DeMint: States can lead conservative comeback
Since the 2012 election, some conservatives have blamed their losses on their message while others pointed fingers at the messengers. Truth is, both camps have a point.
That’s why Jim DeMint aims to tackle both problems from his new perch at the Heritage Foundation, which he is joining as president after eight years as a U.S. senator from South Carolina.
“I’m convinced if we have the right ideas, the right messengers, the right message, we can win,” DeMint told me Tuesday before greeting Heritage members at the Westin Buckhead.
Part of the challenge is stylistic: “We can’t just talk like a bunch of engineers” about things like budget deficits, he argued.
“We’ve got to help people see how our policies actually can make their lives better. … And the way we can do it is actually put the camera on people whose lives have been changed.”
DeMint pointed specifically to the different approaches GOP-led Pennsylvania and Democrat-controlled New York have taken to their natural-gas deposits which have been made more accessible by hydraulic-fracturing, or “fracking,” technology.
“It’s almost like a line between North and South Korea,” DeMint said. “On one side, in New York, they’re not developing the energy. And on the Pennsylvania side, we can talk to families whose lives are better” because of the jobs that have come thanks to fracking.
There will be more opportunities for making such comparisons thanks to the one area where conservatives actually made inroads last November.
“We’ve got more conservative governors and legislatures, [and] they’re doing bold things now with the states on school choice, with tax reform. … We’ve just got to showcase those ideas and show how they’re working.”
Even without a turnover of power in Washington, DeMint said there are ways for conservative state leaders to prod the feds in the right direction.
He pointed to the 26 states that sued to overturn Obamacare. While they didn’t get the entire law declared unconstitutional, they did persuade the Supreme Court to rule Congress was overly coercive in threatening to reduce the states’ existing Medicaid funding if they didn’t expand the program.
But despite their legal victory, some conservative governors have been reluctant to decline the expansion — and the federal funds that come with it, albeit at a cost of billions of dollars for the states.
“Some governors realize this is a dead-end street,” he said. “At some point, you’ve got to say, ‘Keep your money, we’re going to make it ourselves.’ That’s where we have to really work on block-grant ideas, so that states can get back the money they send up there, whether it be for transportation or education or Medicaid.
“We’re going to try to build a coalition of states that will push back against the federal government on these things. I think we’re close to having half the states who would come together to just say no.”
Banding together will become even more crucial very soon, he warned.
“What you’re going to see over the next few years, is these states that are failing, with terrible tax policy, regulatory policy, energy policy, they’re going to be in Washington needing a bailout,” he said.
“That’s why I think this coalition of states, what I might call a Coalition of Responsible States, is so important, to give each other support and push back against the federal government.”
– By Kyle Wingfield
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577 comments Add your comment
Dusty
February 18th, 2013
1:02 pm
Sorry REAL ATHENS
Dick Armey did not mention the Titanic as far as I know. I did.
Don’t revise the source. Try to stay on course without fabrication. Really!. Even in Athens.
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:03 pm
md,
Germany is back in a recession too.
Balancing the budget may make you feel good but another w could win to blow it out again.
Politico
February 18th, 2013
1:05 pm
The ironic thing about the articles that td posted about over sampling of Democrats and any poll saying Romney was going to win is that he still doesn’t see the blatant BIAS of where that info cam from…
He can’t see that irony to the extent he still uses those same websites to post info as if it was the unbiased truth
Bwhahahahahahaahahah
md
February 18th, 2013
1:06 pm
“I’m not saying that Germany isn’t doing right for Germany, but is there growth rate higher or lower than the US at this point in time?”
Does it matter what the growth rate is when they are achieving a balanced budget and are lowering unemployment? Get those 2 right and the growth will take of itself.
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:07 pm
I watch corporate news network and the majority of anchors are republican.
Hillbilly D
February 18th, 2013
1:07 pm
In the old days, a good journalist was one in which the reader/viewer could not tell as to what party/view a jounalist might favor, now they wear it on their sleeves……on both “sides”.
Amen to that.
EU
My view on the European Union is that it was doomed the day it started. Too many different cultures, ideas, philosophies, etc, with centuries old history of conflict for it to ever work. Bigger ain’t always better, often it isn’t. As soon as Germany figures out they’re toting the mail for everybody else, it’ll start to come unhinged. Maybe they can manage to do it without killing off a few million of each other, this time.
Robert
February 18th, 2013
1:07 pm
@Tiberius – Congratulations!!!…You ae the first person to admitt being a member of the homegrown terrorist group(s) known as the “tea party” (klansmen, skinheads, militia’s, birther’s, etc.). What branch are you affiliated? Your family, friends and neighbors know who you are. Thank you for taking off your hood, sheet and combat boots. Welcome to the civilized world.
The American People (elderly, women, minorities, gays & lesbians, Christains, Muslims & Jews, etc.)
td
February 18th, 2013
1:08 pm
etalife
February 18th, 2013
12:58 pm
The time to cut is at full employment but you cut too much and go back to a recession and massive layoffs..
You have to be very careful because the global economy depends on a strong US economy.
