David Brooks Drops Another Load
As they've done with "democracy," "compassionate," "patriot," "family" and even "conservative," not to mention a host of other words, the Republicans are now going to debase the meaning of yet another word: "reform".
When the GOP uses "reform," (or "modernize" as Brooks defines it) you know that you're about to lose a lot of money, power, and air quality, among other things. To these Norquistian folks, "reform" of an existing Democratic program such as Social Security means "destruction". "Reform" of laws protecting the environment means stripping them of any meaning or enforcement power. "Reform" of regulations on industry means eliminating those regulations (at least to the degree that the industry is a major contributor to Republican coffers). This is now the scariest word in the Republican lexicon of lies. Their entire concept of "reform," whether it's taxes, worker rights, civil rights, elections, whatever, is always inherently anti-democratic, and will increase the power of the corporate state. And they call themselves "patriots."
If you have a strong stomach, slog through these last few paragraphs, with a last line that will make you gag.
For my money, the best organizing principle for Republicans centers on the word "reform." Republicans can modernize the (mostly Democratic) accomplishments of the 20th century. That would mean entitlement reform, tax reform, more welfare reform, education reform, immigration reform, tort reform and on and on. In all these areas, Republicans can progressively promote change, while Democrats remain the churlish defenders of the status quo.
Republicans could remind voters, as Rudy Giuliani reminded New Yorkers, that we don't have to live with so-called intractable problems. If crime and child poverty can be reduced, then so can the education gap between whites and minorities. The tax code can be simplified, and entitlements made sustainable.
It's looking increasingly as if Democrats will be the party of anger in 2004. Republicans may as well be the party of reform and hope.