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Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: OzmO on May 17, 2008, 02:09:37 PM
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Pity Party
May 16, 2008; Page A11
Big picture, May 2008:
The Democrats aren't the ones falling apart, the Republicans are. The Democrats can see daylight ahead. For all their fractious fighting, they're finally resolving their central drama. Hillary Clinton will leave, and Barack Obama will deliver a stirring acceptance speech. Then hand-to-hand in the general, where they see their guy triumphing. You see it when you talk to them: They're busy being born.
[Pity Party]
Terry Shoffner
Clarke Reed
The Republicans? Busy dying. The brightest of them see no immediate light. They're frozen, not like a deer in the headlights but a deer in the darkness, his ears stiff at the sound. Crunch. Twig. Hunting party.
The headline Wednesday on Drudge, from Politico, said, "Republicans Stunned by Loss in Mississippi." It was about the eight-point drubbing the Democrat gave the Republican in the special House election. My first thought was: You have to be stupid to be stunned by that. Second thought: Most party leaders in Washington are stupid – detached, played out, stuck in the wisdom they learned when they were coming up, in '78 or '82 or '94. Whatever they learned then, they think pertains now. In politics especially, the first lesson sticks. For Richard Nixon, everything came back to Alger Hiss.
They are also – Hill leaders, lobbyists, party speakers – successful, well-connected, busy and rich. They never guessed, back in '86, how government would pay off! They didn't know they'd stay! They came to make a difference and wound up with their butts in the butter. But affluence detaches, and in time skews thinking. It gives you the illusion you're safe, and that everyone else is. A party can lose its gut this way.
Many are ambivalent, deep inside, about the decisions made the past seven years in the White House. But they've publicly supported it so long they think they . . . support it. They get confused. Late at night they toss and turn in the antique mahogany sleigh bed in the carpeted house in McLean and try to remember what it is they really do think, and what those thoughts imply.
And those are the bright ones. The rest are in Perpetual 1980: We have the country, the troops will rally in the fall.
"This was a real wakeup call for us," someone named Robert M. Duncan, who is chairman of the Republican National Committee, told the New York Times. This was after Mississippi. "We can't let the Democrats take our issues." And those issues would be? "We can't let them pretend to be conservatives," he continued. Why not? Republicans pretend to be conservative every day.
The Bush White House, faced with the series of losses from 2005 through '08, has long claimed the problem is Republicans on the Hill and running for office. They have scandals, bad personalities, don't stand for anything. That's why Republicans are losing: because they're losers.
All true enough!
But this week a House Republican said publicly what many say privately, that there is another truth. "Members and pundits . . . fail to understand the deep seated antipathy toward the president, the war, gas prices, the economy, foreclosures," said Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia in a 20-page memo to House GOP leaders.
The party, Mr. Davis told me, is "an airplane flying right into a mountain." Analyses of its predicament reflect an "investment in the Bush presidency," but "the public has just moved so far past that." "Our leaders go up to the second floor of the White House and they get a case of White House-itis." Mr. Bush has left the party at a disadvantage in terms of communications: "He can't articulate. The only asset we have now is the big microphone, and he swallowed it." The party, said Mr. Davis, must admit its predicament, act independently of the White House, and force Democrats to define themselves. "They should have some ownership for what's going on. They control the budget. They pay no price. . . . Obama has all happy talk, but it's from 30,000 feet. Energy, immigration, what is he gonna do?"
* * *
Could the party pivot from the president? I spoke this week to Clarke Reed of Mississippi, one of the great architects of resurgent Republicanism in the South. When he started out, in the 1950s, there were no Republicans in his state. The solid south was solidly Democratic, and Sen. James O. Eastland was thumping the breast pocket of his suit, vowing that civil rights legislation would never leave it. "We're going to build a two-party system in the south," Mr. Reed said. He helped create "the illusion of Southern power" as a friend put it, with the creation of the Southern Republican Chairman's Association. "If you build it they will come." They did.
