Listen up, Dave: to care is not to do

11 November 2009

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David Frum on the lessons the Tories can learn from the original conservative moderniser: George W. Bush, whose progressive policies often just didn’t add up

Political parties typically undergo a four-stage cycle after a major defeat. It goes something like this:

1. We didn’t really lose. (The other guys just happened to luck into an appealing candidate — but the people still really prefer us.)
2. OK, we lost — but only because the voters are idiots.
3. OK, we lost and maybe the voters are not idiots — but there is nothing we can do without betraying our sacred principles.
4. Hey, maybe there is something we can do.

The British Conservative party has reached Stage 4. The US Republican party is stuck in Stage 1.

The Republicans have much to learn from the Conservatives (I detailed some of those lessons in the November issue of Commentary). For the present, however, Republicans are in no mood to absorb any lessons. They are waiting for the public to come to its senses and see through the phony Obama.

Every campaign has a secret slogan, the unique selling proposition it is (often unconsciously) presenting to the voting public. In 2008, Barack Obama’s was: ‘Vote for me and you’ll never have to think about race again.’ John McCain’s was: ‘More wars for a Spanish-speaking America.’ Now in 2009-2010, Republicans are telling the electorate: ‘We will forgive you this time — but don’t do it again.’

Not until the verdict on that campaign message arrives will the Republicans consider the alternatives attempted by British Conservatives. But if we on our side of the Atlantic are as yet unwilling to learn from you on yours, we still have things to teach that it might benefit you to learn.

Our lessons, drawn from the hard experience of the Bush years, apply to governance rather than to politics.

Here are the four perhaps most immediately relevant to the Conservatives as they contemplate a possible return to power.

1. Don’t confuse political formulas with policy solutions.

George W. Bush was the original conservative moderniser. He campaigned for Texas governor on a message of ‘compassionate conservatism’ — and won re-election in 1998 with unusual support among single women, Hispanics and even African Americans. The trouble came when Bush moved from the (constitutionally weak) office of Texas governor to the US presidency. At that point it became inescapably obvious: compassionate conservatism did not constitute anything like a governing philosophy. The pieces simply did not cohere.

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ChrisX

March 25th, 2010 5:22am Report this comment

At least David Frum realized the lack of a Republican health care choice – but also the limitations and shortcomings (as there are quite a few) within the new health care bill, and though it's aims are laudable, it won't achieve the level of health care reform that could be better accomplished by other means. This is only going to mean we're getting more pay day loans from either the people (via taxes) or foreign banks to give to insurance executives because people have to buy insurance now, and only a lot of people can get subsidized care. UPS and FedEx do better than USPS for a reason.

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