Interesting column in the LA Times about
the "Sam's Club Republicans. He makes the point that the "Country Club' Republicans got the "Sam's Club" Republicans of modest means to go along with their program by promising to defend their family against terrorists and claiming to share their values. Of course, their program was to give themselves large tax cuts, starve government and cut regulation.
But they have ignored the needs of their "base," who are struggling with the high cost of medical insurance and child care, and the right is worried:
Chances are that Democrats will miss this opportunity to win over GOP voters with economic populism that sells. They'll offer child care subsidies for professional women, but will they stand up for the millions of middle-class American women who want to be homemakers? Will they subsidize large families, rewarding parents for sacrificing personal comfort to raise the next generation of taxpayers? And will they back efforts to curb illegal immigration? Don't hold your breath.
But if Republicans don't shift gears, the Democrats' window of opportunity will widen, and left-wing populism could take off. When that happens, you won't see Clintonian micro-initiatives to help the middle class. Not by a long shot. Job-killing protectionism and overregulation will come roaring back, and so will stagflation
There you have it. The Republicans are actually afraid of Democratic programs, such as health insurance and child care. Are these the issues we can use to club the GOP back into the Stone Age? I hope so. At some point, something's got to give.