Carrie Lukas on GOP on National Review Online

Carrie Lukas on GOP on National Review Online: "The Democrats have a strategy for winning back Congress. As John Podhoretz wrote in yesterday's New York Post: 'Democrats have found themselves a workable, poll-tested, focus-grouped sound bite... That sound bite is the word 'incompetent.' Implicit in the Democrats' charge of Republican incompetence is that they offer the alternative: competence."

Which according to the author is easy when the duties of a particular office are clear, i.e. "police chief." However, with Congress or the presidency "competence isn't enough," as plans are not just executed, but made. As Ms. Lukas points out, it is a glaring problem for the Dems as "they have no constructive policy agenda."

An example of where the "incompetent" tag sticks would be the federal response to Katrina; "fair or not, the public believes the administration botched its response to Katrina. The Democrats' claim that they would have handled the emergency better resonates."

On the flip side, the "incompetence" tag does not stick with regard to Iraq due to it's not being clear exactly what "Democrats would have done differently had they been in charge and even less clear what they would do moving forward." It's ok to be a critic, but you need ideas of your own to move forward with.

The "incompetence argument" falls about when domestic policy is the question. Democrats have no plan for "Social Security, education, healthcare, welfare, immigration, trade etc.." The one certainty with the Democrats is that they would "competently raise taxes."

Republicans have their share of party difficulties within the party, but they generally have "principles that unite." For examples: "lower taxes and fewer regulations," the government should "transform tax-and-spend entitlement programs." They also support issues that rely on people having more choice for themselves, i.e. education/school vouchers, healthcare system.

"This election season, Republicans' first priority needs to be to convince the rank-and-file that they are still the party of Ronald Reagan. Making progress on this agenda is the best way to thwart the Democrats' "incompetent" attack."

The Democrats really do not have much to offer, let's hope they don't pull the wool over everyones eyes. If successful it will be a recipe for a continuation of doing and accomplishing nothing.