Friday, November 17, 2006
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FAQ - Republican Congressional Leadership
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Posted by:
Dean Barnett at
4:23 PM
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1) How could this have happened? The entire weight and heft of the right-wing blogosphere stood behind a campaign to change the House leadership and nothing happened. Kos holds a putz-fest in Vegas and virtually the complete Democratic establishment comes to kiss his ring. Is the right wing blogosphere only capable of getting congressional types to give us a few minutes of their time on conference calls?
The right wing blogosphere has to deal with the facts. The politicians just aren’t that into us.
2) But how come the Democrats are so into the blogosphere and the Republicans aren’t? How come we don’t generate fear and respect like the Kosfather?
Because all we do is opine, and often in an annoyingly independent way. While all of us root for the Republican Party, we’re also pretty expressive when members of the party let us down. We might carry a little water, but as a group, I bet the Republican establishment thought of us as more as a pain in the neck than an asset during the last campaign season. I know I won’t be on George Allen’s Christmas card list.
3) And Kos is different?
Yes. Although he rips Democrats when he’s of a mind to do so, he also brings something else to the party. He brings volunteers and money and buzz. Although my modem might well explode as I type these words, Jon Tester would not be a senator starting in January if it weren’t for the Daily Kos. Same for Jim Webb. He never would have made it out of the primary.
4) Okay. So we should be more like Kos?
Not me. I have no interest in being a tool for the Republican Party, or at least not anymore so than I already am. But, and again my modem might explode, there is no denying that the Daily Kos is an asset to the Democratic Party in terms of winning elections. Or at least it was this past cycle.
5) Back on topic – how disastrous were the Republican leadership choices?
Eh. It would have been nice to have seen a new Newt Gingrich coronated, but I’m not sure there’s such a being in the Republican caucus. Besides, the congressional leadership just won’t be all that important over the next couple of years.
6) Now you tell me, after I waste a week of my life on conference calls with these guys who seem to think “book larnin’” is beneath them. Why’s that?
Because starting in about four months, the presidential race gets engaged. The message that comes from the party will be formed in that contest, every bit as much as the Democrats’ message in the second half of ’03 came from the fire-breathing mouth of Howard Dean.
7) But how about legislation? Won’t the lack of leadership hurt us there?
Well, we’ll probably cut-and-run on the minimum wage, but other than that I don’t see any Democratic boondoggles that will pass with a veto-proof majority. So all in all, it should be two years of stasis in Congress, which incidentally will beat the hell out of the last four years. (See “prescription drug benefits” for more details.)
8) But how about the war?
As you all know by now, I’ve had doubts raised this week about whether our Republican members of Congress actually understand the war beyond the battle in Iraq. As for the Democratic members of Congress, fuhgeddaboutit. A plane could crash into the Pentagon and they still wouldn’t get it.
The case for the war will have to be made by the White House and the presidential candidates. Personally, I have a lot more hope for the presidential candidates doing it competently than the White House.
9) What’s been the reaction in the blogosphere about the same Republican congressional leaders being re-signed for the 110th congress?
The reactions that I’ve read and that have come in my inbox have ranged from panic to outrage to outraged panic. Doesn’t seem like anyone is very happy today.
10) And yet you’re not on the verge of despair?
Not at all. Despair was last week with the election results, the shameful timing of the Rumsfeld firing and the Gates naming. The dye was cast then. There’s nothing that could have happened in the Republican leadership conference that could have put lipstick on this pig of a month.
Besides, I’m very excited about my Leave No Congressman Behind education plan.
Complaints? Compliments? Contact me at Soxblog@aol.com.
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"1) How could this have happened? The entire weight and heft of the right-wing blogosphere stood behind a campaign to change the House leadership and nothing happened. Kos holds a putz-fest in Vegas and virtually the complete Democratic establishment comes to kiss his ring. Is the right wing blogosphere only capable of getting congressional types to give us a few minutes of their time on conference calls?"
This is easy. Remember Daniel? The prophet. He of The Lion's Den?
He asked God for something, and he didn't get an answer for 21 days.
