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Charles Krauthammer

A new strategy for the GOP

In reality, Republicans have a broad consensus on what they believe, where want to go and the program to get them there. But they don’t have the power. What divides Republicans today is a straightforward tactical question: Can you govern from one house of Congress? Should you even try? …

The party establishment is coming around to the view that if you try to govern from one house — e.g., force spending cuts with cliffhanging brinkmanship — you lose. You not only don’t get the cuts. You get the blame for rattled markets and economic uncertainty. You get humiliated by having to cave in the end. And you get opinion polls ranking you below head lice and colonoscopies in popularity. …

The more prudent course would be to find some offer that cannot be refused, a short-term trade-off utterly unassailable and straightforward. For example, offer to extend the debt ceiling through, say, May 1, in exchange for the Senate delivering a budget by that date — after four years of lawlessly refusing to produce one.

Not much. But it would (a) highlight the Democrats’ fiscal recklessness, (b) force Senate Democrats to make public their fiscal choices and (c) keep the debt ceiling alive as an ongoing pressure point for future incremental demands.

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I agree.

But will the House GOP have the will to see this kind of thing through?

Or will Boehner cry again?

blatantblue on January 18, 2013 at 9:26 AM

The more prudent course would be to find some offer that cannot be refused, a short-term trade-off utterly unassailable and straightforward. For example, offer to extend the debt ceiling through, say, May 1, in exchange for the Senate delivering a budget by that date — after four years of lawlessly refusing to produce one.

Agreed, it’s a basic, simple approach, understood by most people…we will extend on part of a bill, for the Senate to deliver on their legal obligation.
The trick is, to get all the Republican in lock step, and hammer away until “May 1″…

right2bright on January 18, 2013 at 9:27 AM

In order for Republicans to win in 2014 and 2016 the economy must collapse… This will only be achieved by letting Obama gets what he wants… It is that simple…

mnjg on January 18, 2013 at 9:27 AM

mnjg on January 18, 2013 at 9:27 AM

Yep. The only lesson left that will work is the one of hard knocks.

Limerick on January 18, 2013 at 9:31 AM

As long as the media covers for the dims none of this is possible. Romney was ridiculed for being right about Mali. Ridiculed for having binders full of women by the least diverse administration. The media doctored footage of Romney’s WaWa’s response. It won’t cover Fast & Furious or Bengahzi. And so on. At this point, trying to win over popular opinion is next to impossible.

Flange on January 18, 2013 at 9:34 AM

1. Bend over
2. Grab ankles.
3. ????
4. PROFIT!!

CurtZHP on January 18, 2013 at 9:41 AM

I see some people still think there is a difference between the two parties or that the two have different goals. What new strategy? The gop will always stick to the same one, socialist-lite.

Time to start supporting the Libertarian party.

Panther on January 18, 2013 at 9:45 AM

As long as the media covers for the dims none of this is possible. Romney was ridiculed for being right about Mali. Ridiculed for having binders full of women by the least diverse administration. The media doctored footage of Romney’s WaWa’s response. It won’t cover Fast & Furious or Bengahzi. And so on. At this point, trying to win over popular opinion is next to impossible.

Flange on January 18, 2013 at 9:34 AM

^This.

John Gibson pointed out yesterday that the only investigative journalism seems to be in the sports world these days. The left has corrupted the media and culture to the point where I’m not confident that we can win national elections anymore.

The Count on January 18, 2013 at 9:50 AM

The republicans have to pick someone that can articulate whatever their message is going to be and send them him or her out there to challenge whatever the King has to say.

cw10036 on January 18, 2013 at 9:51 AM

The Republican strategy ought to be outright mockery. The Democrats are wrong about everything from economics to human nature and it is the primary responsibility of an opposition party to rub their noses in the stupidity of what they believe.

The trillion dollar coin was a perfect example of how to miss an opportunity. The proposal was lunacy. Instead of trying to calculate the actual amount of platinum needed to mint such a coin, the response should have been, “what are you, nuts?!” I’d also send out pictures of Weimar Germans bringing a wheelbarrow full of deutschmarks to the marketplace to buy a loaf of bread. Believe me, a lot of people are wincing every time they go to the supermarket now. Drive the point home.

Every time John Boehner goes in front of a camera, he should be saying something like, “out in the real world, people don’t behave this way.” Make it clear that the Democrats are nuts. And keep repeating the message, day after day after day.

Mr. D on January 18, 2013 at 9:59 AM

Make Reid, Obama, Holder,Schummer Clinton etal say how much the commie Democrats want to spend, how high they want the debt limit to go, and force them to go on the record of what if any cuts in spending they will go along with.

As it is they just call the lap dog msm in and lie tell the cows come home.

They are lie based, go make them lie, lie, lie, lie, until their dumb ass supporters see the light.

If they never come around we have done all we can, let the chips fall on the fools as the weak will suffer first and sorry to say the commie Democrat party lives and feeds off weakness.

APACHEWHOKNOWS on January 18, 2013 at 10:14 AM

I’m generally pretty militant on my politics, but I am having a tough time finding fault with his logic gere

ChrisL on January 18, 2013 at 10:14 AM

Ya, “Commie Vampire Democrats”

APACHEWHOKNOWS on January 18, 2013 at 10:16 AM

Demand vaseline and it won’t hurt as much.

Wigglesworth on January 18, 2013 at 10:56 AM

For example, offer to extend the debt ceiling through, say, May 1, in exchange for the Senate delivering a budget by that date —

GOPe looks for any way to cave and get away with it.

what happens on May 1st when the dems have no budget? that’s right the cieling has been raised and no budget. So then what happens? The gov closes down and the GOp gets blamed.

idiots. the correct thing is to use your power and force the dems to deal or close it down. pick a fight and fight. This constant retreat is a coward’s way.

unseen on January 18, 2013 at 11:11 AM