Securing the GOP

Jim Geraghty has a good piece on alternatives to simply sitting out 2006.

I'm not planning to sit out 2006. And I don't think it's a good idea. The trouble is that one doesn't really have to plan to be unenthusiastic and dispirited about the GOP. One doesn't have to make a firm declaration of splitting from the party to not want to donate, volunteer, etc., on behalf of the party.

Geraghty notes some things you can do to get the GOP back on track, besides simply not voting or getting very annoyed. He notes it really doesn't make sense, for example, to vote Santorum out in order to express displeasure at Spector.

I'd note another one. A lot of the "let's not vote" feeling comes from anger. Anger sometimes needs to be satisfied. So, perhaps it should be satisfied.

Sometimes one needs payback, just to not feel like a chump.

Again: the Enemies List. I don't know who exactly I'm going to want to put on it -- although Trent Lott is nominee one -- but this blog is going to supporting all challengers to anyone on the Enemies List. Primary challengers, and yes, Democratic opponents. I'm going to advertise free for anyone running against someone on the Enemeies List, linking to their donor page, etc.

Lashing out indiscriminately is counterproductive; but lashing out discriminately isn't as bad. It's better for the GOP to lose a few bad Congressmen than a whole swath of good Congressmen. And maybe the feeling that I'm hurting someone politically who richly deserves it will make me less crazy.

Anyway, that's one idea.

The trouble is, of course, everyone has their own Enemies List. If everyone does something like this, we still might end up with big losses. But that's a risk they've forced us to take.

posted by Ace at 12:35 PM

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