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Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Another view?
View more of the Las Vegas Sun's opinion section:
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After two years of no-new-tax pledges and acrimonious just-say-no positions, the Republicans have started to moderate their tone. GOP candidates up and down the ticket are taking softer stances on a variety of issues in an election-year makeover.
As David McGrath Schwartz reported last week, Nevada Republicans recruited candidates in five key state Senate districts who had not signed tax pledges, which were all the rage in the conservative crowd last cycle.
The conservative firebrand in the Senate last session, Sen. Michael Roberson of Henderson, said a year ago that he was opposed to extending taxes that are set to expire. Now Roberson, who is expected to lead his caucus next year, is for extending the taxes.
He told Schwartz that he didn’t think he had changed, saying, “You can be pragmatic and reasonable and a conservative.”
We don’t disagree, but “pragmatic and reasonable” are not words that have characterized the Republican Party in recent years.
State Sen. Mo Denis of Las Vegas, who is expected to lead the Democrats next session, said, “I almost don’t know who these guys are.”
He isn’t the only one, and it’s not just in Nevada. People around the nation have seen Republicans try to shed their rigid ideology for a pragmatic and moderate skin. And frankly, it all sounds a little disingenuous.
Look at the presidential race. Despite all the praise Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney garnered from his most recent debate performance, what was truly notable was how he used his campaign Etch A Sketch to erase the “severely conservative” Romney of the primaries and redraw himself as a Massachusetts moderate.
And although his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, won congratulations for his style in Thursday’s vice presidential debate, Ryan rewrote history in the process, making his party out to be moderate.
Ryan even had the audacity to say that he and Romney wanted to “do big bipartisan agreements” and chided Vice President Joe Biden, saying, “I understand you guys aren’t used to doing bipartisan deals.”
It’s true that Biden isn’t used to doing bipartisan deals — at least in the past four years — because the Republicans have repeatedly rebuffed Democratic attempts to find bipartisan solutions. In the first two years of the Obama administration, Republicans used the power to filibuster in record numbers in the Senate. What have they done since winning control of the House of Representatives in 2010 that was bipartisan? It’s hard to say. After all, it wasn’t the Democrats who walked away from a bipartisan “grand bargain,” created the problems with the nation’s credit rating or stopped needed jobs programs.
Maybe “big bipartisan agreements” means something different to Ryan, who walked away from the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles debt commission. Ryan has been one of the faces of a party in Congress that has obstructed progress by refusing to compromise and demand its way or nothing at all.
The new Republican pitch might sound good, but it doesn’t speak to where the party has been recently. So is this rhetoric or a real change of heart?
“I’m all for people willing to change,” Denis said. “But right now, it’s just them talking about doing things differently.”
Indeed. The nation needs politicians who are willing to consider ideas beyond their own and find ways to work together. This is particularly true in Nevada, where the far right obstructionism has hobbled recovery efforts.
In Nevada’s upcoming session of the Legislature, as well as in Congress, a spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship is vitally important toward not only putting Nevada on a better course economically but for laying the groundwork for future generations.
The question is: Which Republicans will show up?
As voters weigh the candidates on the ballot, they’d be wise to remember the old adage: Actions speak louder than words.
It is too late for a remodel during campaigns. If elected they will revert to their true stripes.
Good article!
The Suns says above "It's true that Biden isn't used to doing bipartisan deals -- at least in the past four years."
I never know what the Sun position
They seem to want large tax rate increases and get mad when Republicans want tax reform that will stimulate the economy and increase revenues
The rant above is like diarrhea of the mouth
Good description of a flip-flop campaign. The informed voter would say a dishonest campaign. Or better yet, in today's political arena all campaigns are dishonest, some are just plain bullying their base. Like what we are seeing with Mitt Romney and extreme right of the Republican party.
The left and right positions are set. Minds are made up, decisions have be made. Paul Ryan votes in the house shows he has an extreme position on a Woman's right to choice, with his budget to end Medicare as we know it, and in process will remove thousands from Medicaid. Two positions the majority of Americans do not agree with.
President Obama wins re-election by 6 to 8 points.
Definitely NOT the party of Lincoln.
The republican party is simply following the course set for them by their leader, Fox News. Facts of the past are no longer facts, unless they pertain to something positive done by Reagan.
More liberal hogwash from the Sun. Republicans are the ones who will work with the Dems. The Dems are the ones with the rigid ideology that government is the savior and must be expanded. Republicans are sensible and understand that you have to reach across the aisle to succeed. Get a life, Sun!
