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The Barclay Loss Should be a Rallying Cry for Reform Republicans by KT McFarland
Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:19:00
Despite the forced smiles and spin-doctoring going on outside the Senate majority offices last week, there was no hiding the fact that a wake was taking place inside. Republican Will Barclay’s defeat should be seen as the canary in the coal mine—and the canary has died. If an excellent candidate like Barclay couldn’t win in a district with a 30,000 Republican advantage, a seat which hadn’t been in Democratic hands since 1880, in the most conservative region of the state, then the New York Republican Party is dead. You might quibble over technicalities while it still officially has a pulse, but there is no cure for this patient—it’s only a matter of time before the monitor flatlines.
For years, Republican leaders just kept putting on a good game face and making excuses for its defeats, rather than facing up to their failures. For years, they’ve ignored changing demographics, changing economic conditions and changing voter demands. They’ve remained a members-only club for white males in the most ethnically diverse state in the union. They’ve mouthed all the platitudes about being fiscal conservatives while pulling the lever for higher taxes, more regulation and expanded pensions, programs and benefits. They’ve given out the peoples’ money to individuals and unions in exchange for contributions to their personal campaign coffers. And for quite some time, the only people they’ve fooled are themselves.
What happens to Senate Republicans now? One or two will jump the fence and become Democrats, some will be defeated in November and some will retire for age and health reasons. With few exceptions, none of these districts have attractive Republican candidates waiting on the bench. Inevitably, within a year, Albany’s infamous “three guys in a room” will all be liberal Democrats. That’s the bad news.
But that’s the good news, too. Because one of the most dysfunctional state governments in the nation will finally have someone the voters can hold accountable. The same way Jimmy Carter’s presidency made the Reagan Revolution possible, a Democratic Albany will provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a crusading, reformed Republican party to rise from the ashes.
New York is headed for a fiscal train wreck. Albany can’t even pay for the programs and pensions it’s already promised to retiring baby boomers, much less offer new goodies to hand out in exchange for endorsements. It can’t borrow more money to cover the budgetary shortfall that accountants are projecting for out years. It can’t raise taxes without driving even more people and businesses to quit the state. Right now, New York is being kept afloat by tax revenues generated from Wall Street profits. But that will be hard to keep going in a recession.
So what do Republicans do next? First, realize nibbling around the edges won’t be enough to rebuild the party. The New York Republican Party needs a major overhaul, with new leaders and a major redirection in policies. Reform isn’t strong enough a word for what we need—revolution is more like it if we’re ever to rise again.
The Reform Republican Party should be built on three pillars:
First, a demand for ethical reform. Our leaders may not have committed indictable offenses, but their conduct doesn’t pass the smell test. Reform Republicans must adhere to the highest moral and ethical standards. No more pay-to-play. No more sweetheart deals. No more pork barrel programs for pals. No more earmarks. Like Teddy Roosevelt, we’ve got to clean house and be vigilant about keeping it that way.
Second, demonstrate fiscal responsibility. Democrats are traditionally the party of big government and high taxes. For too long, New York Republicans have aped them, taking the easy way out and becoming Democrat-Lite. Reform Republicans need to get some guts and fight against tax increases, gilded pension plans and Democratic efforts to bring people onto the government payroll.
Third, champion green technology and private sector jobs. Republicans used to be the party of small business and entrepreneurs. But lately we’ve forced them out of the state with high taxes and excessive regulation. New York missed the tech boom of the ‘90s while neighboring Massachusetts prospered. Why? Because under Republican Governor Weld, Massachusetts cut taxes, streamlined regulations and gave incentives for knowledge-based companies to build in Massachusetts. Yes, this is the same Governor Weld the New York GOP rejected for governor in 2006.
According to the most successful investors and venture capitalists in the country, the next big engine driving America’s and the world’s economic growth will be clean energy technology. New York’s Reform Republicans should become its leading champion and make renewable energy the cornerstone of its platform. But do it the Republican way, by offering incentives, tax breaks and seed programs so the private sector does the heavy lifting. Not only is it sound economic policy, it is also sound environmental policy.
