I read an interesting piece on the Republican presidential nomination race the other day. Jonathan Martin wrote in the New York Times about the race between GOP heavyweights Jeb Bush and Scott Walker and their stark differences in approach trying to take a Republican back to Pennsylvania Avenue.
In it, Martin talks about how Bush is looking to outside the traditional GOP voter base to defeat the Democrats while Walker is planting his stake firmly in the soil of the modern Republican tactic of loudly and firmly touting the party's foundational ideology.
I will go on record as saying that I think both of these guys are potential candidates that I likely would not vote for. Not because I'm so stuck on voting for Democrats, which I'm not. It's because the whole idea of conservatism and the politics of selfish and racist selfishness are exactly what this country doesn't need.
In Martin's piece, he talks about how Bush is toeing the line between a new sense of GOP openness openness openness reaching out to traditionally ignored voters, but at the same time trying to show that he is truly a conservative. Sorry, can't do it.
Conservatives are the same folks who would have derailed the civil rights movement years ago, if they could have. They are the ones who called Martin Luther King Jr. anti-American because they didn't want to give in to the true American sense of the melting pot and equality for all. And no Republican should ever try that silly line that those people were Democrats. They were. The Democrats who are today Republicans. The sides flip-flopped and so did the people in those parties. Check the record.
Anyway, I digress.
At least Bush's strategy has some bit of sense. The modern day Republican idea that this country is an "us against them" United States, is a divide and conquer strategy that reaches out towards the worst emotions of mostly white people -- basically the old "Southern Strategy." Play on race, social issues and every negative stereotype possible.
Which brings us to Scott Walker.
Martin points out that Walker basically wants to reinforce to Republican voters that they are right. That's it. Same ole rheotoric that has torpedoed the last two Republican presidential campaigns and has turned this country into one fighting a modern day civil war between red states and blue states.
A conservative strategist that Martin quoted in his piece said Walker is looking to turn out "disaffected white men," a strategy Walker's camp didn't deny.
Here's what's wrong with that -- that has nothing to do with me.
America has become a country that isn't about the whole anymore. It's about politicians playing upon the fears of those who they depend on to keep them in power. Republicans are the leaders in that game, easily. Democratic politicians dont do it so much. Why? You never hear from them until its election time. They are AWOL for one or three years, and then, bam, then its "the Republicans are out to get you!" Whatever.
Anyway, Republicans have perfected the game of talking about playing on the emotional fears of their base. And its mostly based on class, stereotypes and racism. Plain and simple. And this is what Scott Walker is aiming to do, mainly targeting white guys who feel like everyone is against them.
It's supposed to be whether I vote for you or not, you represent ME anyway. Not I only govern and represent those who voted for me and act like me or sound like me. Some Republicans think that's what President Obama has done. He's the president of black people. No, he is not. Not hardly. He is just like Bill Clinton. They did more for minorities and poor people in this country than Republicans cared to do, but not as much as one would think. But Republicans are so angry about losing that they could care less about the truth in anything anymore. And that's a damn shame.
I hate that this is what the Republican Party is looking to put up against Democrats in the race for the White House. I honestly would love to give a Republican a fair chance in the battle for my vote.
But apparently, they are fighting against a changing America and could care less about my vote.
That's too bad. That's a losing battle, no matter what strategy you use.
