With the day rapidly approaching when Hillary Clinton makes her announcement that she is running for president in 2016, the Republican Party must confront her on at least five issues if they hope to defeat her media-supported steamroller candidacy.
First and foremost don’t repeat the circular firing squad they conducted during the Republican primaries in 2014. Republicans attacked each other with venom, and in particular the recognized Republican front-runner Mitt Romney. It’s OK to confront policy differences on how to address specific issues, but stay away from all the negativity and personal attacks that took place the last time. The focus should be on what Republican candidates intend to do to confront the challenges facing the country, and how Republican solutions differ from the large government intrusion and control always offered by the Democrats.
Second, tie Hillary Clinton in every way to Barack Obama and his unpopular approach to governing. Point out that Hillary’s very indifference towards following rules and regulations as exhibited by her use of a private e-mail system to avoid accountability will guarantee her ruling by decree as Barack Obama has done, as opposed to working out differences and compromising with the legislative branch. America has had enough of Barack Obama’s “pen and phone”, and Americans don’t want a repeat under a Hillary Clinton administration.
Third, remind Americans that leopards don’t change their spots. Is America ready for a White House occupied by the Clintons and their ‘unique’ (to say the least) marriage once more ? Point out to Americans that the record of the Bill Clinton presidency isn’t nearly as good as people seem to want to remember. And remind Americans that much of what he achieved was as a direct result of being dragged kicking and screaming into compromises with the Republican controlled congress. Hillary Clinton will be much more strident than Bill Clinton was, and much less likely to reach compromises.
The fourth thing Republicans need to do is to ensure that Americans know about Hillary Clinton’s history of lies and deceit, going as far back as her days on the Watergate Committee when she was fired for dishonesty. Her despicable behavior during the Benghazi tragedy and afterwards needs to be continually brought to the attention of the public. With the four Americans who were killed lying in flag-draped coffins behind her, Hillary continued to blame their deaths on a YouTube video, and this needs to be brought up often and repeatedly.
And finally, do not allow Hillary or the media to portray her as a victim of the Republican “War on Women” who is being attacked by male chauvinist Republicans. Point out how the Republican record on supporting opportunity for women stands in stark contrast to what is offered by Democrats who offer only platitudes, slogans, and trinkets in the form of freebies that do little to truly empower women. Hillary needs to be confronted and treated as any other candidate would be, and not with ‘kid gloves’ by Republicans worried about being portrayed as too tough on her. Republicans need to accept the fact that they will be portrayed that way no matter what they do, so deal with it and move forward to show the immense governing and policy differences between Hillary and the Democrats, and what Republicans can offer that is better.
Hillary Clinton will be a formidable candidate with the media and the Hollywood elites firmly behind her. The only way to defeat the ‘Hillary Steamroller’ will be for Republicans to offer solutions to Americans, whereas Hillary will only offer excuses and blame.
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