Friday, May 23, 2014

Can the Tea Party learn from Germany's Bavarian CSU amigos?

Do Germany's conservative conjoined twin sister parties CDU (exists in all states but Bavaria) and CSU (in Bavaria only) have it all?

All the advantages of being two parties, yet governing as one at the national level?

Our answer is as tight and insightful as a doctoral thesis in space of a short blog post!

Conventional stereotypes often present the southern German "Free State of Bavaria" as the Texas of Germany. This is done despite the absence of oil in one and mountains in the other. Where latinos are a substantial minority in one, the other compensates for this with  "amigos" and eastern European immigrants. Wind instruments in one, guitars in the other, you get the gist, there are obvious differences beyond the prevalent spirit of conservative values.

Politically, things look more similar. Bavaria's liberal state capital Munich is surrounded by heartland value country, just like Austin, TX.

Ignore for a moment that the Bavarian CSU has enjoyed the advantage of actually governing the state for over half a century. This must be attributed to the ingenious split organization which has had the true advantage of a national good cop bad cop situation.

While the local and county CSU administrations are middle of the road democrats, the state level folks have often made headlines Americans would associate with their very own Tea Party.

Bashing the German federal government while holding several secretary posts in said government and ensuring federal cash flows home, giving a voice to the anti-gay and the anti-abortion segments of the public, a strong law and order message, lots of climate change skeptics, this is how most of the rest of Germany sees conservative Bavarian politicians.

The beauty of the setup is hardly ever called out in German media: otherwise more liberal  leaning citizens of Bavaria can cast their vote for the conservatives because of the moderate halo of the CDU. In the rest of the country, voters who'd lean to a party more conservative than the CDU can vote in good conscience for that very CDU because of the "ideological spillover" of the Bavarian CSU.

The fact that a handful of counties in CDU country are deeply conservative and two or three in CSU country are more liberal does not diminish the overall validity of the K-Landnews insight.

Germany's "left" does not have this advantage, the Social Democrats (SPD) have not embraced the Linke ("The Left") party in a similar way, both have a national organization which precludes this strategy. 

Our recommendation to U.S. Republicans and the Tea Party is simple: take one or two states out of the Republican Party and establish a new conservative party in those states, whatever you call it, Tea, Beer, Freedom, your choice. Then divide the national roles accordingly. Or spin off the California or New York Republicans to get the moderate democrats and the independents.

On a national level, do the conjoined twins, and the presidency for the next century is yours.

You might have to split FoxNews in a similar way, and we are not commenting on Mr. Rove.

Any honorary doctorates sent our way will be welcome, no questions asked.

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