~~~~ “The sun rises, but shines not. The men appear, at first sparsely and shame-faced enough, then thicker, in the streets of Washington—appear in Pennsylvania Avenue, and on the steps and basement entrances. They come along in disorderly mobs, some in squads, stragglers, companies….” ~~~~ W. Whitman, Battle of Bull Run….
Poor Republicans… the out party… all kinds of post mortem are appearing… dissecting the entrails… David Brooks writes in the NYT…
~~~ ” …Finally, Traditionalists own the conservative mythology. Members of the conservative Old Guard see themselves as members of a small, heroic movement marching bravely from the Heartland into belly of the liberal elite. In this narrative, anybody who deviates toward the center, who departs from established doctrine, is a coward, and a sellout.
… But this embattled-movement mythology provides a rational for crushing dissent, purging deviationists and enforcing doctrinal purity. It has allowed the old leaders to define who is a true conservative and who is not. It has enabled them to maintain control of (an ever more rigid) movement…
… In short, the Republican Party will probably veer right in the years ahead, and suffer more defeats. Then, finally, some new Reformist donors and organizers will emerge. They will build new institutions, new structures and new ideas, and the cycle of conservative ascendance will begin again.” ~~~~
Yes Mr. Brooks it is a dialectic… the new arises in opposition to the old…
I suggest a reasonable strategy for the Republican party is supported by principles which help people be confident in their own ability to create a prosperous future for themselves and their families. And to feel secure about their individual liberties and economic, social and national conditions.
Winning principles include rewarding success, encouraging competition, promoting innovation, ensuring justice, developing equal access to information and institutions.
The New York Times reported on the Republican Governors Association meeting in Florida…
~~~~ ” … Mr. Pawlenty (Governor of Minnesota) kicked off the conference with a somewhat gloomy appraisal of where things stand for the Republican Party.
“We cannot be a majority governing party when we essentially cannot compete in the Northeast, we are losing our ability to compete in Great Lakes States, we cannot compete on the West Coast, we are increasingly in danger of competing in the Mid-Atlantic States, and the Democrats are now winning some of the Western States,” he said. “That is not a formula for being a majority governing party in this nation.”
“And similarly we cannot compete, and prevail, as a majority governing party if we have a significant deficit, as we do, with women, where we have a large deficit with Hispanics, where we have a large deficit with African-American voters, where we have a large deficit with people of modest incomes and modest financial circumstances,” he said. “Those are not factors that make up a formula for success going forward.”
“There will be calls, and voices across the country for Republicans to return to traditional conservative approaches in almost all respects,” he said, adding that there would also be calls to modernize the party.
“The good news is both are true, and both can be harmonized in my view,” Mr. Pawlenty said. “We can be both conservative and we can be modern at the same time.” ~~~~
I’m pretty certain that Hispanics, women, Afro-Americans, Northeasters, Great Lakers and all Americans want to move forward with confidence in the 21st century… trying to push them backwards into old social patterns is a losing proposition… the people want to be inspired and feel safe… let’s open source American opportunity…
~~~ … Let us nourish the role of government in finding and spreading knowledge… it is the light which guides individuals to make proper decisions for their well being… knowledge is the path which keeps the boundaries between us healthy… knowledge is a restraint on corruption for those who govern… and knowledge is freedom and liberation from ignorance … ” ~~~~
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