GOP’s reform report arrives at a debate already well under way
The Republican National Committee has released its “autopsy” on the 2012 election and outline of how to win future federal elections, and it appears to pull no punches. But I have a bone to pick with the way it is being reported, for instance by the Associated Press story linked by my AJC colleague Jim Galloway:
In calling for the GOP to develop “a more welcoming conservatism,” the report rebukes those who remain in denial about the seriousness of the problem and those who are unwilling to broaden the party’s appeal.
A just-concluded gathering of conservatives in Washington cheered speaker after speaker who urged the GOP to stick to its guns and, instead, largely blamed the 2012 defeat on Romney or the way he ran his campaign.
I don’t know whether the AP reporter was at CPAC, the “just-concluded gathering” to which the story referred, and which I attended. But that second paragraph, in my view, completely misrepresents the take-away from the conference.
To say the attendees “cheered speaker after speaker who urged the GOP to stick to its guns” is about a gross a generalization as I can think of. What does it mean? That the attendees want the GOP to ignore the kind of reforms mentioned in the report? That none of the speakers, or at least none of the ones who were “cheered,” urged any changes?
Nonsense. Utter and complete nonsense.
The winner of the CPAC straw poll for possible 2016 presidential candidates was Sen. Rand Paul, who said the GOP had grown “stale and moss-covered,” voiced support for “liberty in both the economic and personal sphere” and specifically referred to the distaste the “Facebook generation” has for jail sentences for nonviolent drug offenders. Is that sticking to one’s guns?
Or how about the loud cheers for Sen. Marco Rubio, who finished second to Paul in the straw poll and has been one of the most prominent Republicans working on the kind of “comprehensive immigration reform” the authors of the RNC report suggested? Or the fact that the members of the most prominent panel on immigration at CPAC scarcely considered the possibility of not reforming immigration in a way that includes offering legal status for most of the illegal immigrants already present in the U.S.? Is that sticking to one’s guns?
It wasn’t the lack of minority outreach — which nearly every possible presidential contender mentioned, with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush perhaps hitting the point hardest — to which CPAC speakers and attendees were clinging. Indeed, the person who gained the most stature in the conservative movement from his CPAC appearance was probably Benjamin Carson, a black neurosurgeon from Maryland (you may have heard his recent speech at the National Prayer Breakfast) who spoke eloquently and forcefully, drawing extended ovations when he hinted at wanting to run for office soon.
It wasn’t an obsession with debts and deficits, which Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal knocked in his speech. Nor was it coziness with Big Business, which most of the aspiring candidates said the GOP must jettison.
I don’t mean to pick on the AP reporter, but such generalizations only feed the idea that conservative activists are hostile to the kinds of reforms the RNC report urges. In fact, one of my earlier blog posts from CPAC described the debate about consultants’ role in torpedoing GOP electoral chances as the one with “the most passionate disagreements” because there was hardly any disagreement about the need to make the other changes mentioned above.
Perhaps the speakers got preview copies of the report and took their cues from it. Certainly, their words last week were only that — words, still to be confirmed by actions. (The same holds true, let’s note, for the RNC report.) Obviously, the GOP since 1992 has experienced the same record of string of presidential-election difficulties the Democrats faced from 1968 through 1988, and it has to change the way it approaches the electorate in some key ways.
But the good news, if you want to see Republicans elected, is that some of the party’s brightest emerging stars are already staking out ground that moves in the direction of change. This necessary process has already begun.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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414 comments Add your comment
getalife
March 19th, 2013
12:38 pm
Benghazi!
JDW
March 19th, 2013
12:40 pm
@Tiberius…”Once again, sailfish, it was Navy Seals who finished the job.”
My My what a piece of work you are…you give Obama no credit for having the fortitude to issue the order, the same order Duhbya declined to issue at Tora Bora mind you. Yet you like to blame him for spending in FY2009, a year that was budgeted and appropriated before he took office.
Welcome to The Tiberius Zone…
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 19th, 2013
12:42 pm
Most people do not disagree with the positions of the low morals herd because they don’t want some pencil neck screaming in their face or throwing feces at them.
But the sods are scared of me, they know I won’t cave in over their antics and they’ll probably wind up with a black eye for their troubles.
