A "SHADOW" Of an Idea

I have been talking a long time in this blog about the British Political System and about the British Conservative re-birth under David Cameron. See my sidebar for lots of stuff about that.

One of my ideas has been to (as the British do) have the out of power party form it’s own alternative to the party in power. They call it a "shadow government". It is complete not only down to the policies they want to enact, but to the cabinet leaders they will use to enact them. I always thought it a wonderful way to let the people see what they will be getting ahead of time. BEFORE they have to vote.

As a tool to help Republicans refocus themselves it could prove exceedingly efficient.

Since the Republicans have lost power in All branches, they have been casting around for a way to change their message, to give out a more cohesive message. A message that means something to more people. I don’t know how it could be technically done, but some sort of “shadow government” would go along way towards unifying our message.

Obama must sense this as he unlike Clinton is gathering his “ministers” ahead of time so he will hit the ground running. Imagine if we had, through the crucible of competition at our last Convention picked our President and Vice along with who they would have as cabinet members along with a platform of their own making. (Not the generic platform we create separately now).

I’ve always said that we not only have to copy what the Dems have done, but to actually get back ahead where our ideas belong, we have to do them one better. This would do just that.

That "one better" as I’ve said would be to create a "shadow government"; at the latest going into the Primaries. Have a build up to that concept starting now. Build the idea into a workable convention feature. Perhaps as we now vote in convention for a team of President and Vice President, let us vote also for a slate of their choosing who would be their “shadow cabinet”. Each slate would create their own “shadow policies” or platform.

I may never happen but can you imagine the excitement it could generate in the media. A whole new type of election process. We could have the Dems playing catch up to us. We have 4 years to do it; 2 conventions to work it out.

I think you can see the benefit to the voters. Before the election the voters would have more to base their vote on than whimsical promises such as Change or “I’m a Maverick”. They would have a chance to see who that person would have as their choice as Sec. of State, and Sec. of Defense and all the rest. The voter would then have a clearer picture of the results their vote would create.

The voters would be intrigued and the media would have a whole new "thing" to cover.

Just a warm fuzzy thought as I look out at our new six inches of snow. The shoveling will keep me from thinking of the whooping we just took at the polls.

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

An edited PS. My favorite term from the British is the word Facilitate. The State and Society are two seperate entities. A State should not overpower a society but enable, help or "facilitate" that society in achieving it's goals. In the above "shadow government" concept, the Party through this system would "facilitate" society in making a wiser more informed choice at election time as to which party will better facilitate it in achieving those goals.