For the GOP, perils lie in overreaching

[BridgeTheGap]

A specter is haunting the Republican Party -- though thankfully it is no longer the recently defeated Arlen Specter, who managed to be equally troublesome as both ally and foe. It is the specter of ideological overreach.

Some will immediately protest that President Obama and congressional leaders are the ones who are guilty of overreach. Which is also true. Tuesday was the latest in a series of elections that have punished not just incumbents but incumbents associated with the expansion of government. Even Democrat Mark Critz, the winner of this week's House special election in Pennsylvania, campaigned in opposition to health-care reform.

That reform, judged purely as politics, will be remembered as a colossal strategic error. The bank and auto bailouts were unpopular but unavoidable. Health-care reform was a challenge that Obama chased. Coming soon after a large Keynesian stimulus package, the creation of a new health entitlement ignited a national debate on the role of government, confirmed an image of Democratic profligacy and polarized the electorate -- all of which led to a backlash. If anyone can be considered the instigator of the Tea Party movement, it is Barack Obama.

Most of this reaction can best be described as Americans standing athwart the Democratic Congress, yelling "stop" -- generally a useful enterprise. The problem comes when activists attempt to translate this tendency into a political philosophy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/20/AR2010052003883.html

[kenfrequed]

1. hmmph

I disagreed with most of the first half and with the false equivalency argument about overreach. Still, the authors discussion about the folly of libertarian ideas is appropriate.

[BridgeTheGap]

2. I agree. And tell me that g w Bush wasn't "overreaching! I doubt this wapo op-ed writer sees

it that way.

[msongs]

3. who are the "some" who will immediately protest...? nt