What the Moderate Republican Stands For

Republicans came to power as the party of big ideas, and without returning to that model they could be looking at a long winter. Additionally, those big ideas need to focus on Middle America. Three issues that could work are conservation, reform and localism.

Conservation- a return to the Teddy Roosevelt model of conservation. One doesn’t necessarily have to buy into global warming to appreciate the need to protect the natural resources we have.

Reform- the federal government is bigger than ever, and won’t be getting any smaller over the next four years. Republicans need to fashion themselves as national reformers. Much of Middle America wants the government as safety net, but bloated bureaucracies breed corruption that needs to be dealt with.

Localism- this is the lynchpin that brings it all together. If we bought our food locally, shopped locally, governed locally, many of the issue we now have to deal with would go away, or at the least become manageable.

Below is a collection of writers who speak about the things that matter. Some are Right, some Left and some Center, but all intelligent and rational voices.

The American Conservative » Rod Dreher

Via Meadia

Front Porch Republic

David Brooks

The Soap Box

Questions for the Week

  • There are lots of lists out there detailing winner and losers on the stimulus fight. Aside from the politicians who of course will always be on such a list most of the winners include social programs like unemployment & health services and the losers include big & small businesses and military spending. How long will it be before the losers start angling for Stimulus: The Sequel?
  • Japan suffered a "lost decade" in the 1990's even though they past 8 stimulus packages to try and fix their economy. With the U.S. economy so dependent on consumer spending and not on tangible manufacturing, are we headed in the same direction? If there is a Stimulus: The Sequel, will it focus exclusively on promoting production?
  • The last election weeded out many moderate Republicans. With the Republican caucus now predominantly made up of only "true believers" was the stimulus fight a predictor of what is to come? Will we see more and more political battles where Pelosi pushes through legislation without a single Republican vote? Should moderate conservatives focus more attention on Blue Dog Democrats in order to influence the legislation that will pass?
  • Sen. Roland Burris admitted Saturday that former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother asked him for a campaign contribution before the governor appointed Mr. Burris to the Senate. Should Republicans go after this or leave it alone? Maybe Burris will run in 2010 if they stay quiet? Blago: the gift that keeps giving.
  • John Sununu has made some noise about running for Senator Judd Gregg's seat in 2010. Is this a possible return of a reasonably moderate Republican? We hope so. Sununu was a solid conservative, but no idealogue, who was lost in the tsunami that was Obama mania
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    1 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    I believe Japans stimulas was over a period of 10 yrs
    not like ours of 3 yrs.From what I hear that was the largest problem with its stimulas!