There are always "lots of excuses," Mr. Reed said of the special-election loss. Poor candidate, local factors. "Having said all that," he continued, "let's just face it: It's not a good time." He meant to be a Republican. "They brought Cheney in, and that was a mistake." He cited "a disenchantment with the generic Republican label, which we always thought was the Good Housekeeping seal."
What's behind it? "American people just won't take a long war. Just – name me a war, even in a pro-military state like this. It's overall disappointment. It's national. No leadership, adrift. Things haven't worked." The future lies in rebuilding locally, not being "distracted" by Washington.
Is the Republican solid South over?
"Yeah. Oh yeah." He said, "I eat lunch every day at Buck's Cafe. Obama's picture is all over the wall."
How to come back? "The basic old conservative principles haven't changed. We got distracted by Washington, we got distracted from having good county organizations."
Should the party attempt to break with Mr. Bush? Mr. Reed said he supports the president. And then he said, simply, "We're past that."
We're past that time.
Mr. Reed said he was "short-term pessimistic, long-term optimistic." He has seen a lot of history. "After Goldwater in '64 we said, 'Let's get practical.' So we got ol' Dick. We got through Watergate. Been through a lot. We've had success a long time."
Throughout the interview this was a Reed refrain: "We got through that." We got through Watergate and Vietnam and changes large and small.
He was holding high the flag, but his refrain implicitly compared the current moment to disaster.
What happens to the Republicans in 2008 will likely be dictated by what didn't happen in 2005, and '06, and '07. The moment when the party could have broken, on principle, with the administration – over the thinking behind and the carrying out of the war, over immigration, spending and the size of government – has passed. What two years ago would have been honorable and wise will now look craven. They're stuck.
Mr. Bush has squandered the hard-built paternity of 40 years. But so has the party, and so have its leaders. If they had pushed away for serious reasons, they could have separated the party's fortunes from the president's. This would have left a painfully broken party, but they wouldn't be left with a ruined "brand," as they all say, speaking the language of marketing. And they speak that language because they are marketers, not thinkers. Not serious about policy. Not serious about ideas. And not serious about leadership, only followership.
This is and will be the great challenge for John McCain: The Democratic argument, now being market tested by Obama Inc., that a McCain victory will yield nothing more or less than George Bush's third term.
That is going to be powerful, and it is going to get out the vote. And not for Republicans.
http://online.wsj.com/article/declarations.html
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You'll have the usual people saying "Everything is great, we're looking to make great gains in 2008".
However, the trend is that they are going to lose seats. People are tired of the war, they're not making as much $, and they're ready for a change. 3 years ago I was a quiet, loyal republican, sucking as much neocock as was presented. "Bomb everyone, as long as that Kerry pussy doesn't get in power!"
Little did I know that I was being stupid, that I was swallowing fearmongering, and that Bush has corporate interests in mind, not those of most americans.
And it seems at least 50% of the country has realized this as well.
So go ahead, neocons, tell us why you're #1 even though you got your clocked cleaned in 06 and both 08 elections were surprising dem upsets. Pour out the kool-aid of WMD too. Stupid people still drink it.
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You'll have the usual people saying "Everything is great, we're looking to make great gains in 2008".
However, the trend is that they are going to lose seats. People are tired of the war, they're not making as much $, and they're ready for a change. 3 years ago I was a quiet, loyal republican, sucking as much neocock as was presented. "Bomb everyone, as long as that Kerry pussy doesn't get in power!"
Little did I know that I was being stupid, that I was swallowing fearmongering, and that Bush has corporate interests in mind, not those of most americans.
And it seems at least 50% of the country has realized this as well.
So go ahead, neocons, tell us why you're #1 even though you got your clocked cleaned in 06 and both 08 elections were surprising dem upsets. Pour out the kool-aid of WMD too. Stupid people still drink it.
It's all cyclical . . . The wheel will turn yet again.
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It's all cyclical . . . The wheel will turn yet again.
Woohoo! That means we can look forward to another eight years of absolute incompetence at some point in the future.
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Woohoo! That means we can look forward to another eight years of absolute incompetence at some point in the future.
By eight years, I assume you're referring to Republicans since there has only been a single Dem president who was elected twice since Harry S.Truman.
