles” let ‘em, but the voters are going to find those principles pretty distasteful when the next election cycle comes around.
In the end, the Republicans need new and innovative ideas. They must drop their social policies (which kill them among young people), get some economists on their side, and start proposing good ideas. If the Republicans can really envision a new path for America, then they can capitalize on lack of success from the stimulus plan. But if all they can do is look like obstructionists, then the Republican party is in serious danger of extinction.
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