WASHINGTON — No more “Party of No.”
Top Republican officials and lawmakers plan to announce today a series of town hall-style meetings about their ideas for shaping the country. With the backing of the House and Senate GOP leaders, the new group will operate outside the Republican National Committee and highlight conservative policy ideas and draw contrasts with Democratic President Barack Obama.
Their first mission is turn back Democrats’ claim that the GOP does little more than say “no” to the White House and Democratic leaders of Congress. Republicans involved say it won’t be automatic.
“One of the things that’s constantly stated by the Obama administration spokesman is that the Republicans are the ‘Party of No’ and that the conservatives don’t have ideas,” said former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. “But conservatives, in general, have not done a great job on putting forward their ideas.”
To that end, several groups have announced plans to illustrate GOP positions with real-life examples of how their ideas could help voters. The Congress-based group includes Bush, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Arizona Sen. John McCain. Leaders plan to have their first event this weekend in Virginia.
Coalition of strategists
Earlier this week, a new group, Resurgent Republic, announced itself as a coalition of the GOP’s top strategists. It includes former RNC chairman Ed Gillespie, former Sen. George Allen and Barbour.
Members of both groups say they want to be a Republican roadshow outside Washington’s circus tent and independent of the RNC.
As Jindal, Romney and other potential 2012 presidential hopefuls look ahead, they have realized they need to address their party’s perception as a constant “no” to the Democratic White House and Congress. Republicans, for instance, didn’t put forward an alternative to Obama’s budget proposal and massive stimulus package.
The Democratic National Committee on Wednesday scoffed at the new groups, maintaining that they were another reason the GOP was fracturing.
“The American people are looking for new ideas and a new direction for the country, not more beltway PR gimmicks,” DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan said. “You can take the ‘Party of No’ out of Washington, but if all of you offer is more reflexive partisan opposition and a new package for the same old failed ideas, you’re not taking the Washington out of the ‘Party of No.’ ”
Countering Obama
Aides to Republican lawmakers announced the formation of the National Council for a New America just before Obama began his prime-time news conference Wednesday. The GOP rebranding effort was meant to counter Obama, who was marking his 100th day in office.
“It’s no secret that we’re in a seriously troubling time for the Republicans,” said Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist who has advised Romney and McCain but isn’t involved in the latest policy-based groups. “The idea is to put the focus on what really matters the most in the long-term: the intellectual property of the party.”
