It is certainly true that conservatives and Republicans feel disoriented and confused this election season. But it misses the point to say, as Packer does:
Now most conservatives seem incapable of even acknowledging the central issues of our moment: wage stagnation, inequality, health care, global warming. They are stuck in the past, in the dogma of limited government.
On the contrary, conservatives have rather clear ideas on the "central issues." Conservatives have a cure for wage stagnation and inequality. It is called education reform. Conservatives have a cure for inequality. It is called Social Security reform and aims to get lower-income Americans onto the wealth creation ladder. But we can't enact reform because Democrats won't let us. We'd like to reform health care by curbing the wasteful third-party payment system, and we are making some progress under the radar with Health Savings Accounts. But Democrats are pushing one-size-fits-all top-down changes to health care policy instead.
If you look back over the last 30 years, back over the record of conservative reform, there is one thing that stands out. Conservative reform never had a chance unless there was a crisis. The Reaganomics of hard money and low tax rates only got done in the crisis of Carter inflation/recession. The Bush tax cuts only got passed in the tech meltdown. Welfare reform only got passed when Newt Gingrich put a gun to President Clinton's reelection prospects in 1996.
The problem that today's conservatives face is that things aren't bad enough on the Social Security front, on the education front, or on the health-care front for the American people to be ready for "change." So Republican primary voters sensibly nominated John McCain, a man to fight the war on Islamic extremism while holding the line on domestic issues.
If you want to be cheered up about conservative prospects, you need only take a look at the resurgent Conservative Party in England. Eleven years ago Tony Blair got elected as "New Labour" to improve public services, supposedly wrecked by "Tory cuts." But after a doubling of health care expenditure and huge increases in education costs there is no improvement and the voters are hopping mad.
Now that he is 20 points ahead in the polls, what are the "central issues" for Conservative leader David Cameron? School choice, welfare reform, and police reform.
More here
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
Got to get worse before people come to their senses. I was talking with a young bright eyed car salesman a few weeks ago. He was an all starry eyed Obama supporter, couldn't wait for his favorite issue, Canadian free healthcare. Full of enthusiasm.
ReplyDeleteMy opening was 'you relaize healthcare is a responsibility, your responsibility, don't you'? It's not a right and it sure isn't free.
Then I matter of factly told him he hadn't a clue how all this that is America was made, the individual, the marketplace and your responsibilities citizen in American life. He stood perplexed with his dreamy Obama eyes. Didn't have a clue.
I went back this weekend, car sales are way down, asked for him thinking why not let him get the sale. The place was deserted, went to the desk, asked for him, desk lady asked if so and so could help, I said OK. Then I asked so and so where was the 'Obama kid' -- He said they laid off a whole bunch of people last week, gas prices and sales way down, no choice.
Made me think twice about buying the SUV, so I looked around and left. Going to have to get a lot worse before the stars disappear.
Yeah, Jimmy Carter II, coming right up. And then there is the aftermath, the 20% interest rates, the 14% unemployment, the stagflation ... then the time will come.
BTW the Obama kid thought Jimmy Carter was a great President, he heard that in school.