Thunder Pig

In an effort to revive the Grand Old Party's image, congressional Republican leaders are launching a series of forums and town hall meetings to engage the American public in policy discussion.

The outreach initiative -- known as the National Council for a New America (NCNA) -- is set to include a blue ribbon panel of well-known Republicans like Arizona Sen. John McCain, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

The first event will be held Saturday at a town hall meeting in Northern Virginia, a suburban region that went for Obama in the presidential election -- helping him become the first Democratic presidential candidate since 1964 to win the state.

Topics will cover the economy, education, energy, health care and national security.

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, one of the leading architects of the effort, told FOX News Thursday that the program's objective is to "forge new solutions" and "engage again and empower the people to become part of the process."

Source: Fox News

Hat Tip: Another Pundit

Commentary

The leadership of the Republican Party still do not get it, and I despair of them ever "getting it" about conservatism. It seems that you can elect a decent person to office, then they become corrupt, and unable to hear the voices of them "what brung 'em to the dance."

My first clue that these town halls might be shams run by the clueless was the inclusion of Senator John McCain. Also the inclusion of the term "New America" indicates that these guys think something is wrong with the old America...and might have been better served by just saying "Hope and Change". Democratic Congressman Heath Shuler is probably more conservative than a good number of elected Republicans.

There are days I think that forming a new party based on conservatism might not be a bad idea after all. The kind of conservatism that Russell Kirk and Edmund Burke might recognize is woefully ignored by the modern manicured metrosexuals who have infested the Republican Party over the past two decades.