Republicans: Why Would America Want You Back?

By: Ryan Jaroncyk, THL Contributor

Republicans, I'd like to have a candid conversation with you. The word on the street is that you are starting to get excited at the prospect of a backlash against "liberals" in the 2010 elections.

But, why would America want you back? What do you really have to offer that is so much better than Obama and the Democrats? Let's take a closer look.

On the bright side of things, from 2000-2008, you accomplished a few good things. George W. Bush and a Republican-led Congress (for six years) cut taxes and helped to maintain low unemployment until the last six months.

America was not hit by further terror attacks after 9/11, several Al-Qaeda terrorists were killed, and from 2002-2007, the nation experienced an unprecedented boom in housing and stocks.

Many would also argue that Iraq proved to be a huge success after the surge was instituted against the advice of skeptical opponents.

You defunded embryonic stem cell research, passed a partial-birth abortion ban, and seated two Supreme Court justices who favor a strict interpretation of the Constitution.

On the darker side of things, America found you a bit lacking. While lowering taxes, you let spending swell. You never balanced the budget. You added $5 trillion to the national debt.

In conjunction with the Federal Reserve, you devalued the Dollar by about 25% or so. You allowed two Federal Reserve Chairmen to force interest rates to extremely low levels, which served to devalue the Dollar and artificially create that housing boom mentioned above.

You did nothing to reform health care, except add more debt with a prescription drug care plan (the largest expansion of Federal spending since LBJ's Great Society).

You grossly misunderestimated (to use a "Bushism") the cost, in blood and treasure, of the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

You laid the foundation for a PTSD epidemic and record suicide rate in the military due to repeated, overseas deployments.

You supported a stimulus bill in early 2008 which failed to save us from recession and only added more debt. Many of you supported the $700 billion Wall St. bailout, pouring taxpayer money into GM and Chrysler, while seizing housing and insurance firms.

And under your watch, the illusion of a stock, credit, and housing bubble came crashing down to earth, generating the worst recession since the Great Depression. Of course, the last two years, from 2006-2008, you were aided and dragged along by a Democratic-led Congress.

So, why would America believe you now when you claim to have recaptured the mantle of fiscal conservatism and limited government? You criticize Obama for huge deficits and skyrocketing debt. But, you ran huge deficits and skyrocketed the national debt.

You criticize Obama for taking over private industry, but you took over private industry with Wall St. bailouts. You criticize Obama for attempting to institute government run health care, when you did nothing to reform health care, except add more debt.

You criticize Obama for devaluing the Dollar, when the Dollar's rapid descent steepened under your watch. You criticize Obama and the Democrats for passing enormous stimulus bills, when you passed your own.

You criticize Obama and the Democrats for passing bills they haven't even read, yet you passed a 300+ page Patriot Act that not one single soul in Congress read before voting.

You criticize Obama for not immediately agreeing to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan, when according to General McChrystal, you supervised a highly unsuccessful war strategy for eight years.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm just as appalled as you at most of President Obama's policies. In fact, I'm extremely worried that his policies, along with those of the Democratic-led Congress, could hurt our nation in a host of ways. That is why I'd like to offer this piece of advice:

Take a long, hard look at the libertarian-leaning Republicans competing in the 2010 elections. This is the wing of the party that will be able to woo Independents and a fair number of Democrats.

This is the wing of the party that predicted the 2008-2009 financial collapse. This is the wing of the party that is inspiring Congress to take bipartisan action to hold the Federal Reserve accountable for the first time in its history.

This is the wing of the party that wants to balance the budget, pay down debt, and restore the value of the Dollar. This is the wing of the party that wants to shrink the size and scope of the Federal Government, and increase the size and scope of state and local governments.

This is the wing of the party that will vote against Wall St. bailouts and stimulus bills. This is the wing of the party that will develop a more focused national defense that will keep America safe for a lot less blood and money.

This is the wing of the party that will require Congress to read its bills and cite chapter & verse in the Constitution before voting.

Republicans, your party is shrinking. According to a fairly recent Pew Poll, Independents and Democrats now compose about 72% of the electorate, while you have shrunk to 23%.

Before it's too late, think long and hard about pulling the lever for the network favorites, media darlings, or party regulars.

They may be the very thing holding you back from a bona fide "Republican Revolution".