Later, he was told the answer was his on the first day - but the Messenger got held up in the traffic of Spiritual Warfare over Persia.
When Daniel was looking for answers, there was mucho Spritual Warfare.
My suggestion to you is to consider - who would mount Spiritual Warfare from Hell at KOS.
NOBODY!
Who would mount Spirtual Warfare from Hell at the RIGHT BLOGOSPHERE???
ALL OF HELL!
WHO in the RIGHT SIDE of POLITICAL LEADERSHIP would fight that off?
PRECIOUS FEW!
http://michellemalkin.com/
Note to CENTCOM
By Michelle Malkin · November 20, 2006 01:28 PM
It's really not a good idea to blow off bloggers who are trying to expose MSM errors that undermine the military. |
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GOP “Stay the Course” Strategy killing the Party
http://www.controlcongress.com
I found this comment on the PP from Jace Walden on a thread. Jace hit on the frustration I have been hearing from the Grass Root supporters of the GOP.
By re-electing the leaders that lead the GOP to its most crushing defeat ever, congressional republicans have shown that they have absolutely no desire to change their ways. Sure, they’ll talk the good talk about “small government” and what it means to be “conservative”, but in the end, it’s the same leaders who brought us the largest expansion of the Federal Bureaucracy in U.S. history.
They had a chance to change. They had a chance to elect Michael Steele as RNC Chair. But no, they chose a status quo Senator, Mel Martinez. They had a chance to elect Mike Pence as Minority Leader, but no, the chose the status quo John Boehner “I don’t even know who Mark Foley is” Boehner. They had a chance to elect ANYBODY but Trent Lott in the Senate…but no, they chose Trent “Give me the Pork” Lott.
I guess our national Republicans really did buy into that “stay the course” crap, because that is exactly what they’re doing with the party.
It’s already statistically impossible to win back the Senate in ‘08, just based on the small number of winnable seats. It’s unlikely the GOP will take back 30 seats in the house. AND, it’s probable that because of its lack of leadership and values, the GOP will LOSE the presidency in ‘08.
We can keep making excuses and keep blaming all of our problems on Pelosi and the “liberal democrats”, or we can demand a change from our own party. As it stands right now though, we stand to lose big in 2008.
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The Kos phenomenon works because his audience is net savvy and more inclusive of those with differing opinions. The Republican machine seems to be older, wealthier, less trendy and somewhat technophobic.
I just spent the last couple of hours reading the threads on both this site and on Kos. True, on some subjects Kos has just as big a group think, herd mentality as I see here on Townhall.com; but the commentary includes a vast subject matter missing on this site. I see references to hard science such as physics and biochemistry along with chemical names and links explaining these terms. On education, the thread meandered all over the spectrum including a positive nod toward home schooling and an exploration of vouchers. Here, all I see is the individual agreeing with the masses and little in the way of facts to back up what is posted. Plus, I sense a fear of posting a comment that could be construed as disloyal to the conservative cause.
For instance, this link is on Townhall.com’s home page. I read it. I’m interested. It sites facts, but there is no reference section, where the author should site his sources; so now I have to double check the facts on my own.
http://www.gppf.org/article.asp?RT=&p=pub/HealthCare/Consumer-DrivenHealthCare/HSAMyths061117.htm
The Kossacks post large inclusive quotations of articles they disagree with along with a link, so I can read the whole thing within context (with the exception of Murtha’s “total crap” quote). The Kossack threads have an easy camaraderie and friendly humor running through their site while they discuss very serious subject matter. This site is dry, not so funny and there’s a lack of genuine discussion. Well, let’s see if I can get one going …
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You're not still on dialup, are you?? ;-) |
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Having worked in a restaurant most of my adult life I can tell you that your analogy doesn't hold up -- at least not the way you intended. You see those people who eat pizza every Friday night "no matter what" are called "regulars". Any one who works in a business that relys on "regulars" will tell you what a pain in the butt they can be.
Sure they start out your biggest fans. They love you. You're the best. You can do no wrong. Then they start to see that your business depends on them so they start making "suggestions" on how you should be doing things and they start demanding special favors and considerations. Pretty soon they start to notice some previously missed flaws. About this time they start letting you know about all the other options that are out there. Heck they might even open up their own pizza place.
