I don’t make it a habit of checking out the Democratic Party website, but occasionally research and proper perspective balance leads one down that path as a libertarian constitutionalist.
I was greatly amused, ecstatic, that I found this: The Party Of NO
That’s right. House Republicans have stood up to Obama “long enough” (just over 100 days) and Democrats aren’t going to take it anymore.
The Party Of No.
It has a nice ring doesn’t it?
I enjoy being the ‘Party Of NO’. I enjoy delivering NO Republican votes for Obama’s socialism. I enjoy standing strong and united in the face of tyranny. I enjoy opposing Socialism. I enjoy stopping the destruction of our Constitution. I enjoy saying ‘thanks-but-no-thanks’ to government expansion.
This is what I want out of my party. I don’t want expansion of any government program. I don’t want any new government benefits. In fact, given our current budget deficit, we need to give serious consideration to shrinking or ending the benefits we have. Like parents to spoiled children, “no” is the appropriate response when your government is stepping out of line.
The second-ranking House Republican, Rep. Eric Cantor (Va.), put it more bluntly. “What transpired . . . and will give us a shot in the arm going forward is that we are standing up on principle and just saying no,” he said.
Strong Republican opposition will be the only thing that can stop a nation drunk on excess from finally going over the edge in a radical and transformitory self-destruction.
Locally, here in my home state of Idaho, the House Republicans are fighting one of the first of these battles.
Governor Butch Otter, elected largely for his popular libertarian leaning public perception, has gone from friend of the taxpayer to a plan for the future realist. Arguing that Idaho needs to adequately fund road projects now to avoid increased costs in the future, Otter has effectively alienated himself from the political base of his own party by arguing relentlessly for increased taxes on gasoline. So far, the Idaho House has refused to capitulate to his demands, voting down not once, not twice but voting down gasoline tax increases seven times.
In return, Otter has vetoed 33 bills in an attempt to display his executive power. The Idaho House has given no sign of caving in to Governor Otter who has threatened to prolong the Legislative process until they give in. Indeed, many may be tempted in the face of overwhelming pressure to end this Legislative session and promote more bad public policy of increased taxation and government growth.
The newest proposals from Otter’s office would raise gasoline taxes far in the future and only reflect more of the “buy now, pay later” mentality of debt that got us into this mess in the first place.
This battle is the first of many that Republicans are going to have to face to restore a national identity. We will be tested more now than at any other time in our party’s history. Our ideals are seen as outdated and counter-productive to effective political discussion. However, I will argue that it is because we abandoned our traditional message- lower taxes, less government and personal freedom- to give out political favors to those who would vote for us that we have become ineffective.
The way back is simple- we need to cut government and cut it drastically. It is no longer enough for Republicans to be against new taxes and new growth, we must seek to turn back what we already have. Like the family that is overspent or is facing a sudden and drastic downsize in their income, all things must be on the table to reach that zero-sum game. Remember, just because a government program is doing good doesn’t mean that it is right for government to be doing it at all.
Yes the battles will be tough, but this vision also offers the most hope for the future. We must be able to clearly contrast the government controlled ideals of socialism with that of Freedom and Liberty.
To do that, Republicans must not be afraid to be the ‘Party Of NO’.