What a great way to lead our country, just bully everybody that disagrees with you.
fascism at it’s finest.
breckenridge
March 19th, 2013
12:42 pm
Gee Dusty you’re a little touchy today. But facts are facts and the fact is the national debt increased $4.7 trillion while Bush was president. This is not breaking news or anything, it’s been on the books for 5 years. Now you can try to spin that any way you wish, or excuse it any way you wish, but the fact is that is what happened. GW was not a fiscal conservative.
Ultimately it is the job of Congress to act in a fiscally responsible manner. And so the real blame for this mess lies with every democrat who has served in Congress over the past 5 years and every republican who served in Congress between 2001 and 2008. Except for Jeff Flake from Arizona. And recently retired Ron Paul from Texas, who was actually a libertarian. Those two are true fiscal conservatives.
Finn McCool (the system isn't broken; it's fixed)
March 19th, 2013
12:43 pm
work em into a tizzy
Politico
March 19th, 2013
12:43 pm
“But the sods are scared of me, they know I won’t cave in over their antics and they’ll probably wind up with a black eye for their troubles. ”
As he shadow boxes from behind his keyboard…… that had him huffing and puffing within 3 swings…….
Got to love those internet tough guys
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 19th, 2013
12:44 pm
obozo didn’t stay the course and cut and ran from Iraq and now the libbies are bewildered because iran meddles. But Iraq is strong, Cheney showed them how to kick a$$, they will prevail.
How many democracies have you libs ever created, huh?
the people’s republic of vietnam?
Finn McCool (the system isn't broken; it's fixed)
March 19th, 2013
12:46 pm
Ok, I guess Benghazi happened on W’s watch.
Where was W? How long did he just sit and read that 4th grade book???
JDW
March 19th, 2013
12:46 pm
@Dusty…”If Bush was asleep on 9/11 so was Clinton since Bush had been in office NINE MONTHS.”
Not so much…It is well documented that Clinton conveyed to Duhbya that the greatest threat we faced was Bin Laden. Clark asked for a Principal’s meeting on the subject in January 2001…Duhbya worked it into his schedule on September 4, 2001…too late.
Politico
March 19th, 2013
12:47 pm
Japan and Germany not so wise one
Finn McCool (the system isn't broken; it's fixed)
March 19th, 2013
12:48 pm
How many democracies have you libs ever created, huh?
Like you Cons have created any? Any that are safe and functional? LOL
JDW
March 19th, 2013
12:49 pm
“Oh, maybe due to the additional trillions in new taxes?”
O yes…’cause taxes are soooooooooooooooo high right now…oooopppss not so much.
Politico
March 19th, 2013
12:49 pm
“Cheney showed them how to kick a$$, they will prevail.”
Three deferment Cheney says “what”
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 19th, 2013
12:49 pm
p-lo Truman wasn’t a flaming degenerate like this current crop of liberals, could we try to remain on subject?
JDW
March 19th, 2013
12:50 pm
“How many democracies have you libs ever created, huh?”
Germany and Japan pop to mind.
Politico
March 19th, 2013
12:50 pm
“p-lo Truman wasn’t a flaming degenerate like this current crop of liberals, could we try to remain on subject?”
Translation: waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
JDW
March 19th, 2013
12:51 pm
“the people’s republic of vietnam?”
Actually Ike started that one.
Politico
March 19th, 2013
12:52 pm
“the people’s republic of vietnam?”
Nixon says “what”
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 19th, 2013
12:52 pm
I wouldn’t be bragging on WW2 either, it only took our entire fleet being sent to the bottom of the ocean by some minor island nation to get roosevelt off his a$$.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 19th, 2013
12:54 pm
Actually Ike started that one.
Yep and the libs finished it the only way they know how – surrender monkey.
Finn McCool (the system isn't broken; it's fixed)
March 19th, 2013
12:54 pm
Cons like to start wars in places where we have zero chance of losing – makes em look like big men. Granada, Panama, Iraq.
And yet they still manage to screw it up – Iraq 2, Afghanistan.
Politico
March 19th, 2013
12:55 pm
Aesop
You have taken moving your own goal post to a new level………. You attempt top move the stadium………. but keep swinging.
You are a menace………… in your own mind. Keep it not so tough guy
Peace
Politico
March 19th, 2013
12:55 pm
“Yep and the libs finished it the only way they know how – surrender monkey.”
Nixon says “what”
Politico
March 19th, 2013
12:57 pm
“keep it up……….”
