Christie and Daniels: The Yin and Yang of a New Republicanism
In looks, demeanor, temperament, and life experience, Chris Christie and Mitch Daniels are as dissimilar as the states from which they hail. The former is a blunt, outspoken, even pugnacious former U.S. attorney with a career in New Jersey noted for reforming a local political cesspool and prosecuting white-collar crime. The latter is a soft-spoken, balding, lifelong Hoosier political junkie who spent a decade as a top executive of a Fortune 500 company.
Despite their seeming opposite natures, the two governors share a common denominator that may hold the key to fostering a new kind of Republican Party where principle and pragmatism combined with confidence and competence offer the voter a real choice in governance.
Neither man can be considered an ideologue. Nor do the two governors pander to any faction in the party or outside of it. Instead, both seem to have hit upon formulas for success that are peculiar to their own state — and their personalities.
By necessity, Governor Christie has found himself in a confrontational role. His state’s finances were in dismal shape when he took over early this year, and arrayed against him were powerful interests bent on submarining his plans to bring budget discipline to Trenton. Public employee unions, including the powerful teachers union, were preparing for war in order to maintain the status quo on pensions and other benefits.
But Christie outfoxed and outhustled his foes. He took to the stump, going around New Jersey explaining in plain language the problems he was dealing with and trying to address.
Rich Lowry, writing in National Review, explains:
He matched unyielding principle (determined to balance the budget without raising taxes, he vetoed a millionaires’ tax within minutes of its passage) with a willingness to take half a loaf (he wanted a constitutional amendment to limit property taxes to 2.5 percent, but settled with Democrats for an imperfect statutory limit). He’ll need an Act II to get deeper, institutional reforms, but New Jersey is now separating itself from those other notorious wastrels, California and Illinois.
Indeed, while California and Illinois whine about hard times and tough choices, begging the Feds for more money so that the state politicians are spared from making cuts to programs that serve their favored constituencies, Christie’s triumph in getting many of the budget cuts and building his own constituency for fiscal discipline is a model for other governors across the country who are feeling the squeeze of tight budgets in hard times.
Where Christie has succeeded with calculated confrontation and a practical streak when it comes to negotiating with the opposition, Mitch Daniels has quietly revolutionized government in Indiana by working with friend and foe to reform the way the needs of citizens are addressed. Using a combination of privatization, creative budgeting, and hard-headed negotiation, Daniels turned a significant $600 million deficit into a $1.2 billion surplus. He was rewarded by being re-elected by the largest margin for a Republican in Indiana’s history.
Both men have been mentioned as possible candidates for president in 2012. Christie has flatly said no, while Daniels has not totally rejected the idea, bearing in mind that the possibility of the Indiana governor throwing his hat in the ring is remote.
Rather than speculate about their political aspirations, it might be more profitable to examine the nature of their success as leaders and wonder if their approach to politics, to the people, and even to the opposition holds any lessons for the rest of the GOP.
I agree with the entire article.
We do need a Republican politician to step forward and become the voice of the Republican party as well as the voice of the new Congress come January, 2011. This job will entail more than just getting out there and giving clear, concise, non-legalese explanations of the Republican party’s ideas and plans.
This job will also demand, somehow, overcoming the mainstream medias dislike for the Right. The “Journolistas” of the media will not give the Republicans an open microphone on the network news or a column on the front page of major newspapers so they can be heard by the majority of the American people.
They will see this for exactly what it is. Something just short of a declaration of war against the “The One”, his administration, and his agenda. They will not give this person, or people, a chance to have their say. If the voice of the Republicans can not get on the air, or get on the front page, it won’t matter how clearly he or she speaks, or how well he or she explains the ideas of the party or how charismatic and charming the spokesperson can be. Nobody will hear them except for those of us who get our news from sites like this… most of whom will already agree with the planned agenda.
This spokesperson MUST find a way to be heard by the American People. Their first big chance might be in response to President Obama’s State of the Union address in early 2011. They need to get moving on this.
They need to find their spokesperson and hire him or her a couple of really good writers or this whole revolution will go right down the tubes before it has even truly begun. Obama and his minions, including the MSM, will attack, using every Alinsky’ish trick they can think of. This person will need to be a person of nearly impeccable behavior. Any skeleton that can be dug up, it should be assumed, WILL be dug up, by either an Obama crony or one of those so-called journalists who forgot to question Candidate Obama but won’t hesitate to rip apart someone on the right for the slightest misstep, no matter how far back.
