Thursday, April 30, 2009

Thursday's throwdowns

TOPIC OF THE DAY: So what I'm hearing from lots and lots of liberal bloggers and from acquaintances on political discussion lists is, well, quite simple: that the Republican Party and conservatism are either dying or, at best, moving into semi-permanent minority status. Here's one small example of the left's current triumphalism; there are plenty more. So let's today, among other things, examine this assumption: is Republicanism/conservatism dead? Really?
Heh. Gosh, I don't think so--for example, Joe Biden is doing his best to help us:
"I would not be, at this point, if they had another way of transportation, (be) suggesting they ride the subway. … So from my perspective, what it relates to is mitigation. If you're out in the middle of a field and someone sneezes, that's one thing, if you're in a closed aircraft or closed container or closed car or closed classroom it's a different thing." Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, responded to Biden's comments by saying, "Americans should heed the advice of medical experts when determining how best to manage health concerns during the ongoing swine flu outbreak."
There's a lot of things about which Mr. Biden is ignorant...

Remember too that Obama has not ended all Bush/Republican policies--far from it:
"Obama sent more combat troops to Afghanistan, while trying in vain to get the Europeans to fulfill their NATO obligations by doing the same. Despite the hostile anti-Bush rhetoric, Obama has kept intact many of his predecessor’s homeland-security measures. There has been little change with the Patriot Act, wiretap and e-mail intercepts of suspected terrorist communications, and renditions of overseas suspects."

Don't forget that the Republican Party is NOT a "regional" party now, despite what many claim--the GOP in Congress for example has significant numbers of members from the West, the Midwest, etc.

Republican candidate for governor in Virginia Bob McDonnell leads all challengers right now in the polls.

And don't buy the supposed-concern for the state of the GOP coming from liberal sources like the NY Times:
"The debate broke out as the party found itself in a particularly dire state. Mr. Specter’s departure came a week after Republicans lost a special Congressional election in an upstate New York district with a significant Republican voter edge; as such, it underlined the extent the party was contracting, not only ideologically but also geographically."
This is a dishonest analysis, at best. The district at stake in upstate New York was purple by 2009--Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand carried the district overwhelmingly the last time she ran, and Obama carried the district as well. Yet the GOP candidate lost very, very narrowly, in a recount. That's hardly a huge defeat--indeed, the Republicans did better this time around than last time.

And by the way, about Republicans in the Northeast:
"It’s a shame the Republicans can’t win in the Northeast, isn’t it? If you look to New England, Republicans only hold the governorships in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont, two Senate seats in Maine, and one in New Hampshire. Looking ahead to 2010, Republicans seem as likely to add to that toehold as they are to lose ground - especially if Senator Dodd is the Democratic nominee in Connecticut. If you widen the net slightly, Republicans are poised to field strong candidates in Senate and gubernatorial races in New York and Pennsylvania, and to pick off the governorship in New Jersey this year."

BASEBALL DIARY: the Tigers were done in by a 7-run Yankee 4th inning last night, losing 8-6. It was a tough pitching matchup for Detroit--the rookie Rick Porcello going against the young, talented and more experienced Joba Chamberlain. Just have to shrug the last two losses off...
The Rangers meanwhile were rained out. And the Cubs continue to lack consistency--they lose to Arizona 10-0, with Ryan Dempster walking a bunch of guys, the bats largely silent vs. Doug Davis, etc.