In the flurry of speculation and opinion preceeding tonight’s debate, Betsy offers excellent advice for John McCain:
Focus on the economy and how tax increases will affect all of us,
McCain has to be able to explain his proposals for the economy and health care in clear language that also explains how his ideas will affect people. He needs to expose the myths behind Obama’s tax cuts for 95% of people and how it’s really money handouts. Show people that Obama’s math doesn’t add up for all the proposals he has plus his tax cuts. There is no way he’s going to fund that just by taxing the top 5% more.
Especially business taxes, which the US’s are the highest in the world
Point out that taxes on businesses are passed on to customers so we’ll all be paying those higher taxes. And it will affect all of our 401K’s.
And also on how harmful it will be to have all branches of government in the hands of one party,
And McCain should be specific. Talk about Obama’s support for taking the secret ballot away from workers or the money for ACORN that the Democrats wanted to seed into the bailout proposal. Remind people that we’ll never see offshore drilling with Democratic control of the government. Then connect that to people’s gas bills.
This is a particularly important point. You can forget about offshore drilling or for that matter any kind of drilling or exploration of US oil, just as you can forget a strong military under an Obama administration.
Some Republicans may fool themselves into thinking that if Obama comes to power in the middle of a recession and puts through Congress his disastrous policies, the people will then turn to the Republicans in the 2010 Congressional elections as they did during the Clinton years and turn the ship of state around towards conservatism. Allow me to make a prediction:
That’s not going to happen.
The Republicans lose, and they’re going to be out of the game years, possibly decades. One can even wonder, permanently?
For starters, back in the days of Newt Grinwrich’s Contract With America, Newt had been building a large network of support for years, with clear issues. There is a complete lack of leadership among Republicans and they have NOT, I repeat, have NOT come up with anything near a “Contract With America”.
Additionally, the media and academia are busy building a myth of Obama, the likes of which we’re only starting to see. Bush Derangement Syndrome will continue for many many years to come. The Dems will blame every darned thing on Republicans and nobody other than perhaps the bloggers (IF the internet is not censored by then) will have the hardheadedness to contradict the meme. It will not matter that the Democrats created the subprime mortgage disaster; it will be blamed on the Republicans, and if there’s a worldwide depression it will be blamed on the Republicans. Look at how the Dems have completely obliterated the reality of the Civil Rights Movement era: the Republicans are seen as “racist” on every turn.
The cult of personality is such that Howard Stern, of all people, illustrated the blind support for Obama in this exchange (h/t GoV):
School books are already out with pages of praise for Obama. Do you think that will stop once he’s president?
The President of the United States not only nominates judges to the Supreme Court, he appoints the Federal judges. Think about it: a liberal majority in Congress, in the Senate, in the federal courts, and in the Supreme Court, too.
You’re looking at all branches of government, the media and academia tightly controlled by one party. A party which is the master of propaganda.
Now, consider the existing voter fraud carried out by ACORN (and ACORN received $800,000 from the Obama campaign): With paperless voting machines, who’s going to investigate when the results favor the stranglehold on power?
And another issue: Who will stop any censorship on the internet, on talk radio, on any dissenting organ? Let’s imagine one scenario like we’re seeing now: The president of the world, as Obama sees himself, wants to be seen as a friend of the world, and a socialist country doesn’t want a website owned by one of their nationals to be hosted by a server in the US? What do you think Obama’s position will be? What do you think McCain’s position would be?
Listen to Betsy, John. The game’s a lot bigger than just tonight’s play.
UPDATE
Welcome, Vodkapundit readers. Please visit often.
Posting on ACORN today, RightWing Sparkle
As I was saying, straight from Kos:
I’ve been making the case the last couple of weeks that we can’t just focus on winning in November, but that we have an imperative to take advantage of a historic opportunity to break the conservative movement’s backs and crush their spirits. In the White House, that means getting Obama a broad popular and geographic mandate for change. In the House, that means annihilating the Republican caucus and working toward a 100-seat Democratic majority. In the Senate it means getting to a 60-seat filibuster proof majority.
Go read Ace’s whole post.
I have tried not to get too upset at the prospect of an Obama Presidency. I mean haven’t we survived worst? No. No, we haven’t.
