The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Why Rove Is a Trifle Overrated

Posted on | April 21, 2011 | 14 Comments

by Smitty

Karl Rove enjoys sounding like the big insider, and maybe he is, emphasis mine:

The GOP needs to push back now—thoughtfully and aggressively. Yet in conversations with Senate and House Republicans, I was amazed to find they weren’t talking to each other. Though the Senate and House GOP leadership may be, congressional Republicans need to settle on a common negotiating posture sooner rather than later.

If congressional Republicans wait until June to offer their proposal, they’ll have fallen into the Democratic trap. Mr. Obama will beat them like a drum, blaming them for any hiccups in the markets and every bit of bad economic news, all while demanding a clean debt ceiling.

It’s not enough for the GOP to insist on a vote on a balanced budget amendment. Even if the amendment were to muster the two-thirds vote required in Congress, it could take years to be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures. Robust spending and deficit caps requiring rescissions and cuts if spending or deficits breach historic norms would be better and effective almost immediately.

His first quoted point may simply mean that the GOP aren’t talking to him. And should they? Perhaps.
The point that a balanced budget amendment is of little immediate value is slightly better, but still wide of the mark. Let me put it like this: why would the Congress honor a 28th Amendment any more than it has the 10th? Dass ist die Frage, Mr. Rove.
Karl would be more impressive if his analysis started around P. J. O’Rourke

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.

What we need from the GOP is the sober realization that the current crisis means that the Progressive State of America is done, a thousand times done, and, again, stick a fork in it. You’re worried about the GOP falling into the Democrat trap, Rove: the Tea Parties recognize all of this for the usual Ruling Class kabuki. Thanks, Karl.

Hot Air notes a Politico article saying, in essence, that the GOP bark has been upgraded from Yorkshire Terrier to Dachshund. Go, doggies, go!

Category: Karl Rove, Republicans

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