By Fred Barnes
The GOP strategy of principled opposition is winning over independents.
Republicans are discovering just how effective an opposition party can be in Washington. Their strategy is simply to aggressively and relentlessly oppose the liberal agenda of the president and the Democratic Congress. As a result Barack Obamas agenda is in jeopardy and the president is disconcerted less popular and on the defensive.
Republican opposition isnt the only reason for this. Mr. Obama did himself no favors by pushing policies far more liberal than voters wanted. But the decision by Republicans to be combative rather than accommodating has played an indispensable role.
What the GOP has done best has been to make and win arguments. This is the key to successful opposition. Seeking compromise being conciliatory pretending bipartisanship exists when it doesnt all play into the hands of the majority. These tactics are a ticket to permanent minority status. By making the case against Mr. Obamas policies Republicans have given themselves a chance to again win favor with voters.
Better yet theyve stopped bad policies in their tracks. Consider Dick Cheneys decision to challenge Mr. Obamas inclination to go soft in the war on terror in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute in May. By winning the argument that the nation needs a vigorous defense against al Qaeda Mr. Cheney left Mr. Obama little choice but to stick with such Bush era policies as rendition of captured terrorists immunity for telecommunication companies that cooperated with wiretapping possible terrorists and targeting terrorist leaders for assassination.
Mr. Cheney also took issue with Mr. Obamas announcement that he was going to close the prison in Guantanamo. The former vice president said that the decision came with little deliberation and no plan. And he was right. Mr. Obama put himself in a trap. To close the prison his administration might have to import terrorists into the U.S.
On this one I find myself in complete agreement with many in the presidents own party Mr. Cheney said. He continued: Unsure how to explain to their constituents why terrorists might soon be relocating in their states these Democrats chose instead to strip funding for such a move out of the most recent war supplemental.
The media the White House and even some Republicans questioned the wisdom of an unpopular Mr. Cheney taking on Mr. Obama while he was still in the honeymoon phase of his presidency. But Mr. Cheneys was right and he carried the day.
Or consider Sarah Palins controversial statement that Mr. Obamas health-care plan would establish death panels capable of denying care to seniors. Like Mr. Cheney she was denounced as a know-nothing. But Mrs. Palin accomplished what no one else had. She put a national spotlight on the dubious end-of-life policies in the ObamaCare legislation. Columnists disputed her claim then realized she had a point. The death panels are dead for now.
Today the strategy of strong opposition to Mr. Obama seems obvious. But it didnt appear that way to many Republicans after their crushing electoral defeats in 2006 and 2008. Republicans were afraid that crossing Mr. Obama would only make the public dislike them all the more.
Inside Washington they were urged to reduce the influence of pro-lifers in the party and distance themselves from conservative talk radio hosts such as Rush Limbaugh. They were told to warm up to Mr. Obama the new master of American politics and they were told to fret about all those voting blocs that were drifting away from the GOPHispanics young people gays urbanites blacks voters in Northeastern states and independents. To survive in short they needed to move the party to the center. Conservatism was dead.
In hindsight its fortunate that they ignored the Beltway wisdom. But it was a gambleit wasnt clear at the time that a strategy of pure opposition would do anything other than marginalize Republicans.
Their first big step was to oppose the economic stimulus package. Many in the media insisted Republicans had a death wish when they unanimously rejected it in the House and by a near-unanimous vote in the Senate. The press was wrong. This was the smartest move Republicans have made all year one with several positive repercussions.
Republicans deconstructed the bill pointing to its excessive spending its pork its favors for Democratic special interests its lack of actual economic stimulants. Their critique was full-throated and specific. Not only did Republicans begin to revive their reputation as fiscal hawks they convinced a large chunk of the public that out-of-control spending was a threat to the nations well-being.
The effect has been to crimp Mr. Obamas plans for further spending. New funds for bailouts are unlikely to be approved by Congress. ObamaCares costa minimum $1 trillionhas become a big reason protesters are turning out against it at town-hall meetings.
On health care its nice that Republicans have offered several alternatives to Mr. Obamas government-heavy plan. But these alternatives have played no role in turning America against the presidents ideas. Opposition to ObamaCare in all its parts (not only its cost) has been the chief factor in flipping public opinion.
And that opposition has validated the noisy protests at Democratic town-hall meetings. Absent Republican opposition in Washington the protests could be dismissed as insignificant. Together congressional Republicans and their grassroots allies have become an influential force.
Theres an even more important consequence of Republican opposition. Its preventing dozens of moderate House Democrats in Republican-leaning districts from going for ObamaCare. They wont vote for it without Republican cover. Republicans are 40 votes short of a House majority yet theyre thwarting Mr. Obamas chief domestic priority. Thats effective opposition.
In one sense Democrats have only themselves to blame. They set the standard for opposition during Mr. Bushs second term. They furiously opposed everything with a Republican label on it. It worked so well that voters grew to prefer Democrats on practically every issue including normally reliable Republican issues like taxes. A similar phenomenon is now benefiting Republicans.
Yet many Republicans wince when accused of being obstructionist and the party of no. They shouldnt. The willingness of the GOP to oppose is a deterrent. If Mr. Obama were to allow CIA officials who interrogated terrorists to be prosecuted he now knows what he will face: a wall of unyielding Republican opposition led by Mr. Cheney. This is bound to affect his decision.
Republicans fret about alienating voters who turned against them in the past two elections. They shouldnt. Independents are the largest bloc of these voters. By opposing Mr. Obama especially on spending and health care Republicans have created a mass migration of independents away from the president. They are moving the center to the right.
On a public radio show last week I was asked about a Pew poll that found that the favorable rating for Democrats was in sharp decline (now down to 49) but that the rating for Republicans was unchanged all year (40). The host suggested this means opposition to Mr. Obama is getting Republicans nowhere.
Thats not the way politics works. Political recovery comes in two stages. The party out of power must first discredit the majoritys ideas and agenda. Public approval comes later. It shows up on Election Day.
Mr. Barnes is executive editor of the Weekly Standard and a commentator on Fox News Channel.
