Monday, May 12, 2008

This Horse Has Broken Ankles In the Starting Gate - Shoot It Before it Starts!

In A Move Disgustingly Illustrative Of Systemic GOP Problems, The House introduces a campaign message today in which they promise voters "the change you deserve" while arguing that Democrats in Congress have dropped the ball, according to a leadership strategy memo to rank-and-file members.

This, "blame everyone else for our problems mentality" simply doesn't work. Most of us have known, for a very long time, about the problems Democrats have. We want PRINCIPLED, OVERT, AGGRESSIVE CHANGES WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY - not more rhetoric.

You GOP officials and Pols are the epitome of what we mean when we say; LOSER !!!

... story below:

"It starts with this: Washington is broken, the American people want it fixed, and Democrats in Washington have proven unable or unwilling to get the job done. Republicans will," says the memorandum, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Times.

The message being circulated today is part of a campaign strategy on which the leadership will brief members this week. It includes a scheduled Wednesday announcement of the party's new "American Families Agenda."

A top Republican aide, who did not want to reveal too much, said the families agenda is a blueprint for addressing challenges confronting families and will seek to replace outdated laws to help women with children who work outside the home and families in which both parents work.

These kinds of voters often lean Democratic.

The overall election strategy includes short-term and long-term plans — to be introduced next week — that will tackle the rising costs of gasoline and diesel fuel, the aide said.

Beginning in June, Republicans will tout proposals to deal with health care, the economy and national security.

"Americans have seen firsthand the change Democrats are making, and it is moving America in the wrong direction. To the American people, we say that Republicans will deliver 'the change you deserve,' " the memo says.

The Republicans, whose 12-year reign as the majority party in the House ended with the 2006 elections, devised the strategy to prevent further losses and, they hope, chip away at the Democrats' 235-199 majority in the chamber.

"We can't win solely by tying our opponents to Barack Obama and his liberal views," House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, said last week at a caucus meeting, referring to the senator from Illinois who is likely to be the Democratic presidential nominee.
"We also have to prove Republicans are agents of change," Mr. Boehner told the caucus, according to participants. "If we want Americans to vote for us, we have to convince them we can fix Washington."

House Republicans hope the strategy will deflect criticism from Democrats, who blame Republican policies and President Bush for skyrocketing gas prices and the wave of home foreclosures and tie the nearly $1 trillion spent on the Iraq war to the economic downturn.

"I think the Republicans are in denial and disarray and wedded to failed policies and insensitive to the pain and plight of the people," said House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat. "I think there is a very great awareness among the American public that the solutions being sought by Republicans are not to their liking."

House Republicans face several campaign challenges this year. Their fundraising arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee, has been significantly outraised by its Democratic counterpart and a former treasurer is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

House Republicans also must defend at least 25 seats vacated by members who opted not to seek re-election, compared with about a half-dozen Democratic retirements. Republican leaders say many of their retirements are in safe districts, but Democrats in recent weeks have won two special House elections — one each in Illinois and Louisiana — in districts long held by Republicans.

Republicans also risk losing another House seat tomorrow in Mississippi, where many political analysts predict Democratic candidate Travis Childers will beat Republican Greg Davis in a special runoff election to serve the final months of a seat vacated by Rep. Roger Wicker, a Republican appointed to replace Sen. Trent Lott, who resigned in December 2007.
The Observer
BTW, here's someone with a different take on this: History Gives Hope to Republicans

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