Why the GOP Will Keep Losing

Last week was one of the better weeks for the Grand old Party. With the Democrats out of town in a vain effort to avoid a vote on drilling for oil, Republican congressman (my own among them) took to the floor of the House to make speeches and rally support for more drilling. President Bush was putting pressure on Nanacy Pelosi to reconvene the House (although calling a special session would be better). Even DIRC #1,John McCain, was running with this (becayse it ain't a flip-flop when you get it right). And anyone except for the liberals, who are invested in high gas prices, could see this was the one, single, winning issue that the GOP needed to get some traction. There's no way they could mess this up.

Enter Saxby Chambliss, R-Georgia; John Thune, R-South Dakota; Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina; Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia; Bob Corker, R-Tennessee. This is the Republican half of the "Gang of 10," reminding us again that compromise can take an issue and effectively destroy it, and as an added bonus, delay action on an issue that actually matters.

These halfwits created a bill that pleases none and pisses off all. Besides selling out principle for hand jobs from Democrats, the bill gives us the following:

Expanding drilling opportunities off the East coast and Gulf of Mexico, which pleases Republicans

Keeping a ban on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, a concession to Democrats

Repealing a tax break for oil companies that Democrats have long called for

Putting billions toward producing more alternative-fuel vehicles, in part paid for by the oil and gas industry

Now whether you're for or against drilling, this idea of compromising by saying we'll drill a little, then tax the oil companies to fund a whole bunch of government programs is not compromise, but capitulation. It's a half-ass measure that can be vetoed, booted around until a compromise comes out, then gets vetoed by the "oilman" Bush. See the problem for the GOP here?

Fuck compromise! I understand it's sometimes a necessity in the legislative process, but when you sacrifice a principle for political expediency, you hand your political enemies weapons with which to crush you. You piss off your base by not doing what they put you in Washington to do. And you easily ensure that the swing voters will not see anything significant to differentiate you from your opponent the next time your worthless ass comes up for election. Come to think of it, I have a GOP Senator that needs to not let the door hit him in the ass on the way out.

Now, as for the master of compromise, John McCain, there's at least a slight chance he won't make the mistake of embracing this "compromise" offered by Republicans who want to lose. Personally, I think he should have said something along the lines of: "Well, I've read the basics of this bipartisan compromise bill. It's a load of horseshit."

In the end, it's the endless need to compromise in the direction of the liberal Democrats that is killing the GOP. Strangely, I won't be upset if it dies a beautiful sick death.