There are no actual REAL cuts actually even be proposed by either party (except in the military). Point out to me one study that shows one department decreasing the amount of money they currently receive in future years (not based on current anticipated increases)?
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:08 pm
md,
The last piece of our recovery is unemployment and austerity will make it worse.
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:09 pm
td,
Read the CBO reports on the sequester.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 18th, 2013
1:09 pm
As I commented yesterday, I can see right through the right wing bias that Drudge occasionally puts up but I forgot to mention that it’s because I have a brain.
Do you need any help pointing out the libs on this blog who swallow up what ever pmsnbc has to say without question?
Dusty
February 18th, 2013
1:10 pm
getalife,
I was wondering myself about @@. Don’t know why she isn’t posting. I hope everything is OK. She’s been with us a long time. Always interesting.
Robert
February 18th, 2013
1:10 pm
Jim DeMints salary from the Heritage Foundation is 1 million per year which is over 10 times more he made as a US Congressman from SC. It is time to stop “corporate welfare”.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
February 18th, 2013
1:11 pm
“Rachael Maddow ( Yes she is very liberal ) is doing a great piece on exposing the outright lies told to the American people leading to the disaster in Iraq.”
Can’t wait to see how many PDB’s she attended in the Oval Office to back up her claims of “lies”.
Politico
February 18th, 2013
1:11 pm
Dusty
No you don’t get it. You don’t like what Kristol said so it is best for you to deflect and say he was joking
Of course it was you that stated the Dems ran the House for the last four years, so your political opinions and knowledge are lacking to say the least
Hillbilly D
February 18th, 2013
1:12 pm
Maybe @@ has achieved her dream of moving to the flatlands in LA (Lower Alabama) (IWH)
md
February 18th, 2013
1:12 pm
“Germany is back in a recession too.”
Do you ever do any research or do you just post any ole thought that pops into your head?
Germany had one quarter of contraction, which is not a recession…..yet. And it appears it will not be:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57569850/bundesbank-says-germany-will-avoid-recession/
Now, we also had a contraction and we are spending…….will we be in a recession? If we are, then what excuse will you folks be using?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
February 18th, 2013
1:15 pm
Robert, I’m not a member of ANY party. I’m a Constitutionalist.
You’re not ready to debate at that high a level.
You are also not authorized by me to put words in my mouth.
You may speak for you, and you alone. Any attempt to speak for a group such as “the American People” shows you to be a liar.
yuzeyurbrane
February 18th, 2013
1:16 pm
Jim Dement is a poor excuse for a thinker. Kyle, you can do better than that as someone to idolize. Actually, in large part, it is the larger higher tax states, most of which are blue, that are attracting the high tech industries of the future—e.g. Calif., Mich., NY, Mass. What is their approach? Quality education, infrastructure, good public services, etc. Ga. is example of the opposite and will continue to sink to 50 in all rankings until it starts learning from blue state examples.
Aquagirl
February 18th, 2013
1:16 pm
what ever pmsnbc has to say
Aesop, doing his part to insure Democrat supremacy. Bravo sir. Dependable as ever.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 18th, 2013
1:16 pm
@robert – Congratulations on being the first to admit to belonging to the taliban, al qaeda, muslim brotherhood, peta, naral, planned parenthood, and greenpeace. Good luck in 2014 when your idol isn’t on any ballots and the wholesale morons who vote for you won’t be able to remember who to vote for.
The Taxed Enough Already Party will.
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:17 pm
Hillbilly D,
I am surprised it lasted so long too.
But the bigger surprise is how a communists country like China changes to keep their economy going.
They use stimulus in large job projects and their infrastructure is very good.
TiredOfIt
February 18th, 2013
1:18 pm
Tiberius – pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
February 18th, 2013
1:11 pm
“Rachael Maddow ( Yes she is very liberal ) is doing a great piece on exposing the outright lies told to the American people leading to the disaster in Iraq.”
Can’t wait to see how many PDB’s she attended in the Oval Office to back up her claims of “lies”.
++
I will admit that Rachael is no Steve “the smirk” Ducey and thank God.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 18th, 2013
1:19 pm
Aesop, doing his part to insure Democrat supremacy.
aq – If people choose to be stupid, against all the overwhelming evidence, who am I to stop them?
But the one thing you can be positively sure of, I will never join them.
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:21 pm
md,
There are reports by one minister saying they will avoid recession and some reports say they are in a recession.
Hillbilly D
February 18th, 2013
1:21 pm
getalife
In my opinon, China is a big bubble waiting to pop. They have several problems on the horizon, one is that they have an aging population (remember the one child policy) and the other is that as people start to live better, they inevitably want a bigger slice of the pie. Regardless of what economic system it uses, China is what it always was (since the Revolution) a totalitarian state. That’s the common thread through all of it, those in power won’t give it up voluntarily.
Tiberius
You might enjoy this book if you haven’t read it.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ratification-pauline-maier/1102002804?ean=9780684868547
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
February 18th, 2013
1:23 pm
Thanks for the book recommendation, Hillbilly D!
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 18th, 2013
1:26 pm
You wouldn’t believe how many pissed off dummycrats there are out there, these toadstools who voted for obozo thinking they were going to stick it to the Man, and now they are getting pounded by tax hikes and obozocare.
