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Attack of the Zombie Republicans
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The GOP’s living dead won’t stop haunting their party, says lifelong Republican John Batchelor. Now Rush, Newt, and Dick are doing what zombies do best: laying waste to everyone’s brains.
The Republican Party has become many bad things—intolerant, inert, fly-blown, incoherent, and delusional—but the worst is that the GOP is no longer young. The GOP, according to a Gallup poll, has lost, forgotten, ignored, just generally scared off the younger voters, non-white voters, and female voters in all demographics.
What is a political party that is vastly white, middle-aged, male, Southern, pious, conservative, aggrieved, impotent, nostalgic, rude—and regarded negatively by more than half the respondents? Time magazine’s Republican political consultant Mike Murphy looks at the demographics and warns of a coming “ice age” for the party. That is grossly optimistic. No longer in second place, the voter self-identification polls place the Republicans well behind the leading independents and the second-place Democrats. The GOP is the equivalent of a shrinking third party on its way to becoming a museum piece beside the Whigs, the Greenbacks, and the Prohibitionists. The GOP is like a zombie cartoon reading the daily headlines of the last four years and asking, “Am I dead?”
The GOP is like a zombie cartoon reading the daily headlines of the last four years and asking, “Am I dead?”
The attack of the living dead Republicans does have the camp fascination of a George Romero movie as pieces of brains fall out. Last week, Deputy Minority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, in some quarters regarded as cunning, boasted soberly not only that, without any polling evidence, “I think we’re got a shot at taking back the House,” but also that the Obama administration was comparable to Putin’s rule in Moscow. Cantor did not explain if he meant that the Obama administration is Soviet socialist, which is balmy, since Moscow is a robber baron paradise these days, or if he meant the Obama administration stands for tyrannical one-party rule, which is dopey, since Cantor appears to think of himself as virile leader of the opposition.
Last week, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a generalissimo of zombies, fresh from smearing Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor for “new racism,” presented more startling delusions at a congressional fundraiser in Washington when he claimed that the Republicans were the “majority party.” He offered no facts to counter the Gallup poll’s certainty that the Republicans are a minor minority party. Nor did Gingrich, who increasingly pontificates with the bravado of the vacuous TV anchor from the old Mary Tyler Moore Show, Ted Baxter, note that the cash raised in the ballroom of swells was down by a third from last year; nor did he explain his demagogic remark that the Obama administration “has already failed,” with bailouts that are chiefly a continuation of a Republican administration’s panicky policies.
The GOP is the equivalent of a shrinking third party on its way to becoming a museum piece beside the Whigs, the Greenbacks, and the Prohibitionists.
Gingrich did take aim at his demagogic pal Rush “Obama to fail” Limbaugh when he said, “I am happy that Dick Cheney is a Republican. I am happy that Colin Powell is a Republican.” This coy rhetoric was meant to point to the dull disputes between Limbaugh and those Republican politicians who he claims are unwelcome in the party because they don’t agree with him. Limbaugh routinely runs his mouth about disloyal or “squishy” Republicans, as if he was outing the skin-job Cylons on Battlestar Galactica. It is trite, but it can quickly turn vulgar. On TV, Limbaugh recently baited Colin Powell and the Republican moderate stragglers again when he boomed “What has Colin Powell ever done that makes him so valuable to the Republican Party?”
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I agree that the GOP has become a bastion of old boys and their ideas, even if there is an infusion of youth, the rules haven't changed. No one questioned this until it wasn't working. The old boys took for granted their standing and let us down for the last 8 years. Bush didn't veto their folly so his is guilt by omission. When the party decides to stop choking ideas not their self generated "line" then the party can rebuild. Dems will come apart when the different interest groups can't get along and are no supportive of each other. No one wants to pay for something they don't partake of or enjoy. The young base will continue to be extreme about issues not directly involved in day to day business. This also leaved open the door for an old boy system, con Pelosi. The real test will be fiscal conservatives getting together to make clear social issues are not political and need to be voted on based on an individuals conscience. I think the third is a better alternative to the other two. The author of this article showed bias by writing with a liberal view only. This is more of what we don't need.
Isn't the author a conservative radio show host and writer? Why is a critique of sons of Joe McCarthy liberal?
Lenny, Laverne, and Shirley all want explanations.
So does Carmine Raguso aka the Big Ragu.