A spokesperson must be chosen and an agenda must be adopted!
Jefferson. you covered it very well. and I totaly agree with you, it is past time for the republicans to get a spokespersn who can and will relate to the people. that’s what makes Sarah Palin so apealing to most of us. the fact that she is so plain spoken and doesn’t do politicle speak when she is speaking. in other words we can all under stand what she is saying and I like a person like that. I hate politicians anyway,
Why can’t Palin supporters spell?
What does it matter? You would still not agree with them? Besides, you clearly understood what was said, eh? Bet you don’t know how to text, do you? (JK)
What does it matter? You would still not agree with them!! Besides, you clearly understood what was said, eh? Bet you don’t know how to text, do you? (JK)
How do you think people would react to a Republican spokesman like Kelsey Grammer? He is one of the few Republicans in Hollywood and is very well known for all his years playing Frasier Crane. As far as I can tell, he doesn’t have a lot of “negative baggage” aside possibly from some time substance abuse problems. As far as I know, he is way past those problems now. His last two series have both been duds so he may actually want to try something else, like politics, for a while.
Haha I guess he doesn’t have much baggage……. if you don’t consider sex tapes, children out of wedlock, multiple DUIs and three marriages baggage.
I think Kelsey Grammer could be a good conservative spokesman in some parts of the country: California and the Northeast. Hailing from Missouri, I can understand the skepticism concerning his personal life, but I do think that has become less of an issue as our problems escalate. It isn’t like he’d specifically serve as a role model, or even be involved in setting policy. I agree…we need to think outside the box. (Sorry about the cliche.)
Sadly, when I look at the current crop of spokespeople for the GOP, I am most decidedly underwhelmed.
It will be an uphill battle–bringing fiscal discipline to DC and to the country–but it is a message people are ready to hear. It will be nearly impossible to get the word out through the Obama-sympathetic media so it will be key for Republicans and moderate Democrats to clearly, directly communicate their plans, as Daniels and Christie have done.
Bring on the elections. Let’s get started on a brighter future.
Moderate Democrats?
I thought we’d have dispelled this notion of moderates in the Democrat Party by now. When push came to shove they folded to Obama/Pelosi/Reid like a cheap stroller.
I know where you are coming from but once there is a safe haven in the House (ie a Republican majority) I do think Blue Dogs will vote their conscience rather than their party a little more often.
Moderate Dems do exist. Much as Moderate Republicans exist such as Scott Brown or Olympia Snowe.
Examples? Blanche Lincoln, Evan Bayh, or Ben Nelson.
Why are people that should be in the opposite party considered moderates?
I agree that modern dems exist as well, unfortunately they are in the Republican party and hail from places such as Maine and unfortuantely Mass.
The key to GOP success is front and center with what this article describes Chris Christie and Mitch Daniels are doing. They are effectively managing their states.
If every state in the country functioned that way the federal government would have no need for 90% plus of the structure it now has in place.
All the GOP Congress needs to do is pull the federal government out of the business of running everyone else’s business and let the states do their jobs.
For that purpose to be served there isn’t any reason to cut Medicare, Social Security or military spending at this time. Doing business that way would be what Congress has historically done best.
BS the public by ducking its job for personal gain and profit.
Amen! You speak the truth that one could build a national “revival” on. Amazing how easy to over emphasize message over content. Great observation!
You need to give these men real credit as they stood their ground against harsh criticism to bite the bullet to enact reforms and balance the budget. They both refused to bend and take the easy way out asking for additional loans that would worsen their state budgets.
Let’s not be naive. Let’s also not undersell the difficulty of creating a narrative.
The Republicans…and ANYONE ELSE who dares to confront the leftist propaganda machine, are usually left in an ash heap, after being ground up, bent, folded and mutilated by the JournoKlan reputation shredder.
Leftists are “promoted” with puff pieces and buried stories of “love child, cheating on a terminal cancer ridden wife”, “sex crazed poodle groping and carbon footprints the size of wooly mammoths”, and “attendance at hatefests disguised as religious services”.
Photographs are tampered with, documents are forged, people are called racist with no evidence or reason for doing so.
It is against that tidal wave of journalistic fraud and deceit, that EVERY opponent of a leftist candidate…must create a platform.