Out of the ashes of defeat we have a golden opportunity to rebuild a Reform Republican party that looks to the future instead of the past. While liberal Democrats control Albany, we might not be able to set the agenda, but we can start providing a vision for when we do.
For years, Republican leaders just kept putting on a good game face and making excuses for its defeats, rather than facing up to their failures. For years, they’ve ignored changing demographics, changing economic conditions and changing voter demands. They’ve remained a members-only club for white males in the most ethnically diverse state in the union. They’ve mouthed all the platitudes about being fiscal conservatives while pulling the lever for higher taxes, more regulation and expanded pensions, programs and benefits. They’ve given out the peoples’ money to individuals and unions in exchange for contributions to their personal campaign coffers. And for quite some time, the only people they’ve fooled are themselves.
What happens to Senate Republicans now? One or two will jump the fence and become Democrats, some will be defeated in November and some will retire for age and health reasons. With few exceptions, none of these districts have attractive Republican candidates waiting on the bench. Inevitably, within a year, Albany’s infamous “three guys in a room” will all be liberal Democrats. That’s the bad news.
But that’s the good news, too. Because one of the most dysfunctional state governments in the nation will finally have someone the voters can hold accountable. The same way Jimmy Carter’s presidency made the Reagan Revolution possible, a Democratic Albany will provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a crusading, reformed Republican party to rise from the ashes.
New York is headed for a fiscal train wreck. Albany can’t even pay for the programs and pensions it’s already promised to retiring baby boomers, much less offer new goodies to hand out in exchange for endorsements. It can’t borrow more money to cover the budgetary shortfall that accountants are projecting for out years. It can’t raise taxes without driving even more people and businesses to quit the state. Right now, New York is being kept afloat by tax revenues generated from Wall Street profits. But that will be hard to keep going in a recession.
So what do Republicans do next? First, realize nibbling around the edges won’t be enough to rebuild the party. The New York Republican Party needs a major overhaul, with new leaders and a major redirection in policies. Reform isn’t strong enough a word for what we need—revolution is more like it if we’re ever to rise again.
The Reform Republican Party should be built on three pillars:
First, a demand for ethical reform. Our leaders may not have committed indictable offenses, but their conduct doesn’t pass the smell test. Reform Republicans must adhere to the highest moral and ethical standards. No more pay-to-play. No more sweetheart deals. No more pork barrel programs for pals. No more earmarks. Like Teddy Roosevelt, we’ve got to clean house and be vigilant about keeping it that way.
Second, demonstrate fiscal responsibility. Democrats are traditionally the party of big government and high taxes. For too long, New York Republicans have aped them, taking the easy way out and becoming Democrat-Lite. Reform Republicans need to get some guts and fight against tax increases, gilded pension plans and Democratic efforts to bring people onto the government payroll.
Third, champion green technology and private sector jobs. Republicans used to be the party of small business and entrepreneurs. But lately we’ve forced them out of the state with high taxes and excessive regulation. New York missed the tech boom of the ‘90s while neighboring Massachusetts prospered. Why? Because under Republican Governor Weld, Massachusetts cut taxes, streamlined regulations and gave incentives for knowledge-based companies to build in Massachusetts. Yes, this is the same Governor Weld the New York GOP rejected for governor in 2006.
According to the most successful investors and venture capitalists in the country, the next big engine driving America’s and the world’s economic growth will be clean energy technology. New York’s Reform Republicans should become its leading champion and make renewable energy the cornerstone of its platform. But do it the Republican way, by offering incentives, tax breaks and seed programs so the private sector does the heavy lifting. Not only is it sound economic policy, it is also sound environmental policy.
Out of the ashes of defeat we have a golden opportunity to rebuild a Reform Republican party that looks to the future instead of the past. While liberal Democrats control Albany, we might not be able to set the agenda, but we can start providing a vision for when we do.
