Politics – While all eyes were on the presidential campaign and the demise of New York Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer (D) last week, Republicans on Capitol Hill were suffering a run of bad news that could hold dire implications for the campaign season.
To blame it on Bush alone is misleading. He had a lot of help. But the Republicans had a chance. His name is Ron Paul.
Actually pongping, the Republicans had a chance to salvage the Republican Brand had they nominated John McCain in 2000.
My sense is that McCain's pragmatic approach, being the polar opposite to George W. Bush's ideologically driven mandate, would have elevated the Republican Brand.
I cannot imagine John McCain taking his sights off Osama bin Laden and diverting our national treasure (in life and taxes) to some crazy invasion of Iraq.
And the invasion of Iraq is the single clearest example of the incompetence of the ideologically driven brand known as The Modern Republican.
I cannot imagine John McCain taking his sights off Osama bin Laden and diverting our national treasure (in life and taxes) to some crazy invasion of Iraq.
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And yet, he DID! He voted for the war in Iraq (even though OBL was still at large) and he continues to support the war even though he knows that there is NO evidence, NONE, that Iraq or Saddam had ANY involvement in 9/11 and still (almost 7 years AFTER THE ATTACK ON AMERICA) we still do not have the person responsible for attacking our country and killing our citizens.
They still have a chance. Paul has not given up and is gaining ground every day. What is truly amazing is that it took so long for the people to wake up and realize what he has been saying and standing for 20 years (give, or take) is the truth and both parties have been lying, scheming, and stealing from the American people for decades. Dennis K has been doing the same and between him and Paul have always supported the rule of law and the Constitution.
McCain is nothing more than Le Muffette on drugs and represents more of the same failed policies.
The Democrats are not any better what with their abject failures and reckless ideas. Just the same old "Big Government" running lives as they see fit. Neither has a workable solution to our massive debt and in truth will only add more debt with their grandiose promises.
It will take at least one administration to level the field again and get a handle on the national debt already incurred. Surely everyone realizes that there cannot be a great deal of forward motion on capital projects, and that most of the stuff done initially will have to be to extract us from our current military and economic problems, regardless of which candidate (or even party) wins.
that most of the stuff done initially will have to be to extract us from our current military and economic problems
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The only way that will happen is if a Democrat is elected. The only way that these issue can be addressed is by having more money. It's as simple as that! John McCain has already said that not only will he NOT raise taxes, but the Bush tax cuts that are set to expire in 2010 should be continued indefinitely. That's NOT going to do it people!
Taxes have to be raised. Tax cuts need to be reversed. Farm subsidies, peanut subsidies, and all the other subsidies that are going to 'corporate America' instead of 'Joe Farmer' have to STOP.
A look at the record profits and 'Golden Parachutes' in Corporate America PROVES that 'trickle down economics' doesn't work. Giving takes breaks to Corporations DOESN'T help the general worker. It just puts more money in the pockets of the shareholders and the Executives.
I am happy Bush has destroyed the Republican Party of neo conservative meatheads. The sheep mentality with no self thinking and intelligence separates these from the intelligent voters. In the 21st century to be against gay & lesbian rights, medically recommended abortion and opposition to tap scientific progress in stem cell research is to go back to the days of 1700s.
However, I am really angry, that Bush as the biggest "MONKEY" in a china shop, destroyed Iraq as a country, killed thousands of innocent men, women & children, displaced and made refugees of millions of its citizens. This is an unthinkable and unpardonable crime that the International community should seriously think of punishing.
I can certainly understand and agree with you about the Bush Administration. However I would like to temper your statements by saying that the destruction of Iraq has been a bipartisan affair. The Clinton Administration continued the systematic destruction started by his predicessor. The Democrats in Congress went along like Bushes lap puppies, head long into the invasion and occupation when it is clear they should have demanded the Bush Administration abide by the decision of the UN to keep Saddam in his box. The cost of that would have been much less than the cost of this strategically defunct invasion.
He took advantage of the centuries old religious divide between the Sunnis & Shiites in advancing this crime. It is a tragedy that Sunni countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan etc., are silent about the massacre of their fellow Arabs just because they are not their sect.
It is up to the intelligent Americans, who are still left and can visualize the tragedy in Iraq to realize the magnitude and decide out of humanitarian concerns to end the massacre in Iraq which is directly attributed to the invasion and occupation.
