How Many People Can the GOP Scapegoat?

By jwilkes - Thursday, March 12th, 2009 at 1:51 AM

Posted from  "EYES OF OBAMA" BLOG"

Not much has gone right for Republicans in the last few years. But every time, there’s been someone to blame. Hence, the GOP’s new mantra: “if at first you don’t succeed, find a scapegoat. If you still don’t succeed, find another scapegoat.”
The latest is RNC Chairman Michael Steele. Given, he’s been an embarrassing distraction, making one gaffe after another. So far, he’s compared Congressional Republicans to “scurrying mice,” sent out some “slum love” to the “slumdog millionaire governor,” Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, and espoused the virtues of rap music to rapper Chuck D that allow “people like yourself” to escape the projects (Chuck D quickly responded that he’s not from the projects…oops). Steele blasted Rush Limbaugh, which would have shown some brazen fortitude if he didn’t run back to apologize the next day. He followed that up by indicating that he’d be open to punishing 30-year Republican Senate veteran Arlen Specter by feeding him to the wolves in his campaign for reelection in Pennsylvania for his support of the stimulus.
Certainly, Republicans are in a bad spot. But is it really Michael Steele’s fault? He’s been in office for a little more than a month, and already, insiders are preparing his ouster. The National Review reports that the runner-up in the RNC Chairman voting, former South Carolina Party Republican Chair Katon Dawson, is quietly planning a vote of no confidence following the special election to fill the New York congressional seat vacated by Senator Kirstin Gillibrand. As if in six weeks Steele was supposed to reverse eight years of bad policy.
And before Steele, it was George W. Bush. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called him a “burden” on the party. Newt Gingrich effectively did the same when he noted last month in a speech before Congressional Republicans that voters were more likely to embrace the party again after Bush left office. It was his fault John McCain lost the presidential election in 2008, and his fault that the House GOP fell further into a minority that same year. (Depending on who you ask, it might also be Sarah Palin’s fault.)
Two years before that, they had their Congressional heads handed to them on a silver platter, falling from a 54% majority to a minority of the same in the House, and dropping a five-seat majority to fall to a 51-49 split in the Senate. Who’s fault was that? Take your pick. You have Mark Foley, Jack Abramoff, Duke Cunningham, Tom DeLay, and Dennis Hastert. Or if you prefer, you can beat George Bush’s dead horse there, too.
The bottom line is that whenever Republicans lose, they run for the guillotine. They don’t actually believe that if they can get rid of one idiot this time, or one crook the next time, or an opportunist the time after that, their problems will be solved and victory will be just around the corner. They just hope you will.
Bad news, GOP: voters don’t like what your party is selling. It’s not Steele, it’s not Palin, and believe it or not, it’s not even Bush. It’s your platform, and hell, it’s your track record. This economy didn’t ruin itself, and the ship captain has got to take responsibility for what happens when he’s at the helm.
So stop punishing the goat.