As the Republican National Convention draws to a close, we have seen the Republican Party finally fine tune their message on the economy and the ramifications of the upcoming General Election. Many were captivating, but as David Brooks explains in his latest column, most of the talk was focused exclusively on individual accomplishments. Brooks writes:
Government does not always undermine initiative. Some government programs, like the G.I. Bill, inflame ambition. Others depress it. What matters is not whether a program is public or private but its effect on character. Today’s Republicans, who see every government program as a step on the road to serfdom, are often blind to that. They celebrate the race to success but don’t know how to give everyone access to that race.
The GOP’s electoral vulnerability lies within this hyper individualistic mentality. Failure to act on behalf of the public on issues like education continue to plague Republicans, especially in Arizona. That is why the legislature’s failure to act remains a key talking point on all efforts to increase education funding. It’s why, despite being a poorly written law, voters will likely pass Proposition 204 while voting for Romney.