Gee, go figure . . . it is like the public says "you can fool me once . . ."
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By eight years, I assume you're referring to Republicans since there has only been a single Dem president who was elected twice since Harry S.Truman.
Gee, go figure . . . it is like the public says "you can fool me once . . ."
Yeah, cause the motherfucking American population is renowned for its intelligence.
I saw a guy with a swastika tattooed inside a cross today. I just walked by, but I saw the fuckin sanitation co. truck he was in. maybe I should go looking for him and kick the shit out of him. One small blow for the right side.
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Yeah, cause the motherfucking American population is renowned for its intelligence.
I saw a #### with a swastika tattooed inside a cross today. I just walked by, but I saw the fuckin sanitation co. truck he was in. maybe I should go looking for him and kick the shit out of him. One small blow for the right side.
I don't think so, I think the the American public is tired of the association with pussies like those who support "scoreless soccer" have to maintain in order to keep their identity.
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Yeah, cause the motherfucking American population is renowned for its intelligence.
I saw a #### with a swastika tattooed inside a cross today. I just walked by, but I saw the fuckin sanitation co. truck he was in. maybe I should go looking for him and kick the shit out of him. One small blow for the right side.
Ahhh . . .the people are stupid. Another Dem who does not belive in Demos
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Thank God for Supreme Court appointees who get to the bench and see the light. This country would be an insufferable hell-hole without them. And thank God that douches like Scalia and Thomas are outnumbered.
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Thank God for Supreme Court appointees who get to the bench and see the light. This country would be an insufferable hell-hole without them. And thank God that douches like Scalia and Thomas are outnumbered.
So you approve of Gore v. Bush. Glad to hear . . . Me too. PM me, I can recommend a good shelter, somewhere where you can sleep it off and get a solid meal! Trust me, it will be okay . . .
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Ahhh . . .the people are stupid. Another Dem who does not belive in Demos
Yes, the people are stupid according to callous. He has a very high opinion of himself. Must be difficult to live in a (fanciful) world where he is smarter than everyone else:
On the subway, on planes, at the gym.... I hear the most ignorant crap, and I bite my tongue. I come on here and read the same bullshit, and I don't bite my tongue. That doesn't mean I have to rearrange my priorities.
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So you approve of Gore v. Bush. Glad to hear . . . Me too. PM me, I can recommend a good shelter, somewhere where you can sleep it off and get a solid meal! Trust me, it will be okay . . .
So you missed the part about douches like Scalia and Thomas? ::)
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Yes, the people are stupid according to callous. He has a very high opinion of himself. Must be difficult to live in a (fanciful) world where he is smarter than everyone else:
Yes, "they" are very troubled.
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Yes, the people are stupid according to callous. He has a very high opinion of himself. Must be difficult to live in a (fanciful) world where he is smarter than everyone else:
Hahahahaha. A post from Feb. 25 that i don't even remember. I should charge you rent for the piece of your mind that I OWN. ;D
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Hahahahaha. A post from Feb. 25 that i don't even remember. I should charge you rent for the piece of your mind that I OWN. ;D
lol. Says the kid who follows me around the whole friggin board. lol . . .
Hey look what I found. The unauthorized biography of callous. :)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/6196Y5Ab35L._SL500_BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_.jpg)
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lol. Says the kid who follows me around the whole friggin board. lol . . .
Just making sure the piece of your mind I own stays that way, gramps. Clearly, it's working out better than even I thought. ;D
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You know lately, and this is nothing directed at you Calmus, but the arguments on this board by those not conservative seem so "un-exact". Like that one about colonizing Iraq.
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You know lately, and this is nothing directed at you Calmus, but the arguments on this board by those not conservative seem so "un-exact". Like that one about colonizing Iraq.
Who wanted to colonize Iraq?
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Who wanted to colonize Iraq?
There was a thread a few days ago about how the USA is colonizing Iraq.
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There was a thread a few days ago about how the USA is colonizing Iraq.
If you don't put too fine a point on it, that's what we're doing.
