Promoting quiet recreation in Wisconsin.
Opposing the coming attempts to sell off Wisconsin's natural heritage.
Fighting denial about climate change. When are we hitting the streets?


Saturday, July 16, 2011

Republican candidacy as a franchise

Someone else has probably thought of this analogy already but I can't think of anyone in particular, so here goes:

Republicans at the local, state, and national level are all voting alike.   We can contrast them with the Democrats, who couldn't even get their own party organized when they had the Presidency and both houses of Congress.  Or, contrast it with the past, when there was such a thing as a  "moderate Republican".

Most  commentators blame this fact on the need to placate the Tea Party, and that has got to be partly right-Tea Partiers may not represent the base of Republicans, and certainly not the brains, but they have the energy and committment.

But politicians have to be aware that there are only so many Tea Partiers, and even many of them aren't going to be happy when they hear about the policy positions really impact their lives.

To be a Republican candidate, you have to run as a franchise operation.  If you want to start a fast food business, you need lots of capital and resources.    Many people decide its easier to buy in to a franchise.  But once you have a franchise business, you lose the ability to call the shots.  You make the burgers the franchise way.

 The owners of the Republican franchise write the bills for the Republican politicians to submit and advance, and give the politicians their marching orders on policy.  If you go against the franchise guidelines, you will be replaced by the owners.

So even if you know, as a franchise politician, that a particular piece of legislation is unpopular with your constituents and bad for your State or Nation, you won't vote against it if it comes down from Corporate Headquarters.   In this case, "Corporate" being Corporate funded think tanks like ALEC.

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