In order to understand the tactics of the Republican Party you must first consider the strategy. The GOP, as an organization, is intent upon regaining political power, nothing else. This is not to say that there are not individuals within the Party who hold a genuine belief that their ideology is the most effective method of governance for our society. However, the overall Party strategy is forward looking with little regard for the "collateral damage" it will likely cause to the Country. In fact, it appears that the collateral damage is viewed as the vehicle to ultimate success. They see next year’s midterm elections as an opportunity to regain power and credibility.
The problem with the GOP's subversive plan is that the only way it works is if the country suffers setbacks and disaster. It doesn't take a P.H.D. in political science (lucky for me) to figure out that an economic upturn and the passage of legislature which enhances the lives of ordinary voters, such as universal health care, reduces the odds of the GOP retaking either of the houses of congress in 2010. Therefore, I would argue that any legislation which will either improve, or have the have the potential to improve the social and economic situation in America will be adamantly opposed by the Republican Party at all levels, specifically because it would in turn enhance the image of the incumbent party. Though quite cynical I admit, this argument is highly logical when considering the peculiar actions of the GOP in recent weeks. The Party whose motto was "Country First" during the presidential election wildly cheered when it was announced that the Olympic Committee had made a decision to send the games to Rio, despite the fact that this decision kept hundreds of millions of badly needed dollars out of the pockets of hardworking Americans. In virtual concert with Al Queda and the Taliban, the GOP attacked the President when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in the world.
When all of the evidence is considered, the obvious conclusion is that between now and the midterm elections the Republican strategy amounts to political sabotage. The GOP has reasoned, as any sensible person or organization would, that millions of Americans with no health care coverage, who suddenly find themselves with health care coverage, are likely to feel some sense of gratitude to the Democrats. The underlying problem for the GOP is that many of them hail from impoverished Southern states with significant numbers of uninsured citizens. Though they may sympathize with the teabaggers, I doubt that many poor southern mothers will refuse health care coverage for their children just because it is a Government run system. Unfortunately, it appears that the Republican Party is betting that the only way up, is to push the average American further down.
