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12:34 pm CST - December 31, 2009
Posted under On The Record
New Year’s Resolutions for Washington, D.C.
Ambitious Republicans should resolve to run for office next year.
By Karl Rove
President Obama not only left Washington, D.C., for the holidays, but the lower 48 as well. So I thought I’d offer a few New Year’s resolutions for him and others to come back to in the coming year.
First, to Mr. Obama’s staff: The Norwegian Nobel Committee didn’t want to wake the president to tell him about his prize earlier this year, but there shouldn’t be any reluctance to reassure the nation after a terrorist attack.
Also, why not resolve to have a few less “historic” moments? How many can one president really have, anyway? A little more grace toward his predecessor would help him, as would less TV time. He is wearing out his welcome and his speechwriters—judging by the quality of their work lately.
In 2010, Mr. Obama should work on his habit of leaving a room of people with deeply divided opinions thinking he agrees with all of them. That leads to disagreements over essential issues, like the meaning of his pledge to begin withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2011 and the nature of the new military mission there.
Finally, Mr. Obama should work on meaning what he says. He didn’t last year with all those health-care deadlines and tough talk supporting the public option. Now Mr. Obama will pivot to jobs and deficit reduction. As he tries to do that, voters will wonder if it’s just a ruse to save Democrats.
Vice President Joe Biden should resolve to speak publicly less. Every time he opens his mouth, the West Wing staff uses him to make the president look good by comparison.
White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers should take a lead from Santa Clause and make her list and check it twice . . . at the White House gates.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano should resolve to take a systems analysis course before she again declares that a system “worked.”
The Democratic congressional leadership should resolve to come up with Plan B. After rejecting bipartisanship in 2009, they won’t be able to pass bills in 2010 with only Democrats. Too many vulnerable Democrats will flake on big votes.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi—who has reportedly let it be known that she is comfortable with losing scores of House seats to pass ObamaCare—might resolve to treat her pet Blue Dogs a little better.
As for the Blue Dogs, why not resolve to become Republicans?
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid should resolve to strive for a little less unity in his caucus and in the meantime enjoy this term in office. It’s likely to be his last unless Nevada Republicans tear themselves apart next year for the privilege of running against him.
Republican congressional leaders should resolve not to sit on their laurels. They’re winning the battle for public opinion on health care, cap and trade, and spending, but by next fall, it won’t be enough to surf voter dissatisfaction with Mr. Obama and Democrats. Voters will want to know what Republican candidates would do.
A second Contract with America won’t suffice. The GOP really won in 1994 by arming candidates with a basket of issues to pick from. Next year, candidates must be fluent in kitchen-table issues from jobs to health care to deficits to spending.
Ambitious Republicans should resolve to run next year. There will be a wave of voter support for GOP positions, but authenticity, passion and conviction matter. Voters can smell them, so bone up on the issues and say what you believe, not what someone tells you to say.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine should resolve not to blame himself for the coming political tsunami that’ll hit his party next November. He should press Mr. Obama to raise lots of money to spend on close races in states where Democrats are in charge of redistricting.
If not, he’ll face a very ugly 2012 congressional election, too.
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele had a great year in generating enthusiasm among small donors, but ends 2009 with less cash on hand than he had when he started the year.
He should resolve to stop giving paid speeches and instead use his time repairing frayed relationships with major donors, whose support is critical to winning legislatures that will redraw congressional districts in 2011.
Tea Party members should resolve to resist being turned into another partisan political group. The movement’s power stems from its ideas, not from any party it supports, and it has been very successful in educating Americans and arousing the country.
It should let its members set their own personal course in primaries and fall elections.
As for me, I resolve to speak well of Mr. Obama more frequently, curry favor with liberals by being more critical of my fellow conservatives, and be guided by the words of Mark Twain, who said that the start of a New Year “is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.”
Mr. Rove, the former senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to President George W. Bush, is the author of the forthcoming book “Courage and Consequence” (Threshold Editions).
9 Comments
rosemary
8:54 pm CST
December 31, 2009
As the county chair in Travis County rest assured that we are doing the BEST that we can do to put courageous, qualified and capable candidates on the Primary ticket…we have a lot of surprises in store on Monday, Jan. 4 at 6 pm. Let’s ROLL!
CWJensen
9:38 pm CST
December 31, 2009
Republicans YOU BETTER DAMN well have Good Conservatives lined up or YOUR the ones in for A SURPRISE.
CWJensen
10:40 pm CST
December 31, 2009
Karl Rove screwed up GW and our Majority in Congress with his MAJOR DONOR CRONYISM.
We do not want to replace one group of politicians controlled by obligations to “BIG DONORS” by another group obligated to a different group “BIG DONORS”.
GOODBYE KARL………………………….we do NOT need your advice.
CWJensen
9:37 am CST
December 31, 2009
Happy New Year in 2010 everyone, YES BUT, I’m tired.
“I’m Tired”
by Robert A. Hall”
I’ll be 63 soon. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce,` and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I’ve worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven’t called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there’s no retirement in sight, and I’m tired. Very tired.
I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth around” to people` who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy or stupid to earn it.
I’m tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to “keep people in their homes.” Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I’m willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them with their own money..
I’m tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros, and Hollywoodentertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United Stateswill have the economy ofZimbabwe , the freedom of the press of China , the crime and violence of Mexico , the tolerance for Christian people of Iran , and the freedom of speech of Venezuela . Won’t multiculturalism be beautiful?
I’m tired of being told that Islam is a “Religion of Peace,” when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family “honor”; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren’t “believers”; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for “adultery”; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur’an and Shari’a law tells them to.
I believe “a man should be judged by the content of his character, not by the color of his skin.” I’m tired of being told that “race doesn’t matter” in the post-racial world of Obama, when it’s all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of US Senators from Illinois.
