Sep 10 2010
Nation Itching To Dump Dems Come November
Updates Below!
While Gallup’s generic ballot poll bounced ten points in favor of the Dems over the labor day weekend (note the connection between a long weekend and one strange poll result) a slew of other polls came out that showed an enormous lead for the GOP in this fall’s elections. As I predicted on June 28th, when Senator Byrd passed away, his WV senate seat is now in play since the Mountaineers of WV despise this administration and government in general. The race has moved from ‘solid Dem’ to ‘toss up‘ in a few short weeks. Also as I predicted, FL has joined OH and PA (and many other senate races) in the ‘leans GOP‘ at RCP, putting the Dems at 48 seats and the GOP at 46 – with six toss ups. The Senate map is turning redder (and darker red) every week now. In the House the GOP leads by 14 seats: 207-193. I see that lead growing in the coming weeks as well.
There are a lot of Dems who are pretending this is all not happening – like VP Biden who pathetically claimed the Dems would be in the majority on November 3rd (technically true, but really just a classic elitist half truth). A new study has come out pretty much confirming what has been obvious to many for months – people are lining up to get a chance to send the Political Industrial Complex a clear, unambiguous message. The study shows the number of people voting GOP vs Dem in the run-up primaries is heavily tilted in favor of the GOP, at a level not seen in 80 years:
For the first time since 1930, more Republican voters showed up to vote in statewide primaries this year than Democrats — another sign of the huge challenges facing President Obama’s party in this year’s elections.
The new figures come from a just-released report by voter turnout expert Curtis Gans of American University.
Gans looked at 35 primaries held before Sept. 1 and found that 4 million more Republicans voted than Democrats — statistical proof of the “enthusiasm gap” that pollsters and pundits have been talking about.
That, combined with the fact that the percentage of voters who identify themselves as Democrats has been on a steady decline for decades, spells big trouble for the president’s party, Gans said: “The Democrats are at an enormous disadvantage.”
This reaction by America to busy-body bureaucrats really should not be a surprise to anyone who really understands the good heart and soul of this nation, and respects its people (instead of looking down their nose at them). Liberals really think they are God’s gift to humanity, and that the common folks (bitter and clinging of course) require constant guidance. They even think Americans desperately want to be constantly guided from DC, and will be wildly grateful when liberals finally control their lives. It is a serious form of insanity on the part of the left.
This is what I wrote in March 2009 when Obama and Pelosi were in full liberal madness:
President Obama is a running disaster. He and his liberal friends are going to keep pushing the envelope of socialist control until things break (which they probably already are doing). They have no clue what they are into, or how naive they are to the challenges. And they have no idea how big a backlash can erupt from this nation when its people are pushed too far by too many freedoms being taken away.
DC is heading towards a harsh lesson: they are the servants of the people, not the other way around.
As the wave begins its final rise this fall, possibly reaching historic peaks in living memory, and maybe for all time, it is important to understand that this nation is led only because the people agree to be led. We are not led because there is inherent good in government over all other human endeavors (just the opposite). Nor are we led because the federal government is all powerful. The people are the power of this nation – the private sector especially.
It is imperative that the GOP not screw up this opportunity being handed to them this fall, and they CAREFULLY start dismantling the federal bureaucracy. We need to neutralize the busy-bodies and reign in government.
Keep one thought in mind as this opportunity arrives: give people time to adjust. We cannot be tossing people into upheaval. We can dismantle the bloated behemoth in DC carefully and with minimal pain and disruption. Keep that basic tenant in mind and the nation will allow the GOP to seriously reduce the carbon footprint of the federal government (most easily by moving the decision power back to the states and the people). The era of big government can be over – but it will take time, compassion and ingenuity.
Update: A must read article from Mort Zuckerman on how public servants are now masters of the public.
Update: Kimberly Strassel at WSJ does a good job of noting how all the liberal successes passed under Obama-Reid-Pelosi are NOT being touted by Dems in this year’s elections:
And now that the ambitious Obama experiment in liberal governance is going kaboom, his members—even those who voted with him—are running for cover.
A total of 279 House and Senate Democrats voted for ObamaCare. Not one is running an ad touting that vote. How can they, given headlines about Medicare cuts and premium hikes? You will, however, find a growing catalogue of ads such as this one from Maryland Rep.
