The GOP

A die-hard Republican of my acquaintance has some problems with his party.

“Well, the Republicans have not done themselves many favors lately. I'm discouraged over how they've handled themselves during a time when they could have made a real difference,” he wrote in an e-mail recently. “ ... I just think it's time we hold both sides accountable for doing what's right for the people and not what's right for the party. ... We've got to quit party thinking and get back to people thinking. That in itself would reduce the partisanship,” he wrote in a recent e-mail.

I wrote back:

“I understand what you mean. The GOP has squandered an opportunity. If it retains control of Congress, it will only be by default because the Democratic Party did not offer an alternative. I read something by one pro-Democratic columnist saying he hopes his party does not take control of the government this fall. Why would it want to? It can wait two more years, let the GOP continue to self-destruct and then take control of the White House and Congress in '08. ...”

I wish I could remember who wrote that column.

On the local level, you have to wonder what this means to the West Virginia GOP. The party had momentum in gaining more seats in the Legislature this year and maybe another statewide office or two in '08, but you have to ask yourself if the party’s troubles at the national level will trickle down to the state level.

We have between now and Nov. 7 to see what happens.