Well, Duh

Howard Fineman writes today that Karl Rove (cue Darth Vader music) has a new strategy to help Republicans win election this fall, and it shocking, SHOCKING I TELL YOU: Fight Back.

The way I read the recent moves of Karl Rove & Co., they are preparing to wage war the only way open to them: not by touting George Bush, Lord knows, but by waging a national campaign to paint a nightmarish picture of what a Democratic Congress would look like, and to portray that possibility, in turn, as prelude to the even more nightmarish scenario: the return of a Democrat (Hillary) to the White House.

Rather than defend Bush, Rove will seek to rally the Republicans’ conservative grassroots by painting Democrats as the party of tax increases, gay marriage, secularism and military weakness. That’s where the national message money is going to be spent. [...]

Then there is the attention being paid — and it’s just starting — to obscure Democratic characters such as Rep. John Conyers of Michigan. As of now, only political junkies know that Conyers, an African-American and old-school liberal from Detroit, would become chairman of the Judiciary Committee if the Democrats regain control of the House. Few know that Conyers has expressed interest in holding hearings on the impeachment of the president.

But before this election season is over, Republican and conservative voters are going to know a lot about Conyers. To hear the GOP tell it, the impeachment of the president will be the number one priority if Conyers gets his say, which of course Rep. Nancy Pelosi will be only too happy to give him. The aim will be to rally The GOP Base with talk of a political Apocalypse.

I've written here in the past that despite Republicans short comings, a Democrat controlled Congress would be disasterous. They've made their agenda pretty clear that if they do win back control of Congress it will be nothing but two years of going after Bush with a vengence. They've also made it pretty clear that, well yes, they do want to raise taxes, push gay marriage, secularism, and bow at the mantel of the U.N. That Rove and Co. look to exploit this weakness is seen by Fineman as unseemly, apparently unlike the constant bashing the Dems pile upon Bush and the Republicans.

I don't believe you can win an election simply by not being the other guy, you have to have an agenda and some fresh ideas. There is still plenty of time for the Republicans to get their act together and show they've learned their lesson. Along with getting their act together and going forward with a positive agenda, there is absolutely nothing wrong with pointing out the inherent weakness of the oppositions "ideas." This is something Fineman fails to grasp.