One of the many successful strategies that Democrats have used against Republicans as of late is the age-old “divide and conquer” strategy. Their success has depended on breaking our formally big tent into many small tents while greatly expanding their own. But in expanding their big tent into a huge tent, the Democrats have left us an opening to return the favor. Two articles appearing on Politico the past few days show us that centrist and leftist Democrats are not playing nice with each other. President Obama seems to have his hands full with a few more pertinent issues, so playing party referee is probably not on his to-do list.
This is why Republicans have to exploit the differences between centrist and leftist Democrats while we still have a chance. Regardless what wing of the Republican Party you belong to, chances are you are completely against government-run healthcare. As the Politico article explains, this solidarity is not evident on the other side of aisle. Centrist Democrats have major issues with the Administration’s healthcare proposals. On issues such as healthcare, the large Democratic majority numbers are misleading. Just like during the latter end of FDR’s New Deal Era, when conservative Democrats in the Democratic majority joined Republicans to form a new conservative Congressional majority to block some of President Roosevelt’s most extreme initiative, Republicans would be wise to form allegiances with centrist Democrats in order to block some of President Obama’s most worrisome plans.
At the same time, Republicans should do whatever they can to drive a wedge between centrist Democrats and leftists, especially during primary season. During the 2008 Presidential Primaries, Democrats did everything in their power to look like they got along, even when they didn’t, and (some) Republicans did everything in their power to draw distinctions between themselves and fellow Republicans, too often breaking Reagan’s 11th Commandment. It was little wonder that Democrats were indeed united at the end of their primaries and we weren’t. So we should do everything we can to help those Democrats who want to make non-competitive primaries next year a little more competitive. After all, New Jersey Democratic Governor Jim Corzine put some of his money into complicating the Republican Gubernatorial Primary this year. Why shouldn’t we do the same?
When it comes to using the divide and conquer strategy, this is one case that Republicans should act like Democrats.
Last 5 posts by Abel S. Delgado
- Let’s Support the Cantwell-McCain Bill - January 6th, 2010
- Deeds Gets Dirty, Doesn’t Win Anyway - November 2nd, 2009
- Obama & The Berlin Wall - October 25th, 2009
- The Nobel Prom King - October 11th, 2009
- Bureaucratizing Interrogations a Horrible Idea - August 28th, 2009
