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| Spengler: Letting Obama force a Constitutional crisis is the best Republican choice |
| 2013-10-02 |
| It's worth considering the risks and rewards in the budget standoff, which is first and foremost a battle for control of the Republican Party and the shape of the 2014 and 2016 primaries. The Republican Party of John McCain and Mitt Romney lost two presidential elections, the second to a weak candidate in a weak economy. Left to its own devices, it will lose the next presidential election and all the following ones. By picking a fight on Obama's least popular position, namely health care, the conservative wing of the party galvanized the party base and forced the House leadership into a fight. In a June 27 poll, the Gallup organization found that just 22% of Americans expected Obamacare to improve their family's health situation, while 47% expected it to make it worse. As my old partner Jude Wanniski used to say, the electorate is like a diamond, waiting to be cut at exactly the right spot. Ted Cruz pointed the chisel correctly. Opposing a bad program, to be sure, is not the same as building a national majority around a good program. The Republican Party is a long way from that. Just as the conservative wing of the party needed its chance after the Nixon and Ford debacles of the 1970s, the conservative wing of the party needs to take its shot after the abysmal performance of the McCain wing--or there will be no party at all. It well may be true that shutting down the government hurts the Republicans in the short run. That is immaterial; there is no way to get from here to there except by making a stand against Obamacare. There is no downside, for the Republican Party as presently configured already is a guaranteed loser. A reinvigorated conservative leadership has a chance of leading the party to victory. And then what? |
| Posted by:g(r)omgoru |
| #11 At the end of the article: That isnÂ’t enough: they have to present a credible program to restore economic growth and opportunity. Good luck with that. Even with restored opportunities, economic growth may be minimal. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2013-10-02 18:21 |
| #10 What do you suppose would be the effect of a taser on a horse? At best, a thrown rider. At worst, a hoof through your skull. Rather risky. Cattle prods pack more oomph and its best to get them just behind the front legs. Don't ask how I know this. |
| Posted by: S.A.M. New Delhi Field Office 2013-10-02 14:51 |
| #9 I think the crisis has been stewing for long before then Whiskey rebellion? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2013-10-02 14:31 |
| #8 "What do you suppose would be the effect of a taser on a horse?" I'd rather you tazed the rider - the poor horse isn't at fault. |
| Posted by: Barbara 2013-10-02 13:31 |
| #7 I think you mean January 2009 - when Obumbles swore (and almost immediately broke) his first oath of office. But I think the crisis has been stewing for long before then. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2013-10-02 12:05 |
| #6 Lots of 'beef stir-fry' at the local Chinese restaurants? |
| Posted by: Raj 2013-10-02 11:39 |
| #5 What do you suppose would be the effect of a taser on a horse? |
| Posted by: Canuckistan sniper 2013-10-02 11:28 |
| #4 If I weren't working, I would go up to DC just to defy them. It should be interesting if the government starts arresting these veterans. The news pictures would be interesting "There is James Jones, age 88, who was an 18 year old infantryman at the Battle of the Bulge, being arrested for visiting the WW II memorial". |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2013-10-02 11:20 |
| #3 It was reported that mounted police will be patrolling the WWII memorial today. Amazing how an open monument that didn't require any attention 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year suddenly needs mounted police. Can you say 'police state' boys and girls? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2013-10-02 10:32 |
| #2 The "Constitutional Crisis" began in January of 2008. What we are seeing today are simply more nails in the coffin of liberty. It was reported that mounted police will be patrolling the WWII memorial today. Symbols of American greatness and heraldry were the Champ's first targets. Sending back to England, the Oval Office bust of Churchill on his first day in office, an early indicator of things to come. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2013-10-02 08:56 |
| #1 "A reinvigorated conservative leadership has a chance of leading the party to victory". This will be Democrat and Republican and Independent conservatives. The real tea party. The left and media want to squash them but they can't. They are so outnumbered. They only need a voice to focus their energy and drive. The tropical depression is developing. Perhaps a hurricane. We will have to keep watch. This could be a cat 5. :) Another Regan event with no Tip O'Neil to bugger things up. |
| Posted by: Dale 2013-10-02 06:27 |