Republicans divided on the importance of an agenda for midterm elections

[babylonsister]

Remind me again what the point is of voting for these clowns? What exactly are they good for, what IS their role?:wtf:


Republicans divided on the importance of an agenda for midterm elections

By Karen Tumulty and Paul Kane
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 17, 2010


Sometime after Labor Day, House Minority Leader John A. Boehner plans to unveil a blueprint of what Republicans will do if they take back control of the chamber. He promises it will be a full plate of policy proposals that will give voters a clear sense of how they would govern.

But will Republicans actually want to run on those ideas -- or any ideas? Behind the scenes, many are being urged to ignore the leaders and do just the opposite: avoid issues at all costs. Some of the party's most influential political consultants are quietly counseling their clients to stay on the offensive for the November midterm elections and steer clear of taking stands on substance that might give Democratic opponents material for a counterattack.

"The smart political approach would be to make the election about the Democrats," said Neil Newhouse of the powerhouse Republican polling firm Public Opinion Strategies, which is advising more than 50 House and Senate candidates. "In terms of our individual campaigns, I don't think it does a great deal of good" to engage in a debate over the Republicans' own agenda.

Others are skeptical that any Republican policy proposals will have much of an impact. "They really still have to have a sharp contrast with the Democrats," said John McLaughlin, another leading Republican pollster whose firm counts both the House and Senate campaign committees among its clients. "They really need to drive that home before people will be willing to listen to what Republicans stand for."

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/16/AR2010071606245.html?hpid=topnews

[jaxx]

1. I remember their blueprint for healthcare....

18 pages and no numbers. This ought to be interesting to see what they come up with besides tort reform and tax cuts for the rich.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. What, "NOBAMA" seems a little thin as an agenda?

:shrug:

[HawkerHurricane]

3. They're always thin on "agenda".

They're anti-abortion. Not that they'll really do anything about it, but they're against it.
They're against government spending that helps the majority. Can't run on that, so they're 'anti government spending' except they're not.
They're for government spending that helps the wealthy. 'Trickle Down' aka 'Trickle On'.
They're for lowering the deficit by cutting programs that help the majority and raising taxes on the bottom 75%.
They're not for lowering the deficit if it means ending the Bush era tax cuts.

The actual agenda, 'raise taxes on the middle class, cut taxes for the rich, cut programs that help the majority, and say we hate abortion and deficit spending while doing nothing about them' doesn't really fly with the voters, you know.

[spanone]

4. when you have no agenda it can't be important