To think that for one moment, they wouldn’t be immediately painted as trying to “destroy” the elderly, “rip away” food from the poor, “racist” for targeting entitlements that go to “minorities”, “anti-immigrant” and virulent “Hispanic haters” because they want to actually enforce borders…would be imprudent in the extreme.
Getting elected in the face of that onslaught of outright fraud and deceit, intentional distortion and propagandizing, requires an ability to articulate a message AND get it heard…that heretofore has been virtually impossible.
The problem has been (on a national level), the extremist propaganda machine frames the issues and the proponent of non-leftism is always playing defense. They shrink, they cower, they run for cover. They hide and obscure the hot button issues…or they take the pounding and shrug…hoping for “the best one can hope for”…and hang on by their fingernails.
If the Republicans are to “learn” anything from Christie and Daniels successes on a NON-NATIONAL PLATFORM, and try to translate it into bigger wins across the board, it will be the lesson that you can’t be afraid to face the attackers head on.
Republicans have to understand that the old rules do not apply any longer. It used to be a truism that you never pick a fight with a man who buys his ink by the barrel. Those days are gone. That fight has been picked for them already. They will smear him, call him a racist, dream about throwing him through a plate glass window….whether he plays nice-nice with them or not.
The answer, is to shine a light on the propaganda The Journolies methodology of smearing, of crushing the truth, of misleading the electorate.
Paul Ryan would be a shining star on a national stage, an emerging bright light…but for the need by the JournoKlan to isolate him and tear him limb from limb. (see Krugman, for example)
Non-leftists of every stripe have to stand together against the greatest sin against America in modern times. Journolies is a scourge that will continue to create a government that the overwhelming majority of our countrymen do not want, but are helpless to prevent, unless they stand together against it. In close races, or in races where the JournoKlan’s fraud and deceit can make a 15% difference…and tilt the race…the confrontation is mandatory.
This is not merely a wrong that must be righted. It is an evil that must be overcome.
Republicans and all other non-leftists must be more articulate and face down the smear campaigns. They have been DISMAL in the past. They have been cowardly. They have looked for the easy way out, the politically expedient, the path of least resistance.
The message is not an easy one. It is filled with hard facts and tough choices. It is an uphill battle against lies, distortion and pure evil intent. Christie and Daniels are plain speaking men. THAT’S the lesson. But it’s not for the faint of heart.
cfbleachers. the only thing I have to say is AMEN. you covered it all very well,
cfbleachers:
You said it. You got the message right. Thank you. Awakening people from deep slumber is not something you get a lot of credit for. I hope you find the strength to keep on ringing the wakeup bell.
The newly heard but increasing drumbeat for Governor Mitch Daniels is a bit disconcerting. I think in fact he’s another trial balloon launched by the RNC in hopes of discouraging many conservatives from insisting on someone from outside of the corrupt political system to face off against Obama in 2012. He appears to be a man who would like to audition for the part of a member of the big time “ruling class.”
Daniel’s appearance on Fox News Sunday yesterday was a lesson in timidity in my opinion. He showed no understanding of the depth of the threat that this country faces at home and abroad and he exhibited no passion or outrage about the state of corruption that has infected our politics. He seemed unconcerned about the reality that this nation needs a leader who is willing to do more than tinker around the edges of existing programs rather than take up the cause of uprooting corrruption, waste, fraud abuse and all manner of spending not only in America but all around the world. He offered no clue that he believed that America should not be an empire whose highest purpose was nation building.
The fact is, America is now ruled by a near dictator, Marxist or Marxist Lite. Undoing that reality will not be accomplished by wimps. The corruption must be exposed, shown and explained to the people, and then the poisionous jungle needs to be killed off, leaf by leaf, branch by branch and root by root.
No professional politician in 2012. It’s time a truly patriotic American reformer stands up and points the way to restoration of a Constitutional Republic, where all men and women are equal as citizens and subject to the rule of all laws which are in accordance with the Constitution. No more, no less.
Now it’s up to the the two thirds of the people who recognize the threat Obama poses to the nation to come together and find a leader who is willing and able to do the heavy lifting that will be required. The one third who now rule the roost have to be engaged head on. Their control of the media and thus the national dialog that distorts logic and stands reason and common sense on its head has to be countered, and the sooner the better.
