The Party Of No
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in RepublicansFred Barnes wants the GOP to keep saying no because he thinks that’s the path to victory.
Fred Barnes is crazy.
Republican leaders in Congress have created something called the National Council for a New America (NCNA). It describes itself as “not a Republican-only forum” but one that seeks to “engage people in a discussion to meet common challenges and build a stronger country through common-sense ideas.” The expectation–mine, anyway–is those ideas will differ from President Obama’s in a way that makes Republicans look fairminded and reasonable. The council’s first event at a pizza parlor in Arlington, Virginia, did just that. Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush showed up, media coverage was heavy, and the session was deemed a success.Improving the party’s image is a worthy cause, but it isn’t what Republicans ought to be emphasizing right now. They have a more important mission: to be the party of no. And not just a party that bucks Obama and Democrats on easy issues like releasing Gitmo terrorists in this country, but one committed to aggressive, attention-grabbing opposition to the entire Obama agenda. [...]
Republican efforts to escape being tagged the party of no are understandable. The label gives Democrats and the media echo chamber a talking point. Should the NCNA come up with new ideas that spruce up the party’s image, that’s helpful. The criticism of the council by social conservatives, by the way, is downright counter-productive. Their attacks merely delight Democrats and the press. But no matter how restrained and sensible Republicans sound or how many useful ideas they develop, they’re probably stuck with the party of no label. They have more to gain by actually accepting the role and taking on Obama vigorously. If they come to be dubbed the party of no, no, no, a thousand times no, all the better. It will mean they’re succeeding.
Question: when has Fred Barnes been right about anything?
Discuss.
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