Monday, June 21, 2010

Republican Voter Caveat Emptor: CINO No-No

According to the latest GALLUP poll, Republican voter enthusiasm is at an all-time high:

An average of 59% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents have said they are more enthusiastic than usual about voting this year compared with past elections, the highest average Gallup has found in a midterm election year for either party since the question was first asked in 1994.
Compared to Previous Elections, Are You More Enthusiastic About Voting Than Usual, or Less Enthusiastic? 
That is all well and good, but don't expect that to mean conservatives can relax and rest assured that a return to fiscal responsibility is the inevitable outcome of a midterm congressional change of the guard. Au contraire, my freedom frying friend. Do you recall the massive midterm massacre that republicans served up to the democrat controlled congress in 1994? Of course you do. You must also remember that the revolution's architect, Newt Gingrich, had promised many conservative reforms on day one in his "Contract With America" (e.g., slashing over-sized budgets, moratoriums on regulation, and new congressional term limits). But these reforms were largely unrealized. For example, 95% of the biggest programs that the Contract had vowed to cut entirely had a combined budget increased of 13% by the year 2000!
The anti-majority/incumbent fervor is cyclical, and although major, the backlash that we are seeing now is nothing particularly novel. What would be new would be for the professed conservatives who are elected to office to actually enact what they run their campaigns on once in their seats. Before you hit the polls in November, vet the candidates, and vet them well. Republican, Democrat or independent, I don't care what party the prospect is from, as long as they have a record of sound fiscal policy. We can't afford to repeat 1994 and elect a congress of CINOs (conservatives in name only). As you know, America is Greece on steroids and its time to get off the pill before it's too late to get out of the hole.

Stand Tall Patriots,

SP

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