Pride After a Fall?

In The Washington Times, Bruce Bartlett explains why it's fair to blame Bush for all that spending and wonders whether losing a house or two of Congress next year would improve the GOP. I think it may take three or four houses.

Comments

[Evan]

What exactly is meant by "improve"? You mean re-mould their image so as to appeal to more middle-america voters, so that they can regain power and wreak more havoc? I don't think it will take much. Losing a couple of houses? Yeah, that'll do.

When you love power as much as the republicratic party does, you'll say or do anything to get it back---but your new "improvements" will only last as long as the election...

[ANTI-DC]

The GOP is dead. This is the most leftist administration in US history. FDR, eat your heart out.

[Clean Hands]

I've been thinking for some time that we will probably be better off with an obstructionist Congress and/or Senate.

Of course, I'm also a fan of the early proposal (which I think was implemented in some states) for the Vice President to be the person who received the second most Electoral College votes...

President Bush and Vice President Kerry -- now, wouldn't that have been fun to watch??? Mmmm, pass the popcorn!

[sage +P]

Improve what? You can't polish a turd.

[Douglas Fletcher]

I see that John Kerry's approval numbers are 26 percent, Al Gore's 28 percent. So are these some of the red hot crusaders who are going lead the way to a Democratic Congress?

Apparently the Democrats have put on their ruby slippers and they're going to make it home with the help of the Good Witch Hillary, I suppose. Personally, I'm still waiting for my Y2K bets to pay off.

[MP]

Improve what? You can't polish a turd.

If you don't think the GOP can be improved, then what's the point of supporting any political party? What makes the GOP or the Donkeys uniquely susceptible to Public Choice problems?

[jp]

"I've been thinking for some time that we will probably be better off with an obstructionist Congress and/or Senate."

Me too. CRIPPLE THE BEAST!

[zeiner]

I think that both political parties need to realize that party loyalty is way too thick. The framers put checks and balances in our government so it does not become overbearing, but because of party loyalty, the checks and balances that are built into the Constitution are useless.
The political party that realizes this and does something about it will be the ones that save the country. But, I think that it is going to take a strong and popular President to achieve the old style checks and balances. I?m still hopeful that somebody will step up to the plate to achieve this.

[zeiner]

correction*
Constitution are useless[in some cases]The political party that...

[sage +P]

"If you don't think the GOP can be improved, then what's the point of supporting any political party?"

$100 gas rebates.

[b-psycho]

I'd recommend a way for the GOP to improve, but I doubt they'd take "have every republican not named Ron Paul commit suicide" seriously...

[Kahn]

Improve what? You can't polish a turd.

Politicians don't polish anything (way too much work). They just change the lighting. And in this case, make you stand just a little further back from the display case.

[Kahn]

I've started thinking that congressional seats (both houses) should be appointed by lot rather than elected. Something like jury duty. You get this letter in the mail one day and find out you've been drafted.

How could this possibly be any worse than what's going on today? And it would cost far less than what currently gets spent on elections.

You aren't going to see the Dems or Reps either one reform. They don't have to, because they don't have any competition besides each other.

[Johnny]

The GOP is dead. This is the most leftist administration in US history. FDR, eat your heart out.

Ha! Only if you haven't been listening to EVERY goper since Nixon. The GOP say "We believe is small government". They never vote small government, they (except for one curiosity, goldwater) never support small government.

Then voters are surprised that they act like they always do, and not as they say. Oh my! What a surprise!

I am 41 years old, and while I despise Hilary, the real confusion for me is that for my entire life Republicans have openly stood for MASSIVE GOVERNMENT INVOLVED IN EVERY FACET OF OUR LIVES. GOP presidents now openly speak of their admiration for Totalatarian regimes. And then everyone wonders when the .gov begins to resemble China more than America.

And now the best part. Bush is a "lefty". HA!!

Bush has delivered what ever repub president since Nixon has promised. BIG GOVERNMENT!

Nah, just must be those damn liberals.

[Johnny]

Oh, and quoting from "washington times" isn't that much different from quoting from ANSWER press releases. Or party publications from the old soviet empire.

"washington times" is to journalism what Stalin was to freedom.