Republicans seeking a reboot may be interested in this. The new effort aims to “rebuild the party,” focusing mainly on matching and exceeding the structural advantages of the Democratic party — particularly the kinds of innovative technological things that the Obama campaign did. They’re right to suggest that the power of direct mail and rubber-chicken fundraisers has diminished. But they’re wrong about one important thing.
It’s not just about delivering the message. You have to have a message to deliver. You have to have a candidate.
These “rebuild the party” folks are right that we need a farm team — a crop of good, young, bright officeholders from around the country doing good things. We have to outcompete the Democrats at providing good government, the kind of government people want. And that means delivering good government.
A little something that the party seems to have lost sight of, valuing tactics over policy. These guys are more or less on the right track.
This guy is thinking that way, too.
And so does this dude, who has the advantage of actually serving in the House of Representatives.
And so does Steve Schmidt, a strategist from the McCain campaign, who says things that make a lot of sense but must either have only just figured them out, or been powerless to do anything to actually implement his ideas.
And my new favorite political blogger is Doug Mataconis at Below the Beltway — he gets it.
Just imagine — Republicans who care about freedom, limited government, sound fiscal policy, and capitalism. That will be a remarkable ideological turnaround, but a welcome one.
