Is it me or are Republicans trying to take claim for any future success of Barack Obama's administration?
It struck me at first with some saying "Obama ran as a moderate Republican so that is why he won. Then, it was the "center-right nation" stuff. Almost trying to pigenhole Obama into not veering this country too far into the left (he will gradually do so with specific policies that will help people but that is for another blog) and keeping it right in the center or the center-right. Then, after some of Obama's choices EVERY REPUBLICAN started using the terms "center-right Democrats". It was disturbing to say the least, I kept hearing "Obama is making solid choices, choosing the Democrats from the center-right wing of his party". It seems to me that they are doing two things:
1.They are trying to spin of course. Making their epic losses less than what they really are, and trying so save face.
2.They are trying to take credit for any success of the Obama administration by saying it's the CENTER-RIGHT Democrats who are steering this country in the back on track and only because Obama has tapped them is he doing well.
Personally, I don't feel this will work very well. A "D" next to someones name is still a "D" no matter how you spin it. I am just saying I see that as a sort of defence for Obama's (hopefully) future progresses being made right off the bat, and it's Obama using core "Republican" or at least "Right-Wing" traits that are the reasons to his success.
You are not alone in those thoughts. I do think it is mostly denial, however. These same Republicans were calling Obama the most Liberal senator and a Socialist during the campaign. But WITH A LOT of help from those on the Left and Progressives, the GOP is trying to make it stick that Obama is really a Republican in Libs clothing. The GOP is desperate for an Obama like figure in their party. I think that's why some of them latched onto Palin - She's good looking, she's got personality, gets ratings, attracts a big crowd, and is a so-called Washington outsider - unfortunately, unlike Obama - she wasn't ready for primetime and was no where near his level of brilliance and understanding of the world outside of Wasilla and "real" America. But I do believe this: As it gets closer to 2012, you can bet that these same guys will be back to calling Obama a Socialist, blame him for the deficit and probably for whatever international conflict we are in at the time.
November 29, 2008 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
I say let them reposition their party to be more in line with Obama's center-left pragmatism.
It doesn't matter what labels they use or even if they want to take credit, by aligning themselves with Barack's positions, it will bring the GOP back to the center. Seems a worthy goal, even if that isn't really their motivation right now.
Anything that backs the republicans away from the far right ideological stances they have taken over the years and enables them to be a part of the solution is fine with me.
November 29, 2008 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree that we NEED at the least a two party system. It seems however that they are playing more politics than positions when it comes to this new meme.
November 29, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good point, yet I believe the outcome is the same either way. Eventually, they will have to change their own stance on the policies because their political machinations tied them to Obama's presidency, which will be very progressive no matter how conservative his methods are sometimes.
November 29, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Republicans did relegate their party's moderate issues as they rushed to destroy the U.S. Government in defiance of all reason. The value of the abandoned issues never went away. Smoke from a bogus war and mirrors of deregulatory fraud sank the ecomomies of both red and blue states.
President Obama's administration will deal with a number of important issues, including issues that represent the dead center of America Kansas real Republicans who were ignored by the neocons. The Republican Party can not take legitimate credit for ideas it failed to act on. Nature does not tolerate a vacuum.
November 29, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is a good point.
The leadership of the republican party moved away from the mainstream moderates and their underlying belief systems. Tying themselves to Obama's "center-right" goals will only help to realign the party with the real base and not the fringe base that has dominated the conversation for so long.
Might take a couple of election cycles, but I am hopeful we can restore sanity and balance to the system and begin to actually prepare this country for its 21st century challenges.
November 29, 2008 12:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hit the nail on the head. The very fact that I now see Democrats, Liberals and Progressives alike actually believing such crap and repeating it themselves is pretty sad, and slightly depressing.
Then we have all this speculation as to what Obama is going to do once he's in office. ...He has, what? 50 days before he's inaugurated? Perhaps it's inevitable, with Bush being the lamest duck ever, that any action, or any presence by Obama in this time leads people to look to him rather than our own President. But it doesn't excuse such an irrational line of thinking.
November 29, 2008 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm inclined to say who cares. If Republicans want to pretend healthcare reform, middle class tax cuts, and non-apocalyptic foreign policies are "center right" concerns, I'm good with that.
November 29, 2008 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly right.
November 29, 2008 3:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is also a divide and conquer technique. The left-side and center point of the linear political model are cut up into tiny pieces when describing it. There is the radical-left, left, big-government liberal, progressive, moderate liberal, moderate, centrist. Now compare that to the manner that the other side is most often described as: "Conservative". Conservative has come to represent such a broad spectrum of political world-views, it no longer carries with it any descriptive information. This is how right-wing judges like Scalia and Thomas are able to disguise their activism within conservatism's mantle. It also has the effect of pulling the perceived center point to the right. This is how true conservative judges like O'Connor became middle of the roadkill. "Conservative Activist" is an oxymoron.
November 29, 2008 7:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I do remember a few times last summer, seeing Norman (Quimby) Coleman out trying to take credit for good weather...
November 30, 2008 1:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
"This is how true conservative judges like O'Connor became middle of the roadkill. "
Good insight and really nice turn of phrase, PCA.
(BTW, given the amount of typing required for your full ID, is there a shortened form of it you would find acceptable?)
a) Pseud?
b) Cy?
c) PCA?
d) Other?
November 30, 2008 3:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
many who respond frequently to my ravenings here use psa. that's ok with me, or something similar. as manufactured psuedos go, i've grown fond of this one, and have used it sparingly, not wasting it as throwaway armouring when trolling for good, not evil, in the dark recesses of the web. it probably hasn't been compromised with cross-pseudo contamination.
I came up with a truly bizarre semantic drift a few months ago, which i haven't seen used elsewhere, but am loathe to share on a publicly accessible web forum. it's an apt sabre when in the company of religious fanatics.
November 30, 2008 1:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
"an apt sabre when in the company of religious fanatics...."
pardon the pun, but...pray tell.
December 2, 2008 8:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
We are stuck with the reality that there will be persons who lie and misrepresent things. And, of course, people do change. However, there is also this Internet thingy which serves as a constant reminder of past expressions of all manner of political, social, economic and religious bias. It's a covenient and very helpful tool to avoid the pitfalls of our forgetfulness.
November 30, 2008 7:05 AM | Reply | Permalink