Can you say over reach?
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:29 pm
Hillbilly D,
Yes, I am surprised China’s bubble has not popped yet but their government moves quickly to keep it going.They are adapting Hong Kong’s policy on corruption to try to end that cancer. They are pumping stimulus after any signs of slow down. Their government acts fast.
Dusty
February 18th, 2013
1:32 pm
Dear Politico,
Still watching for typos… Poor baby. Try to widen your outlook a bit. That might help.
md
February 18th, 2013
1:32 pm
“But the bigger surprise is how a communists country like China changes to keep their economy going.”
And folks need to remember that China took off AFTER it unleashed capitalism…….
md
February 18th, 2013
1:33 pm
“There are reports by one minister saying they will avoid recession and some reports say they are in a recession.”
They can’t be “in” recession until after this quarter, so no they are not in recession.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 18th, 2013
1:33 pm
It’s absolutely psychotic to blame the 6 Trillion dollar increase in debt over the last 4 years on Bush, but does that stop the liberals from doing it?
Am I supposed to become a psychotic too?
Robert
February 18th, 2013
1:38 pm
@Aesop’s Fables – Congratulations!!!…You are the 2nd person to admitt being a member of the homegrown terrorist group(s) known as the “tea party” (klansmen, skinheads, militia’s, birther’s, etc.). What branch are you affiliated? Your family, friends and neighbors know who you are. Thank you for taking off your hood, sheet and combat boots. Welcome to the civilized world.
The American People (elderly, women, minorities, gays & lesbians, Christains, Muslims & Jews, etc.) who voted for President Obama in 2008 & 2012. Thank you God…
Politico
February 18th, 2013
1:38 pm
Speaking of outlook, Dusty, you might want to start with the House and who runs it
Your welcome
And I said nothing today about typos
That was your paranoia
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:39 pm
md,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/feb/14/eurozone-crisis-live-recession-germany
If they show growth this quarter, you are technically correct but overall the EU’s economy is pathetic.
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:41 pm
“Am I supposed to become a psychotic too?”
Did you get treated yet?
Politico
February 18th, 2013
1:41 pm
You are not your
See I typo as well
md
February 18th, 2013
1:44 pm
“If they show growth this quarter, you are technically correct but overall the EU’s economy is pathetic.”
Of course it is…..socialism is the disease not the cure. Too many of those countries spending what they don’t have, raising taxes to pay for it and killing themselves in the process. Gov’t generates no capital, but it spends it quite well.
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:47 pm
md,
If you read their history, they turned to socialism after revolution because income equality was horrible.
So, if you don’t want socialism here, you have to address income equality.
Robert
February 18th, 2013
1:50 pm
@Aesop’s Fables – I want to offer you my condolences. The American People (elderly, women, minorities, gays & lesbians, Christains, Muslims & Jews, etc.) have spoken loud and clear and rejected the “Taxed Enough Already” Party. – The “tea party” is DEAD. May God have mercy on their hateful, fear and bigoted souls..
Thank you God…
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:50 pm
Canada did not buy into the mortgage scam and ended the penny.
They use socialized health care and their economy is doing well.
I think we should look at what works in other countries and use these ideas like ending the penny.
md
February 18th, 2013
1:54 pm
“So, if you don’t want socialism here, you have to address income equality.”
Never happen, as long as there is no equality in choices there can be no equality in income…..
Should a student that CHOOSES to study 24/7, does no partying and makes A’s have to share those A’s with a student that CHOOSES to party 24/7, does no studying and makes F’s??
That scenario applies to just about everything in life and we choose everything we do…….
getalife
February 18th, 2013
1:55 pm
md,
When the top 1% controls all of the wealth, people give up and start a revolution.
Read history.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 18th, 2013
2:00 pm
It’s totally mindless to sit around dwelling over something that happened ten years ago, that both houses of Congress voted to approve and even the freaking UN gave it’s blessing to, while the Middle East is currently being over run with terrorists, but does that stop the liberals?
Am I supposed to become mindless too?
md
February 18th, 2013
2:01 pm
“When the top 1% controls all of the wealth, people give up and start a revolution.”
All what wealth?
That is your problem, along with those that think like you. There is no limit on the wealth in this country when we live in a global economy.
Answer this, and maybe, just maybe you may see the light……how did China get so big so quick?
Hint, it has to do with shipping them our wealth.
getalife
February 18th, 2013
2:02 pm
Dusty,
I lost @@’s email address but RW might be able to shoot her a email to check up on her.
getalife
February 18th, 2013
2:03 pm
md,
Lets start with a no brainer like raising the minimum wage:
http://srv116.services.gc.ca/dimt-wid/sm-mw/rpt2.aspx?lang=eng&dec=5
Centrist
February 18th, 2013
2:03 pm
Good luck md in holding off the partisan liberals – you are nearly alone now using logic and facts. I don’t stay engaged with the more outrageous posters.
And, I’m outta here.
getalife
February 18th, 2013
2:04 pm
“Am I supposed to become mindless too?”
That ship sailed with a birth certificate.