I’m pretty frightened now.
I’m so scared.
“The Republicans lose, and they’re going to be out of the game years, possibly decades. One can even wonder, permanently?”
Obama and the Party of Marxist Lawyers will see to this.
America, don’t be foolish by ceding our power to those enemies of liberty and freedom.
The Republicans started the VietNam War, too. How long before they get blamed for slavery?
McCain has to recapture the center. He needs to ignore the temptation to attack. He must talk about coming to the center and governing.
“National Unity” rather than a fever-dream of the Left.
“Do you want to return to the 70’s? Because that’s what the Democrats are offering.” Everything regulated to the point of stagnation, high taxes to make up for the lack of enterprise, and everyone fighting over the government’s scraps.
Lastly, he needs to predict that total Democrat control would lead back to high inflation, like night follows day. If he loses he needs to have that hook already baited before they blame it on Bush, too.
And yes, he needs to start the debate by throwing Bush under the bus and backing over him a few times. Pointing out that he DID run against Bush in 2000, and regrets the loss as much as anyone.
I am stunned at that Howard Stern video. The woman at the end calling McCain uneducated was the epitome of irony.
I keep hearing of more undecideds who are now planning to vote for Obama. It’s certainly disturbing.
I agree with your views about the GOP not having any solidity and certainly nothing like the Contract with America. I miss Newt.
The Republican party stands for nothing anymore. Newt’s 1994 version was amazing. Then it just pissed it all away. Maybe what will emerge will be a leaner, more honest, more credible version with integrity. Next time, maybe not use a religious litmus test to nominate as bad a public speaker as Bush? If there is a next time. I think we need a libertarian on social issues, a republican on economic issues, and a Scoop Jackson-style democrat on foreign policy. Can the GOP pull that off? Nope. Off with their Whigs.
“The Republicans lose, and they’re going to be out of the game years, possibly decades. One can even wonder, permanently? ”
We might well have to prepare to a complete and permanent exile from political life. Our views will not count on the public square anymore. And forget the blogosphere and talk radio: those will be gone from us, too. (It was good while it lasted, though.)
On the other hand, the American People will get exactly what they wish, in spades. When they start complaining about the high taxes, hyperinflation, hyper-racism, censorship, and the low-quality government they themselves voted to bring forth, I will have the pleasure to laugh in their faces.
“Hey. You made your bed. Now, lie on it, fleas, ticks, scorpions and all! We warned you, and you didn’t want to listen. Because YOU wanted CHANGE! Well, here’s your CHANGE, idiots! You might as well enjoy it!”
The real and only good reason why the Republicans have squandered themselves good since Newt’s Contract with America is because the Republican politicians in Congress and the Republican Party overall did not upheld and adhere to the original and true Republican principle: to address the concerns of the people and represent them before Congress. Instead, GOP have only addressed the concerns of the very wealthy and the powerful and forget about the American people, turning back on them.
It is time for the Republicans to return to that original and true Republican principle!
Wow, folks… randomly came across this blog today, and the views expressed here are, uh, interesting. It’s amazing how people can be so surprised the republican party has lost traction with America. Why? Because while you point fingers at democrats, and predict all the doom and gloom, you don’t explain why it is that the republicans were never able to deliver any of the promises they made. Seriously, people, what gives?
Fiscal responsibility: Ha, what a joke. On his first day in office George Bush increased government spending by 4%, and subsequently drove the USA into record debt.
Smaller government: Hilarious. The republicans went on to create an even more monstrous government, with all its spending excesses, and the glory of the office of Homeland Security: We already has the Pentagon, the FBI, and the CIA – clearly we need more bureaucracy protecting the country against… Saddam Hussein? Which brings me to my next point…
Iraq: The Bush administration ignored every single weapons inspector in the world(in other words, people who specialize in military intelligence – huh, who would trust them?) – even conservative Scott Ritter – who said there was no way Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. Did we let the inspectors continue their jobs so that we could accurately assess the situation? Nope, we had to go catch Osama Bin Laden… but wait, he was in Afghanistan, right? Then how’d we end up in Iraq? Oh, right, brilliant republican planning and strategy. At a cost of roughly $341 million per day. For what again? And where the hell is Osama Bin Laden?