If Rush is wrong about anything, he's again blurring the line between a Republican and a Conservative. Rush is trying to make the Republican party a conservative once again after Bush's liberal years and the nomination of McCain. He's right to try to purge liberals from the party though. As Gallup reports today (and as this nutjob author fails to realize), the nation IS centered around conservative thoughts:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/120857/Conservatives-Single-Largest-Ideologic al-Group.aspx
BUSH'S LIBERAL YEARS?
Wow.
That's the very first time
I've heard THAT ONE.
Listen up everybody!!
You heard it here first.
Destined to be a classic.
Hahahahahaha. LLLLLMAO.
Gee, jackee, the only time I have a conservative thought in my head is when I am in the foulest of foul mood, and I hate the whole human race,and I don't want anyone to have more than me or to get ahead of me, and I want to do everything in my power to make that happen. Otherwise, when I am sane and liberal-- I think of other people, and generally realize life is hard. Then I actually want to do what I can about the unfairness of it all. And if I can accomplish anything in sane mode, I become happy. So I, for one, prefer to be a liberal.
Yeah, that's right, jackee. Purge all the "lib'ruls" from the Republican party, because they let George W. Bush do too much damn lefty stuff. And when we get them outta here, we can all gather someplace in the Slave States every four years and talk about our prostate operations.
Jackee, according to the link you posted, the problem with the republicans is not that they have too many liberals -- it's that they can't attract all the conservatives. I consider myself conservative in many ways -- conservative towards the environment, fiscally conservative, believe in strong military -- but I will NEVER vote for the current republicans. They are hateful, homophobic, and stupidly religious.
Squiggy. What you just outlined is a big part of the problem for the GOP. Many of us hope that the party will straighten itself out and become viable again, but most of hope that this does not come at the expense or failure of the Democratic party. The GOP can only become a legitmate party again by coming up with new ideas and standing up for conservatism, NOT by name calling, self-righteousness, or no-ism as seen by the Zombie Inc crowd. So perhaps let's not cheer so loudly for the failure of the Dems (you seem excited by the prospect of the Dems "coming apart"), but rather for the return of the GOP based on it's merits. Two strong parties is what is best for the country.
"Gingrich, who increasingly pontificates with the bravado of the vacuous TV anchor from the old Mary Tyler Moore Show, Ted Baxter"
but the character ted baxter was always looking into his own heart for what could be improved.
squiggy: "The real test will be fiscal conservatives getting together to make clear social issues are not political"
is this the squiggy that ranks with banjo1 as the beast and huffpo's most hysterical homophobes?
What? Squiggy isn't a homophobe. Banjo is... but Squiggy isn't. (But Banjo is hillarious. Every time his shoe comes untied, "It's those gays!" If you don't laugh out loud every now and again you really need to pay more attention.)
Conservatives getting together? LOL Really? Unless everyone BOWS to their inherent idiocy, they get along with no one.
The GOP has a Blues Brothers problem:
"What kind of music do you play here, anyway?"
"Why we got both kinds, reactionary and wingnut."
This is a Conservative talk host, genius! Of course you Neo Cons who have left the country in shambles don't know what a true conservative is.I'm a progressive but,you're not a conservative if you are for overturning Roe vs. Wade; invading Iraq;spying on innocent Americans; torture;and running up deficits in record numbers. The only true Conservative of the last 50 years was Barry Goldwater and he would have hated All of what Bush did and MOST of what Reagan did!
Why the panicky empty grasps to not only declare the Republican party dead but consisting only of old white males? Dems took the congress only in 2006 and before that a "so-called" Republican was in the White House for 8 years. In fact, Repubs have been in the WH for most of the last several decades with the exception of Clinton and Carter. If the Dems keep trying to spend $$ we don't have Repubs or conservative independents will likely gain many seats in 2010 and possibly the WH in 2012. This is precisely why Obama says it is now or never for universal health care. He knows that if the people wake up and smell the coffee they will try to stop the economic destruction and chaos he is orchestrating. Back to the point, there are plenty of female, non-white, and young people in the conservative movement. Plus, the conservative tent is big enough to also house rich old white men without them having to first apologize for being white or male. Puleeeze.
Who, other than old, rich, white male bigots make up the Republican party??? Hmmm....Coulter, Palin and a disgraced ex-Miss CA....shall we call them the Rebimbocans? My apologies to any true Bimbo's that I may have offended. You should be thankful that you have someone like Powell, with amazing character and class, still calling himself a Republican...he's a gentleman and will go down with his ship....
