Lessons from the Losers -- How Not to Cave

The people have spoken, and the Republicans aren't listening. And as usual, they're not listening as a group.

After mismanaging the country into fiscal ruin, two endless wars, and a pair of landslide elections rejecting their rule, yesterday the Republican leadership urged their members to oppose Obama's stimulus plan before they'd even heard the man out. As Obama undertook a tradition-shattering visit to the opposition party on Capitol Hill to listen and discuss, the Republicans took the old way, the easy way. They came together to say no -- preemptively.

Yet despite this hard-headed, idea-drained, outdated, soul-bruising, business-as-usual approach, by one metric the Republicans shine. They never, ever cave.

House Republicans were unanimous in their opposition to the stimulus bill; few are optimistic for a better breakdown in the Senate. Republicans are betting against the bailout for old-fashioned Machiavellian reasons -- if the stimulus fails, the Republicans can say they told us so in the next election. It's groupthink at its worst, a rejection of the bipartisan spirit and an abdication of duty in our nation's greatest hour of need since 9/11. Then again, after 9/11 the nation came together; here, it's staying divided--so far.

It's essential to draw a distinction between rigidly opposing a terrible idea and opposing a pretty good idea. The Iraq War was a terrible idea based on a lie delivered by the previously respected office of the president. The Democrats caved in the initial ramp-up and for every funding bill thereafter, with ease.

By turn, the stimulus package is a pretty good idea. It features a blend of tax cuts and spending, alternately satisfying and enraging the hundreds of economists who'll never agree on the best mix. The plan's not perfect; none are. But overall, it's meaningful, serious, and essential, a calculated and necessary risk. Yet the Republicans have largely eschewed negotiations and discussion in favor of unified opposition.

Why do the Republicans stand firmly resistant to discussing or negotiating over pretty good -- and essential -- ideas? By any measure the Republican party is the more homogeneous party, with a platform that tends to embrace doctrinaire thinking, emphasizing right and wrong, the word of God, and tradition over civil rights issues that require change, such as gay marriage. Rigid thinking builds a straighter spine. They're used to being in the White House and, until recently, in charge of Congress, able to punch through their agenda over objections. Exposed to a panoply of ideas, Democrats tend to be more self-doubting, less confident, constantly in search of new and better ways. They veer in directions they're less sure of, less committed to -- but directions which represent desperately needed change.

Survival is the most basic of human needs. At some point the Republicans will need to learn that their political survival hinges on adapting to changing times. There have been signs of improvement with growing rejection of the Bush years, but the stimulus obstructionism reflects how political habits are hard to alter. Only through changing their inflexible approach to government do the Republicans stand a chance of resuscitating their political livelihood.

Comments

[BarryS]

90% infrastructure, 10% relief, 0% tax cuts. that is what is needed. What do you remember from FDR [before the war...] -- all the WPA works. in many states, they are the only public facilities there are for common folk.

[Tiggy]

Seeing as the banks can afford to pay billions in bonuses; and affirm that TARP money was not used; they should have plenty of money to lend and not need tax payer injected capital. Too freely has our government saddled our children with a debt without regard for their future. According to Ben Franklin, When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.
Here is a thought, the Feds should open a lending institution with the money aimed at encouraging entrepreneurs' to open new businesses and hire people. Now that would be change.
And if in doubt about this idea, just look for the TARP funds and remember, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results".

[USA1776]

What did FDR say ?

A conservative is a man (let's say person now) with two good legs that can not, however, move forward.

[JimR]

Actually, the stimulus package in its current form is a pretty bad idea. I'm not saying tax cuts are the answer, but neither is only 3 percent going toward infrastructure and increasing funding to federal programs that won't create jobs.

[Matt Stewart - Huffpost Blogger]

I don't think anybody really knows whether it's a good idea or not. Nobody agrees; there really are no reference points. Point is, disciplined objection and obstructionism does nothing for the Republicans but position them against change and progress. And that's not a good place for the country to be.

[DennyCrane]

This is why political parties need to be done away with. The problem with all elected officials is that their first loyalty seems to be to their party. I'll bet there are Republicans who have serious misgivings about voting no, but they bow to the pressure of their party leaders who'll no doubt make life for them more difficult if they don't tow the party line.

[Jesster]

While it's heartening to see that more and more people are becoming (or consider themselves to be) Independents. But with the rigged system we are usually reduced to choosing between the two major parties who are primarily loyal to their corporate donors (read: owners)

[Matt Stewart - Huffpost Blogger]

That's a much bigger story involving the merits of changing our political structure. I agree with you in that our current system often makes voters vote for who they think can win rather than who they really support. Far too often Americans say "well, that's the way we've always done it, and it's worked so far." That kind of systemic change will require serious momentum that isn't there and may never be, as the power players have no desire to give up their positions of strength.

[Rapid Ray]

"Only through changing their inflexible approach to government do the Republicans stand a chance of resuscitating their political livelihood."

May as well start measuring them for caskets. They pulled the plug on their own life support system when they began treating Bush, their former party leader, like the plague.