Obama Threat Watch - Strategizing a response

what's the best way for the GOP to start off on the right public policy footing beginning January 20th, 2009?

The above question was asked on NextRight by Matt Moon. He thought the answer is a shadow cabinet. I disagree.

What we need is a UNIFIED CONGRESSIONAL OPPOSITION EFFORT. We need a rallying point where the Republicans choose which battles to fight to slow down Obama's socialism as a unified 'loyal opposition'. That means that in effect we have a Congressionally-led party. Bad as that sounds, since that's like herding cats, the Dole-Gingrich combo in 1993-1994 did just that and it WORKED. It stopped some (but not all) bills and it led to success in 1994. Why and how did it work? Simple - we were able to say NO to bills that we exposed as flawed and became unpopular.

We can only have an impact via - filibuster, persuasion of blue dogs, and legislative slow-down efforts. Getting the public on board and highlighting key issues is how to get back in the game. Drill here drill now was a good model for this.

Here's a simple fact: A $1 TRILLION deficit will NOT be popular with the people. It just wont. Shoving all the Obama spending , and piling on with cap-and-trade ... that will be a disaster. The Obama/Schumer/Democrat stimulus bill will be an earmark and pork barrell extravaganza. We need to be ready for it.

There is no need to 'formalize' any 'shadow govt' that takes us down the path of presumption that we had with Obama's 'vero possumus' stuff. In fact, it is better not to have a specific target, since unlike a parliamentary system, such a 'shadow govt' would be a non-real entity. On the other hand, the 2012 contenders should be 'on call' for being a voice of the Party and the RNC should make multiple such personality the KEY PR FOLKS. Fred Thompson, Jindhal, Romney, Palin, Sanford, other governors.

OUR FOCUS SHOULD BE ON CONGRESSIONAL EFFORTS, since we are voiceless in the executive branch, and our only leverage is to slow down congressional action or temper the bills. IN ALL SUCH CASES WE NEED TO HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE.

1. A GOP STIMULUS ALTERNATIVE TO NEW DEAL 2.0

2. A GOP ALTERNATIVE TO AMNESTY

3. A GOP ALTERNATIVE TO UAW BAILOUT

4. GOP ALTERNATIVE TO CAP-N-TRADE (this one is easy; the earth is cooling right now; simply say "The earth is cooling, and so is the economy; rather than rush into new regulations, let us wait 24 monts or a mere 2 years and then debate and discuss this further; now is not the time to shackle the economy for an uncertain risk that seems to be less real every day.")

etc.

Matt makes a point about UNIFIED MESSAGING. It's well taken. We need RNC, and the House and Senate leaders and top Governors to be on the 'same page' on items and preaching the same themes.