0 Responses to “Olbermann Pitches Fit Over Obama’s Tax-Cut Deal”

1. Ahithophel says:

   November 17, 2008 at 1:02 pm

   I continue to value the British model of a “shadow government,” which means, among other things, that leaders in the party with special expertise in particular areas are chosen to represent the party on that issue and to make clear what the minority party would do if it were in the majority. This serves, when it comes to elections, to clarify the differences between the parties and their preferred courses of action, drawing clear distinctions and also putting more ideas into the bloodstream of the body politic. I see no reason why a similar approach could not work in our non-parliamentary system, but assuming that it requires a level of organization that is beyond our party currently, there are still lessons we could take from it.

   And one of them would be to do as Jennifer suggested, and for every major issue the majority party addresses (health care, unions, etc.), put up a competing proposal on the very same issue at the very same time. This will serve immediately to make clear distinctions and perhaps to put pressure on the Democrats to adopt popular parts of the Republican proposal. But it also serves in the election as a point of reference. “The Democrats passed this piece of legislation, but we believe it was too costly and unlikely to be effective. Even now we see the problems we foresaw coming to the surface. We proposed this *other* piece of legislation and here’s why it would work better.” The public is given clear distinctions and choices, and educated on the conservative position.

   Another point that could be learned from the “shadow government” model would be to increase the level of organization between Republican leaders, whether governors, senators, congressmen, or unelected leaders like Mitt and Rudy. The Republican party needs a message as united as possible, and we should let our strongest voices speak for us on the most important issues. We should have a “meeting of principals,” and the new head of the RNC should organize it. I don’t know whether our party leadership has been poor or not, but it hasn’t done anything that’s impressed me; the new RNC chair should bring people together and start crafting a coherent message for 2010 and 2012, and should designate different individuals to carry the first forward on multiple fronts.
2. Paul Zisserson says:

   November 17, 2008 at 2:16 pm

   What I’m about to write will be heresy to many readers, but someone, even this lowly, obscure poster, has to raise it. Republicans have to cut themselves from the umbilical cord of talk radio. Many of the hosts have reached a point of diminishing returns. They are too strident, slick and angry. Often they are disingenuos. Sure, we faithful laugh and nod at their clever lines and personality schtick, but many unaffiliated find them obnoxious and associate the party label with them. We owe them a great deal, but they cannot be considered to be the future hope for building the party of conservatism. Sorry, their time has passed and so will ours if they continue to be our spokesmen.
3. Captain America says:

   November 17, 2008 at 2:47 pm

   Jen, they can accomplish a great deal by delaying.

   Why do you think Pelosi-Reid are pushing the automobile bailout now, just weeks before the new president takes office?

   Well, the reason is that they want President Bush to sign this nasty bill whether by outright approval or coercion.

   Why do you think they are pushing it first in the Senate and not the House after Pelosi’s weekend proclamation? Because they don’t have enough House Republicans who will sign on for this bad boy, and they don’t want their own flock to be hung out on a vastly unpopular legislation.
4. car news says:

   August 7, 2009 at 2:40 pm

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