Limeridger wrote: "Back to the point, there are plenty of female, non-white, and young people in the conservative movement."
This is simply not true, unless your definition of "plenty" is "a disproportionately small number." Part of the problem with the conservative movement is this dependency on completely fictitious numbers. The Bush Presidency spent 8 years lying through their teeth about, well, just about everything, and now you've all carried on the tradition. Problem is, this time you're just lying to yourselves. "We have a shot at the White House," "We have the majority," etc.
The GOP won't recover until this chronic dishonesty stops.
There is an interesting new Gallup poll out today which suggests Conservatives outnumber Liberals over 2:1. "Moderates" make up 35%.
This nation remains conservative, and the left should beware and not overreach.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/120857/Conservatives-Single-Largest-Ideologic al-Group.aspx
AiriqS-- whatever makes you feel better. Although I don't know how comforting it really is for you to believe "conservatives outnumber liberals 2:1" when Obama won in a landslide. Lemme guess: McCain just wasn't conservative enough, and that huge conservative majority said to themselves "to hell with it, we'll vote for the black socialist fascist Muslim terrorist baby-killer who doesn't have a birth certificate and is planning on destroying America." Does that about sum it up? Just trying to figure out the storyline for the Right Wing Reality Show as of late.
AiriqS -- if you look at the link you posted, you will see that while self-reported conservatives outnumber self-reported liberals, the republican party relies on conservatives, whereas the democratic party houses liberals, moderates and conservatives. The issue is not conservative vs. liberal -- it's a political issue about political parties. The GOP, as a political party, is in trouble because it doesn't reach out to other groups and is dominated by a brand of conservatism that most people, including OTHER TYPES of conservatives, find abhorrent. Note that the article does not say that conservates are 'living dead' - republicans.
Limeridger... please don't reproduce....your fantasy world would not be able to handle 2 people that refuse to deal in facts.
try to educate yourself as hard it apparently is for you.
Referencing that 'new Gallup poll,' there must have been a huge number of conservatives voting for Obama for him to have gotten the election results he got. A country conservative to the tune of 2:1 voted overwhelmingly for the guy who opposed the conservative candidate.
Limeridger stands hip deep in the economic wreckage of the Bush administration, or indeed in the Rethug administrations of the past several decades, as he says, and he states that BHO is orchestrating economic destruction.
Priceless.
And how do you think the CEO at United Health Care who compensated himself ONE $ ONE HALF BILLION DOLLARS in 2006 feels about Obama's
health care plan? Do you think he smells the coffee. When you say 'the people wake up and smell the coffee,' do you mean the 54 million who don't have health care? Ask yourself, if we offered them coffee or universal health care which would they choose?You sound like a health care industry tool.
Limeridger, The Dems have won the popular vote in 4 of the last 5 Presidential elections. The demographics are continuing to shift in their direction and the Rebubs have a message that clearly does not attract Hispanics, Blacks or middle income Asians or Whites. One thing is certain, if Obama brings low cost affordable health care to 110,000,000 million Americans he will be guaranteed reelection. In 8 years the population will be even more skewed to the Dems.
Geez you Rethugs have short memories and an aversion to facts! Bush inherited a surplus and brought us huge deficits by giving tax cuts to the rich. THAT'S spending money we don't have.If your happy spending double what ANY OTHER COUNTRY SPENDS ON HEALTHCARE,fine! The rest of us average working people,NOT SO MUCH!!!! Oh yeah,and the 2 periods of the worst economic growth in the last 50 years............ 1981-1988 AND ................2001 -2008.Fact. You can look it up. Wonder who was in charge then???
Evidently, you weren't watching the same television coverage of the Republican convention last year as the rest of us.
The GOP has a snowball's chance in hell of regaining seats in 2010 or 2012, Limeridger. You really need to listen to what Mr. Batchelor has to say.
The Republican party as it stands, is like a retiree country club golf outing. The Republican National Convention last July was 98% Caucasian.
The party does not attract the young, the college educated, the Hispanics, and definitely not the African Americans.
The Republicans in power right now are doing their level best to finish off your party, may it R.I.P.
I enjoyed your screed. Especially liked the phrase "halitosis of self-righteousness." BIg Tent is a moniker I never really understood as it pertains to, and is used to promote, the GOP.
