Republicans Suffering Death By A Thousand Cuts With Spending Bill

Do Republicans even give a damn about winning elections? It’s absurd I have to ask this question.

Right now, a Republican-controlled Congress is trying to spend trillions under the cover of darkness in the form of the latest omnibus spending bill. Remember this is the GOP—the supposed party of fiscal responsibility. Also remember, Congress’ primary constitutionally mandated responsibility is to be stewards of taxpayer dollars, a message Republicans should absolutely own.

So why vote GOP at all? Why should any Republican be remotely surprised if the base isn’t excited about sending any of them back to Congress?

In the same moment Democrats are hoping for a “blue wave” in the midterms, Republicans are busy giving liberals exactly what they want at every turn while giving its own base nothing. At a time when Republicans should be pinning Democrats on their heels, Republicans capitulate.

Republicans have to go on offense. They have to give people a reason to vote for them. There is absolutely nothing preventing Republicans from taking the lead on key themes and issues—immigration, Obamacare, Planned Parenthood—just name the battle.

But what do they do instead? They talk only about tax cuts and the mere fact that they aren’t Democrats.

Sorry, but “I’m not Nancy Pelosi” is not going to cut it in the midterms.

This isn’t 2012. Republicans controlled all three branches coming out of 2016 and conservatives still don’t have much to show for it. 2018 can’t be about tax cuts alone. The midterms will be won or lost primarily on whose base turns out. If Republicans cannot energize their base, they will stay home and Democrats win. If Republicans give Democrats everything they want, the base stays home and Democrats win.

And Republicans will be sent home.

Also, merely saying you’re “not a Democrat” doesn’t work well when too many Republicans voting records actually look far more like Pelosi’s than they should.

Going on offense will also be necessary to effectively combat the left. Republicans will need to stay one step ahead of Democrats at all times.

Some chatter on CapHill that if Pelosi were to exit (& this is just a theory), she would time her exit after GOPers bought ad time & burned $ campaigning against her. Sober GOPers know a Pelosi exit is bad for them as it robs them of a foil.

Obviously this is just a theory, but Democrats will definitely do anything they can to leverage Republicans against themselves—as Republicans continue to do everything they can to work against themselves and their conservative base.

If the GOP is serious about winning in the midterms, they need to give voters a reason why they should win. Repeatedly buckling on immigration, Planned Parenthood, healthcare and just about everything else is not the way to do it.

Passing a $1.2 trillion omnibus spending package in secret—the biggest bill of the year—is not the way to do it either.

The GOP won in 2016 because voters wanted a conservative agenda fought for and passed. Republicans prospects in 2018 will be a referendum on their ability—or ongoing pathetic inability—to get the job done.