The time is now for commenters to begin naming names of potential conservative presidential candidates and having the arguments pro and con for each that will surely follow. The sooner the arguments, the sooner the healing, the sooner the cohesion. and perhaps even victory. Barry Goldwater had it right, now is the time for “a choice, not an echo”.
My name for consideration continues to be Dr. Victor Davis Hanson. But I would not rule out Sarah Palin or Governor Christy. One or both of them might be up to a no holds barred fight with the Messiah or Hillary, whomever the socialist/communist candidate may be in 2012.
CGW, do not be deceived. Mitch Daniels is ALOT tougher than he appears to be! He literally came into Indianapolis and cleaned house! He is not afraid of anything. And, he is a genuine good guy, too.
Might I suggest some techniques for fighting the mainstream media?
- Support media that oppose leftwing ideas by buying those newspapers and magazines (or viewing their broadcasts) and/or the products they advertise (if those products are things you need and the quality is acceptable)
- Oppose media that support leftwing ideas by NOT buying them and NOT buying the products they advertise; when there aren’t any reasonable non-left alternatives, write personal letters to the editors and/or journalists of the left-wing media whenever they say something you disagree with
- Establish NEW anti-left media, particularly TV channels since these seem to be more widely used than printed media; I know that buying TV stations or cable networks is expensive but I have to believe that there are still some anti-left folks with money out there; I would think that TV stations or cable networks endorsed by the Tea Party movement would be very influential
- Long ago, in my political science classes at university, our professor told us that most owners of media were conservatives, not liberals. I don’t know if that still holds true but if there are media owners who oppose the leftist MSM types, let’s try to persuade them to impose more balanced news/political coverage and, if that doesn’t work, do some house-cleaning of the more rabid leftist elements.
Mr. Moran leaves one thing out. Defense spending MUST be cut. A GAO study released early last year showed 66 of 94 reviewed weapons procurement programs running a collective $267 billion OVER budget. How does this massive lining of defense contractor pockets make us safer or protect our troops?
Any Democrat taking on this kind of issue will be immediately branded as being weak on defense, by the Limbaughs and Hannitys. No, it will take a hard-headed, thick skinned, pragmatic Republican to take on the military-industrial complex. Strong defense–yes. Big time Pentagon waste–no.
I cannot agree more. Defense spending must be cut, and we need to reassess our defense needs. Do we really need a military capable of beating the next 5 armies combined? Do we need the strongest fleet on every corner of the world, or overseas bases in more than 100 countries? While I agreed with the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, the missions were accomplished once the hostile regimes were overthrown. We should have left those places long ago. We turned our military from a destruction machine used to deter our enemies into a friendly police force, that anyway would be reviled by the leftists of the world. For example, do we care about the North Korean situation? Shouldn’t a wealthy country like South Korea be able to pay for a formidable defence against the poorest country in the world without the help of 25,000 American troops? Is “peace” in other parts in the world really worth the blood of a single Marine? I don’t think so.
3. Right church, wrong pew says there isn’t any “reason” (spot on, so far) to cut Medicare, Social Security or military spending …
Hmmmmm … One out of three cannot be called a total failure, I suppose?
3. Right church, wrong pew says there isn’t any “reason” (spot on, so far) to cut Medicare, Social Security or military spending …
Hmmmmm … One out of three cannot be called a total failure, I suppose?
The key is for a politician to truthfully–and convincingly say, “I don’t care if I’m re-elected.” Rare indeed.
Ironic, isn’t it, that sometimes not caring about re-election is the key to getting re-elected. (Although it does seem to be what many Democrats were thinking when they voted for ObamaCare!!)
I’m not sure the voters were ready for the tough message, even in ’08 (c’mon, “hope & change” isn’t a tough message); I think many of them are ready for it now. Whether ENOUGH of them are ready remains to be seen. Certainly there are many who want their “cut” (e.g., unions, especially PUBLIC unions) and there are many in the Obama administration whose main mission seems to be making sure they GET their cut, no matter what it does to the economy.
Scary times, and I’m not so sure Republican politicians, in general, are up to formulating such a message of progress through austerity.
I don’t normaly respond to Mr. Moran’s posts because he is a whiny ass rino, but this is half decent.
You sir are absolutely correct. I usually just read Moran if I want to be irritated in fact that’s why I usually come to PJ. I do love PJTV though and Bill Whittle is the greatest. PJ usually does have a few good article though and this was one.
