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March 30, 2005

Winning at all costs means never having to say you're sorry

Republicans keep winning by choosing their battles carefully. They go hard after issues that frame well for them and beat the opposition into submission.

In fact they tell you what's most important to you. They work in it through their echo chamber and talk you into believing it, too.

It doesn't matter if say, terrorists are building homemade dirty bombs and sending them on ships that travel to the US in uninspected cargo containers. That's not a winning issue for Republicans and they can't frame it in a way that reflects well on them.

One of my "inside the beltway" sources sent me an email yesterday quoting Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. The quote came via a VOLPAC email update:

"You hear about the big issues we are dealing with everyday on the Senate floor through conventional media. But this morning I want to let you know about an issue we are hitting head on ... the Boy Scouts"

That's right. The Boy Scouts of America are THE top priority for the Republican Senate Majority Leader. Not terrorism. Not school shootings. Not even Terri Schiavo (the GOP is actually running from that one since it's apparent they've overreached).

God. Guns. Gays. The trifecta of the GOP's foundational winning strategy.

Massachusetts governor and wannabe 2008 Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is launching a radio ad massaging the God plank.

The multi billion dollar Big Dig project to ease traffic congestion in Boston is basically falling in on itself.

Massachusetts has had to make deep budget cuts in health care and education and public services.

But Romney has money in the budget for TV ads against stem cell research. Culture of life, yannow.

Winning at all costs for Republicans means ignoring and perpetuating major infrastructure and security issues. An American electorate overwhelmed by the every day and underwhelmed by the constant barrage of political bovine feces tossed their way on the 24 hour cable news networks can't and won't keep up.

This is another reason why moving to the center doesn't help Democrats. Only strong leadership and strong message will.

Posted by Carla at March 30, 2005 09:38 AM