I think it’s very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk whereLincoln wrote the emancipation proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less arrogantly of an all-knowing government.
I’m tired of a news media that thinks Bush’s fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama’s, at triple the cost, were wonderful; that thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress; that picked over every line of Bush’s military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his; that slammed Palin, with two years as governor, for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senatoras potentially the best president ever. Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to Fox News? Get a clue. I didn’t vote for Bush in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in 2004.
I’m tired of being told that out of “tolerance for other cultures” we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America , while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue, or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.
I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global` warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore’s, and if you’re greener than Gore, you’re green enough.
I’m tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do.. Did a giant drug germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don’t think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I’m tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana.
I’m tired of illegal aliens being called “undocumented workers,” especially the ones who aren’t working, but are living on welfare or crime. What’s next? Calling drug dealers, “Undocumented Pharmacists”? And, no, I’m not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic, and it’s been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I’m willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person, who can speak English, doesn’t have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military…. Those are the citizens we need.
I’m tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the` uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people than themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years and still are? Not even close. So here’s the deal. I’ll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl inPakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col.. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found inIraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls inIndonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we’ll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.
I’m tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers; bums are bipartisan. And I’m tired of people telling me we need bipartisanship. Bipartisanship by the media and the Democrats simply means we do it their way! I live inIllinois , where the ” Illinois Combine” of Democrats has worked to loot the public for years. Not to mention the tax cheats in Obama’s cabinet as well. Is that the kind of bipartisanship we need?
I’m tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers, and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I’m tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.
Speaking of poor, I’m tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn’t have that in 1970, but we didn’t know we were “poor.” The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.
I’m real tired of people who don’t take responsibility for their lives and actions. I’m tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination, or big-whatever for their problems.
Yes, I’m SO tired. But I’m also glad to be 63.
Because, mostly, I’m not going to have to see the world these people are making.
I’m just sorry for my grandchildren.
Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts State Senate and one smart man.
IN GOD WE TRUST
AMEN
I am sure the MAJORITY of readers here feel exactly the same.
Paul W
10:44 am CST
December 31, 2009
Money, Money, Money. That’s what it all boils down to, who can raise the most money.
I wish that for once we could find a candidate that could win on his principles alone and not on how much money he raised for his campaign. We need some candidates equal to Abraham Lincoln. Someone that has the best interest of his constituents at heart, not what his party wants out of him.
We need candidates with courage, scruples, and integrity. Someone that really loves this country and wants to do the best he can for the American People.
Sadly, I guess these kind of people are just not around any more. Everyone is out for the almighty dollar. What can I do to make the most money for me?
Our government has done everything it can to destroy the great Capitalist System that America was founded on. We need jobs here in America and we need them yesterday. We don’t need a Socialist Government like we have now.
We need people that say what they mean and mean what they say. We need people that believe in the Constitution of the United States. We need people that believe in God the Almighty.
We need to be more Politically Incorrect. After all that is part of Free Speech. If you don’t like what Rush has to say it is your right to change the channel. After all that is why your radio has a channel selector on it.
I can’t tell you who I would want to vote for because so far I have not seen any candidate that I feel I could stand behind. I have seen numerous candidates that I would love to stand in front of and push them back to where they came from.
All I can say is to research our congress people and vote out the ones that are not doing the will of the people and replace them in November, 2010. And the way I see it almost everyone of them that are coming up for re election needs to be replaced.
God Bless America
Paul W
11:15 am CST
December 31, 2009
CW, using a well known saying, You are a great American.
I totally agree with every last thing you said in your comment.
I am a 56 year old white male in Texas and lost my job in December 2008. I have not been able to find a job since. The company I worked for let me go for economical hard times. I had worked for them for 20 years.
When I tried to get food assistance I was turned down because I own a 2007 Chevy Impala. Any day of the week if you drive by the food assistance office you will see automobiles costing twice what I paid for my Impala and these people are getting assistance. Of course the are not white people.
I am not complaining because I have manages to get by legally. I couldn’t even get medical assistance because I made too much money on un-employment. That’s OK too because I found out that medical cost for people that pay cash is no where near what it is for people that have insurance.
I had a MRI done on my back in December 2009. The cost for that to an insured person is $2,500 but since I had no insurance and was paying cash the day of service I only had to pay $600 for it.
Consequently that is what it would have cost me out of my pocket if I still had insurance.
Sorry for rambling. I really just wanted to tell you I agree with you 100%.
SJK
12:49 pm CST
December 31, 2009
AMEN CW! The majority of us not only on this site, but in America agree with you! You are a true Patriot and should run for office! You would definitely have my support!
CWJensen
4:59 pm CST
December 31, 2009
Paul W
There are SEVERAL people that need our support.
I have decided this is the year I will spend everything I can possibly afford supporting REAL CONSERVATIVES……………………………..many of these are either running against party supported RHINO’S in primaries.
I will post my list of people I think are WORTHY of YOUR consideration over the next week.
Paul consider two things:
1 Maybe it is time to hire yourself.
2.If you find someone you can SUPPORT volunteer your time. A good worker is NOTICED wherever they are.
Finally like it or NOT politics is all about MONEY.
146,000,000 registered voters 131,000,000 voted
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2008.
Internet Release date: July, 2009
If each of those voters just contributed $25.00 directly to individuals imagine how WE THE PEOPLE would eliminate the hold on elections by parties and fat cats:)
Willard Leger
9:18 pm CST
December 31, 2009
PW I second your thoughts, I have sent the following message to our Senators in Washington as well as Congessmen, YOU’RE FIRED, I have not heared a word from any of them. I have heard from their payed flunkes, I only ask them one question, ARE YOU AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, if not I have no reason to talk to you.
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