Tuesday, March 3, 2009

When What's Good For America Is Bad For The GOP

This posting at AmericaBlog.com is a good companion article for the "Principled" GOP Opposition article posted in this blog yesterday. When a government program that's good for America is bad for the GOP, the GOP will expend every effort to oppose and kill the program.
Bill Kristol’s 1993 Memo Calling For GOP To Block Health Care Reform
By John Aravosis (DC) · 3/02/2009 08:00:00 PM ET · AmericaBlog Link

Greg Sargeant over at The Plum Line has gotten his hands on a memo Bill Kristol wrote to his party in 1993, urging them to oppose Bill Clinton's health care plan because - well - it might work. And then all the newly healthy people might like government and see that it could actually do something good for them. Ben Smith summarizes the long memo:
The memo warns that a successful Clinton plan could badly damage the GOP by improving Americans' relationship with government, and makes the case for total, uncompromising opposition based on what would become the "Harry and Louise" campaign, focused on the damage the changes could do to citizens' relationships with their doctors.
The only way that the plan would improve America's relationship with government would be if it worked. Think about that.

The GOP ultimately opposed major legislation that would have benefited every American because the legislation might have actually worked. You don't just see parallels to today's Republican party, [you see GOP conservatives] doing exactly the same thing [in opposing Obama's programs.]

The GOP is terrified that Obama's agenda, from the stimulus plan to health care reform, might actually work [for the American people.] Then Americans would see that - surprise - government can work for the people. . .
Government programs seen to work for people would render the very "small government" foundation of the conservative movement as quicksand sinking many Republican candidates standing for election.

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