The bleating of their current flock of bellwethers is panicky and morose. Hoping America fails, touting illegal methods to fight terrorism and calling the SCOTUS nominee a new racist does little to encourage and much to alienate. Brawn and bullying seem to be the GOP obsession. What it needs is brains.
Touche'...
Limbaugh does have a point that Batchelor does not answer. What has Powell done to ever prove that he is a staunch Republican? He criticizes the party at every turn and does not support the things that the party stands for . If he thinks that the party should be pro choice and softer about affirmative action, etc. then there is a place for that.....the Democrat Party. Powell laments that the party has become too rigid and not moderate enough, but when the Republicans nominated a moderate like McCain that was known and unlike Obama had the credentials to show he could reach across the aisle and work with others, he still chooses to endorse Obama.
The truth is, the Republicans needed to get their bearings. But what Batchelor and Murphy suggest is that it become Democrat-Lite. The truth is, the Democrats won in 2006 by running conservative Democrats in conservative districts in places like the Ohio River valley in districts in Kentucky and Southern Indiana and places like western North Carolina. Those districts are still inplay, and I would suggest that people like Heath Shuler may have a hard time in the next election if the Republicans decided to take back that seat - , which they may very well do. Additionally in places like Mississippi 1 where Travis Childers won against a pathetic Republican in Greg Davis, if Haley Barbour decides that that district will be Republican the next election, it will be. He didn't like Davis. In elections in LA where Democrats won special elections initially, they ended up losing in Novemebr. Don Cazayoux is no longer congressman from LA 6 and New Orleans is represented by a Republican Joseph Cao.
It would help if people like Murphy, Powell and Batchelor would be a little more specific about what the Republican Party needs to do to satisfy them so that they can once again grace us with their approbation. Last time I checked neither Limbaugh, Gingrich or Cheney are running for any office nor have they said they would. Funny, whether you like them are not, they actually profess to believe in something. Batchelor does not and Powell changes his mind on it all the time.
I know, I know, we cannot criticize someone as noble as Colin Powell. Hey, he may be a very good general, but when it comes to issues that affect my pocket book and things for my family, his political views are just plain wrong and misguided. He's not a Republican at any level- not even a moderate one. I have no problem with his military acumen, but politically he's just not a Republican despite his protests to the contrary. if he were, he would have supported a moderate like John McCain whom no one could have mistaken as an ultra conservative except for the fact that he was pro life and always had been.
The Republicans could surprise and surprise in places you might not expect. Look out if the Republicans take Virginia and New Jersey. Michigan will be next and Dodd will be in serious trouble in Connecticut if Peter Schiff runs.
Batchelor needs to stop wringing his hands and stop playing scared of the Democrats- they can be beaten
???????. Powell is not a REAL Republican?. Why because he speaks his mind? He does not tow the "Limbaugh Line" and since when is a Drug addicted, three times married coward like Limbaugh the "Voice" of the G.O.P?.
Powell got strung up by following the Cheney / Rumsfeld line @ the UN so he knows 1st hand what the other "Republicans" will do to one of their own.
"Hey, he may be a very good general, but when it comes to issues that affect my pocket book and things for my family, his political views are just plain wrong and misguided. He's not a Republican at any level- not even a moderate one. I have no problem with his military acumen, but politically he's just not a Republican despite his protests to the contrary. if he were, he would have supported a moderate like John McCain whom no one could have mistaken as an ultra conservative except for the fact that he was pro life and always had been".
R U F*&KING joking?. Your pocket book?. What did GW do to your pocket book the last 8 years?. So that is the ONLY criteria you use for voting for a Republican?.
News Flash, most Americans do not want an "Ultra Conservative", they prefer moderates, make no mistake.
G.O.P. = R.I.P.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
I think Muddog brings up valid points. Many of the people named in this article are LOUSY conservatives. Theocrat has been mixed into the conservative matra when they mean very different things.
The Republicans haven't held their own tenets in a very long time. Powell is intelligent and wise. He has made several gross errors and it has cost him. And you know what... he learned from those errors. Something Cheney could never do.
Colin Powell is the ONLY Republican that THIS Republican can stomach these days...along with the 27% of other Republicans that voted for Obama!
OK muddog, tell me what a moderate Republican believes. Powell has said things that are anathema to Republican thought. Things like, Americans don't mind big governmemnt as long as it works right. Is he against higher taxes? How does he feel about the growth of government and its expansion into the private sector in areas like the auto industry and now health care? Come on....come on , quick, quick, think of some sort of expletive laden beginning to start insulting Republicans with.
