Can Jindal, Rubio, and Ryan save the GOP?
Even the language the three men are using these days is similar. “We need to show folks that we are an aspirational party,” Jindal said. “We need to be the party that represents the upward mobility,” a party that believes “every single American has the same American dream, and we want to help them.”
Liberal commentators have pointed out that this rhetoric hasn’t been matched by much in the way of innovative new policies. None of these men has proposed that Republicans push for a larger child tax credit with the same passion they bring to lowering taxes on capital, for example. But they are heading in the right direction.
Another complaint from some of the liberal reviewers — that these Republicans still hold a range of views that are fairly typical of their party — is beside the point. As Jindal put it, there’s no need for a second Democratic Party. He’s interested in “coming up with smart policy solutions, connecting that to the aspirations of all voters, and going out there.”
Going out where? Jindal, the next chairman of the Republican Governors Association, may have provided a clue when he said, “Republican governors are going to provide the examples of leadership.” Watch your backs, Messrs. Rubio and Ryan.
Blowback
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Earth. If we’re getting specific, I would say anywhere in the United States outside of the Beltway, New England, and the Left Coast.
Punchenko on December 11, 2012 at 8:15 PM
MelonCollie. Because it is in the Constitution… 14th and 15th amendments. And such a statement turns people off. It caused Paul grief in Kentucky during the election.
terryannonline. Yes, the new speech is more substantive and apparently recent media suggests that Rubio’s advisors are well aware he is getting an unserious reputation.. But he did really overuse the I Love America speech.. really overuse it. Also, he really hasn’t done anything to warrant the hype.. He is Latino and gives pretty speeches.
Illinidiva on December 11, 2012 at 8:18 PM
terryannonline on December 11, 2012 at 8:20 PM
the GOP doesn’t need new ideas. there platform is solid. what the GOP needs is a leader who believes in those ideas and will mold polices around those beliefs.
illegal immigration per supply and demand economics will keep american wages low. instead of being anti-immigrant the GOP could be pro American job growth. Now that’s a winning issue as wages stay flat and/or fall across the land. Tighter credit controls isn’t anti-poor its protecting the middle class home values but you see the GOPe doesn’t believe in the GOp platform so they no longer propose polices based on it.
unseen on December 11, 2012 at 8:27 PM
agreed. It’s something the GOP needs to talk about. but they have to do it in a way that doesn’t make those without the 2 parents 2 child famliy upset it a touchy subject but it does have answers…
unseen on December 11, 2012 at 8:32 PM
It wasn’t Socons and the TP who said he didn’t care about 47% of the country. It wasn’t Socons and the TP who said he liked to fire people. It wasn’t Socons and the TP who passed Obamacare at the state level, and then continued to brag about it all throughout the election.
And then he usually segues into “This is why we must pass amnesty” mode.
The answer by the way is no to all three. There is no saving the GOP, because the GOP is hellbent on emulating the DNC. They even talk like the dems these days.
xblade on December 11, 2012 at 8:35 PM
I think Rubio’s tone is pitch perfect. I also think it’s good coming from a Hispanic politician since minorities tend to have high rates of single mothers (although it’s growing in whites).
terryannonline on December 11, 2012 at 8:39 PM
Not necessarily. I voted for Virgil Goode last election since I detested both Romney and Obama. The rest of my family stayed home.
If the fiscally conservative, socially liberal bloc was going to be deciding an election, with the economy the way it was and given Romney’s moderate/liberal social issues record, this would have been it. It failed.
Stoic Patriot on December 11, 2012 at 8:44 PM
I’m just wondering what Rubio has ever actually done that makes anyone think he’d be a good president. Obama’s tone was pitch-perfect too to Dems in 2005. We Palinoids/Palinbots/Palinistas are accused of making Palin into Obama. The fact is, Rubio is the GOP’s Obama — with the exception that in Rubio’s case, his party’s base isn’t quite as enthused with him.
ddrintn on December 11, 2012 at 8:54 PM
Obama has given Dems just about everything they want. He’s given them universal health care, raised taxes, two very liberal supreme court judges, probably gonna do immigration reform.
Um, if Rubio gives the Right as much as Obama has given the left….I think he will be a better president than Reagan.
terryannonline on December 11, 2012 at 8:58 PM
Um, seems like Obama and Rubio aren’t really all that far apart on immigration. And what indication do you see that Rubio would do anything for “the Right” anyway?
ddrintn on December 11, 2012 at 9:01 PM
Because we already have a second Democratic party. Duh.
ddrintn on December 11, 2012 at 9:04 PM
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