Redux: The Party of Ideas Introduces Serious Plans
This post was originally published on this site
This piece was originally published in 2009 by Jake McEntyre, when Republicans were pretending to have ideas to replace the Affordable Care Act. It’s been 12 years, and they never did come up with a single replacement idea. I’m republishing this today because Republicans—the same ones who didn’t even bother to have a party platform at their 2020 presidential convention—are once again promising “ideas.” By next year.
There are plans to put together some Republican policy proposals. Mr. McCarthy has assembled seven task forces: jobs and the economy; Big Tech censorship; the “Future of American Freedoms”; energy, climate and conservation; American security; “healthy future”; and China. Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, who leads the big tech task force, said the panels will take a year to come up with legislative and policy responses to take into the midterm elections.
Anyone that thinks that 2022 won’t be all about “critical race theory”—or distilled even further, racism—is woefully out of touch with today’s Republican Party. As for the notion that this party can do policy, everything written below, 12 years ago, applies today. Republicans are still one big joke.
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By Jake McEntyre
March 26, 2009
In the wake of today’s successful introduction of their very serious—if minimalist—alternative budget, Daily Kos has exclusively learned that Republican Congressional leaders are primed to unveil equally serious and comprehensive immigration and education reform plans.
First, another look at the revolutionary chart which detailed the key elements of the Republican budget: [Believe it or not, this first chart below was a real chart released by House Republicans—Kos]
Serious, compelling stuff. And the Party of Ideas has brought similar gravitas and consideration to their approach to comprehensive immigration reform:
(NB: This is not a chart detailing part of the GOP immigration reform plan. This IS the plan.) Not content to simply draft an alternate budget and reshape American immigration policy in a single day, the GOP leadership has also tackled reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, and urges Congress to replace the controversial law with a far more elegant education policy solution.
Look, we might not like the approaches proposed by the Republicans, but we do have to give them credit for their sober assessment of the complex realities facing America, and their careful, thorough attempts to craft measured solutions. Like it or not, they truly are the Party of Ideas.