Rush framed Dole's ruling class comments perfectly this morning: "Striking deals with the Democrats is what got us into the mess that we're in today!"
So in Dole's view, this party's gotten so far to the right, it's so extreme, that not even Reagan would fit in. Not even Reagan could win, and certainly Bob Dole couldn't, and Nixon couldn't and so forth. So he wants the party to put a "closed for repairs" sign up because it lacks vision and is unable to strike deals with Democrats. That's Dole's major complaint is that we don't have anybody willing to strike deals with Obama. That's what legislation is to people in Dole's generation: You strike deals, make deals.Related link: Bob Dole Has Some Nerve
The way the deals happen is this: The Democrats put forth an idea to advance their agenda. The Republicans are sitting there not doing anything. The Republicans are not putting forth anything to advance their agenda; they don't do that. They sit around. All they do is wait for the Democrats to put forth something to advance their agenda, and then the Republicans say, "We must have an alternative!" So the Democrats set the table. The Democrats set the agenda.
The Democrats buy the groceries and cook the meal. We argue about the caloric content. That's about the extent of it. There are Republicans today saying, "You know, we've gotta have alternatives every time they propose something." Why don't we just say no? They ought to say no to Obamacare, say no to amnesty. Say no to all this stuff. What do you mean we have to come up with our own alternative? But Bob Dole's generation believed in deal making. That was it: Striking a deal, coming up with compromise.
I would venture to say that today's Republican Party is actually doing pretty good at making deals with Obama... but it's interesting and illustrative of the continuing internecine battle going on inside the Republican Party. Here we have the most radical, leftist president and agenda that this country has ever faced, and the Republicans are in an argument over whether or not they ought to agree with part of it.
Here they have (and have had for five years) the greatest opportunity ever to contrast what they believe and what we believe with what's actually happening. We have gone beyond theory now. The liberals are actually implementing a genuinely radical agenda. We've got an opportunity that's being squandered to contrast what we believe, 'cause we're buying into all this same old criticism that we're not bipartisan enough and we're not cooperative enough. It's sad in its own way.
Striking deals with the Democrats is what got us into the mess that we're in today! Too many of those deals were struck by old line Republicans who believe that when the Democrats put something forward, we must have an alternative. They still set the agenda. All we do is mess around at the margins with it. Bob Dole further said he was disturbed by his party's obstructionist behavior on Capitol Hill...
Does it not matter what the legislation is? Does it not matter what the budget is? Is it that no matter what they put forth, we're supposed to strike a deal with 'em? Again, folks, I rear my head and say, "This is what happens when people do not look at things ideologically." Eh, it's just a bunch of Republicans and Democrats running around. The Democrats happen to have the power right now so we'll strike some deals with 'em and so forth and we'll win a couple elections down the road and they'll strike some deals with us.
And the ruling class inside the Beltway continues on uninterrupted.
ADDENDUM: The Great One also hits the target! Levin answers Bob Dole’s ‘Closed For Repairs’ comment with Reagan’s ‘Bold Colors’ speech...