Freedom: The republican party, again and again, pushes a social agenda that doesn’t figure into liberty. Homeland Security wants to peek into your underwear drawer, and now they can. Why? Because the republican party wants them watching you. And gay marriage… who gives a damn? Why are you wasting government hours telling people how they can and can’t live. Aren’t republicans for fewer laws, and less government? For god’s sake, mind your own damn business, and get back to work governing.
I could go on… but seriously, the hypocrisy must end. It used to be that democrats and republicans got along just fine… the main differences being different ways of achieving the same goals. We didn’t piss away money on ridiculous wars, we didn’t let giant corporations take advantage of the little guy, and we sure as hell didn’t think it was okay to drive this nation into unprecedented debt with irresponsible spending.
You guys said you’d fix it… and as far as I can tell, you only made it worse. Congratulations, and good luck on November 4th – you’re going to need it.
I’ve said since 1980 that George Bush (I meant GHW Bush, but this applies to both of ’em) was a deep-penetration mole from the far left, whose mission was to destroy the Republican party. Every time Bush (either of them!) opened his mouth, it was to propose new programs, new spending, and new taxes. Bush I wasted his chance to eliminate a madman in 1991, when it would have been easy; Bush II reran the same play and then flubbed it royally.
“Read My Lips; LOTS OF NEW TAXES!” was what he meant, and sonny went along with dad.
“Kinder, Gentler America” and “Compassionate Conservatism” are just their family way of saying LIBERAL.
REELECT NOBODY!
“I could go on…”
No doubt you could blathering on endless Repug this, that and the other all the while completely ignoring the ugly tyrnanny standing behind the Ivory tower’s Iron Curtain.
Further, as ‘educated’ as you attempt to appear why is it so challenging for you to admit that since 2006 the Democratic Party is majority in both Senate and House?
@syn:
You’re not naive enough to think that that mattered, are you?
They had a +1 majority in the senate, and a childish republican minority that would filibuster (or threaten to filibuster) anything they tried to do.
For better or worse, Reid chose not to conduct the senate with a bunch of republicans reading the phone book out of the pulpit all year long.
You already knew that- and I don’t care to argue with you people anymore. The things you believe, the failed policies you support, the despicable people you want to run this country- they’re all going to be gone.
For a long, long time.
Enjoy the next 19 days, folks. Perhaps you can summon some kind of fake domestic terror threat between now and then to swing the election your way.
Ben,
Your points are mainly uneducated gibberish, but you do make a good point about Republicans not pursuing smaller government as the ‘brand’ required.
Of course, if you find fault with Republicans for this, just wait! Republicans have been acting like Democrat-lite on spending for the last 8 years. Wait and see how you like it if the ‘real thing’ is in power.
Good luck to us all.
Here’s what else they’re going to do on Inauguration Day:
1) They’re going to fire every US attorney. Only “loyal” ones will be hired back.
2) They’re going to fire every Republican attorney working for the Justice Department. The Democrats in the Civil Rights section have been keeping a list of those who are not loyal.
3) They’re going to begin harassing all government employees who were McCain supporters. (There aren’t many of these, but lists are being kept.) Some are going to be targeted for sexual harassment suits; some for race discrimination suits, etc. It will quickly become evident to all Republicans that it’s better to just quit than to be dragged through the courts.
4) ACORN will be a drop in the bucket. Once the Dems have control of Congress, a thousand elm trees will be planted.
5) First order of business: Fairness Doctrine and the death of talk radio … starting with Enemy #1 Rush Limbaugh, but to include Michael Graham, Bill O’Reilly and a complete list of anyone on the right who opposes the Democrat Party. All radio and television stations that run these programs will be targeted for complaints designed to strip them of their federal broadcast licenses. The goal will not be to win, but to increase their cost of doing business. Some will fold, some won’t …. the goal is to make right talk radio as unprofitable as, well, left talk radio.
6) Dan Rather is going to make a huge comeback.
7) We’re going to find out that Muslims influence the election by donating tens of millions of dollars to Obama’s campaign in the form of thousands and thousands of donations of less than $250 each. His campaign will pay a fine with those donations and the loophole will be closed, but of course, by then, it will be too late suckers.
Hahahahahahaha.