Liberalism is toxic. Who knew?
Two things, AJ.
First, don’t get cocky. The Republican strategists are thinking they have an edge, but are not counting on a blowout. If we want that sort of result, we have to keep the pressure building until the day after Election Day.
Second, good point on disassembling, not demolishing, the Federal bureaucracy. A lot of people have critized (correctly) the Democrats for having no private sector experience. But too many Republicans come in with no public sector experience, just their think tank prejudices against anyone employed by the Federal Government.
My advice?
First, implement a hiring freeze for all organizations not directly involved in national security. This was something Reagan did, and it is a wonderful way to gradually ramp down the workforce.
Second, implement a regulatory freeze…binding on NEW regulations. You can get rid of regulations all you want – and should. Maybe even impose a requirement to do so.
Third, start ditching regulations imposed by Congress. I work in DOD acquisition, and it is shocking just how much effort is squandered on checking Congressionally-imposed blocks off. Making laws is something to be approached with great care…care that Congress has not shown lately.
Fourth, quit bashing the Civil Service every chance you get. Lift a page from Chris Christie’s playbook (and he got it from Newt Gingrich). Attack union leadership all you want, but remember that the average Federal employee is working in a bureaucracy that has frozen damn near solid. By the way, anything you can do to crack that bureaucracy will be richly rewarded.
Fifth, institute a long-term plan to restructure the Federal Government. Republicans have talked about eliminating the Commerce Department for years. No guts, no glory. Try keeping the Commerce Department…and consolidating in it what are now the Departments of Transportation, Labor, Agriculture, and the non-military parts of the Department of Energy. To the greatest degree possible, you need one-stop shopping for the private citizen.
Sixth, institute a long-term plan to reform the Civil Service. Bush’s National Security Personnel System (NSPS) was a flop, but an educational one. In particular, it showed that one system does NOT fit all jobs. We need separate systems tailored to clerical, law enforcement, professional, and managerial positions. And make sure that you proffer the carrot, as well as the stick. If you think it’s hard to fire someone, try rewarding them. Every person in the Civil Service has a first or second-hand horror story of someone who worked himself nearly to death, did an outstanding job – and got a kick in the teeth for his trouble. People treated like that don’t put forth an extra effort ever again.
Seventh, hold senior managers accountable for failure. One thing that drives the average Federal employee up a wall is the degree to which top level managers can botch things without consequence. Leadership starts by demanding accountability at the top.
First, I think the majority of the voters have already made up their minds by now with very few undecideds. Only a few more weeks before early voting. So I don’t think there’s an urgent need for heavy GOTV efforts, rallies, events, etc., between now until November 2nd. But the local tea parties are indicating long term plans beyond November 2nd. For example, they’re starting to have Constitutional lesson meetings.
One thing that I noticed in the local meetings is that there’s no cross over between the local Republican and the local Tea Parties. For example, I don’t see the members of the Tea Parties attending the Republican “meet and greet” events and I don’t see the Republican locals attending the tea party events.
Secondly, I see that the Democrats are shying away from Obama’s proposal of allowing the tax rates to the top wage earners to expire while extending the rest for one to two more years or permanently.
It’s surprising that we’re not seeing much of an interest in “negotiations” with Obama.
Thirdly, we need more of Chris Christie to tell the public the truth after telling the teacher to “shut up or listen”. Kudos to him.
Eight, get rid of Charles Bolden and Laurie Garvey and all of his people.
Ain’t surprising that Charles Bolden has not been seen in the public since the uproar over his comments about the Muslim outreach.
Ninth, reduce the size of the Department of Education and Department of Energy.
Tenth, ensure the strength, readiness, and power of our national defense.
Eleventh, build the fences along the south border and help strengthen the border patrol to begin enforcing the current laws.
Twelth, cancel the oil drilling moratorium and open up the leases to increase our national security.
13th, withdraw the lawsuits against Arizona.
and so on….
Great post, AJ. I am with you 100%.
AJ,
Easy to understand goals for pruning the Federal government for Republicans to run on:
1) Reduce over all Federal employment to 2002 levels,
2) Keep and make perminent the the Bush tax rate reductions.
3) Reduce the size of the federal registrar to 2002 levels in page and word count.
