Nathan Daschle: Republicans Go Negative, Alienate Moderates and Independents

Some perceptive comments on the GOP's increasingly alarmist rhetoric and its probable results, from Nathan Daschle, executive director of the Democratic Governors Association.

GOP gubernatorial candidates have become the shrillest voices on the right.

Scott McInnis (Colo.) wants to abolish the Colorado Department of Education. John Kasich (Ohio) wants to get rid of Ohio's income tax - though he has no clue how to make up the enormous revenue (40 percent of the state budget) this tax generates.

Former Rep. Bill McCollum, the state attorney general who is running in Florida, is spearheading a campaign to repeal health care reform that is already backfiring. 

Perhaps because so many have their eyes on the 2012 prize, Republican governors and candidates are increasingly talking past independents. Instead, they are targeting their far-right base, using language that would make Ronald Reagan blush.

Long gone are the days of "morning in America." The message of today's Republicans is one of anger, cynicism and doubt about our nation's abilities.

While this works the tea partiers into a lather, the persuadable independents are left empty-handed. This is not hope, optimism or promise. This is "freedom fries" all over again.