Dusty
March 19th, 2013
12:57 pm
Oh my, liberals are going to praise Obama for the only thing they can remember. OBAMA GOT OSAMA! Great!
Forget Bush’s fight against terrorism! Forget the Navy Seasl! Forget the conference of his cabinet to tell him what to do. OBAMA DONE DID IT!
But shhh….don’t mention ObamaCare (already out of money), the DEBT(!!!!!), the budget (What?), the smudgy silly sequester, the continued rise of unemployment and the sappy stimulus in reverse. No sir, don’t mention those BECAUSE
OBAMA GOT OSAMA!!! Halleluia! And Michelle is KILLING FAT! Halleluia!
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 19th, 2013
12:58 pm
“It was a well reported fact that in 2006, bush told the cia to put the hunt for bin laden on hiatus”
And of course you have a cite for this well-reported fact, sailfish?
‘Cause a search regarding this “fact” produces nothing but liberal opinion pieces (which of course, cite no proof).
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 19th, 2013
12:59 pm
Read some history, p-lo, Nixon was gone by then and the dummycrats in Congress cut and ran, two million dead in Cambodia and who knows how many in the South. Boat people? Helicopters at the embassey?
Nice legacy.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 19th, 2013
1:00 pm
waterboarding got osama.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 19th, 2013
1:01 pm
“waterboarding got osama.”
Conflicting reports regarding that, Aesop.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 19th, 2013
1:02 pm
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded $2.7 million to study why lesbians are at a higher “risk for hazardous drinking.”
Because low morals leads to hisk risk behaviour, you morons. Now quit sqaundering our children’s future.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 19th, 2013
1:04 pm
WASHINGTON — Intelligence garnered from waterboarded detainees was used to track down al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and kill him, CIA Chief Leon Panetta told NBC News on Tuesday.
Next?
Rafe Hollister
March 19th, 2013
1:04 pm
JDW/Tiberius
The only point I was trying to make is that the Progs can’t just say, if no war we save X. Not true, X-other costs of containing Saddam. Here was one cost and others would have been accrued as well, speculation but based on previous instances of “containment”. Yes, the cost of containment is much less, but that too depends on the length of time we try, e.g. N. Korea.
From Boston Globe
Last month, Iraq claimed to have shot down a Predator reconnaissance plane in the Basra area. The US Defense Department acknowledged losing a plane in that area, but said it was unsure whether it had been hit by hostile fire or had crashed on its own.
The Pentagon has said that plane was the first US aircraft lost in Iraq in the 10 years since US and British planes began patrolling ”no-fly” zones – except for a ”friendly fire” incident in 1994. Then, two American F-15 fighter jets mistakenly shot down two US Army helicopters over northern Iraq, killing 15 Americans, five Iraqi Kurds, three Turks, two Britons, and a Frenchman.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 19th, 2013
1:07 pm
Iraq became the central front in the war against al Qaeda, and it was the ideal place to open that front. Iraq loomed large in Osama bin Laden’s 1998 declaration of war. His first grievance was that “the United States is occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of its territories, Arabia” — that is, he objected to the Saudis hosting U.S. troops, the linchpin of the policy of containment toward Saddam. Bin Laden’s second grievance was that the U.S. had gone to war with Iraq and might do so again. It was natural that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s branch of al Qaeda would meet the U.S. on the battlefield in Iraq. As with the other factions that emerged after the invasion, American policymakers weren’t really prepared for this, but, with the course correction that was the surge, eventually managed to deal with it.
Thousands of young men came to Iraq to join Zarqawi’s jihad, and died there.
Works for me.
Dusty
March 19th, 2013
1:10 pm
Well, there is proof that I am hungry which I may blame on the infamous fiddle faddle displayed here by liberals (when they could be rejoicing over at Bookie’s place).
Anyway, since this is about as much fun as working on my taxes, I shall depart wishing for BK’s new turkey burger. But alas! That is not to be. ( I had a Whopper yesterday and must raid the refrig today!) Such is life and leftovers.
If Kyle comes back, tell him to resurrect this blog. It has passed on to lala land.
I bid thee farewell!
getalife
March 19th, 2013
1:12 pm
Now, they are calling you cons “the fringe”.
It is a nice way to call you kooks.
fox gop propaganda is having a very bad day.
Iraq 10 years later.
