obama is failing, but can the gop succeed?

By now everyone has heard about the revolution (as my Dad likes to call it) that occurred in Massachusetts last week.  Scott Brown was elected Senator, taking away the Democrats filibuster proof majority in the Senate (which, by the way, they never should have had because Al Franken manufactured votes last year in the Minnesota recounts).  Everyone is proclaiming that Obamacare is dead and that the Democrats are going to get murdered in the midterm elections in November.

Well I do agree with the first point; Obamacare is probably dead in the water, at least anything close to its current form.  I am not sold, however, on the fact that Democrats will be wiped out in November.  I understand that it will be a tough year for Democrats, but unless the Republicans stop simply being the party of "no" (which I am completely fine with if they are the minority party) and put out ideas of their own, their gains will not be substantial enough to effect real change (i.e. for them to take control of one or both houses of Congress).

Well guess what GOP?  I am here to help.  I have identified FIVE issues that can lead the Republicans to the promised land.  These are issues that in my opinion can not only bring victory to the party, but would also put America back on the path of unbridled economic vitality and sustainability.  Although I think each of these issues is important, they are listed in reverse order of importance (at least in my opinion).  The first two deal with foreign policy, while the last three are domestic issues.  Here we go!


5.  Legal Status of Terrorists
Scott Brown showed that even in Massachusetts more of the public support the more conservative view of the rights of enemy combatants and other terrorists.  The attempted Christmas Day Bomber, however you say his stupid name, was taken into custody by the FBI immediately after he landed in Detroit, was read his Miranda rights, and then he immediately lawyered up.  He still isn't talking.  It's pretty hard to fight a "War on Terror[ists]" when you cannot legally get the best possible information on your enemy.  Look, I am about as libertarian as you can get, and even I don't think these murders are entitled to all the rights afforded by the Constitution.  These guys are (for the most part) not U.S. citizens and they entered this country solely to attack civilians.  That is an act of war, not crimes in an ordered society.  The protections of the Constitution are rights that U.S. citizens hold and that the government cannot encroach.  In my opinion, these foreign terrorists should be treated like the shits they are, and that Constitutional rights are reserved for U.S. citizens.  Now I understand there are many, many situations were non-U.S. citizens should be afforded Constitutional rights, but this is not the case here.  They kill indiscriminately and are no different than any other barbarians that have emerged throughout history.  They should be dealt with accordingly.


4.  Make Freedom, Liberty and Security, Rather than Climate Change, the Focus of Foreign Policy
Since Obama took office the overriding theme of his foreign policy has been that global warming is the most serious international threat of our time.  Guess what?  That simply is not true.  At least in my opinion.  And I think the majority of Americans would agree with me.  Nuclear proliferation is a much, much larger problem both now and into the future.  Rogue regimes like North Korea and Iran are pushing hard to develop weapons that could be used against the U.S. and its allies.  This should be the focus of foreign policy.  We should make it known that we support anyone in the world who shares our belief in freedom and liberty.  This includes dissenters in China and the Green movement in Iran.  Democracy and individual liberty are the greatest pacifiers our civilization has ever seen, and as those beliefs proliferate, the world will become a much safer place.


3.  Swear off Earmarks, and Cut Domestic Discretionary Spending
So apparently Obama is going express support for a cap on discretionary spending in his state of the union on Wednesday night.  Well it seems like a great idea, but in all reality it is nothing more than a political farce.  In his first two budgets Obama raised total federal spending from about 21% to 26% of GDP.  So after this huge hike, he is now trying to claim fiscal discipline.  Please.  What's more is that discretionary spending is only approximately one-sixth of the federal budget, so capping its growth will do little to stop the deficits.  It is however, a good start if it is done right.  The Republicans should go a step farther than announce their attention to not only halt, but to cut domestic discretionary spending.  Republicans need to stand up and say they will not support another pork-riddle farm bill or unproductive funding for the departments of energy, education or labor.  If that means we lose Iowa, then we lose Iowa.  Fuck em.  Pork is pork whether it is in farm subsidies, bridges to nowhere or other wealth distribution programs.


2.  Make the 2001 Bush Tax Cuts Permanent
Everyone is hoping that 2010 will be better than 2009.  And that 2011 will be better than 2010.  Guess what?  That probably won't happen if we allow the Democrats allow the Bush Tax cuts to expire.  All of the marginal income tax rates will rise, the capital gains tax will rise and the tax on dividends will close to double.  Is this smart policy during an economic recovery?  The bad consequences of such a policy have been chronicled in numerous sources, but check out this WSJ editorial by Peter Du Pont for some grim predictions.   I find Arthur Laffer's analysis in his January Economic Outlook very compelling as well (the analysis is also mentioned in Du Pont's editorial).  Obviously I think this issue is a self starter for the Republicans.  I'm not one for litmus tests, but any Republican who does not support this policy should not be running for federal office.


1.  Entitlement Reform
In my opinion this is the most important, most contentious and most difficult problem that the U.S. will face in my lifetime.  Everyone knows the narrative: These programs (Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid) were initiated originally to help the the poor and indigent.  Over time they expanded to cover more and more Americans.  They are now approaching fiscal disaster as payouts are increasing far more than revenue.  This is the one and only issue (barring any major wars, knock on wood) that could simple bankrupt our country and our currency.  Without this problem all other problems seem very solvable.  If we could kick the habit we could end our reliance on foreign financing, increase economic productivity by stopping this huge drain on our resources, and focus on more pressing domestic and international issues.  The problem is in the pudding (I don't know what that means).  The problem actually is that at this point so many people have been promised benefits and have paid into the system their whole lives that it would be fundamentally unfair to deny them their benefits.  However, a large chunk of the population is aging fast, and there soon will not be enough productive workers to pay for their benefits.  Do I know a politically feasible answer to this problem?  No.  Personally I am for a combination of benefit cuts, allowing young people to opt out of the program instead rely on personal savings accounts, and cutting spending in other areas to fill the gap.  We need to tell young people today that social security in its current form will not be around when they retire.  Unfortunately, because of the largess of their parents and grandparents, they will be forced to pay for the program while not benefiting from it.  There is no feasible way that last statement is not true.  We might as well own up to that fact now, and end any reason for a sane American to rely on these programs for retirement in 50 years.  Obviously I don't have all the answers, but it is at least time for Republicans to start the debate.