Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
In today's NRO, Jonah Goldberg has a typically excellent piece about taking advantage of the Great Obama Meltdown:
For a year or so, Republicans have been the so-called party of no. Contrary to the expectations of its critics, that tactic has been good for the GOP. It seems that the tea parties, America’s natural antibodies to Obamaism, have provided some vital stem-cell therapy, helping to regrow the Republican spine.
But that spine is only valuable if you use it for something. Much of the GOP leadership has been content saying “no” for two reasons — one good, one bad. When Obama was tall in the saddle and determined to exploit the economic crisis on his terms, there was no point in offering real alternatives. And it’s just a lot easier to criticize than it is to lead.
He wraps it up this way:
Now is the time for the GOP to call Obama’s bluff and offer a real choice. My personal preference would be for the leadership to embrace Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan’s “road map,” a sweeping, bold, and humane assault on the welfare state and our debt crisis. Doing so might come at the cost of trimming the GOP’s victory margins in November, but it would provide Republicans with a real mandate to be something more than “not-Obama.”
Don’t let Obama’s crisis go to waste.
Which weirdly echoes something David Frum writes today in the Financial Times. Now, of course, there are....issues....when it comes to David Frum. Personally, I like him a lot. And I think it's actually useful and healthy to have a smart guy like Frum taking shots at his own side. First, because this isn't a war and there really aren't sides and he's not taking shots, he's writing thoughtful dissent. And second, because although he's dead wrong about Obamacare, he's dead right about granting Americans a payroll tax holiday for a year, which I've been advocating (tediously; ceaselessly) for a year and a half:
A one-year holiday from such payments would put money in workers’ pockets and encourage employers to hire, at only a little more than half the cost of the Obama stimulus. The holiday would have been a great idea in January 2009. It still is now.
In today's FT, he sums up this way, with echoes of Jonah:
You don’t need a positive programme to win an election, as the Democrats proved with their anti-Bush campaign in 2006. “Hell no” is a fine slogan for the “out party.” Very soon, the Republicans may again be “in.” It is time for a party of “yes.”
Okay, okay: full disclosure. Elsewhere in the piece he argues for nutty stuff like a managed inflation to make debt easier to pay back, and to terrify the Chinese. Inflation is a terrible thing to try to "manage." And it's a terrible tool to use on creditors. But I'm choosing to see areas of agreement. That's just the kind of guy I am: I'm a uniter, not a divider.
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Comments :
Jul '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
I'm thankful that the GOP stood athwart Obama's Unprecedented Historic Moment and yelled, "hell no!" With Democrats controlling all elective branches of government, there is little else conservatives can do. I just hope once they return to power, they remember Calvin Coolidge's advice: "It's much more important to kill bad laws than to pass good ones."
Jul '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
I don't think the Republicans have to do anything right now but obey the old adage about not getting in the way of a man committing suicide. There will be plenty of time in the run up to the presidential election to offer alternatives for climbing out of the hole Bush and Obama dug for us..
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
ExJon, the founders of this little enterprise are with you. There's a reason why Ricochet's corporate parent is named "Silent Cal Productions."
Jul '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
George, I was hoping that was the source of that name. We could use an Army of Cals these days.
May '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
I find myself in shocking agreement with David Frum. And not so shocking disagreement with the CW of "we must not be seen as the Party of No. Of course we can. That's how election's are won. Helps to have some kind of plan once you get there, though.
Jun '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
"Which weirdly echoes something David Frum writes today in the Financial Times. Now, of course, there are....issues....when it comes to David Frum. Personally, I like him a lot. And I think it's actually useful and healthy to have a smart guy like Frum taking shots at his own side. First, because this isn't a war and there really aren't sides and he's not taking shots, he's writing thoughtful dissent." Rob Long
It may not be a war for you, Rob, it is a war for me. If you don't think we are in a war to keep this country a nation of independent, liberty loving and living individuals, a country of Capitalists and property rights, a country that allows for the strong,smart, and even just plain lucky people to succeed, than you, sir, and David Frum along with you, are part of the problem. This is a war and we damn well better win it.
Jul '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
Not so sure a payroll tax holiday would entice businesses to ramp up employment. They’re sitting on $2T until some semblance of sanity returns to Gov’t. Investing without knowing the rules of the game fashioned by – and changed darn near daily –the Administration is pretty risky.
May '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
Cdor,
Who is the enemy in this war? Did Congress declare it as the Constitution demands? What weapons are you using to fight it? Is President on the other side? Are you therefore fighting a war against the United States government? Or is it you who are on the side of the United States, and the Commander in Chief who is on the other side? Wait, then who is in charge on your side? Surely you can't win a war without a chain of command.
