The Republicans' post-election dilemma
The GOP has tough policy choices to make that will affect its political future
Taimur Gibson
Issue date: 4/2/09 Section: Opinion
"I want Barack Obama to fail."
This Rush Limbaugh quote has been thrown around quite a bit over the past week or so, and as easy as it may be to dismiss, it is important to understand its proper context.
Limbaugh means that he does not want to see Obama's so-called "socialist" vision of America realized - a statement making it quite clear that Limbaugh's ideals are more important to him than the recovery of America, as he would rather see America continue to suffer than recover under Obama's plans.
Conservative idealists like Limbaugh are in a difficult position right now: They must affirm their ideology even after eight years of their policies having left America in a bad place. If Republicans wish to remain a politically viable party, they must maintain a party platform while simultaneously cooperating to help fix the struggling American economy.
Unfortunately for them, these two goals are currently incompatible. If they wish to maintain their party line, they must sacrifice bipartisanship, and if they wish to save America, they must temporarily set aside their ideology. This is because the Republican Party's principles of personal responsibility, low taxes and small government are completely incongruent with the Democrats' recovery plan of a social safety net, higher taxes for the wealthy and increased government oversight.
Let us examine two variables and the outcomes of each. The variables are the GOP's support or rejection of Obama's policies, and Obama's success or failure as president.
The four outcomes are as follows:
1. Support/Succeed: If the Republicans support Obama and he is a success, then America benefits, but the Republicans fail politically, as their ideology has suffered a major blow by the success of liberal policies.
2. Support/Fail: If the Republicans support Obama but he ultimately fails, then America loses, and so do the Republicans for supporting a failed plan.
3. Reject/Succeed: If the Republicans reject Obama's policies but he ultimately succeeds, then America benefits, but the Republicans suffer their biggest failure from having tried to prevent policies that ended up working.
This Rush Limbaugh quote has been thrown around quite a bit over the past week or so, and as easy as it may be to dismiss, it is important to understand its proper context.
Limbaugh means that he does not want to see Obama's so-called "socialist" vision of America realized - a statement making it quite clear that Limbaugh's ideals are more important to him than the recovery of America, as he would rather see America continue to suffer than recover under Obama's plans.
Conservative idealists like Limbaugh are in a difficult position right now: They must affirm their ideology even after eight years of their policies having left America in a bad place. If Republicans wish to remain a politically viable party, they must maintain a party platform while simultaneously cooperating to help fix the struggling American economy.
Unfortunately for them, these two goals are currently incompatible. If they wish to maintain their party line, they must sacrifice bipartisanship, and if they wish to save America, they must temporarily set aside their ideology. This is because the Republican Party's principles of personal responsibility, low taxes and small government are completely incongruent with the Democrats' recovery plan of a social safety net, higher taxes for the wealthy and increased government oversight.
Let us examine two variables and the outcomes of each. The variables are the GOP's support or rejection of Obama's policies, and Obama's success or failure as president.
The four outcomes are as follows:
1. Support/Succeed: If the Republicans support Obama and he is a success, then America benefits, but the Republicans fail politically, as their ideology has suffered a major blow by the success of liberal policies.
2. Support/Fail: If the Republicans support Obama but he ultimately fails, then America loses, and so do the Republicans for supporting a failed plan.
3. Reject/Succeed: If the Republicans reject Obama's policies but he ultimately succeeds, then America benefits, but the Republicans suffer their biggest failure from having tried to prevent policies that ended up working.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 6
Rusty
posted 4/06/09 @ 3:47 PM EST
Taimur, I could have written the exact same article about the Democrats and President Bush. I think, though, that you are assuming that people want the country to fail simply so they can be elected. (Continued…)
Taimur Gibson
Taimur Gibson
posted 4/06/09 @ 6:14 PM EST
I'm not claiming that every Republican in the country feels this way. This is just my analysis of Rush Limbaugh's inflammatory rhetoric and the current Republican Partisan politics. (Continued…)
Rusty
posted 4/07/09 @ 12:32 PM EST
My "political memory" stretches farther than the past 8 years. I am a history major and do a great deal of independent reading. I will say my own reading on a variety of subjects from multiple perspectives has taught me much more than the one sided garbage the history department force feeds us. (Continued…)
Taimur Gibson
posted 4/07/09 @ 6:26 PM EST
To clarify, by "political memory" I mean direct experience and interest, and not what you've studied.
The New Deal was funded by deficit spending, and an in income and estate taxes, which affected the rich much more than the poor. (Continued…)
Ron
posted 4/08/09 @ 8:47 AM EST
"Yes the government is taking your money! Get used to it! It is what you owe for living in this country that does so much for its people."
Hahahahaha. (Continued…)
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