Fatalism Dominates GOP Outlook For '08

From the Huffington Post courtesy of AlterNet:

Indeed, officials who spoke to the Huffington Post described a sense of near fatalism that has overtaken the Republican Party concerning its prospects for 2008. Simply put, they say, there is no money to throw at the problem. The NRCC has a scant $1.6 million in cash on hand, and $4 million in outstanding debt from the 2006 cycle. The NRSC is fairing slightly better with $7 million to its name.

"The short term outlook for the Republican Party is not very good," said Rick Tyler, spokesman for conservative stalwart and possible presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. "It is a lack of leadership that has failed to earn back the trust of the donors. People want to see that their money is worthwhile."

More here.

So most of the article is about how many seats in Congress the GOP stands to lose, the sorry crop of presidential candidates they're fielding for the primaries, and the high level of malaise among the rank and file, but this little section about the amazingly poor levels of funding coming into the party really caught my eye. It means the Republican Party has lost the faith of the ruling class.

Longtime Real Art readers know that I think our much vaunted "democracy" is very much these days simply an act of grandiose political pomp and theater. I mean, people vote and all, yeah, but the vast majority of candidates from which people choose, especially at the federal level, are all pre-chosen by a "wealth primary" wherein the members of the American plutocracy, in the form of massive campaign donations, decide whether or not an individual can even make a serious run. Don't fool yourselves: election outcomes are managed and pre-decided in favor of a narrow field of candidates blessed by the wealth sector; voting is very close to being ceremonial only.

That's why it's so stunning that Republicans are receiving so little money. The plutocracy will play with either party, but they're especially sweet on Republicans, what with the way they love to kiss wealthy ass all the time. That the wealth-sector has turned its back means it no longer believes the GOP is capable of maintaining the system that keeps it wealthy.

I see two things happening. First, the GOP will definitely get its shit together in terms of hard-nosed, practical business-love. Eventually. I mean, the Republicans will have to jettison the fundamentalists and the neo-cons in order to do it, but survival is at stake. Look for a business-friendly but more socially libertarian and less hawkish Republican Party in the future. Second, rightward pressure on the Democratic Party is only going to increase, and many within their ranks will succumb. That means Democratic corruption is going to increase, too.

Ultimately, we may be right back where we started. Smart Democrats would be wise to plan ahead.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$