When Republicans act like Democrats, America loses. It’s time for Republicans to start acting like Republicans. —Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney in a TV ad, as quoted by Klaus Marre in "Romney calls on GOP to shape up"

I alerted you last week to the latest Republican meme—the incredible notion that the Republican Party has been subverted by "ex-Democrats and ex-liberals" (the Neocons). Straying from "true conservative" values is not the fault of the Republicans themselves but is somehow the fault of Democrats. I'm still trying to figure out where that leaves the "conservative" value of taking responsibility for one's own actions.

Obviously this new line looks like a good idea to Mitt Romney. But of course he has to lie to tell it: "We can’t be like Democrats — a party of big spending." Not only have the Republicans outspent the Democrats many times over, the Clinton years saw the closest thing to a balanced federal budget in generations.

I would suggest to any Republican who'll listen that it's time for the Republicans to start acting like Democrats. They'll save a lot of money and stand a much better chance of staying out of jail.

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Conservative Explanation of the Day (9/7/07)

Tags: * framing conservatism neoconservatism Republican Party GOP campaign rhetoric TV advertising