Grand Old Party Poopers

The GOP’s contemporary message condenses down to the antithesis of Reagan’s: ‘It’s evening in America; the end is near.’

The GOP is overcommitted to the negative subject of deficit reduction through spending cuts. Republicans would be well advised to change the subject, because focusing on deficit reduction is bad strategy. Besides, there’s a better way to solve our problems, as Ronald Reagan has already demonstrated.
Both parties, at various times, have tried making deficit reduction their centerpiece issue. When Republicans have done it, it’s been about cutting spending — sometimes, but not always, with the qualifier “except defense.” When Democrats have tried it, it has usually been about raising taxes and cutting defense. But in either case, the deficit-reduction message has turned out to be a loser, no matter which side took up the mantle.

Read more: http://www.american.com/archive/2013/january/grand-old-party-poopers