Enough talk about the gloves coming off. They have been off for months. The only difference now is that Republicans can stop wasting time directing their attacks at each other, and can focus their attention on someone infinitely more deserving of conservative bile than other Republicans.
We hope that Mitt Romney will keep things fresh, find something new to say, and keep the election from degenerating into the usual tired recitation of platforms dusted off every four years and made to sound current. Barack Obama is unlikely to give us anything new. The tax the rich, spend on infrastructure, government, and unions routine has been around for decades. Remember Jimmy Carter’s three martini lunch remark? In thirty years we went from martinis to $250,000 salaries and the over entitled 2% (see: Why a Recovering Economy Could Be Bad for Democrats). What Democrats are selling never changes. The sad part is that voters swallow this stuff time and again, as if they had never heard it before.
In the interest of sharpening Republican campaign dialogue here are five words Mr. Romney should start using right away. They can be applied to countless things that infuriate conservatives and earn uncomprehending stares from Democrats. Consider it a plea for constructive ugliness. Campaign decorum may dictate that we avoid the kind of invective that these words encourage, but those of us who see the 2012 election as our country’s last stand will probably be willing to look the other way.
Parasite
“Parasite” should be applied liberally when talking about public and private sector unions, illegal immigrants, and public employees who believe the Democratic myth that they deserve special consideration because they work for government. Parasite can also be used to describe lawmakers who abuse taxpayer money to keep their pet special interests happy. “Parasitic” is good when we talk about things like bad legislation. For example, “The Davis-Bacon Act is a parasitic drain on taxpayer dollars,” which brings us back to unions. Is there a pattern here?
Worthless
Politicians seem hesitant to use “worthless” when talking about our government, perhaps because they are part of it and share the responsibility for Washington’s failings. Most voters figured out long ago that there are countless aspects of government that this word can be applied to, from laws to agencies to public officials to federal and state legislatures. There are so many choices it is difficult to know where to begin. We might start with the union-empowering NLRB, and then segue to just about anything Arne Duncan has promoted lately (see: How Democrats Are Stealing Education From Your Children).
Bankrupt
No, not bankrupt as in not having any money. There is no provision for our states to go bankrupt, so the word to use for states is “broke.” This bankrupt should be used along with words like “morally” and “ethically” when policies, viewpoints, or practices lack the slightest trace of principle, truth, or value. For example, “Why did our ethically bankrupt Congress take so long to consider an insider trading bill?” or “The president’s failure to loudly condemn even the thought of a mosque at Ground Zero was morally bankrupt, because an Islamic beachhead where thousands of Americans were murdered is an unforgivable affront.”
Hubris
What a great word. We can slap this one on almost anything Democrats in Congress did during 2009 and 2010, much of what they have tried to do since then, and some of the well-publicized remarks our president has made as he rubs shoulders with fellow world leaders. What should we make of his “unprecedented” comment about our highest court while standing next to Felipe Calderon, or his remark to Dmitry Medvedev about flexibility on the missile defense system after the election? Want more examples of hubris? Go to whitehouse.gov and read a few of Mr. Obama’s campaign trail harangues. Hubris.
Doomsday
The word “doomsday” has limited utility because even though the condition of our country encourages us to use it freely and often, the more you pull this one out the less impact it has. Some advice for Mr. Romney: only use “doomsday” to refer to two things, our debt and an Obama win in November. You can’t go wrong with either one.
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