It would be one thing for Bush to have killed the Republican brand, but in fact he may have killed the American brand as well. The actions of this administration have diminished all of us in the eyes of the world, and yet day after day they line up to revel in their conniving ways.
I whole heartedly agree, bonaroo.
While some Americans get caught up in the irrational exuberance of The Modern Republican ideology of Welfare for the Rich and Subsidies for Corporations, and _War ad infinitum_, elsewhere in the world, citizens of the world have a broader perspective.
They see what The Modern Republican has done to America and they are shaking their collective heads at the loss.
America used to be a beacon of freedom, fairness, justice. Now ... so many of the world see it as a heavy handed thug - like how people used to view the old Soviet Union.
FTA: The latest blow came with the revelation that the former treasurer of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) had allegedly diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars -- and possibly as much as $1 million -- from the organization's depleted coffers to his own bank accounts. If Republicans needed any more evidence of how difficult this fall may be, the past week had it all, analysts said. The Illinois race demonstrated new levels of disaffection, the party's efforts to go on offense elsewhere were thwarted by recruiting failures, and the NRCC scandal will divert campaign resources and could frighten off badly needed contributors, they said. (continued)
FTA "It's no mystery," said Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.). "You have a very unhappy electorate, which is no surprise, with oil at $108 a barrel, stocks down a few thousand points, a war in Iraq with no end in sight and a president who is still very, very unpopular. He's just killed the Republican brand."
The republican party is imploding thanks to GWB&Co. Does their corruption know any bounds? Say goodbye to the republicans in January '09! Goodbye! Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!
Before you paint with so broad a brush, you should remember that there have been voices (both parties) that have tried to put a stop to such shenanigans and have done what they thought was best for the people of this country. They have been fired, belittled, and called unpatriotic, kooks, idiots, etc. but that has not stopped them from voicing their concerns. One must remember that there are rotten apples in every barrel and sometimes one one good one.
So before you condemn everyone, remember not all are part of the problem and both sides have the same agenda.
I'm referring to the republicons - not the true republicans. I know there are some good republicans and democrats. The current party have gone a long way in dividing the country. I agree with you ghost... I know that the good voices have been drowned out by the bad ones. Ron Paul has a lot of good things to say and Dennis Kucinich, but they have been labeled kooks, nuts, etc. I hear you ghost. I'm not condemning everyone. I think Mr. Obama could do a lot for this world. But it seems like you've written him off.
But the Neocon Republican ultra-Conservatives ACTUALLY to blame for intentionally degrading or destroying our American military, our economy, our churches, our world goodwill, attacked our schools, attacked gays, and made Lady Liberty a torturer and thief, all through their forced policies and "legislation" against the will and the needs of the American people, must be brought to justice...
The Republican party is not imploding! Although they have a candidate much of the party does not adore he will likely win the presidency in '08. Although their policies have proven horrendous failures both domestically and abroad, destroying the value of the dollar and turning America into a nation of few allies. The debt has been more than doubled and we have ensured that China will continue to rise as we become more and more of a debtor nation. Yet they will win the White House in '08. Regardless of whether it is Obama or Clinton. It seems inexplicable until you realize that, yes, Americans really are that dumb! I have no doubt that my home state will go GOP along with the rest of the South. And that will be enough to once again ensure a Republican in the White House.
Are you trying to be funny VOR? That doesn't make any sense. Obama or Clinton would be 100% better than what's in there now. Are you trying to be funny? I'm not stupid yet you've just lumped all Americans in there - I'd say about 18% of Americans are stupid - they're the ones who voted for Bush right? And even if GWB didn't get the vote, Diebold and the Supreme Court made sure he got the presidency even if he didn't get the popular vote!
Tessylo there were more than 18 percent who voted for Le Muffette twice, those are facts. Rabid supporters are found on both sides of the aisle. Neither of the parties have put forth anyone who really has the American people best interest in mind otherwise they would not have fancy talk, grandiose pie in the sky ideas which we can not afford, nor do they address the real problems we are facing, they just beat around the question without really giving any answer. Typical BS from professional bull spreaders.
BTW. While a slug would be better than Le Muffette, that does not mean whomever would really change anything. So saying something is a hundred percent better is a fallacy unless of course you can see the future.
Capitalism and market economies without social responsibility is destroying America. The republican party support corporate greed. If the repubilican party supported corporations that were more interested in growing the economy for the benefit of all Americans rather than the self interest of the corporation republicans would be on top.