I love how libs....err...I'm sorry, independents trot out Powell as the wholesome face of what a Republican should be. You all go out and say how he was duped by Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld. Has he said that or is that some sort of belief that you are projecting onto him/ To this day, Powell has not retracted his UN statements.
I don't consider him a Republican because he speaks his mind,to the contrary, I don't consider him a Republican, because nowadays when he does speak his mind he sounds like a Democrat. As for Limbaugh, I'm no great fan, but he makes a good point on Powell in asking what he believes in. Batchelor still does not say what his ideal Republican would look like.
As to my pocketbook, I made more money under Bush than I did under Clinton, but, I guess that's because I actually work and when things look like theyare getting tough or a recession is coming, I decide not to participate. The difference between you and the rest of the sniveling liberals and myself is that I expect recessions every 7-8 years. It's part of the way things work.
You are right though most Americans do not want Ultra Conservatives. But they DO want Conservatives...there is a difference. Rememberand you being the dog that you are -muddog, moderate or middleof the road is where the roadkill is. I have scene scores of your brethren canines lying there with tire tracks trying to dodge those coming from the two different directions.
I wish and hope that people can break out of their dualistic mindset and realize that the world and issues we face can not so easily be split into two sides. US against THEM, Democrats Vs Republicans, Liberals Vs Conservatives, Good Vs Evil; these concepts lead people down a path were they defend their "party line" at the cost of reason and honest democracy.
Party loyalty is a concept that fills me with dread, in my mind it echos too close to demagogoues of generations past speaking of "party loyalty" and "enemies of the party". What about loyalty to democracy? Loyalty to the constitution? To the people they are (in the case of politicans) elected to represent?
Open, honest and respectful debate is supposed to be the fuel that keeps the democratic machine running; yet these things seems to be pushed aside. Sacrificed on the altar of party loyalty and absolutism.
Too true... far too true.
"What has Powell done to ever prove that he is a staunch Republican?"
How about standing in front of the United Nations making the case for yellow cake uranium and Iraq's WMD based on nothing more than Bush and Cheney's say-so? Of course the word of the then President and then Vice-President turned out to be nothing but lies.
Powell performed an exercise in loyalty and got shafted for it. Is it any wonder he's a bit dissappointed?
Muddog displays a good chunk of the problem with the phrase "REAL Republican".
A real Republican is anyone who checks the box on their voter card. But REAL Republicans are determined by the ideological litmus tests of any other REAL Republican who is willing to use a public position and the media to to denounce some other, real Republicans as not having drunk deeply enough of the crazy conservative coolaid to be of service to, or have an opinion about, the Republican party.
Dude, the party stands for one thing only, "NO."
bcaldwell, you're kind of illustrating the point: Only a select few ideologically pure can call themselves Republicans these days. You're right that Powell endorsed Obama, and he laid out his reasoning with incredible precision. As a military guy he liked Obama's calmness in the face of the financial meltdown as contrasted with McCain's theatrics. He also saw the hijacking of McCain's candidacy by anti-intellectuals and bigots. (What would William Buckley think?) And when did it become acceptable use the term "Democrat Party"? I can actually hear you spit out the word, like you need to voice your contempt the way a schoolyard bully making fun of someone's name. It's "Democratic Party" . Civilized people refer to people by the name they call themselves. (And yes, I'm not a fan of people referring to you as other than a "Republican". Using any other name means they've run out of arguments) And Rush went off the deep end saying Powell endorsed Obama strictly because of race. That's incredibly insulting, polarizing and downright inaccurate. I would *love* a viable Republican party that respected intellect and subtlety, so as to keep the Democrats from going off the rails as they did in the late '60s and 70s. Come up with a program that has the adults in charge instead of the whining children.
If you think that someone who is liberal on social issues but conservative about the military isn't conservative or should join the Democrats then you typify everything the author laments. Did you even read the article?
Their are different types of conservatives and the typology I most often see is the three brands; 1) social conservatives (abortion and gays and religion), 2) fiscal conservatives (Scarborough and Gingrich, etc.), 3) and national security limited government, and state's rights conservatives. You rarely find the 3 united in any individual because often the positions might be irreconcilable (maybe not for you, but i think this is something young conservatives are dealing with). Not that Im assuming you are old. lol.
