Barone: Republicans Asking, "Okay, Let's Say We Take The House. Then What?"

Is the country ready for Christienomics? Seems like we have to try, whether it's ready or not.

The Robert Redford reference in this snippet is to the movie The Candidate, in which he played an idealistic but wholly unformed protest candidate who unexpectedly won a Senate seat. The movie's last line is Redford asking, "What do I do now?"

There is an assumption in the political world that spending cuts will be unpopular: Americans, it is said, are ideologically conservative but operationally liberal.

But there is some evidence that voters will back governors who cut spending, such as Mitch Daniels, re-elected while Barack Obama was carrying Indiana in 2008, and Bob McDonnell and Chris Christie, elected in Virginia and New Jersey in 2009 and now enjoying good job ratings.

One reason is that as candidates, they let voters know what they would do. There are risks in taking stands. But there are also risks in looking as clueless as Robert Redford.

All I'd add is that the country's mood, as Pat Caddell says, "pre-revolutionary," and if the incoming Republicans think they can get by with more of the same-old, same-old, they're in for a rude awakening.

They will be turned out as well.

They have to do something -- and that means risky things. Things that could easily get them punted out of office by a public that does in fact tell itself it's for smaller government but in fact wants more spending.

But they have to do that just the same. Business as usual will not be tolerated.

They have to bet on change. Dance with the girl that brung ya.

As Jayne Cobb said... "If you can't do something smart, do something right."

posted by Ace at 06:46 PM

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