My own position is that Rob Long has it exactly correct.
The war metaphor is misleading and quickly leads to absurdity.
May '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
Well, c'mon. The Prez is all of our Prez. Duly elected, by, like eight points. I think he just sort of lucked out by being the Dem candidate a month before the economy collapsed. Happens every thirty years. But still, he's the only Prez we got. So, y'know gotta salute (even grudgingly) and obey in the areas he has authoritah. But being the Loyal Opposition can at least take back Congress. Which is really where domestic decisions oughtta be made.
May '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
Also wonder why the Establishment Press never describes the Dems as The Party of No. OK, asked and answered. Yadda yadda.
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
A war? Really? Because if somehow we had President John McCain we could all sleep soundly, knowing our taxes weren't going to get hiked? Look, Frum advocates lots of sound stuff -- tax cuts, among them -- and that's a good thing. This is a big, wide country. and we need to get as many people on our side as possible. Look how much mischief this guy in the White House has gotten into, based on his sizable win in November 2008? It helps to have broad appeal. But I've got to say, I really don't think I'm part of the "problem."
May '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
What to do with a problem like Rob? Seems like if we lose him, we got roughly a quarter of the vote. Which doesn't exactly get you there. Not quite.
Jul '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
War is hell. Frum's just kind of annoying.
May '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
Too bad President Obama doesn't see himself as a "decider".
Jun '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
Maybe I am just way overboard. Maybe it is me that is the problem. I just see this country being destroyed by fiscal policy that will ruin the lives of hundreds of millions of prudent, honest, hard working Americans who have trusted the social and political fabric of the USA all of their lives. And this destruction is being caused by the political left in this country who have achieved complete control because they do believe this is a war. Of course, Conor, it is not a fighting war. But if you see conventions like the NAACP, you wonder if we are not coming to that. Mark at #14 is absolutely correct. Obama is sadly just the opposite of his campaign portrayal. He is a race baiter and a divider, a balkanizer with great skill. I see it as imperative that conservatives win back the House this fall or we will not be able to turn back the tide. McCain was a terrible candidate and is not an ideal conservative by any stretch. It could be argued that having total control by the left over these past two years is a great eye opener.
Jun '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
That the country can now see what happens when the left ultimately has their way. But if we do not succed this fall, having had, even someone as mediocre as McCain, would have saved the day. Rob, I didn't mean to offend you...just rile you up a bit. We all need to be a little bit more angry. Just my opinion.
Jun '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
I find Frum much more than annoying. He's always came across as effete and smug, long before his Obama crush. There are hundreds of brighter, stronger, more appealing conservative voices. I'd love to see him fade into obscurity.
May '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
Frum does have an excellent booklist, if you check out his site. But while I would agree with cdor that the country is on a nigh-unbelievable track due to the election of Obama (what Prez would actually want to ruin his country?), his election was not due to the admiration of his pants-crease. It was due to the simple fact that the economy collapsed right before the election, and he was the Other Guy, so ordinarily sensible persons voted for him. Not like Kathleen Parker or anyone else had anything to do with it.
Jul '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
"War" does not requite that you be in a shooting situation, or deploy troops. We were in a war with Soviet Russia a lot of years without once invading her soil. We are currently in a war with islaam, yet the valid question would be, "Who do you declare war againt?'
There is no doubt that the Left has considered itself at war with the founding principles of this nation. It is evident in their assault on our principles, on their no prisoners approach, in their trashing of anyone who disagrees with them - the more effective the disagreement, the harder they attempted to trash them. Look at what they tried to do to Ronald Reagan.
There is no doubt that we, too, should consider ourselves at war with the Left - with Statism, with fascism, with progressivism, with all those things that would make us a government run nation NOT free to do as we pleased.
It's why I like Ann Coulter so much - she has the "no prisoners" approach to the Left.
Jun '10
Re: Jonah Goldberg & David Frum, Together Again! Sort Of. Well....Almost
Cdor,
Who is the enemy in this war? Did Congress declare it as the Constitution demands? What weapons are you using to fight it? Is President on the other side? Are you therefore fighting a war against the United States government? Or is it you who are on the side of the United States, and the Commander in Chief who is on the other side? Wait, then who is in charge on your side? Surely you can't win a war without a chain of command.
My own position is that Rob Long has it exactly correct.
The war metaphor is misleading and quickly leads to absurdity. · Jul 14 at 6:13pm
The war is against the concept that government is the solution rather than the problem. The enemy are those that support and promulgate that view. That would include the President and by logical extension his administration, not the country. I think Cdor is against the administration's antithesis to traditional values and that you are simply being obtuse and provocative to no good effect. You can't win if you deny that the values that made us great are under assault with flashy displays of clever rhetoric.