What’s wrong with the “old” one? I am sick of this new America stuff. How about the America as she was founded?

If Cantor and the Republicans don’t have enough sense to show John McCain the gate to the pasture the Republican Party will NEVER get back in power.

1. I’ve heard rumor (unsubstantiated) that Michael Steele will not have a part in the National Council For A New America. Is this true, and if so, why?

2. You mentioned that the NCNA “is an “inclusive” effort with which they want to hear from all manner of Americans adhering to a variety opinions on today’s most pressing Issues.” Does that mean that the Log Cabin Republicans will have a seat at the table?

3. I noticed that the blueprint you laid out makes no mention of social conservative issues. Are issues such as abortion and Christianity being left out of this “conversation”?

“My impression is that it certainly is an attempt to refocus the GOP, maybe not necessarily “re-brand” it but certainly re-introduce Republican principles to the people Republican Party.”

The Tea Parties were step one. This is step two. You have to do more than protest. You have to have concrete ideas going forward. It’s a start.

Peple are not suddenly going to wake up and go “Oh wait Obama is ruining the country, vote Republican.” You have to explain WHY voting Republican is a good idea. You have to build and grow.

I remember a similar discussion that was started after 1996 that started out looking like it could be productive at unifying the Party around a common message…it seemingly died down when it started “discussing” “Compassionate Conservatism” untill Bush and Company rolled into town 4 years later with a new tone and opened up the checkbook!

The “Big Tent” analogy isn’t the correct one…the correct one is a MAGNET…we need to be a MAGNET that draws these independents in who are sick and tired of what’s going on in Washington—Fred Thompson

Honestly, his conservative views and thoughts on issues warrant his inclusion, dont they? At least his input on how to have the conversation, doesnt it?

Mostly inside the beltway types with friggin John McCain on a panel of experts. McConnell? Alexander? This is how we are reloading? We need a charismatic leader with his/her hair on fire to bust this democrat monopoly. I like Jindal and a few others but man, we need a fireball, not more boring retreads.

Mostly inside the beltway types with friggin John McCain on a panel of experts. McConnell? Alexander? This is how we are reloading? We need a charismatic leader with his/her hair on fire to bust this democrat monopoly. I like Jindal and a few others but man, we need a fireball, not more boring retreads.

Or a list of the townhalls?

Or a list of the townhalls?

as far as education!!! I typed this last night but I am ***so*** disappointed! They are doing the same thing that democrats do, lie about already existing programs to push whatever they are trying to push. College is not unaffordable in the inner cities. A full pell grant cover community college tuition and books and most get money back even after paying for books and fees. There is also the campused based SEOG grant and most states have their own grants. There are also programs like TRIO and JTPA to pay for things like daycare and uniforms and transportation. It just amazes me that they can lie and use something that isn’t true to gain support. For a health young person without dependents from a poor household, if they aren’t in college usually the only reason is because they choose not to be. I know there are excpetions, but the reasons are not because it’s unaffordable. The kids don’t even have to be literate every community college has basic literacy courses if needed.

This will be no more than a “me too”. REPS are falling for the DEM trap being scared of being labeled the party of no when this is the EXACT time to say NOOOOOOO!

Right now we need to be a party of NO!!! And in addition offer solutions.

We won’t have a better opportunity to create separation from the current admin than right now because even the left is stupidly asking for it! They are already full of hubris.

The left NEEDS Reps to vote along w/ these radical policies for political CYA.

We need to be the party of NO!

I just did a diary on this opportunity.

let them attend the Tea Parties. Not speak, but attend and listen.

Until they can prove something more than they’ve done so far, I’m going to treat it just like Newt’s Contract with America that didn’t last very long.

I think I’m going through “pretty speeches” fatigue. They all try to make the right noises to mollify and pander and that’s where it ends. Once they’ve gotten what they want out of it, the contract is dissolved.

All Americans deserve access to high-quality, affordable care.

Heck, if you’re going to use the liberals’ talking points, you might as well just forget the whole thing.

Recite the first principles of the new old tired group of the same old progressive lites?

Let’s hear what they have to say. Are we going to broaden the Party or purify the Party? If it is purify, I’m not sure who sets that standard. It’s sure not some of the posters here who are quick to disparage.

I would think by this time they would be smart enough then to try and make the liberal hosts on CNN and MSNBC happy.

Want to hear a message? The GOP will provide jobs.

How about another one? The GOP will keep you safe.

When you go beyond these you are in deep trouble. You give the enemy ammunition to hammer you.

Anyone wants more details then you simply answer you will provide more details as you see the full unvarnished health care program that Obama wants to implement. We are dooming ourselves to permanent minority status.

Yawn. As another commenter suggested, a bunch of quintessential inside-the-beltway types, many of whom have a long history of mutual back-scratching, none of whom have a significant career history of being devoted to spending cuts and reducing the size of government, much less striving to create pro-active conservative solutions to our problems. We’ve got to get away from the deal-brokers and influence peddlers.

tired, tired OLD tripe!

Our National Panel of Experts:

Governor Haley Barbour
Governor Jeb Bush
Governor Bobby Jindal
Senator John McCain
Governor Mitt Romney

God help us.

