Another wishy-washy Republican...

...gets a letter printed in the WSJ (March 12, 2009):

"Daniel Henninger ('Has Obama Buried Reagan?,' Wonder Land, March 5) has one thing right: Republicans had better start talking about economic growth. But first they have to stop dithering and consorting with buffoons like Rush Limbaugh or threatening to go beyond the cutting edge and get really hip-hop.

"Maybe then they can join the conversation about growth that's already underway in many quarters -- not just within the Obama administration, but also in the private sector, which, Mr. Henninger claims, is the Republicans' political bailiwick.

"Hoping that the ghost of Ronald Reagan will offer, again, a way out of the darkness is also just bad political strategy. Many young voters (most of whom were Obama voters this time around) were born during President Reagan's second term. To them, 'Ronald Reagan' sounds a bit like 'William McKinley.'

"Sticking to conservative principles shouldn't rule out coming up with new ideas."

I responded:

Chicago Friday AM, March 13, 2009

Editors, Wall Street Journal

Gentlepeople:

The letter "Can't Live in the Past" in the Thursday, March 12 Wall Street Journal suggests the Republicans "... join the conversation about [economic] growth that's already underway... not just within the Obama administration. ..."

How did that 'just' get in there? The administration told everyone what they would do if they won, and since they did, the economy as grown by -$3 trillion in the private sector stock market alone.

The letter further suggests the Republicans "...stop dithering and consorting with buffoons like Rush Limbaugh". In politics, if an ally seems less than helpful, what does your real opposition think? Rush Limbaugh has the Democrats so befuddled, Republicans are lucky he still prefers them to Democrats.

The letter-writer doesn't think "the ghost of Ronald Reagan will offer... a way out of the darkness". So what have we had since RWR that's better? Another Republican who was no Reagan, but did win two elections. Then there was the guy who ran because "it was his turn," who then ignored the greatest political legacy of the 20th century, the two-year-old Contract with America. Then there was that guy last fall, effectively nominated by Democrats because of some weired "new ideas" in the Republican nominating process.

But even picking a VP partner someone with demonstrable executive experience (in contrast to himself and the opposing ticket) couldn't save him from his own incompetence.
Arnold H Nelson 5056 North Marine Drive Chicago IL 60640