It’s been gloomy days for Republicans since the November elections, but last week offered several rays of hope. Just how bright these rays will become remains to be seen, but they are definitely there, both in DC and VA.
On the national level, Michael Steele won election as RNC Chair and House Republicans cast unified, principled votes against the House Democrats’ version of a “stimulus” package. Most importantly, not against any stimulus package, but against this particular stimulus package.
Michael Steele’s election heralds a recognition by the RNC majority that the GOP brand is in the hole and new shovels must be engaged to dig it out. He is a unifier, not a divider. He recognizes that the party must expand its reach beyond its so-called “base” and welcome the involvement of all those whose inclinations are Republican, plus reach out to constituencies who deserted the GOP in recent years.
No litmus tests for Steele who subscribes to the Reagan “big tent” view that he who is 80% with me is my ally, not my 20% enemy! The election of Steele contrasts vividly with the notion that Rush Limbaugh “speaks” for the Republican Party and returns Rush to his chosen role of hard-line advocate for a segment- and only a segment- of those who call themselves conservative.
The unanimous House GOP vote against the House Democrat “stimulus” bill highlights dramatically the bill’s shortcomings in meeting the criteria the President seeks in the bill: targeted, timely and temporary. The Three T’s. It was clearly and undoubtedly a mixture of features that met the criteria with too many that did not.
Too much of it was partisan Democrat business as usual. No change there! Even the President and the Senate Democrats recognized that. It deserved opposition and the constituencies that Republicans must appeal to seemed to agree. Even the Washington Post editorialized on Sunday that the House Democrats had “clutter(ed) his fiscal stimulus plan with extraneous and counterproductive measures.”
Chances are the Senate will vastly improve the bill and it will utlimately enjoy at least some Republican support. Legislation meeting the three T’s test is badly needed. Republicans know this too and many will work in a biparttisan way to craft a bill with the necessary content and then support the right package.
But GOP legislative leaders must be careful- this economy clearly needs government help. Finger pointing to government’s contribution to the present mess and ignoring the sins of the private sector may have some appeal to “anti-government” zealots, but it does not help the country and it does not advance the GOP fortunes overall.
We must be willing to employ the proper tools of government to help boost the economy and make sure that voters understand our efforts to do so. Then, and only then, will voters credit principled opposition to bills that do not meet that test.
If Democrats succeed in framing the issue as a contest between those who understand the need to help Americans in their time of need and those who oppose government assistance in the currently tarnished name of “free enterprise” or “capitalism”, Republicans will lose. We must frame the debate between those who support a measured three T’s package big enough to do the job, and those who want to laden this much needed legislation with the continuation of “earmarked” politically driven business-as-usual goodies that will jeopardize the recovery with excess debt and burden our children and grandchildren even more with mind-numbing deficits.
This is a debate we can win. But rhetoric must be matched with efforts on the ground to craft an acceptable bill or voters will see through it and GOP fortunes will continue to drag.
In VA, Republicans took the lead in the General Assembly by proposing some solid advancements in improving the availability of health insurance and lowering health costs. They offered solid proposals to provide some economic stimulus to help ramp up Virginia’s economy. Delegates Marshall (Dan), Nixon and Hamilton spearheaded the health care initiatives, while House Republicans advanced the stimulus package combining speeded-up timetables for certain higher-ed packages, loan incentives and performance grants. This is what Republicans must do to meet voters’ expectations that their elected officials should address those things that affect their lives and focus on solving the problems confronting us.
Finally, the news that Tom Davis, former Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair and long-term GOP Congressman, is a close advisor to Attorney General Bob McDonnell’s gubernatorial campaign was warmly received in many quarters. Tom Davis’ political skills and knowledge are legendary and he brings a voice like Michael Steele’s to the McDonnell campaign.
This signals that the Attorney General understands he must re-establish connection with a wide swath of the VA electorate that in recent years moved from Republican to independent, along with certain voting groups, like those under 30 and Latinos, to which Republicans must appeal if statewide elections are to be won.
All-in-all a very good week for a Party in desperate need of them!
Wyatt Durrette is a Director at DurretteBradshaw, PLC and co-founder of the XDL Group. He served three terms in the House of Delegates and was the Republican candidate for Governor in 1985.
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