You know what? Maybe your analysis is right after all. |
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"How come we don’t generate fear and respect like the Kosfather?"
Of course they don't fear you. Most of you tell the GOP "I will vote GOP no matter what" "we don't want Pelosi" "don't want Hillary" You have absolutely no influence in the party. The problem is that you "root" for the GOP.
What is interesting to me is how the free market, capitalists, GOP voters don't get it.
If you owned a pizza joint and some customers said "I'll never go anywhere else on Friday night to eat pizza" "I'll always go to your pizza joint on Friday night". Would you care about their opinion on your pizza? You would not. You would care about the person who said they have choices and might go elsewhere to eat pizza on Friday night. Or, not eat pizza at all.
Hugh, Medved, Prager, have no influence in the party because right now they tell their listeners, vote GOP no matter what. They had no influence down the stretch 2006 with any GOP leaders as the GOP leaders know they will just tell their audience vote GOP.
You are correct. No GOP leaders fear you, because they have nothing to fear. Can anybody tell me what they would have to fear? You will eat their pizza on Friday night no matter how bad it tastes or how bad the service is. |
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You wrote: "Besides, the congressional leadership just won’t be all that important over the next couple of years."
During wartime the balance of power shifts to decidedly towards the executive branch, per constitutional design. Let's hope the Republicans can avoid imploding during their tenure in the minority. |
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I once knew a kid from the wrong side of the tracks in Memphis who often said, "A fair fight's a fool's fight." He also referred to half a brick as an "alley apple."
I am uncomfortable with the all-too-often (overtly or covertly) espoused position of the Right as "fair" and "nice" and "understanding" in the face of blatant misbehavior by the other side. What crap. Only an idiot attempts to play fair IN SPITE OF THE OPPONENTS TACTICS. Would you sit down and continue to play by the rules in a high-stakes poker game where you knew, without question, that one or more of the other players was regularly cheating and WOULD NEVER STOP? You would?! Oh...
News Flash for THOSE WHO ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES: Rational players cannot slavishly adhere to "rules" that require suicidal behavior, else the outcome will never be desirable. Stop. Please. |
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Hugh Hewitt, is the personification of the first of the seven deadly sins: The Pride!
He has been wrong on everything, from 2006 predictions to his hype about the new-media, and of course not to mention his latest adventure (Don Quixote de la Mancha fantasy, rather) in believing that he CAN impact the congress! Uh!!
Hopefully as he returns from Washington he realizes that this proverb "Pride goes forth on horseback grand and gay, and comes back on foot and begs its way" was written for him, exclusively!
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Just call me crazy, but to me illegal means illegal. Since when does punishment for doing something illegal only apply to real Americans.
As for the "conservative" democrats, who they gonna call when they can't accomplish their goals because their "party" bosses make sure they don't. Their oath of allegiance is to the party platform, not to those who elected them. |
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"Conservative" bloggers have been scratching their collective heads about over why conservative voters are so strident in their rejection of McCain, Guilliani, Allen and Frist as GOP front runners for 2008. Unbelievable. Why do we have to explain this to them? The reason Koz has traction is because there is a penalty for crossing him and his fellow nuts. They are a colossal pain in the side to liberals because they are clear about what they want and will not tolerate any "friends" who trifle with them. That is what is missing with conservative bloggers. Start embracing conservatives of all stripes: Dems, Reps and independents and punish the mealy-mouthed weasels who deceive us. We don't have to do it in the gutter like Koz but conservatives are very capable of articulating outrage in a civilized way. The NRA endorses is not loath to endorse Democrats who are pro-gun. Conservative bloggers should not be loath to endorse conservative Democrats when they are truer to the cause than their Republican opponent. The world makes a lot more sense once you become an unaffiliated independent. |
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Is you talking heads pretending like your ideas alone win elections. They do not. And your ideas about wrecking the party because it is not pure enough to your moving standards is annoying to say the least.
This election was lost verynarrowly becuase we did not focus on the job at hand, and becuase frankly a lot of people calling themselves conservative are wnating impossible things, like moving out 12+ million illegals.
