Thursday, November 6, 2008

Left Or Center?

After the complete repudiation of Bush conservatism, why is nobody asking questions like "Will the new GOP go center or right?" and warning that partisan centrism and being too far RIGHT would be detrimental to the country?

It's because conservatism is ALWAYS okay no matter how extreme it is, but any liberalism in the classic sense is a partisan sin.

Setting aside opinions and rhetoric, let's look at some political realities:

  • The Democrats increased their control in Congress but did not achieve the filibuster-proof majority of 60 Senate seats, as McTague correctly forecast here. Notably, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky survived a close race.
  • The so-called Blue Dog Democrats in the House will likely try to keep some sanity on spending, and will work with their Republican colleagues to that end.
  • A common refrain in Republican circles is that the party lost ground because they "abandoned conservative principles." True or not, they'll be much less likely to accede to increased Federal spending with a Democrat in the White House.
  • Obama is presumably smart enough to understand the majority of Americans really are centrists, which may seem self-evident but often gets lost in the "Red State-Blue State" clash that's dominated political discussions in recent years.

Such considerations should quell concerns about Obama steering the country dramatically leftward, even if that were his intent, which itself is debatable.

So with the GOP "much less likely" to work with the new President and admittedly MORE conservative and partisan than before...how is this Obama's fault?

Can somebody explain this to me? I'd really like to know. Because it's going to be repeated ad nauseum over the next four years by the Village. "Why isn't President Obama doing everything he can to accomodate conservatives?"

What are conservatives doing to work with Obama other than expecting him to fold like a lawn chair just like Nancy will?

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