An effective opposition forming?

The GOP would appear to be re-energizing itself: as seen by MSNBC, or GOPUSA.

In our kitchen, we firmly believe that a good opposition is the key to good governance. Towards that end, here's a juicy target for a party that wants to pretend it favors small government: redundant organizations, such as ARPA-E. Don't get me wrong. I love, and engage in, government basic research, but DoE's got several national labs, an SBIR group, and a good relationship with the NSF. Want innovative energy research, check out the National Renewable Energy Lab.

Actually, there's quite a bit of room to play with this kind of concept, and play off the President's speech at George Mason University:

Only Government can come up with a program to remove old, polluting cars that actually pollutes more than leaving them on the street!

Only Government can promote a "green" fuel source that causes massive starvation, hurts US and international security and has higher carbon emissions than gasoline. (Iowa's heading away from the GOP anyway.)

Go a step further on the "personal responsibility" angle for energy and environmental issues. Accept that most of us see "drill here, drill now" as a big government solution because the land is all owned by the government, there are pretty stringent laws limiting liability of drillers, and energy extraction is practically synonymous with corruption and degradation outside of places that make money from it. Encourage your younger candidates in the Northeast to be seen commuting on bicycles once in a while, show off "griesel" campaign vehicles in California, and turn down the heat a little at the office. Maybe even encourage private investment in space-based solar power. You can "out-green" the Democrats without subsidies, and convince skeptical voters that your party offers more than pretending it's still 1950 until the oceans rise, crops fail and we can't afford the Navy that ensures steady delivery of hydrocarbons anymore. With the Dems saving the Big Three and getting a populist home mortgage modification program rolled out, they're getting most of the suburbs that don't mind Adam and Steve (Iowa and Maine, for instance). Don't let them have everyone who is skeptical of bureaucrats addressing the massive challenges we face, but wants to support people who have the will try to solve them.