We are Americans first, or should be.
Neither party spends anythinglike serious time talking about being Americans. It is always liberal or conservative or stopping one or the other.
That is not going to cut it. |
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and I am mad too. I am mad that Republican (so called) politicians did what they usually do when they have the opportunity to really accomplish some really important things, they can't find their boot straps. They become individuals at the precise moment that they need to be cohesive and let down they folks that hired 'em. I voted for them this last time but if they don't improve I don't know what I'll do next time. But, what I am most mad about is that the people I read posting on this site are far more aware of the serious problems we face than any politician I have heard, in a long time.
Thanks Dean, keep on keeping on! God Bless America! |
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The problem is that it is rarely clear who "us" is. If you mean conservatives, the blogs are dreadful. There is an increasing difference between being a conservative and being a Republican and based on the apparent tin ear of "conservative" bloggers to the conservative message delivered by voters in the recent election, they instead whine about the GOP losing because of dumb voters, biased media or anything except that Republican leadership is clearly not going to deliver the goods. The aftermath to the elections has confirmed that and yet, the only one to define the problem accurately has been Newt Gingrich by stating the conservatives did not lose the elections, Republicans did. It is a simple point but utterly impossible to convince the "Republican, right-or-wrong" crowd. Stop blaming us "selfish" conservatives for not being good team players. Take conservatives out of the GOP and you have a clone of the Democratic party. That is what voters were confronting in the elections. When forced to choose between a Democrat and a Democrat, voters will always vote for the Democrat. Where's the choice? |
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Have you noticed how OLD Bush is, now?
Imagine trying to explainthe budget for covert action and guantanomo, and etc to Boehner and friends? Imagine the politely blank looks as they wisk by "terrorism" to "what is this going to do for my voters back home"???
Every now and then, the Congressmen quote the Washington Post, or the NYT in their speeches. I had no idea that this is the extent of their reading about the world!!
On the other hand, watching CSpan lectures by the like of Robert Kaplan has revealed that in practically every audience there are Military guys, gravely making notes, thinking and asking good questions.
What does this say about the long term future of civilian control of the military? |
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Kos has other attributes which attract well known politicians:
Kos has the largest online audience at one website. Conservative/Libertarian blogs have a large audience, but their numbers are scattered over different sites and therefore, not as obvious as Kos's daily traffic.
Therefore, a liberal politician can post a letter on Kos and know that many thousands of potential supporters will read it. Conservative politicians don't see evidence of this result on the right of center blogs.
Kos keeps an extremely tight control over each commenter; banning posters who express the slight’s disagreement. Although, I find this harsh censorship rather reminiscent of a Nazi rally or a Jim Jones cult, I have to admit the results create one loud, unified internet voice that pushes certain opinions. Kos's megaphone makes a huge cannon-boom, while conservative blogs create an effect like firecrackers going off in a string. Why? As you said, we like our independence. Put two conservatives/libertarians in one room and you will have a debate.
Although democrats know they can't control Kos, [anymore than Republican politicians can control the conservative/libertarian blogs] they are forced to listen to its sheer audience size, and unifying message Kos is able to create. Smaller liberal blogs faithfully echo the same opinions, and liberal on digg and delicious gang- up [30 people will all post the same article and opinion/title] to order dominate political articles posted. Conservative articles seldom reach the main topics pages. The liberal bloggers, commenters and digg/delicious posters are far, far more organized and unified in their message.
This is the historical problem democracies face when struggling against a totalitarian message. A democratic message is often not unified, while totalitarian leadership can force dissent into silence. For a time, tyrants appear stronger because democracy's message by nature must be handicapped in the race.
