The Republicans have controlled all three branches of the federal government for nearly 4 years, and they've controlled both branches of Congress for longer than that. Yet they still benefit from their (supposed) anti-government stance. Isn't it time to turn the great American tradition of distrust of government against them?
The Republicans took advantage of the US public's reaction to the 9/11 attack to solidify the power of the federal government -- the
Republican-controlled federal government. By manipulating the public to believe that Iraq was somehow connected to 9/11, they managed to stretch the public's desperate trust in a paternalistic government to cover a questionable war and prop up the Republican image through the 2004 election.
But as people finally start questioning the wisdom of the occupation of Iraq, and as approval for the President drops to a post-9/11 low, perhaps the citizenry is finally ready to reclaim their heritage of distrust in government. (While this distrust can sometimes get in the way of rational consideration of needed government-organized services -- a public healthcare funding system, for instance -- a reasonable and informed distrust of government is part of the responsibility of any participant in democracy.)
To that end, it's time to stop referring to "the government" or "the federal government" in any expression of dissatisfaction. It is correctly and properly referred to as the Republican government. Every legislative initiative, every proposed rule change, every suggested regulatory alteration should be viewed and portrayed with immediate suspicion. The first question on everybody's lips should be, "What is the Republican government up to now?" It almost goes without saying that the Democrats should lead this, as the loyal (but firm) opposition, and hopefully they can benefit from it come 2006 and 2008. But this is meme that we should all help spread.
(As an addendum, any reference to something being the fault of the Clinton administration should be greeted with nothing more an eyeroll and a derisive snort. That was barely meaningful 4 years ago, especially given the Repub control of Congress previous to that. Now it's a pathetically transparent attempt to dodge responsibility, and should be treated as such.)