The A.P reports today that Senator Chuck Hagel does not entirely agree with the way that the G.O.P is going.
Republicans have lost their way when it comes to many core GOP principles and may be in jeopardy heading into the fall elections, Sen. Chuck Hagel says
Hagel seems to think that the Republicans have veered away from where they were politcally when he started as a Republican. And I have been trying to explain that to people, the G.O.P today is a very different G.O.P than it was a long time ago. Traditional Republicans, who I don't agree with, had less of a focus on crazy wars, scandals and lies, but more of a focus on smaller government, gun ownership rights, fiscal responsiblity, etc. Not saying lies and war weren't there, but Neo-Conservatives are for bigger government through spying, have not cut the deficit, and have thrown our civil liberties aside. Hagel described his "old party" well.
Where is the fiscal responsibility of the party I joined in '68? Where is the international engagement of the party I joined -- fair, free trade, individual responsibility, not building a bigger government, but building a smaller government?"
Now that party had it's problems too but it was a tad better than the current Republican party.
This should be a wakeup call to Neo-Conservatives, members of the Republican party are waking up. Even people who were once your allies are now seeing the truth. The Karl Rove, Dick Cheney way of bullying the opposition, violating constitutional law and extending an already amazingly high deficit doesn't even appeal to some REPUBLICANS right now. That being said, Hagel wasn't exactly a Rove type, but he certainly wasn't a Democrat. He knows it is a civil war in Iraq, he knows Republicans are going to be held accountable for their actions.
"I think we've lost our way," Hagel said. "And I think the Republicans are going to be in some jeopardy for that and will be held accountable."
And a lot of Americans are thinking they've lost their way. Polls are down, Iraq is a mess, and not a lot of people trust George W. Bush anymore. So we as a party must stress this. Wikipedia described the Democratic Party like this.
The Party advocates most civil liberties, social freedoms, equal rights, equal opportunity, and a free enterprise system tempered by government intervention. The Party believes that government should play a role in alleviating poverty and social injustice, even if that means a larger role for government and progressive taxation to pay for social services.
We should stress to people, if you vote for Democrats, we will help you, the individual, we will help get you out of poverty, make sure you have as equal an oppurtunity as anyone, and that our government programs will help you and your family make a good life in America. We need to contrast, the good and the bad and wake up America by giving them an ALTERNATIVE. People I talk to say "The Republicans are bad, but how much better are the Democrats?" Why do they ask this? Because we haven't presented them with much of a plan yet. Sure, people we love here at Dailykos like Ned Lamont, Jon Tester, Jim Webb, they present alternatives, Kerry is coming around, but they all have to say "We are the party of choice because we will do x y and z for Iraq, the deficit, and will do it the right way.
So back to Hagel, Republicans are turning around. It might be just one, but I think even Republican voters might be turning around, and voting for what they think is right. He said that Democrats don't offer a better alternative, but Chuck Hagel's words should ring true in every moderate Republicans ears, because they show something that we haven't seen during the Bush years, independence from the Bush policies
"First time I voted was in 1968 on top of a tank in the Mekong Delta," said Hagel, a Vietnam veteran. "I voted a straight Republican ticket. The reason I did is because I believe in the Republican philosophy of governance. It's not what it used to be. I don't think it's the same today."
Thats the way. Think for yourself, and don't follow George Bush like a zombie. Think for your self.