The Repukes were not there alone, The Dumbocrats have been complicit. The politicians in both parties have been bought off (campaign contributions). Lets vote against every incumbent in congress that is up for reelection. Maybe a clean slate would be different.....
how about changing the processes as well as the people. the process involved in getting elected is SO CORRUPT, it would soil christ himself, if he were to run for office. and i'm not just talking campaign finance, i'm talking changing the whole way we select and oversee our leadership.
changing from a "winner take all" system to proportional representation; instant run-off voting; free TV, cable and radio access for all candidates on the ballot...so much we could do to improve our democratic processes and until we do, we can't expect moral leadership from either party.
"Stuart Rothenberg, a nonpartisan analyst of congressional politics, said: "The math is against them. The environment is against them. The money is against them. This is one of those cycles that if you're a Republican strategist, you just want to go into the bomb shelter."
Well, I think the only type of campaign a republican can win, right now, is in one that paints the opposition as a worse politician than them.
Uh, are we forgetting that they REALLY DID LOSE THE LAST TWO??
Voting hasn't been enough for 8 years now.
When we gonna wake up to that? If any states go down like OH and FL this time around, I'd BETTER see you all there at the state capitol next day, or DC the day after that, and you'd better be carrying a torch...
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Good rendition of all the Repug problems currently covered up by the Spitzer case...ending with generally unfounded repug rationalizations. 18 of 22 Repug Congressmen are still on the most corrupt CREW list not mentioned in the article (ted stevens' seat up for grabs was mentioned)!
Yes, the Repug party with its support for torture, preemptive war, eavesdropping on Americans without a warrant, Gitmo, loss of habeas corpus, the Unitary executive, and big business over the common man, is a terrorist organization... and should be declared so!
Bush only blatantly revealed the true nature of the Repug Party that voted lock step for him for at least 6 years! When a party has no real scrupples its members continually vote party line over principles and the individual conscience!
What you say is so true. But give it a while, and the typical gop defenders will be here telling you this is all false!
Either false or try to find a liberal to blame everything on. Either way, there will be no responsibility taken for anything.
There can be no better parable (IMO) that exposes The Modern Republican as a cynical manipulator with no moral compass than the story found on my bio.
http://www.propeller.com/member/welfare_made_me...
It's the encapsulated story about how George W. Bush earned his millions.
No, not by entrepreneurship. Not by hard work. Not by invention. Not by risk.
He employed every device that traditional Republicans have ridiculed.
He got government to build him and his buddies a stadium.
He got government to use eminent domain (inappropriately) to steal private property.
He got government to raise taxes to pay for it all.
This - even though the group of investors he worked with were all wealthy enough to build the stadium themselves.
Then, he goes on to claim he is what Republicanism is all about.
Well, he _is_ a Republican. The Modern Version.
The Modern Republican is (amazingly) the reverse of everything that Republicans _used_ to stand for.
The Modern Republican does not really stand for values, morals, effective government.
The Modern Republican simply stands _against_ Democrats - and the Democrat's representation of the Middle Class and efforts to regulate business - (to protect business from destroying itself).
The Modern Republican wants to stuff their cronies into power. This has been the one single 'success' of the Bush Administration.
They have gutted formerly effective government agencies and filled them with cronies.
They have harassed and fired non-partisan Attorneys Generals and replaced them with highly partisan cronies.
They have appointed highly partisan Supreme Court Justices.
And worse of all, they have invented a new application for 'Signing Statements' which nullify all accountability for presidential actions.
This alone should destroy the Republican Brand. For it adulterates our Constitution, and upends our system of Balance of Power.
The GOP lost it when they sat silent.
All true, except about signing statements. They are in reality a lot of babbling. If the bill is passed and he signs it, as long as it is constitutional it is the law and he is required by our Constitution to obey it.
Whether or not our Congress holds him accountable (they clearly don't, not about ANYTHING) is a different matter.
"...it is constitutional it is the law and he is required by our Constitution to obey it."
That should be true, but Bush doesn't need "no goddamn piece of paper," he has the unitary executive theory and signing statements.
Under the unitary executive theory, the president is not required to abide by any law that he feels he doesn't need to.
With the signing statements, the president doesn't have to get into a political battle with congress, who theoretically could override a veto. The signing statements are in effect, a de facto line item veto without the muss and fuss.
Babbling. If a simple majority of the House had some spine, they could show him that it's nonsense, but they clearly have no interest. Anyone, of course, may break the law and continue to do so until the appropriate authorities stop him.