CRASH: Of Temerity, Timing and Trust

by swede

Seems I was just lamenting the absence of a GOP “manifesto” one might use to determine what “Republican Values” actually are in the bold new age of HopenChange. Well, fasten your seatbelt and pull out the barf bag from the seat pocket in front of you…we may hit turbulence.


In a stunning demonstration of brilliant timing, the Grand Old Party is finally rolling out its long awaited manifesto – immediately following the stunningly stupid Murkowski Meltdown – and that on the heels of the O’Donnell/Rove-rage. See, the thing you want to do, of course, is flagrantly demonstrate Washingtoon establishment business-as-usual-party-politics and a reality challenged disconnect with voters (not to mention common sense) – then immediately announce to them that you are the great Hope to Change all of that!



And what a piece of work it is! The new “Pledge to America” is already drawing rav(ing) reviews among pundits and sanitarium residents alike. Erickson at RedState dubs it “Perhaps the Most Ridiculous Thing to Come Out of Washington Since George McClellan” – a bizarre yet sadly appropriate analogy. The Hill glibly refers to it as the new “Contract with America” which coming from them one may assume is derogatory, but is inaccurate as this bears little resemblance to the former document.


It is, in my view, a partisan hacksheet of patriotic pablum, flowered up with quotes from everyone from Reagan to Kennedy to…Margaret Thatcher(?) Following a rather tedious attempt in the intro/forward to portray an epic historical document, the main text covers six promising looking, (if somewhat vague) conservative themes:

* A Plan to Create Jobs, End Economic Uncertainty, and Make America More Competitive
* A Plan to Stop Out-of-Control Spending and Reduce the Size of Government
* A Plan to Repeal and Replace the Government Takeover of Healthcare
* A Plan to Reform Congress and Restore Trust
* A Plan to Keep Our Nation Secure at Home and Abroad
* Checks and Balances



Sadly, it then fails to clearly define them and falls far short in proposing specific goals, means or timetables to achieve them. The hard reality is that assuming Republicans gain at least a House majority, it would be difficult to impossible to achieve significant headway on this agenda. Moreover, the Republican “leadership” lacks leadership dynamic – i.e. the gravitas, credibility, continuity and commitment to make it happen. And I can't help wondering if the GOP RINO/"moderate" faction really embraces this, or if it's window dressing to appease the Tea Party before the elections.


I suppose my obvious disillusionment with this revelation comes from a healthy dose of cynicism toward these people who were hardly fiscally conservative when they had the majority and the White House - and perhaps a naive hope that something might come along to clearly define, revive and unify conservative values in the GOP. Sorry, I just don't think this is it. Here you go--

Pledge to America