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Your self-questioning and self-answering is unbelievably bad reading. Please stop it. Please!!! |
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Dean: Love your blogging, man. Hewitt is my main man, but you are now a close second. Why? Your perspective is consistent and your ideas come across as humbly considered and embraced. I have a fundamental disagreement/issue with your concern about being a tool for the GOP, though. If you agree that the locus of authority in the US political system is the "consent of the governed" then the GOP should be a tool for the people more than the other way around, no? We all know money makes the world (and the GOP) go around more than ideas (why bloggers like you and I, if I may). Yet, the power is in the voters, and ideas/values aggregate voters around specific positions. Bloggers like Kos have tapped this and now they wag the dog. It would be totally legit, and not a pawnish move, to corral voters through your (and others) blogging by bringing thoughtful perspectives to the big issues our representatives are facing. If, for example, there was a major push to get our representatives to BLOG THEMSELVES, we could know what they really think, rally behind them, and hold them more accountable, no? They would NEVER initiate this, but blogger-motivated-voting block could. Nothing to it but to do it, and guys like you, Hugh, and the Townhall crew (sorry) are the ones to initiate it. My friend, tell me I am wrong.
Sincerely,
mark@adeolumen.com |
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and then there is that fascinating James Webb: a novelist, a writer, a historian (well, not very good at the last); and now a Senator of the US of A.
How can he be so ignorant of the danger the West is in? His son is in Iraq, forgawdsakes.
Finally, after chewing it over, I have come to the conclusion that he is high centred on the War in Vietnam. He is like Lot's wife, a salt pillar on a black plain, forever looking back at Sodom.
Which only goes to show that "smart" is not necessarily "wise."
Anyway, I hope this mission to have the leadership of the Congress learn something - anything - about the Islamic threat succeeds. |
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I listened to Trent Franks rather long, for that type of event, acceptance speech. HE GETS THE WAR. He talked quite a bit about the war on terror. I was a bit surprised. It sounded much more like a campaign speech.
Kyl, Shadegg and McCain were there too; they GET IT. The Republican that lost his contest for Attorney General, Billy Montgomery, really gets it. He served in Iraq. He said, defiantly, that he will be back. I sure hope so.
But, I agree, too many do not. It's a damn shame if the leadership does not get it. Heck, I'm just another face in the electorate crowd and I have read the Looming Tower, America Alone and many other books since 9/11.
How could those that want to LEAD us, which also means PROTECTS us, not have enough interest, or concern, to have read those books or others like them?
It's a damn shame this war has been politicized. God help us. |
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DB: You told me yesterday that the repub leadership doesn't even read the blogs. You have no direct influence with our current crop of porkers, and you will never have any influence.
You are correct that the message on the jihadist war will be carried, if it is ever carried, by the presidential candidates, if there is a potential leader out there (who dat?).
All of our hopes lie in the coming failures of the dhimmi leadership, not the repubs. Nancy and Harry will carry the water for us until 2008.
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Because their ideas are largely atavistic the left is obliged to underwrite their campaigns with mega-donors and although Kos was a kind of force in the election, it's a chimera to believe he was a major force.
That stated, the left has always exceled at being anti-establishment, which in our age has a certain cultural cache. Being the champions of traditional values, smaller goverment (in principle if not action in recent years), and a robust military, Republicans are at an appreciable disadvantage because virtually every message emanating from the mainstream media, academia, and the entertainment world lobbies forcefully--if disingenuously and speciously--against it.
What the leftist blogosphere has demonstrated is that in contemporary America all it takes is straw power to convince many people that their ideas have integrity, and in that regard they were highly successful.
(A slight correction re: "the dye is cast": I believe it's "die.")
For more about the election and politics in general, I'm at:
http://clearcommentary.townhall.com or
http://www.clearcommentary.com |
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"The reactions that I’ve read and that have come in my inbox have ranged from panic to outrage to outraged panic."
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Panicked outrage is more like it.
Typical ivory-tower blogger, I swear. |
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You sum up the situation well. Thanks for your honesty. It's refreshing.
You are dead right about Kos. If there was an equivalent GOP site that brought serious cash to the GOP table--sure you get some more attention. But there is about as much love and affection between Kos the Democratic Party as there is between a john and prostitute. The Democratic party wants the money Kos can funnel in--but the love is simulated. |
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Kos is a good thing.
He is very bad. His one project was to help Lamont. He failed.
Kos drastically over reached. he is not a super-rep. Nor are we. We hopefully know this. Kos does not.
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