GOP with a few tea drinkers were all alone suggesting we revise sales and use taxes to broaden the base and be revenue neutral. RNC does nothing but scream for more (tax) money, more money, more money. Our economy is flailing still BECAUSE we've taxed out too much. Our economy works and works best when people have the incentive to work (to eat, to pay the rent, to go to school.) Our economy works when there is an appropriate return on investment including INTEREST RATES above 3%.
Just remember when you vote for a Democrat they vote the line... They Democrats will back harry Reid,Nancy Pelosi,Diane Feinstein,and Obama no matter what.So remember if you vote for any democrat that what you get.
sign the tax pledges with crayons and wipe your rear ends with them, then flush them.
Hey where's Dubya! LOL
Sun......
So the question is this.....
When PRESIDENT OBAMA gets re-elected in November,
are the republicans going to start working with
him?
BushDepression......
Great question.
Maybe someone will ask romney that in the next
debate.
WHERE'S YOUR BUDDY GEORGE BUSH?
Why isn't he campaigning with you?
Anybody dumb enough to ask the question in this headline should not be running a major newspaper.
tommyguns.....
The question was asked because nobody has ever
seen a bigger flip-flopper than romney, in their
lifetime.
And flip-floppers never win elections.
We will NEVER be able to trust romney.
NEVER!
Author, you seem to self-manufacture what you want to hear. Your left leanings betray you.
FreedonRadio....
I see you're another republican who doesn't like
the truth.
The truth will set you free.
Your right leanings betray you.
That's the truth.
And FreedomRadio.......
Romney said that the Supreme Court should overturn
Roe vrs. Wade.
Which would take away a women's freedom of choice.
Are you ok with that?
How much freedom is ok with you?
Mr. Realist,
With that name I would think you would want to report real facts. First off, that is very old news and not fully factual. Read this so you will be better informed.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/...
All political rhetoric has been toned down this election cycle.
I've recently read that Romney only shows 20% of voters' support in his home state, Massachusetts. Isn't that saying something about his effort to be considered a Massachusetts moderate?
@vegaslee: news flash snopes is a joke. been tried and tested and is inaccurate. try a new source please.
It is interesting that every time there is a solar energy article there are rants that it only creates x many permanent jobs... Ignoring the many construction jobs the plant creates...
Well lets look at a typical Oil/Gas drill operation.. the rig is run by a small usually less than 15 man crew unless its offshore then its only about 25-50 - non permanent jobs since once the well is completed they are finished and move on. The well is then typically run remotely with only onsite monitoring equipment.
SO really?? How is this so much better than a solar plant employment wise? WHy the criticism of solar? DO you know how many millions an oil company invests in drilling? How is that so much different than the millions spent for a solar plant? How is billions in Gov. oil company subsidies better than Gov. Solar loan guarantees?
At least with Solar we will get about 25 years of Carbon free electricity.. with coal and oil we get 25 years of more pollution and unstable pricing. WIth Solar after the initial investment the cost stays about the same for every KW produced.
The numbers favor Solar over fossil fuels, especially when you run them out 20 years!
Could we deal with the issues instead of pretending some party or faction is not PC?
Does Harry Reid have any hidden ownership position in the Sun?
Sen. Reid has been just as opposed to crossing the aisle as any Republican, if not more so in some cases.
Nice try at fear mongering by the Sun, but few people are buying what you're selling anymore. The economy sucks, and what Obama & Reid have been trying isn't working. They tried and they failed. Romney promised 12 million new jobs in four years, even if it means working WITH the opposition, and better we take a chance on that than four more years of growing unemployment, debt, and deficit. MITT=JOBS!
Its the absolutely despicable behavior by the likes of that wind bag
John SUnunnu that really shows how nasty and vicious these guys are.
Even after fact checking that Pres Obama indeed did label the attack on our ambassador as an act of terror, This garbage mouth continued to call Pres Obama a liar.
Having a good sense of humor I continue to laugh at these clowns from the right. What does bother me is the media exposure they are given after having proven themselves that they are nothing more then provocateurs.
The Norquist drones who inhabit all GOP posts, Federal, state and local, continue to call the shots for the GOP. They try to mimic the shape changer, and serial liar Mittens. Too late. The electorate is finally waking up to the GOP's obstructionist tactics. Nothing has changed with these ideological morons. Thankfully, Obama will win a 2nd term, the Senate will remain Democratic, and the House will become more Democratic as well. They can spin and twirl until they fall over; GOP: liars, bigots, and sell outs to their billionaire masters. Obama 2012.
GOP: My way.....or...the.....Uh.....MY WAY!!!!