"We're working out here." So spake the chairman of the Republican party, Michael "the Oreo Cookie" Steele sounding a bit like Ratzo Rizzo of Midnight Cowboy fame. Steele and his GOP brothers (although there was hardly another brother in sight) were meeting in Hawaii last week to craft...well, whatever political parties craft between the luau's and cocktail parties. Hey,no one begrudges the GOP a little celebration. After all they swept the country last week. Well, Massachusetts anyway. Besides it's January and all those Red State hotels in Nebraska and Kansas were probably booked. Note: John Boehner of Ohio did not attend. His skin color frightens most Hawaiians.
The Republicans have recently discovered what the Democrats have been dealing with all summer...the misery of victory. Having scored a noteworthy success in New England, the GOP is trying to leverage this achievement into a national tsunami in November. Unfortunately, because they have no idea how Scott Brown won in Massachusetts, they can't use him as a model for success in the other 49 states. Brown ran as a moderate so the brain-trust in the Republican party has determined that far Right is the way to go. They have proposed a ten point litmus test to determine if a candidate is pure enough to run as a Republican and worthy of financial assistance. Brilliant! The test has ten points but in truth only one is needed. "We oppose anything and everything proposed, suggested, or contemplated by President Barack Obama."
Cap and Trade; we oppose it. Any form of healthcare reform; opposed. Any rational gun restriction; no way. Abortion assistance; you must be kidding. The Republicans are banking on the fact that they don't need a single legislative initiative or idea to improve life in America. Wait! They were in favor of troop increases in Iraq and Afghanistan. And you thought it was all negative.
Apparently the Republicans are convinced that the Tea Party agenda is their key to Congressional numerical superiority in 2010. The problem with this concept is the Tea Party folks (whoever they are) don't feel the need to cozy up to the GOP. One of the TP's main sponsors for their convention this week bailed out over concerns that the movement was being hijacked by the Republicans. Also, Tea-baggers have not shown an ability to get anyone elected to anything. No one believes that a loose association of old white people carrying signs passed out by Fox News, constitutes a movement. Well, maybe Glenn Beck believes it but, he also believes that the friezes on the wall of Rockefeller Center are a communist plot.
Anyway it's useful to know that the 10 point "Real Republican" litmus test, which glorifies the sainted legacy of Ronald Wilson Reagan, could not have been blessed by ... Ronald Wilson Reagan.
Reagan had no policy on gay marriage. He had no policy on pollution hence no notion of Cap and Trade. Reagan never expressed an opinion on immigration or gun rights. Come to think of it, this guy had no opinion on anything! So good luck with that litmus test. I'm guessing most candidates will treat it the way women treat a home pregnancy test.
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