I don’t see why we have this huge problem we’re having in coming up with a unified direction. The GOP lost and will continue to lose until the Dems make enough mistakes as to cover up the mistakes made by the Republicans in the last 8 years even with democrats controlling the House and Senate in the last 2 years.

It’s not even going to be some small thing like a wayward comment, as the media will just ignore any gaffs when they would have harped on them in the past. Unfortunately an extended depression as a result of a failed economic stimulus package may require a couple of years of continued failure before people start to come around.

So what do Republicans do with this new filibuster proof Senate? I think what needs to be done is that Republicans need to put together large scale legislative plans that are incredibly detailed. That will allow people to go somewhere when they don’t get their jobs back. The problem seems to be that the GOP has no idea what ideas they should put up.

I think Republicans aren’t viewed seriously. If anything, Republicans need to refocus as a serious and focused group. I don’t have any problems with Rush, but he’s an entertainer. The Republican pundits on Fox (like Hannity) are entertainers. To some degree Republican policy is being grouped with entertainment. Does Rush make good points? You bet he does. He’s a very smart guy, but he’s not in the government. The simple fact is that he is more the face of the Republican party than Steele or whoever. We need to cut out this kind of “Aw shucks, freedom is good” stuff. The whole smiling Mitt Romney approach. The Republican party isn’t likable right now, and in my opinion, that’s not what we should be trying to be. We should try to be a Party of Principles and leadership and policy.

To this end, I’m a Republican even though I don’t agree with a lot of the parts of the party. I was pretty annoyed during the primaries when people called for Ron Paul to be outed. I feel like the GOP was representative of smaller government. I’m not so sure after the last 8 years, but it’s clear we need to do some serious refocusing 1994 style.

I guess that’s just a way of idealism though.

So it’s not about policy. No matter how good the Republican’s alternative policies are, they will surely be ignored by the majority of the people and the MSM.

The MSM and half of the people “have been in love” with Obama. We can’t do anything about it. But since Obama’s first 100 days were a big disappointment, it offers an opportunity for at least Republican leader to rise above the situation and expose the lies of Obama.

I’m not against with the Council idea but I distrust the people that work around it. And the timing of this NCNA is somehow wrong.

Why suddenly think about it at the height of the issue of “BIG TENT” came into the picture? Besides, what happened to the Party platform signed in St. Paul? It’s nolonger applicable now? Or is it possible that such platform never truly exist?

Do they know that dissecting the policies and platforms of the Republican Party at this very hour could lead into further “confusion” and disintegration? Even the Democrats never try to attempt to list their platform because they know that it will blow off their Big Tent agenda: it will expose the great conflicts in many liberal policies and third party agendas.

In short, this move is LATE by 2 months. The issue today is is the first 100 days and no Republican strongly spoke about it. Whether they like it or not, they have already been labeled as the PARTY OF NO. Instead of doing the exact thing that the Democrats were trying to frame them up (no idea), the Republicans should be fighting hard to expose the pretentious policies and programs of the Obama Government.

In fact, this Council is somehow an admission that we are “caving into the lies of the Democrats and the MSM” that the Republican Party is really disintegrating and in shambles.

Even if Cantor said that it was not about “re-branding”, but it would be construed by some in the Republican Party and even by the enemy as a strategy towards “BIG TENT”. IMHO, this move is truly UNTIMELY.

Last night’s press conference was a big sham and Obama’s statements were most vulnerable for Republican attack. Did we hear McCain or Cantor make a “comprehensive” prognosis of the 100 days of Obama? No. They are silent!

But TODAY is supposed to be a good opportunity to start a serious and substantive criticism of Obama’s Sure-To-Fail policies.

But these Republican Leaders in Washington are “SILENT”! They are busy with this Big Tent issue being emboldened by Specter turning into democrat….. a spectacle designed by Biden and Reid.

To win the argument today is to expose Obama’s weakness and vulnerabilities. There are so many things to tell the people about the inadequacy and failures of Obama. But no one has the guts to speak against Obama’s failure to address the economic problems of America and that this “Remaking of America” will never work.

The first 100 days is supposed to be about America and the American People: whether Americans have been better off after 100 days of his regime. Sadly, even us, we “made it as an issue” of OBAMA. First 100 Days, if could recall the NYT and WSJ, should be about the whether policies and strategies of the President have set the American economy into the right direction. But NO!

I am suspicious of this Council since its objectives are supposed to be the job of the RNC. The legislators are “SO FAST” of criticizing Steele of being “slow”.

But what about them? Their jobs are supposed to be “SPEAKING IN WASHINGTON AND EXPOSING THE INEFFICIENCIES AND FAILURE OF OBAMA’S BAILOUT OF AUTO INDUSTRY”. But NO. These Republican leaders are silent. SILENT!

I’m beginning to believe that our Republican Leaders are really afraid of Obama and possible attack of the MSM. As if the liberals will stop attacking them if they keep their mouths SILENT.

In summary, IMHO:

NCNA may be good but untimely.

But the first job should be BREAKING THE SPELL OF OBAMA. We need to wake the people up from their “ENCHANTMENT” of Obama.

We cannot do anything about people’s adoration of Obama. So deal with it! Fight it in order to destroy it!

That’s one of Reagan’s main strategies against Carter and the libs.