The GOP Autopsy Challenge

22 March 2013

“What Should the Government Try to Be—something that helps them with their problems or something that gets out of the way and lets them lead their lives? The answer of course is both, but the Republican Party is having difficulty finding the balance.”

Thus writes John Dickerson, last Monday on Slate, in Habeas GOP.*

In the piece, Mr. Dickerson speaks to concerns of President Ronald Reagan, that the GOP, seeking to broaden its base by widening its appeal to voters, might water done the concentrated power of its Conservative message.

The great challenge of American politics, and of representative-democracy politics everywhere, is that politicians must master a fine line between the difference of ideological values that inspire and of pragmatic efforts that recognize the differences among us.

Those “differences” are the strength of representative democracy, which provides the best balance between the more-impulsive, forward-looking impetus, and the more-condensed, protecting-the-rear restraint, which balance keeps a society alive, while at the same time moves a civilization forward.

In other words, broadening a party’s appeal may be the price of successful politics in America, and for successfully moving America forward.
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The Conservative and Republican Message contains fatal flaws, as far as American exceptionalism is concerned:

We are not a nation that likes saying “No” to the future. We are a nation that dislikes government telling us what to do, but the reality of our government’s power–in building canals and transcontinental railroads, and Interstate highways and missions to space, and the Internet—far surpasses the small-government ideology of the small-minded among us.

How do we reach a balance between monumental, government projects and the need to keep government out of our hair? That is the American question. In current, American politics, it presents a specific challenge for the Grand Old Party of our republic.
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The Sooner That the Republicans find a way to contribute more-pragmatic reasoning to the solutions, the better off we will be, as an exceptional nation leading the world’s way forward once again.

Regards,

(($; -)}
Gozo!
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*Habeas Gop: the Republican Party’s Autopsy of its 2012 Loss Puts Political Expediency over Principles. Now it Just Needs to Find a Body to Lead It.
—John Dickerson, Slate (03/18/2013)

@GozoTweets
 

NEWS FLASH: ACME-AMERICAN HOSPITALS TO PUT HEALTHCARE “ON SALE” ACROSS THE NATION:

9 March 2013

DATELINE: BOISE, ID: “Buy one, get one free! Everything must go!”

Thus spoke Dr. William “Wiley” Coyote, M.D., and CEO of Acme-American Hospitals, LLC, during a press conference at corporate headquarters. Coyote was announcing a nationwide sale of healthcare slated to take place during April 2013.

“This will be a sale of stunning proportions,” observed Coyote, “For the first time ever, Americans will be able to buy the healthcare they want, at a price that will amaze them.”

“Everything will be on the surgical table, so to speak,” said Coyote. “Let’s say a person has always wanted a kidney transplant, but has not been able to afford one. During this unique event, anyone can go to one of our Acme-American facilities and buy as many kidney transplants as he or she could possibly want. At prices that can’t be beat.”

“And livers?” Coyote continued, “You want to talk livers? For this sale, and this sale only, liver transplants will sell so low, why, we can’t advertise ’em. Come one, come all! Buy one, get one free!”

Continuing his presentation, the long-time Acme-American CEO added, “MRIs? CT-scans? Same thing. Everything will be on sale. No reasonable offers will be rejected. Everything must go. As I always say, here at Acme-American Hospitals, ‘If I can’t sell you the cheapest course of chemotherapy in the country, why, I’m just gonna give it to ya’.’”

Several additional, lower-level Acme-American employees spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to offer medical opinions without a license. 

–30–

Regards,
(($; -)}
Gozo!

@GozoTweets