Regaining the majority position in the House will be the easy part for Republicans. The hard part will be to pull together a party who is just as fractured as the Democrats are.
I was sent an email by a friend earlier in the week – an article written by a man I’d never heard of before named Robert Ringer. His article is like the striking of a bell – loud an clear he rings out (no pun intended!) the truth about the Republican Party and how they likely will use their gains in the House.
In short the Republicans (not all mind you) are feckless in the face of the MSM – afraid of the criticism – and flat scared to be called racists.
Don’t look for a wholesale change in how business is done in DC.
Yawn! Sounds like repetition machine Hannity on contract. For months, leaders have said, yes there would be a contract but they would wait til September to offer it. The real story is that the Tea Party has made the R’s listen to the people. So, reps have gone home with a 22pp trial balloon to run by constituents. This time the contract will have a grassroots flavor to contrast with inside elitist progressive dictates.
Anyone who needs to put “PhD” after their name is a joke
When one is born and raised in the state of NJ, one has to become very comfortable with confrontation. As a native of this state, I would like to applaud Governor Christie for remaining diplomatic in the face of the “progressive” thieves and liars that make up most of NJ’s “governance” and “law making” chambers.
As someone who follows Governor Christie very closely, and a resident of the state of NJ, I have to take one issue with the comment that good speech writers need to be hired for the dream candidate. Governor Christie walks the walk, and importantly, talks the talk. He has held numerous townhall style meetings across the state that are far from scripted. Anyone can attend and ask any question. His comeback to teachers in Rutherford and reporters in Trenton are especially great. His responses off the cuff have been well recieved because people can tell he really believes what he is saying. Many of these moments have been captured and posted on Youtube.
yeah and the great thing about Gov Christie is that he even looks like a Baptist preacher! How bout that right church wrong pew! Good Lord we need a man like Christie in national leadership.
p.s. as a Catholic, I’m very proud of Christie who while being Catholic holds to rock solid principles of his faith and refuses to whore himself out to gain constituents.
Repeal first. As to social security, we should admit that those under 40 will never see benefits and wind it up.
You are 100 percent right. I am 38 years old and for the past 15 years I have been saving at least 10 percent of my income for retirement BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO SOCIAL SECURITY WHEN I RETIRE!!! I read an few articles in 1995 and I decided to crunch the numbers for myself and I was scared to death. I realized that the baby boomers will bankrupt social security because there are not enough young people to keep social security ponzi scheme going. Everybody under the age of 40 is screwed, we will not see a single penny of social security.
I think Chris Christie is the only SURE THING against Obama. I don’t think there is any way he could lose. He has that ‘IT’ factor that is crucial coupled with competence. Like it or not, in this media driven world, there has to be a level of fascination or appeal that Mitch Daniels is severely lacking. It would take him years to grab the nations attention.
Sarah Palin would have been perfect IF ONLY she had buckled down and become truly fluent on the issues. I think she had a golden opportunity to re-introduce herself to the country and prove the media wrong, but she hasn’t done it (still love her though). Next would be Paul Ryan followed by Jindal and then Daniels. Other than those five, FUGGET ABOUT IT!
Very informative.
Christie, as a friend noted to me, has effectively dismiss the Left by knocking down their bogus criticisms against him as insignificant. Daniels is way too laid back or nice to do that. That’s NJ mentality vs Hoosier mentality. I also dont know where either stand on national secuirity, but surely they’re both 100 times better than the left. We’ll see if either runs.
That sall said, Daniels is very popular here in Indiana—except among socialist state worker since he’s denied them rasies for 3 yrs so as to save our state’s economy.
Chris Christie and Mitch Daniels are my new heros and they should be President and Vice President, in either order. The Republicans should consult them and come up with some meaningful dialog and a PLAN, A STRATEGY like these guys. The old “Vote for us because we aren’t them” may work because “they”, the Dems are so completely out of touch. But what do you do when you win? Screw it up so in two years Republicans own the poor economy. Hey, Republicans, grow a set. Look at these guys. It’s TIME!! No more excuses! Tell the American people like it is. Oh, wait we already know. We need someone to lead us out of it. Chris Christie and/or Mitch Daniels for President. It’s time!!!!!!!!
