The Hollow Republican Party

As many conservatives have even been noting, the Republican Party is out of ideas and is mostly running (surprisingly well, though) on steam at this point. To illustrate, here is yet another of the actual campaign ads congressional Republicans are running against their opponents.



(Because these ads are working out so well for them this year already)

But Karl Rove-- master of the brand of flag pin, idiocracy politics the GOP now operates under-- told Chris Wallace in a recent Fox News interview that Republicans will finally engage voters on the issues and not these caricatures. He said, "You need to treat their [Democratic] arguments substantively and engage on the merits." Specifically, he stated-

"Strategically they'd better get their act together with an aggressive agenda of reform here at home about the things people are talking around the kitchen table.

What are the Republicans going to do about health care? What are they going to do about providing reliable and affordable energy? What are they going to do about jobs and creating -- keeping our economy innovative and competitive, encouraging exports? What are we going to do about helping people grapple with the cost of college education?"

Translation: 'They better promise to clean up all the fucking messes we made!'

I really do hope that the Republicans take Karl's advice (which they won't, of course, and he doesn't honestly intend to make them try)... I'm sure the average voter will be amazed to hear that a tax cut or credit is the solution to every single problem we face, no matter how large or complicated. Sen. Obama could only be so lucky for this election to be a substantive debate over the economy, health care, energy policy, and education. I won't hold my breath.