Republican Problems are Actually an Asset

When House Majority Leader (R-VA) Eric Cantor was defeated in his primary on June 10th by the obscure Economic Professor David Brat the Democrats didn't shed a tear.  They consider this another sign that the Republican Party is split and that this fracture will eventually lead to their demise.  Some even seem to think this has already happened and that the GOP has no legitimate chance to win the 2016 Presidential Election.  Obviously this is an overly optimistic prognostication, but this also belies the fundamental advantage Conservatives have through the Tea Party wing of the conference.  Instead of rejoicing at the infighting that permeates the Republican Party, Democrats should be weary of how this affects the perceived "center" of American politics.

It seems all too simple and easy for the Democrats: continue to propose and vote on popular legislation in the Senate then watch while Tea Party Republicans respond with grenade launchers to any thought of Bi-Partisan compromise.  Spend the rest of your time castigating the GOP for failing to pass anything  and watch while voters respond by sending more Democrats into office in future National elections.  There are many problems with this logic but before I get into them lets begin with the notion that infighting is actually a problem for Republicans.

There should be no doubt that nominating poor candidates cost the GOP several seats during the 2012 Congressional elections (legitimate rape anyone?).  Still, there are very real and tangible benefits that far outweigh the paltry loss of a few legislative seats.  The most important of these benefits is the shifting of the center of American politics to the right.  Let's take a look at what the so called "socialist radical Democrats" are proposing: the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) was actually the conservative response to the liberals push for a single payer healthcare system (what every other industrial nation on earth has) in the 1990's, the Senate passed immigration bill includes tens of millions of new dollars to "secure the border" and has an arduous years long path to citizenship, proposed gun legislation grandfathers in all the guns currently floating around this country, the proposed minimum wage hike is still less than what it was decades ago if inflation is counted, cap and trade legislation is another Republican idea that was supposed to be the capitalist approach to dealing with climate change; Democrats are showing up to the bargaining table with what used to be compromise bills between Liberals and Conservatives.  Even when bills are passed and Democrats claim success there are Conservatives secretly rejoicing at how conservative these "bi-partisan" bills have become.  The Farm bill included millions of dollars in cuts to food stamp programs, the VA bill cracks the governments monopoly on Federally covered VA healthcare coverage (not necessarily a bad thing, but I'll save that for another post), and most importantly the routine funding of our governments basic operations was held hostage for deep and indiscriminate cuts to our budget (sequestration, though this has since been remedied by Obama's firm stance and a painful and unnecessary government shutdown).

Furthermore, this infighting has actually invigorated the GOP base for state and local elections.  Eric Cantor was defeated by a relative unknown candidate who garnered less than 40,000 votes.  This election is just a microcosm of what is happening in Republican elections.  The extremely Conservative  base is invigorated and they show up to vote.  These votes matter least during Presidential Elections but play significant roles in smaller local and state elections.  Across this country state legislatures are becoming dominated by Republicans of the Tea Party variety; and more and more this is where the most important legislation is being passed.  The plan is actually entirely genius, elect super conservative state legislators who will do anything to ban abortion and eliminate taxes and pensions and whatnot, then prevent federal legislators from passing anything.  In other words, Washington is doing nothing but Conservative states are making it easier to carry guns and harder to access contraception and abortion.  Democrats can claim victory in Presidential elections and even maintain one of the two houses of Congress, but the only meaningful legislation being passed is in Conservative Statehouses.

Democrats are completely failing to see the big picture.  They think that Republicans will nominate unelectable candidates which would be good news for Democrats, except that most of these "unelectable" candidates end up winning anyway.  This theory sort of works in the Senate but is certainly inaccurate for the House.  Liberals don't seem to get that there are virtually no contested congressional districts anymore, they are quite obviously gerrymandered for one party or another.  The GOP could nominate Vladimir Putin in Eric Cantor's district and he'd win the general election by double digits as long as there is an "R" next to his name.  The question I have, then, is why don't Democrats follow the Republican lead and elect more progressive candidates?  Why didn't we throw out the incumbents who voted for the Iraq war, or who bailed out the banks but left main street hung out to dry?  Why don't we have candidates advocating marijuana legalization and sensible drug laws?  Why are there no candidates who make massive infrastructure investments a key part of their platform? What about a livable wage? Student loan forgiveness? Public works projects? Why are there no climate change absolutists who are willing to shut the government down over what is actually the most pressing challenge of our day?  Why don't Democrats have to fear legitimate primary challenges?  Why are we content to let our platform be "at least we aren't crazy like the guy i'm running against?"  Do Democrats stand for anything or are we just the party of Not-Republicans?

Democrats don't seem to get that sometimes you have to lose a battle or two to win the war.  As long as this attitude continues, Republicans will continue to win at politics… even if they lose elections.