You know the Republican Party is in trouble when an editorial like this appears in the Manchester (N.H.) Union Leader
THE FEW elected Republicans in Washington who actually hold in their hearts the ideology printed in the party?s platform have drawn battle lines over federal spending for hurricane relief. The fight, however, is about more than disaster aid. It is a battle to re-center the Republican Party.
?We?re sent here to set priorities and to make difficult decisions, and if members aren?t willing to step up and do that, they ought to be held accountable,? Sen. John Sununu said last week. That?s his own party he?s talking about.
(….)
?So far, to be honest, there is not a working majority in the Congress to do any aggressive activity in the area of spending restraint, especially on this,? Sen. Gregg said last week. Given that Republicans are the working majority in Washington, that is a powerful indictment of the party that claims to bear the flag of fiscal responsibility.
Then, Glenn Reynolds has this interesting observation about the current state of the GOP
The GOP is at serious risk of losing a decisive chunk of its voters to a Perot-style movement.
I’m not so sure about that. A Perot style movement would require another Ross Perot, and I don’t see anyone on the horizon who would be able to lead a populist revolt like he did in 1992 and, to a lesser extent, 1996. More likely, fiscal conservatives would just stay home in 2006 and 2008 unless the GOP cleans up its act.
Linked with today’s Beltway Traffic Jam
