April 21, 2006
Shakeups at the White House. It happens in every second term. These shakeups have come later than usual but none too soon.
Scott McClellan is out as press secretary. And Karl Rove is moving from policy development to strictly politics before the fall elections. Focusing on how to keep the republican majority is one thing. Focusing on making them worthy of it is quite another.
The Republicans have let down their base with a majority of them responsible for expanding the size and cost of government and getting drunk on power just like the Democrats they replaced.
If Rove wants to do something good for the party and the country, he’ll encourage Republicans to go on the spending wagon. He can do this by focusing on waste, fraud and abuse to counter Democrat screams about “cuts” in major programs.
If Republicans don’t start acting like republicans and soon, they’ll deserve to lose in November. Democrats will be worse, but the GOP base will punish them by staying home and not voting. Surely Rove understands that.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.
