How many empty pledges have Republican politicians made in the past decade? The depth of the issues is difficult to track. I could list the many comical failures of the government to rein in spending or the repeated failures to end illegal immigration. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Republicans have a single messaging strategy when confronted by their failures: They tell their voters to wait for the next election. Jesse Kelly, in a sarcastic tone, said it on Friday. He nailed the GOP’s biggest problem, and he didn’t need more than a few dozen words.
We need to Republicans to win in 2024 so we can finally get rid of FISA and cut spending. And repeal Obamacare.
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) December 15, 2023
After the 2022 elections, I admit that my opinion of Republican politics has become very jaded. The GOP was expected to take the Senate and House back, stopping the Biden Administration in its tracks. In reality, Republicans lost one seat in the Senate, and the House margin was so thin that it led to the least effective congressional term ever.
They tell Republican voters to wait until the next election. Next time they will take down the deep state. Next time they will cut their spending. Next time they will secure the border. Next time they will fight the culture battles. When none of this happens, then the same excuses and empty promises are made again.
Let me tell you, they’re not. Start by looking back at 2014, when Republicans retook control of the Senate. Then work your way up. How many of the promises made by Presidents, Senators, and Congressmen during that decade came true? The list is short.
We are in the Year Our Lord 2023 and still told that the Republicans will bring down the deep state if they are in power by 2024. They’ll also cut spending. It’s laughable. Why would anyone still believe them?
The latest trend among Republicans is to blame voters for holding to fundamental principles. We would win more elections, the argument goes, if we cared less about Social Security and were a bit more pro-abortion. It’s not their fault that they have failed to deliver decade after ten. You’re the one who has to blame for expecting it.
This is not to say that Democratic governance is better. You can’t let these politicians degrade you or lie to you because Joe Biden is worse.
If the GOP wants to win it must start by energizing and strengthening its voter base. The opposite is saying they will repeal Obamacare and then not do so for a decade. There are other examples. Solving problems and completing tasks is not good for fundraising, so I’m better off spitting in the wind.
