Analysis | What Republicans Really Want for America
Sun, February 21, 2010 
With America in total gridlock politically — at a time when some form of collaboration and action seems imperative — Republicans have spent most of their time saying ‘no’ and attacking President Obama and Democrats.
In writing about Republicans today, I’m not condoning Democrats. On every front, I’m fed up with hypocrisy and cheap-thrill soundbites.
Like climate scientists, Republicans assume that smart folks know what they recommend for the country, in terms of action plans. Watching Republican leaders every day, I can honestly say that I have NO idea what the Republicans recommend, in terms of action on several fronts — especially healthcare.
I am clear about their views on dealing with terrorists. I have no view how they propose to cut a deficit that was created largely by engaging in two wars and treating them as ‘add-on’ items in a budget.
Any college economics student could predict the mess we’re in today, even without the added burden of a recession caused by pursuing the American dream, as if it was a monopoly game. My view is:
All of us are guilty. Period. America has no future vision anymore. We are the party of NOW. I want it NOW. I’m entitled to have the good life NOW. My focus is my own good life and screw the future. Since the 60s, advertisers have told me that I am uniquely special and deserving of a good life, and damn it, I want it NOW — as real prosperity is evaporating before our eyes.
Many Christians say that America is divinely entitled to lead a privileged existence. I’m getting mine TODAY is simply a reflection of American destiny, even though this attitude doesn’t seem to be the historical reality of American excellence and pursuit of hard work and success.
Smart people who care more about the country than media ratings and poll numers, are deeply concerned about fixing America, and not with rhetoric.
This week’s Newsweek writes an in-depth article What Republicans Really Want, besides being known as the party of “no”. I’ve tried my best to summarize the article fairly and accurately.
1) Jobs: tax cuts
Specific Recommended Action: No additional stimulus package. Beyond that nothing.
“We’re not going to look to Washington to create the jobs,” says GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy, summing up the Republican liturgy. Most in the party (like most Americans, according to polls) want nothing to do with another expensive stimulus that would smack of expanded government. Yet the GOP has also rejected Democratic bills that tried to lure Republicans by including significant tax cuts. Earlier this year Republican Sen. Charles Grassley reached an agreement with Democratic Sen. Max Baucus on an $85 billion jobs bill. It combined small-business tax breaks with an injection of money for the Highway Trust Fund, more unemployment insurance, and agriculture emergency assistance. Other Republicans resisted Grassley’s entreaties to sign on, even though the bill was adorned with the tax-credit extensions for businesses that Republicans wanted.
Dems said that Republicans would go on the airways, lamblasting them for the cost of the bill, so it died, replaced by Harry Reid’s $15 billion version.
2) Debt: cut spending, reduce government, restore America’s strength
Specific Recommended Action: Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, has introduced a detailed proposal to cut the deficit by reining in Medicare and Social Security spending. It would shift some of the burden from the government to individuals and introduce, among other things, a voucher system for Medicare. The result? Ryan has attracted just nine Republican cosponsors and zero Democrats. Small-government gospel or not, the overwhelming majority of Ryan’s colleagues won’t risk being anywhere in the vicinity of the truth on this one, especially in an election year.
3) Health Care: Reform essential
Specific Recommended Action: The GOP bill, called Common Sense Health Care Reform, would prevent insurers from dropping people from their rolls if they got sick; ensure that people with preexisting conditions can get insurance; and require insurance companies to let children stay on their parents’ plans until they reach their mid-20s.
To do this, Republicans would allow insurers to sell policies across state lines and encourage small businesses to band together to leverage their bargaining power. Democrats aren’t necessarily opposed to this idea. “That is why we created the national insurance exchange,” says Democratic Rep. John Dingell, who argues that creating a marketplace where both individuals and small businesses can shop for insurance plans “will spread risks, reduce costs, and help everyone get into the system.” But there are big differences in how the two parties envision this working. Democrats favor one vast nationwide pool and would require insurers to offer plans that meet government minimum requirements for coverage and costs so the industry can’t steer the old and sick into more expensive plans with stingier benefits.
Republicans see that as intrusive government meddling. They want a system of small, self-selecting pools of people with similar needs. The free market will see to it that insurance companies meet demand, they say—a claim that is met with skepticism by many economists and health-care analysts, who note that it hasn’t worked that way in places where such ideas have been tried. “Republicans trust the American people to do what’s best for themselves, instead of turning decisions over to a bureaucrat,” says Boehner’s spokesman, Michael Steel.
4) Foreign Policy: area of fewest disagreements
Recommended action: Republican hawks don’t like pre-determined withdrawal dates from Afghanistan.
5) Terrorism: major differences on dealing with terrorists
Recommended action: forget the idea that terror suspects have rights subject to the US justice system. Suspected terrorists are enemies (especially those caught ‘red-handed’ trying to bomb airplanes). Why are we concerned about their rights as non-citizens of the US? They want to destroy us.
Re interrogation techniques, except for Cheney is remains pro-waterboarding when most Republicans reject it, interrogation is not for nice guys. Revealing methods is anti-American, and if interrogators go beyond the Army Field Manual, worse things could happen in life. War is war.
5) Education: Newsweek calls Republicans progressive, compared to Democrats.
Recommended action: the two sides should be able to work together, especially as Dems understand that teachers unions are also part of a large problem in America.
I don’t know about you, but this is more about Republican ideas than I knew yesterday. Anne
Reader Comments (1)
Where do these goons and thugs come from?
See DNC Double Naught Goon School
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