What we need is conservatism, not candidates who cut budgets and that’s it. Conservatism sells, it motivates, it works. Christi has got it right. You beat the stupid commies down, and you beat em when their down. Then you beat them some more, then you kick their asses out of the country.
RM
Without a doubt, the best comment I’ve had the pleasure of reading! Ever!
I agree with Dianna, but I also believe that those Republicans that will sell out, will not be reelected
I like Mitch Daniels in part because he doesn’t seem to care about his political career. Spent a decade as a business executive. Appeared on Fox New Sunday without a suit jacket or even a tie. Doesn’t participate in the usual Iowa and New Hampshire nonsense. Just does his current job. I’d much rather have a boring “King Log” President than the current celebrity “King Stork” one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frogs_Who_Desired_a_King
With Daniels, I don’t think America wants George W. Bush’s OMB director who has zero charisma and wants a “truce” on social issues to be president. Christie has gusto, and inherited a mess left over by the liberals. He is the much better choice between the two. No question.
Both parties are fractured at the national level because neither has a group of real leaders. The leaders on both sides, nationally, have become poll driven globs of mushbrains for their parties. Christie is leading. So is Daniels. They are making tough decisions which they feel will benefit their states, not necessarily themselves. That’s leadership. That’s something we could use more of in our politicians.
Most liberals, including those who control most of the media, are people who think in pictures and soundbites. This is why they come up slogans like, “road rage will turn into road kill”, or “the Sunshine State will turn into the gunshine state”, or “Republicans want to take food out of the mouths of hungary children and throw old people out of nursing homes and out into the cold”. Does any body really believe any of that garbage? Well, apparently, enough people do. This is because we don’t really have a “thinking” electorate any more. We have people who vote like it’s a popularity contest. Maybe it’s always been that way. However, I believe TV has accentuated it.
Remember, whoever is going to straighten out this mess MUST take on the public sector. There is no way we are going to get on the right track unless we decentralize and reduce government and make the states responsible as they should be. We need public employees to pay into retirement and insurance plans at the same rates as the rest of us. There is no reason that working for the FED or STATES entitles you to anything extra like the public sector worker unions think they do. We need each state to decide how to care for it’s own residents.
I now live in Indiana. Mitch Daniels has mostly done things that I approve; however, there have been a few things I questioned. Overall, a good governor.
Let’s start shutting down Social Security and make people responsible for retirement themselves. Unfortunately, it has to be a phased out approach somehow. That also will require that financial education be made mandatory in high school. Then when people fall short of their goals they will only have themselves to blame.
John Boehner should follow the lead of House Minority Whip, Eric Cantor, regarding spending cuts that can be made immediately. Cantor’s initiative, “You Cut” has submitted $119 billion in cuts for consideration by the House. Of course, the Dems have voted down all suggestions.
I stand corrected. I’ve been thinking all this time that the only thing worthy of not burning to the ground in New Jersey was the crop of beautiful (if mush-brained) women they manage to turn out (Snookie is not included in that group).
Chris Christie has proven to be a realistic and pragmatic Governor, capable of bringing some semblance of sanity to an otherwise La-La-Land.
Keep it up, Governor Christie!
There are three programs that eat up all revenues in the federal government: SSA, Medicare, Medicaid.
All the rest is paid for with deficit spending, including interest on the debt. When you are paying for interest with new debt, you are under water.
Austerity is necessary, and ridding the government of those three boondoggles mandatory. We can do that nicely, with the year or two left before the SHTF, or not so nicely. If we keep those getting current payouts from SSA within a new structure, then the rest of us can be given back our ‘investment’ into the empty ‘lock box’ in the form we all understand: an amount to apply against current taxation. By removing FICA and allowing individuals to write-off against taxes what they have already paid into the system, you get the largest tax cut in US history.
For Medicare and Medicaid: add up, divide by 2, apportion to the States via Block Grants and phase out over 5 years. That gets rid of the overhead, the federal bureaucracy, makes it into simple payments via population proportion and lets the States figure out if they can afford this stuff.
Then you cut those parts of the federal government not covered in the Constitution: Dept. of Agriculture, Energy, Education, HHS goes away save for the pay-outs which become locked at their current rate for those currently getting them and that moves to Treasury, Dept. of Labor, EPA, DEA, NEA… you are basically left with Defense (that gets cuts, also), parts of Interior, GAO, ICE, Mint and parts of Dept. of Commerce. No Federal Reserve, no SEC, and the mortgage and finance organizations go completely (Fannie, Freddie, Ginnie, Sallie). Roll the State Dept. back into the military as it was way back when so we don’t have to worry about ‘coordinating’ between them during wars.