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Woohoo! That means we can look forward to another eight years of absolute incompetence at some point in the future.
Yes, it'll be called the Obama Administration.
In a year, I'll likely spend my days pointing out all the dumb shit that obama is doing, and how he needs to stop bombing the pakistan/pashtun region, and instead drop a million gallons of oil to osama, like Bush did to NKorea ;)
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If you don't put too fine a point on it, that's what we're doing.
based on the definition we are not.
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The Repubs are dying?
I'd put them all in a concentration camp and let them all starve to death.
Being a republican ought to be illegal. >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
Fuck them.
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I'd put them all in a concentration camp and let them all starve to death.
Being a republican ought to be illegal. >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
Fuck them.
Another compassionate voice from the left . . .
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Another compassionate voice from the left . . .
At this point in time, after what Bush, A REPUBLICAN, has done to us as a country (e.g. frighten a hurt nation, dividing the country into "those who pray vs. those who don't", et cetera) I have very little good to say about yous.
When you keep supporting a president who is OBVIOUSLY an idiot, a dangerous idiot I should say, over the needs of the nation you're not a patriot, you're a republican that just happens to be an American. Let me tell you something my friend, at the time, were Bill Clinton to become a danger to the country I'd had no qualms WHATSOEVER to voice my opinion to get him out!
You people have other things in mind. Your loyalty is not to the Constitution, your loyalty is to a political party that just happens to be in the running for the presidency here in the US, to a system of privilege that intercedes irrationality to the relationship between church and state, corporate economic gain to American welfare, etc.
To all of that I say: Fuck all of yous! You wanted a divided country?! Congratulations, you got it!
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dividing the country into "those who pray vs. those who don't
Don't you mean those who "cling to their guns and religion" versus those who don't, spoken by the "Great Uniter" Obama? HAH! Dems depend on a divided electorate black versus white, rich versus poor. What happens if blacks start voting even 60-40 Dems versus Republicans instead of the current 90-10? Dems would not win another election for decades. In other words, look who had the incentive to keep us divided as a country and you will get your answer about who is actually keeping us divided.
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Don't you mean those who "cling to their guns and religion" versus those who don't, spoken by the "Great Uniter" Obama? HAH! Dems depend on a divided electorate black versus white, rich versus poor. What happens if blacks start voting even 60-40 Dems versus Republicans instead of the current 90-10? Dems would not win anothe election for decades. In other words, look who had the incentive to keep us divided as a country and you will get your answer about who is actually keeping us divided.
I'm not a democrat either... so shoot in another direction please. I'm talking about this irrational fear republicans have of anything they do not understand and eventually translates in such a "Rambonian" foreign policy. This is why I hate republicans and their U-S-A discourse. I cannot fucking stand it anymore.
At the same time I do not get the hypocritical democrat discourse that we ought to do more for black folks... meanwhile when one moves into their neighborhoods they are the first ones to move out (it happened in my street in Westchester county). I hate this version of American man!
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I'm not a democrat either... so shoot in another direction please. I'm talking about this irrational fear republicans have of anything they do not understand and eventually translates in such a "Rambonian" foreign policy. This is why I hate republicans and their U-S-A discourse. I cannot fucking stand it anymore.
At the same time I do not get the hypocritical democrat discourse that we ought to do more for black folks... meanwhile when one moves into their neighborhoods they are the first ones to move out (it happened in my street in Westchester county). I hate this version of American man!
Okay the "Rambonian" thing was funny. You get credit for that.
And if you are an "equal opportunity" hater when it comes to politics, you score some additional points.
But I get crazed when the Dems pretend they wear the White Hats when it comes to the racial and economic divide in this country.
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Okay the "Rambonian" thing was funny. You get credit for that.
And if you are an "equal opportunity" hater when it comes to politics, you score some additional points.
But I get crazed when the Dems pretend they wear the White Hats when it comes to the racial and economic divide in this country.
No, I was a democrat at one point, or so I thought, but I quickly found out that they're a lighter version of the republicans.
I live in a country that hasn't evolved much in the past few years in ALL fields and who does not feel represented by any party right now.