Own it the fringe and corporate media.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 19th, 2013
1:12 pm
Kennedy escalated Vietnam and got 50,000+ Americans killed. And for what? To top Truman’s Korea body count?
sailfish
March 19th, 2013
1:13 pm
tiberius
I guess your google doesn’t work?
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/04/washington/04intel.html?_r=0
getalife
March 19th, 2013
1:15 pm
nixon committed treason to keep Vietnam going.
More gop devastation.
The gop will not make it unless they surrender to President Obama and fix their failed party.
JDW
March 19th, 2013
1:18 pm
“Yep and the libs finished it the only way they know how – surrender monkey.”
Nixon was a lib…who knew.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 19th, 2013
1:19 pm
Uh, Aesop?
You might wish to peruse the multiple stories regarding whether waterboarding actually got the information used to find Bin Laden, or whether waterboarding was used as an interrogation technique to get information from people in the search for Bin Laden.
Even Panetta was unclear on that topic. Was it used in interrogations regarding Bin Laden? Yes. Did the information gleaned from those waterboarding interrogations provide the information used? Not so clear.
It’s all in the semantics used by Panetta.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 19th, 2013
1:22 pm
Sailfish, I guess your reading comprehension doesn’t work?
From your own link: “An intelligence official who was granted anonymity to discuss classified information said the closing of the bin Laden unit reflected a greater grasp of the organization. “Our understanding of Al Qaeda has greatly evolved from where it was in the late 1990’s,” the official said, but added, “There are still people who wake up every day with the job of trying to find bin Laden.”
In simple terms even you can understand, closing a specific unit doesn’t put your search on hiatus.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 19th, 2013
1:24 pm
“The gop will not make it unless they surrender to President Obama and fix their failed party.”
What kind of pathetic excuse for an American would insist that other Americans should surrender to our government and it’s leader?
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 19th, 2013
1:26 pm
puh leaze – The north vietnamese were pleading with libs like kerry and fonda to get Nixon off of their a$$, he totally destroyed them before the surrender monkeys finally got power.
Quit trying to change history.
JDW
March 19th, 2013
1:27 pm
Sorry Aesop…come on back to reality….
“Nixon managed to end the war not in 1970, but in early 1973. By then, 25,000 more American soldiers had died, and Nixon’s chance to earn the title of peacemaker had evaporated. Although Nixon withdrew American troops steadily from the time he took office, he had also extended the war into Cambodia and Laos. In the minds of many, Vietnam would always be Richard Nixon’s war.”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/nixon-legacy/
breckenridge
March 19th, 2013
1:29 pm
“Kennedy escalated Vietnam and got 50,000+ Americans killed. And for what? To top Truman’s Korea body count?”
Dominoes, baby, dominoes.
And then there was the fiasco that was the Bay of Pigs. When it became mission critical Kennedy refused to send the US Air Force over to dispense death from the skies because he didn’t want any overt American involvement. Yeah right. As if anyone in the entire world who was paying one iota of attention didn’t know the US was behind the opposition movement in the first place.
JDW
March 19th, 2013
1:29 pm
@Rafe…”The only point I was trying to make is that the Progs can’t just say, if no war we save X. ”
As I have conceded we would have only saved 90 to 99 percent of the costs…
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 19th, 2013
1:30 pm
If you voted for Obozo you should be thinking about what you’ll tell your children when it comes time to apologize to them for enabling his destruction of their country.
Traitor.
sailfish
March 19th, 2013
1:30 pm
tiberius
“The Central Intelligence Agency has closed a unit that for a decade had the mission of hunting Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants, intelligence officials confirmed Monday.
The unit, known as Alec Station, was disbanded late last year and its analysts reassigned within the C.I.A. Counterterrorist Center, the officials said.”
I’ll meet you halfway, the unit was disbanded….no need for the pithy comments about comprehension, it’s just so….juvenile.
middle of the road
March 19th, 2013
1:31 pm
“No, you can always CUT SPENDING.”
OK, Tiberius – have it your way. Take SS and Medicare out of the equation (that leaves defense as the biggest remainder at about 60%) and cut each budget proportionally to the spending by an amount required to balance the budget. So defense swallows 60% of the cuts. Is that what you want?
Politico
March 19th, 2013
1:32 pm
Aesop
And you have substantiated evidence had the US not pulled troops out of Vietnam that the Khmer Rouge would not have slaughtered so many of their people or that the US would have went into Cambodia or do you have conjecture?