Why Don’t Establishment Republicans Fight?
I’ve delayed writing this column, giving the 112th congress a chance but I’ve now seen enough. Americans roared their displeasure with Democrats in 2010 electing Republicans in large numbers. The message was unmistakable: stop the deficit spending, stop the destruction of our economy, defund and repeal Obamacare, return to the Constitution and minimize government in our lives! And as we were assured by the established Republican leaders, “We heard you loud and clear. We’ll change our ways and we’ll fight for you. We’ll fight for smaller and more limited government, we’ll fight to defund and repeal Obamacare, we’ll fight for fiscal responsibility and there will be no more deficit spending” etc. Remember all that? As of this writing (November 2011) establishment Republicans have been in control of the purse strings via the House of Representatives for months so where do we stand? What I’ve seen is John Boehner putting his establishment cronies in key committee chairmanships, pushing “Tea Party” representatives to the background and certainly not taking the uncompromising stands we were promised—it’s more business as usual and less the fight as pledged. Their surrender on the debt ceiling and balanced budget amendment are just two examples.
This behavior within the ranks of the old boy GOP isn’t new. Have you wondered why Establishment Republicans (ERs) over many years, unlike authentic constitutional conservatives seldom fight for much of anything? I have. Why do ERs let the Establishment Democrats (EDs) run rampant, seldom appearing to make substantial progress in their battle for the small and limited government they say they want and represent? The EDs say and do pretty much anything, facing only blustery, hollow and weak ER protests while government grows larger, more intrusive and more imposing every day.
If ERs want us to believe they are
who they say, why won’t they vigorously attack the many instances of unconstitutional
behavior? Why don’t the ERs stand up and
show
In my youth, I thought this lack of fight was because they
had no gumption for the struggle. Thoughts in my later years however lean
decidedly toward stating the obvious— big government ERs, like EDs, and unlike
authentic constitutional conservatives of any party, clearly want more
government, not less. Unfortunately, all
too often in politics, it’s the most obvious that needs the most observation. Paraphrasing Yogi Berra, I’m simply observing
the obvious just by watchin’.
The GOP has stated repeatedly it stands for small, honest
government, less taxation, less regulation, reduced spending and is a staunch
supporter of the Constitution. Yet the fruit they hand us at harvest time, tells
a significantly different story.
Government has been expanding for decades and grew even
larger when the GOP took control of Congress in 1995. The Department of Education they once said
should be abolished was given the largest increase of all cabinet departments
in Bush 43’s first budget. The income
tax they once said should be simplified or replaced with a flat tax or fair tax
remains very much alive and has grown even more complex. And have you ever
wondered why it’s always the GOP that compromises with Democrats? Repeatedly, even after much blustery rhetoric
and made-for-TV “indignant opposition”, it’s the GOP that ultimately “reaches
across the isle” to accept more socialism.
Under whose watch was your constitutional right of free speech blatantly
violated when the McCain Feingold Campaign Finance Reform act was passed and
signed by Bush 43? ERs! And more recently, Speaker Boehner and his
cronies voted to increase the debt ceiling in violation of their “promise” and voted
for a “balanced budget amendment” that doesn’t require a spending cap or
a super majority to raise taxes! This
simply means their spending will continue and your taxes will be
raised to balance the ledger. How stupid
does Boehner think we are? We’re also getting
wind of a weakening on that “rock solid” pledge to oppose new taxes, defund and
repeal Obamacare. In short, the ER
“fight” against deficit spending and larger government over the long term
has been much more political sound than effective fury!
The harvested fruit just doesn’t match the flowery
promises and I’m a believer of judging a tree by its fruit. This sage advice on how to judge a tree doesn’t
tell us to judge by its blossoms.
Blossoms, although pleasing to the eye for a short while, have no
lasting substance—their superficial appearance has nothing into which you can
sink your teeth. It’s the same with ERs’
rhetoric.
I don’t believe any national party can be that inept, leaderless and politically disorganized over such an extended period of time by random accident. It’s clear there’s another more revealing reason behind this lack of fight. The only obvious conclusion is that ERs want the same as the EDs—the centralized power of big government…but with themselves in charge. Based on facts, results, actions and performance, I don’t see how an observant citizen can draw any other conclusion.
One difference between the ERs and the EDs however is the ERs allow the EDs to take point and be the target of blame for leading America down this trail of bigger government while ERs sit back and enjoy the fruit of the EDs progress—enhanced political power for the established ruling class.
If my assertion about the ERs is accurate, then they’re
hypocrites of the first order following a disingenuous course of instilling a
socialistic oligarchy. They don’t have
the courage to reveal or admit that what they really crave is more government
and more power, while crying for less.
I have no patience with leaders who don’t have the courage
of their convictions to be honest with the people they lead. Those with only a “made for TV” set of ideals
have but a shallow veneer of honor all the while seeking personal political
power and untold wealth thru this scandalous insider trading that’s been going
on for years. Such “leaders” are unworthy of followers. Anyone who would rather have others take the
heat while they enjoy the shade and eat the illicit fruit deserves no respect.
Conclusion; big government ERs, EDs and especially
this destructive President, must go in November. I just hope all newly elected constitutional conservatives
are the beginning of a new found hope for
Contact
Article Archives: http://mddall.com/sbss/SBSShome.htm