RON HART: An autopsy on the Big Government GOP under “W”

“The rumor is the GOP is blaming Sarah Palin for losing the election. But to be fair, Sarah Palin didn't pick Sarah Palin.” — Jay Leno

The recession and an unpopular George Bush helped propel Democrats to massive gains in both the House and the Senate last week. “W” beat John McCain in 2000 and again on November 4th, 2008.

It was not surprising; the party of a recession President has never been reelected.

In recent history, recessions claimed both the elder Bush and Jimmy Carter.  Thankfully, a recession gave a B-movie actor from California the presidency in 1980.

McCain did not stand a chance in 2008 because a misinformed public blamed the financial and housing market melt-downs on the Republicans. The largest stock market drop in 71 years which ensued sealed McCain’s fate.

In many ways, this was not a vote for the Democrats; it was a vote against the Republicans.  For the Dems to only win 47 percent of the vote in a year that so favored them in every metric is proof that this really is a right-of-center country. George Bush is so unpopular that he no longer gets the window seat on Air Force One. When he called Obama to congratulate him on winning, Obama probably should have been the one calling Bush in gratitude.

In short, Bush operated in an obstinate, faith-based manner which he felt guided him on all decisions. And is there a better way to combat irrational Islamic extremism than for Bush to look to his God for all answers?  It is like a poker game of “I see your Mohammed and raise you a Jesus.”  Faith-based governing is much like faith-based cliff diving: for long-term survival, it really matters that your facts and calculations are correct.

“W” made government bigger to reflect his personal religious views. Silly side shows like the Terry Shiavo intervention, stem-cell research opposition, the gay marriage ban, a non-competitive Medicare prescription drug entitlement, the No Child Left Behind debacle and wiretaps sent many of us who value freedom and a non-intrusive government packing.

And the war of choice in Iraq is nothing short of a religious war. Any rudimentary understanding of history would have told his hawkish, neocon advisors that religious wars or wars of choice never turn out well.

Iraq will become a trillion dollar social studies lesson which will not make us any safer.

Logic, reason and facts to the contrary were not allowed to interfere with W's world view. Some liked the fact that Bush stayed firm with his decisions and that he felt the same way on Monday as he did on Friday, no matter what new facts were presented over the weekend. The root cause of Bush's mistakes is akin to the male fallibility of not wanting to stop and ask for directions when we are lost.

After presiding over the most despicable growth in government since LBJ's Great Society, many of the old guard GOP leaders are stepping down — or better yet, as in the case of earmark king Ted Stevens of Alaska, going to prison.

I bet he earmarks some last-minute funds for a program in Alaska to prevent prison rape of 84 year-old men. Stevens may also face additional charges when he leaves his Senate Appropriations seat, to wit: leaving the scene of a crime.

In many ways, the GOP 40 percent expansion of government spurred more people to depend on its largesse. And no party promises the government-dependent more than the Democrats. Respected economist Gary Shilling reported last year that 52 percent of the nation now gets “significant income from government programs,” up from 49 percent in 2000 and only 28 percent in 1950.

Obama made good on one promise so far:  he got his kids a dog for the White House. Unfortunately, he chose from the Democratic kennel the rabid pit bull Rahm Emanuel. If Obama had wanted a lap dog, he should have gotten them a network news anchor. In fact, in direct contradiction to his more partisan promise if elected, his picking “Rambo” Emanuel as Chief of Staff is telling. Emanuel has been called mean, temperamental and vengeful, and that was just his mom bragging about him to friends at a Seder dinner.

Clearly the GOP is in a state of disarray.  Now come anger and self-evaluation, then action. If they do not rediscover and reclaim their roots of smaller government and fiscal responsibility, the GOP will remain a directionless opposition party. Perhaps if they make the necessary change, they can call themselves “Born-Again Republicans.”

Bush would like that.

Ron Hart is a Southern libertarian columnist who writes a weekly column about politics and life. He worked for Goldman Sachs and was appointed to The Tennessee Board of Regents by Lamar Alexander. His E-mail: RevRon10@aol.com