The GOP's Strategy of Sabotage

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.

Alternative Healthcare Plan?

Maybe I keep missing something in the GOP's alternative healthcare proposals, but it appears to me that they only address healthcare reform for people who are either already employed and either have healthcare, or can afford it at a minimal price. The variety of proposals put forth by various GOP groups and Republican members of Congress focus on lowering taxes in one form or another for those who either have healthcare with their current employer or are employed with no healthcare. This does little or nothing to address those who are unemployed, don't make enough to pay taxes, or make so little that they can barely afford basic essentials.

In real numbers, the plan put forth by the "House Republican Healthcare Solutions Group" covers only 17 million of the 46 million uninsured Americans in the best case scenario. The plan has no budget projections and its creators have no time table for when those numbers will be available.

It appears that their strategy is to provide so few details, that the opposition won't have anything to attack. An odd but possibly effective poltical strategy to address healthcare issues in America. However if you are unemployed with no healthcare you might want to consider moving to Costa Rica. The economy may be a little shabby, but they provide universal healthcare for all citizens.

Obama's Supreme Strategy

President Obama has an opportunity to make history by nominating the first Latino for a Supreme Court seat and putting the final nail in the GOP’s coffin simultaneously. Whether he selects the current favorite Sonia Sotomayor or another person not yet named, a Latino selection would be disastrous to the GOP.


The GOP is firing up their rhetoric machine to viciously attack Obama’s nominee. They have no choice but to throw red meat to their base by launching relentless personal attacks against the unfortunate soul who sits before them to answer questions about his or her intentions as a Supreme Court Justice. The problem they have is one of numbers at the polling booth. Several Western States have turned blue lately and in no small part due to the shift in the Latino vote from Republican to Democrat. I suspect there will be a significant negative reaction in the Hispanic community as they watch the first Latino Supreme Court nominee in history eviscerated by Southern GOP Senators on national television in confirmation hearings. If that does not incite fury, they will hear far right wing anti-immigrant Republicans such as Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck making outright racist statements on the nightly news shows, as they are sure to do.

I have little doubt that the Republican Party will launch merciless attacks on the Supreme Court nominee and that if that nominee is a Latino, there will be serious consequences for the GOP at the polling booths in 2010 and beyond. The growing Latino Community has a right to be represented in the highest court in the Land, and what a great bonus to be able to set the GOP on a suicide course in the process.

The "Real Republicans" Won

It appears that a congratulations is in order for Rush limbaugh, Michael Steele, and the Religious Right. They have been calling for Arlen Spectre's political head every since he declared his allegiance to Lenin by voting for the Obama Administration's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (The Stimulus Bill). Upon learning of his treasonous betrayal, Chairman Steele quickly proposed that the Party find a more conservative challenger to oust Senator Spectre in the next Pennsylvania Primary Race. Recent statements by Senator Spectre make it quite clear that he met with the Pennsylvania Republican Party and discussed the reality that a staunchly conservative candidate would almost assuredly be defeated in the general election. Oddly, the Pennsylvania Republican Party advised him that a loss based on principle was an acceptable outcome, which explains their self destructive election strategies for the last two general election cycles.

Rush Limbaugh immediately went after Spectre and the entire moderate wing of the Party by delivering the "message" that "A lot of people say, 'Well, Specter, take McCain with you. And his daughter." Rush also said that he felt that this was ultimately good for the Party because it would weed out people who aren't really Republicans. As Rush and company celebrate another victory, I wonder how many of them recognize the cost. Could it be that this is just a sour grapes defense or are these clowns really fiddling while Rome burns around them? Whatever the case, Spectre's loss means that the Northeast is officially closed for the GOP (other than the Maine Senators, but that’s' a unique situation). Limbaugh, Hannity, and the other "Real Republicans" have great cause to celebrate Senator Spectre's move. The apostate traitor has been ousted and the Party was freed from his uncleanness. The Republican Party has become too right, too white, too Southern, and too small. Will the Last GOP Senator who leaves the Northeast please take down the Confederate flag, turn the light off, and close the door on your way out?