Just keep your eye on Lisa (Murkowski) … Looks like the Libertarian spot is closed… but … she still sounds like a person who is considering a write-in campaign… It’s not clear how the Repub votes would split and/or if the Dem (Scott McAdams) could sneak in that way either …
.
Nor is it clear that Joe Miller(Repub) is a lock heads up with McAdams …
The White House will have the MSM at its disposal, even if it loses control of Congress, and has the dedicated staff to manage the compliant MSM’s message.
What analogous capability do Republicans have? Who is responsible for managing the message, and do they understand that the MSM is the opposition just as much as the Democrats?
I fear that not only can nobody answer these questions, but that nobody in the Republican Party is even asking them.
The federal government needs to reinstate the civil service exams. They eliminated them so as to allow minorities access to federal jobs. They couldn’t pass these exams and therefore they were not represented in the government bureaucracy. It made no difference that they weren’t qualified for these jobs. This is just another liberal feel good boondoggle. The fact that this policy was detrimental to the running of the country didn’t matter at all to these idiots.
I don’t think getting rid of the commerce department is the answer but probably severely cutting their funds would be the answer. The feds, after all, do need to monitor interstate commerce as the Constitution states. Just not as much or as arbitrarily as it does now. And for gosh sakes, repeal that light bulb crap along with anything the dims implemented that takes away our freedom. We are all going to have fun disposing of these dangerous “green” flourescent bulbs. And think of the problems when one of them breaks.
I would say cut everything (especially EPA) except national security and defense. I say to especially cut Obama’s budget. Force him to get rid of all those communist czars who have way too much power for people not duly elected. Also a cut in budget might eliminate all those “date nights” and “vacations” or trips to Spain with all their cronies on our dime.
“Liberalism is toxic. Who knew?”
Conservatives.
15 (I think) Rewrite the US tax code. Start from scratch. This is the ideal time to do that as the mortgage crisis has made mortgage interest deductions less of an issue.
Start with something like:
If you work at a job in the US you owe 10% on the gross of all income, every dollar over $30K rounded to the nearest dollar. No deductions for state or city taxes. No deductions for charities, including churches people should be charitable because it is the right thing to do not because they get a tax break. No deductions for interest payments
Earned income is defined in such a way as to included wages salaries, and proceeds from gambling.
If you have an incorporated business then that business owes 10% on every dollar over 3 million in gross, after expenses profits. Small business owners must pay them selves a salary possibly with a bonus and cannot hide behind this to avoid taxes.
Notice there is no married, no with children, no 401K no IRA.
There is also no capital gains or alternative minimum tax
A tax system like this eliminates incidentally many of the issues involved with things like homosexual marriage because the tax system would be gender-preference blind as it were.
If you live out side the US for 330 days each year and have no property in the US then you are not subject to US tax laws BUT if you stay out side the US for more than 5 years have to pay a $1000 fee every five years to maintain citizenship.
The percentage could be tweaked. Dick Armey used to say 17% but he had a few more deductions
Sarcastically
Other than that tax any registered democrat at 105% no deductions. Since they claim that high taxes don’t really hurt anyone they shouldn’t care.
16 Abolish Social Security over time. Anyone in the system aged 55 or above gets the full deal (Little as it is) From then on reduce benefits – and payments by 5% a year until the system is gone.
17. Have the states standardize the information and appearance of a Driver’s License or State ID. These would then become an official Federal ID for voting purposes. Each card should include an electronic chip with fingerprints and photo ID. No card no vote in federal elections.
18. Restrict Early voting to those with health problems. Require voters to register at least 90 days in advance and to have proof of ID (See above) Make this a national database so that ID numbers can be checked for validity.
19. Form a Foreign Legion – A light infantry unit from men who would otherwise be illegal aliens. Give them training, teach them English and make them literate. They enlist for 12 years and at the end of that time they have a fast track to US citizenship. Until then they are a soldier in the US Army and cannot be raised higher than a non-commissioned officer. (This one drives liberals crazy because they see it as racist though I don’t know why that is so) They’d be paid $800.00 a month which is more than many illegals make and their room, board and uniforms would be provided. I bet you could easily sign up a 1 million men from Mexico and Central American and South East Asia for this unit.