Tuesday, September 05, 2006

What the Repubican Agenda Should Be!

So we are sixty days out from the mid-term elections and the polls show that the Democrats could at least take back the House of representatives and possibly the Senate. As I watch this, I see that the leadership in the White House and the Senate have allowed themselves to get punched in the teeth and have made themselves vulnerable to what may happen in November. But as I sit here and write this, I know that hope is not lost, because I know that the majority of Americans are center-right politically.

As Rush put it today on his show, if the Republicans lose in November, it will not be because of the war. It will be because of the moderates in the party. It is moderate views that have made them vulnerable. So, since I have this space that no one reads, I have decided to lay out the agenda that I think would bring the Republicans victory this fall and even victory in 2008.

1) Immigration reform. Border states such as Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California know this all to well. The Republicans need to be the party that is strong on border security. The issue of "guest workers" can be put aside, but the Republicans can agree on securing the border now. They need to push an agenda through the Senate and the house that promotes strong border security and get on record Democrats opposition to this.

2)The War on Terror. With the latest terror plot foiled by Scotland Yard, the War on Terror has been brought to the forefont again. The Administration and the leadership in the senate need to talk up the importance of this war against Islamo-fascism. The administration is starting to do this, but they need to turn up the rhetoric. They need to remind Americans that the Islamic fundamentalists want to destroy us, and that the War on Terror (which includes the war in Iraq) is a war on the level WWII and it is a war that cannot be lost.

3)The Economy--The Bush Administration needs to take the credit for the economy that has maintained its strength, while avoiding inflation and recession. Unlike the last president that took the credit for an economy that he had absolutely nothing to do with, Bush's policies have helped to keep the fires of the economy stoked. It can be argued that the Bush tax cuts are what helped keep this economy going despite some horrible things that could have crippled the economy, beginning with 9/11, and includes rising oil prices, Hurricane Katrina and other events and disasters that could have ravaged this economy. The Republican leadership needs to continue to be the party of tax cuts.

4)An aggressive energy policy designed to rid US dependence on foreign oil. The Republicans can become a much greener party here. But what is interesting is that this shift would be an economic shift, not a environmental one. It makes economic sense to unhitch the economy from the drag of OPEC oil. The policy needs to be two fold. First they need to push through a vote to get drilling done in ANWR. There may be as much as a 100 year supply of oil for the US in a very small part of a vast wasteland environmentalism have labeled a refuge. The second is to promote alternative fuel sources such as hydro power and grain fuel through corporate tax incentives. The democrats have always been awarded the label of the greener party, but they have done nothing to really push an agenda that is economically sound. All they want to do is to restrict businesses rather than give businesses incentives to pursue these alternative fuel sources.

These are just a few things that the Republicans should do if they want keep control of the house and the senate. I will post some more in a few days.

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