OPINION:
I take a backseat to no one in my admiration for Thomas Sowell. I have been reading his columns in The Washington Times for many years, and I have invariably found him to be clear, logical and persuasive. His recent column “Rethinking the GOP rule-or-ruin option” (Web, March 18) was no exception.
Mr. Sowell makes a solid case for the need for Republicans to avoid intraparty fights and instead, pull together to supplant the current, disastrous Democratic administration. Yet I have become so disenchanted with the Republican Party leadership that I have little faith the GOP will actually do the job if it comes to power.
Frankly, over the years, Republicans have shown themselves to be inept in countering media bias and attacks by the Democrats, lacking in principles (or unwilling to fight for their principles), and too inclined to wave the white flag when challenged by Democrats.
For decades, I have heard Republicans rail against various liberal programs, but I cannot think of a single program they have actually killed when they were in power. Even such notoriously bad laws as the Davis-Bacon Act and such unnecessary and anti-Republican activities as public broadcasting have survived through years of Republican control of the federal government.
With their track record over the years, I seriously doubt that the Republicans under the control of the current leaders will ever kill Obamacare. If they come to power, they might tinker with it a little to make it work better, but I have little confidence they will actually pull it out by the roots.
I have become convinced that, Mr. Sowell notwithstanding, the Republicans need new, dynamic leaders to attack the whole spectrum of liberal programs, including Obamacare — and that we will find those leaders only through vigorous debates within the party. Papering over differences in the name of party unity is not a prescription for getting new, more effective leaders.
HENRY BORGER
Laurel, Md.
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