Peggy Noonan waxes pessimistic about the future of the Republican Party:
What happens to the Republicans in 2008 will likely be dictated by what didn’t happen in 2005, and ‘06, and ‘07. The moment when the party could have broken, on principle, with the administration – over the thinking behind and the carrying out of the war, over immigration, spending and the size of government – has passed. What two years ago would have been honorable and wise will now look craven. They’re stuck.
Mr. Bush has squandered the hard-built paternity of 40 years. But so has the party, and so have its leaders. If they had pushed away for serious reasons, they could have separated the party’s fortunes from the president’s. This would have left a painfully broken party, but they wouldn’t be left with a ruined “brand,” as they all say, speaking the language of marketing. And they speak that language because they are marketers, not thinkers. Not serious about policy. Not serious about ideas. And not serious about leadership, only followership.
This is and will be the great challenge for John McCain: The Democratic argument, now being market tested by Obama Inc., that a McCain victory will yield nothing more or less than George Bush’s third term.
That is going to be powerful, and it is going to get out the vote. And not for Republicans.
At this point, I don’t think there’s much that can be done to stave off the inevitable. The Republican Party is likely to suffer serious losses in the House and Senate, and candidates who continue to associate themselves closely with the Bush Administration are likely to suffer the worst of all.
What the GOP needs to do now is start thinking about the future —- 2010, 2012, and beyond that — and to realize that the eight years of the Bush Administration have been, politically and ideologically a dead end. There is no such thing as a “Bush Republican” or, if there is, they are few and far between and, like their namesake don’t have a coherent ideology upon which a political movement can, or should, be based.
This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. When Bush came into office it was on a platform of so-called “compassionate conservatism”, which has turned out to be little more than statism-lite and the rebirth of the Rockefeller Republicans. If it hadn’t been for September 11th and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (and without 9/11, Bush never would have had the political capital to go into Iraq), he likely would have been a one-term President like his father.
Instead he’s served seven years and, along with the craven leadership on the Hill, has managed to pretty much destroy the Republican Party’s chances for the next few election cycles.
How correct you are Mr. Mataconis. The Republican’s will suffer worse than a bloodbath in the coming 2008 elections. It simply amazes me that the RNC does not seem to care. McCain is the most horrendous nominee the Republicans could possibly have nominated (presumed). The primaries were a sham. The very liberal left media got the candidate they choose. Mickey Mouse could beat McCain. With the overwhelming animosity against McCain, he will pull down every Republican candidate that is running. I read today that he is now trying to reach other than conservative voters by getting liberal blog spots to push for McCain. What a total moron. He is that desperate.
Bush Jr. has been the absolute worst president this country has seen. I think I actually have to rate him below Jimah Cartah. Both have been participating in the “One World Order” goals, but Bush has done the most damage with his NAU secrecy, which is alot further along than most people would believe. I also predict that the “problem” with Iran will be taken care of before his 7 months are up. Bush has usurped every power that he possibly could, and taken more freedoms away from the American citizens than they can even know. It’s time for the sheeple to wake up! Next on the agenda- Bush will be the new dictator of the NAU!!!!