If the economy gets better, what will American conservatives do?
March 21st 2009 21:46
Don't get me wrong, there are still endemic concerns running through the American economy. Corporate greed is out of control, decades of anti-labor and anti-worker initiatives are still coming home to roost. Idiotic tax policies that only served to make the rich even more so will have to be undone. Much work ahead, that's for sure.
But what if it works? What if, in a few months, things start to turn around. And what if, after that, we are able to move to rational health care policies and a better tax code, and the economy really grows? What will the nay-sayers (conservatives) do?
Lose big in the next midterm election, for one thing. The Republican Party will become even more the party of the whining lost souls of the post Reaganomics era. They will find themselves descending from the once dominant force they once were to a very vocal, but largely powerless, minority. Issues deferred to other leadership by most Americans will pass them by, while they rant about the moral decline of the nation or the lack of school prayer or the fact that gays are asking for equal rights.
They may also find themselves a regional party with limited national reach or influence. They will still dominate the South, but everywhere else Republicans and conservatives in general have lost big and will continue to do so.
Of course, conservatives are hoping for failure. With the movement's de facto leader Rush Limbaugh taking the point, conservatives will root at every misstep and sulk at every success of the Obama Administration. Some of that is to be expected from an opposition party. What's over the top is the absolute desire to see failure at every level, regardless of how it affects the country.
I very frequently wished for the policies of the Bush Administration to fail. From illegal wiretaps to insane tax policies, I didn't want them to succeed. The difference is that I still wanted the country to succeed. Even though I never agreed with the Iraqi invasion I always wanted the country to find a successful conclusion.
The conservatives out there who want success for America even if they don't always agree with Barack Obama need to be more vocal. As it stands now the only voices we hear coming from most conservatives are shrill in their attacks and ignorant of facts.
My money is on some continuing decline in the overall economic picture. Too much damage has been done, most especially by insane policies pushed by conservatives since Reagan. And not challenged enough by Clinton, sadly enough. There will be more to come.
But the challenges can be met, and as they are met, look for conservative influence to wane more. And listen for even more bellicose and belligerent whining.
But what if it works? What if, in a few months, things start to turn around. And what if, after that, we are able to move to rational health care policies and a better tax code, and the economy really grows? What will the nay-sayers (conservatives) do?
They may also find themselves a regional party with limited national reach or influence. They will still dominate the South, but everywhere else Republicans and conservatives in general have lost big and will continue to do so.
Of course, conservatives are hoping for failure. With the movement's de facto leader Rush Limbaugh taking the point, conservatives will root at every misstep and sulk at every success of the Obama Administration. Some of that is to be expected from an opposition party. What's over the top is the absolute desire to see failure at every level, regardless of how it affects the country.
I very frequently wished for the policies of the Bush Administration to fail. From illegal wiretaps to insane tax policies, I didn't want them to succeed. The difference is that I still wanted the country to succeed. Even though I never agreed with the Iraqi invasion I always wanted the country to find a successful conclusion.
The conservatives out there who want success for America even if they don't always agree with Barack Obama need to be more vocal. As it stands now the only voices we hear coming from most conservatives are shrill in their attacks and ignorant of facts.
My money is on some continuing decline in the overall economic picture. Too much damage has been done, most especially by insane policies pushed by conservatives since Reagan. And not challenged enough by Clinton, sadly enough. There will be more to come.
But the challenges can be met, and as they are met, look for conservative influence to wane more. And listen for even more bellicose and belligerent whining.
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Comment by Mike Pouraryan
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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Artist Quirk
i guess respecting the office is flexible in some peoples minds
hey did you see THIS poll?
it seems the south have something in common with the middle east
Comment by Jeff Musall