Tuesday, August 04, 2009

By Bill O'Reilly

First of all, we believe that two vibrant political parties are necessary for a strong America. Competition almost always leads to good ideas. When one party dominates, you tend to see arrogance and foolish policies creep in, and that may already be happening to the Obama administration.

According to Real Clear Politics, President Obama's job approval rating is falling faster than any modern president except for Bill Clinton. Since his inauguration, the president has lost 16 points in about six months.

Now, that should bolster Republicans, especially conservatives who dislike the president's policies. But here's the interesting deal: Many conservative Republicans are acting foolishly. Instead of concentrating on better ideas for the country, they are frenzied over the president's birth certificate, that kind of dumb stuff.

As we discussed last week, Mr. Obama loves that because it makes his opposition look irrational. Why would he ever release his birth certificate when those demanding it look unhinged?

Some conservatives also personally attacked Judge Sotomayor. That was not smart. You can disagree with the woman, but to malign her character offends many Americans, including the vital Hispanic voting bloc.

And then there's talk radio, a lifeline for many conservatives which has angered centrist Republicans like John McCain, Colin Powell and even Michael Steele, the head of the GOP. The Obama administration has attempted to brand the Republican Party as extremist, and points to the hot rhetoric on talk radio to make its case.

The truth is that President Obama's belief system is so far away from the conservative-traditional point of view that the two will never agree. However, everything the president says and does is not wrong, stupid or un-American.

If the Republican Party wants to regain power, it must come up with better programs than the Democrats do. It's that simple. Ideological rhetoric does not persuade voters. It's preaching to the choir.