Basically a pure austerity budget, a huge tax cut with write-offs, and everyone gets to figure out their lives without government ‘help’ which is bankrupting us.
You’ll get all of that without the write-offs if you wait a bit more, and then things get painful.
Once the GOP is in charge it will be 1937 and 1938 all over again. I feel for this country.
Other than reactionary stupidity, what is this supposed to mean??
1. Flyover USA is craving the direct no-nonsense approach, where the classic social issues of left vs right take a back seat to the fiscal disaster facing this country (ie. you don’t worry about the wall color while the house is burning down!). There are no better govs than Christie and Daniels in this regard.
2. The Repubs DO have a plan. See Paul Ryan’s Roadmap for America. Brilliant. Succinct. Specific. His plan needs to be brought to the forefront and debated. His egomaniac cohorts need to recognize TRUE genius and charisma and step aside for the good of the country (that means you Palin, Newt, et al)
3. The next POTUS repub candidate must be charismatic AND intellectually robust. This assures the evisceration of Commiebama in any debate (who is a doctrinaire MArxist meatpuppet on a string). Daniels / Ryan Ticket does this in spades.
4. Daniels is charming, speaks efficiently, and uses “downhome” metaphors frequently (a true sign of wit).
None of these 2 political parties has a solution to America’s fundamental economic problem i.e. the massive $600 billion annual trade deficit. In 1970 if the US government borrowed money it was mostly from American banks and from the American people. Today we borrow from the Chinese who made the money in the first place by underselling and destroying US manufacturing.
Both parties worship on the alter of free trade and the dirtiest word in Washington is “protectionist”. We borrow billions every month to import goods that used to be made in America while the Chinese manipulate their currency to keep us hooked to cheap imports. Among our trading partners only the Europeans even pretend to play fair. I don’t hear anything from the Republicans that will avert this collective national suicide or restore good paying middle class jobs. Obama will probably lose the next election but I do not believe a Republican government will make a fundamental difference.
I wonder how much money could be saved if Congressmen didn’t continue to receive their pay and other benefits for the rest of their lives, even if they only serve one term?
One thing that drives me nuts is that when Republicans create prosperity, the resulting increased tax receipts go towards federal and state binge spending. The free market system (or at least our bastardized approximation of it) is used to get us back to helping ourselves to the state and federal trough. Brazil’s Lula da Silva remarked that “you must first have capitalism before you can have socialism,” undoubtedly thinking himself very clever. But that is indeed the philosophy of the clever statist/socialist: revert back to propsperity-consciousness long enough to revive the near-death economy, and then start bleeding it again. Clinton, anyone? Obama appears to be too stupid to understand that. Republicans are too stupid to realize that they are used when they enable prosperity.
In good times governments act like prosperity is going to be forever. I would love to see a steady-state government budgets philosophy take hold.
Here’s one thing I don’t get. If there is prosperity and a booming economy, shouldn’t there be fewer needy people at that time? Why is it then that benefits outlays and other expenditures by a government go up in those circumstances? Obviously there are a lot more than jsut the needy and the indigent with their hands out, and the needy are given unrealistically generous assistance.
Until we’re willing to break this vicious cycle, it’ll just repeat itself.
I learned a new word today thanks to Ken Blackwell:
Dhimmicrats!
I love it.
I’ll be going to a Tea Party gathering next month. I’m going to try to incorporate “Dhimmicrats!” as a theme in the sign I will carry.
Any suggestions?
If your from Texas you’ll come up with a good one. I have relatives in Texas and they always kill me with their humor and slant on things. Wish they were having a tea party near me I’m up for making a sign myself.
On another subject, if you want to see what the last 50 years has wrought and why we’re in this mess (facts) get a copy of “AGENDA Grinding America Down.” It’s not our imagination socialism is trying to take this country down. We know the media, Hollywood, The teachers Unions and progressives are trying to change this country.
And now they’ve got the President and Congress to complete the change. This November could be our last chance to turn it around. We better thank God for the internet without it we would be goners.
I saw a photo of a sign at a Tea Party Rally you could use. It said, “The MSM will say this sign is racist regardless what it says!”