That is the reason every conservative invokes Reagan because even if he didnt embody the unity of these 3 strands, at least his administration did.
Happy Blogging,
Chris
The GOP is grieving. And while they're doing this they're bingeing on the things that make them feel better.
Limbaugh, Hannity, Cheney, Coulter and all the rest are there to remind the faithful over and over:
"Everything is all right. They just don't appreciate you like they should. None of what's happened is your fault. They'll come to understand how right you are. You'll see."
It's a message that the Republicans desperately need to hear. They'll do anything not to face the idea that they've got it all wrong (or any part of it wrong) over the past eight years.
Maybe they'll turn it around. Someone will have to come and give them something to believe in again.
But, until then, America and the world are sure lucky that the Republicans are fully out of power. In they're current state they're not capable of much that's constructive.
well-put portrait of the psychology of many in the Republican camp. Frum, Brooks and others are trying to be adults but they're having a hard time getting their voices heard by the old-guard.
"Everything is all right. They just don't appreciate you like they should. None of what's happened is your fault. They'll come to understand how right you are. You'll see."
Sounds like Eric Cartrman's mom. "No Dear, the other children are just jealous of you. You're NOT fat, just big boned."
For a party/ideology that preaches "personal responsibility" they're mighty quick to blame others, and absolve themselves. I guess that phrase, as well as (Ensign, Vitter, Craig, et al) "Family Values" only apply to others...
I have to LOL at the Republicans who are SO upset about Iran's stolen election, but viciously attacked anyone who so much as questioned the 2000 SCOTUS/Diebold coup and the 2004 Ohio theft!
.
Sure took you a lot of name calling to make your point. Take out all the nasty stuff and this would have been a page long. Glad to see name calling and personal insults is a bi-partisan agenda.
Speaking of agendas, I really like the Dem's current plan of calling the GOP names for their views in hopes that the GOP will 'change' into, you guessed it, Dems. Specter and Powell bought into that and I'm betting they won't be the last.
In reference to GOP 'views'-
What are they exactly?
A lot of the country is wondering.
Yelling words like liberty and freedom
While espousing the kissing of
The Constitution
Do not qualify as views.
Negativity
Tax cuts and
Voting No to everything
Do not qualify as views-
Nor do they qualify as solutions
To the Country's current problems.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
@CaliforniaScreaming
the biggest expansion of government happened under the last republican. I can't research your other remarks but my gut feeling is that they are similarly accurate.
california screaming: "Liberal are closed minded, hateful, judgmental, anti-American..."
right now, lgbt americans are fighting for the american dream of equality, stability, and safety. social conservatves and religious on both sides want to see that as unamerican and see us as inhuman, otherwise they'll have to change and grow with the rest of the world.
you crush your own colorful argument about the kindness of republicans. show us your superior humanity and respect for partriotic struggle if you have it.
"Liberal are closed minded, hateful, judgmental, anti-American, tax increases and voting yes on everything that increases government."
By far one of the most obtuse statements today. Which political spectrum is more likely to work for the dispossessed, poor and needy? Hateful? Listen to the party pundits...(many named above) Judgemental... oh good Lord above, take any hot-button issue and see which political spectrum member you're most likely to get shot by. Tax increases? Last 8 years... under conservative control only the top 5 percent have their taxes go down.
Couldn't help notice that while ritarita was satirizing some of the catch-phrases of Republicans, California Screaming just couldn't help trotting out "anti-American". I'm surprised you didn't mention "atheist" "communist" "fascist" or "pro child-molesters". You sound like Iranian Prez Ahmadinijad who would say that the opposing candidate is against Islam. Yes California, there there, go ahead and believe that everyone who disagrees with you is against America and everything good and true in this life and the next. Give it a rest already!!
What a great article! Perfectly articulates the profound feelings of much of the American public. Thank you!!!
Joseph Geobbels would be proud. Associating the GOP to the original terrorist group. It's happening.
It appears that it time for the Republican Party to start taking their lithium. The country needs balance and Cerberus (Newt, Rush and Cheney) has chased everyone away from the conservative side of the seesaw.
The new Rep. Platform:
1) No healthcare for those who can not afford it
2) The government must tell woman what to do with their bodies and those who interfere will be dealt with
3) Protect business leaders rights to suck the life's blood of from publicly traded corporations with questionable value added
4) Clean energy is for woosies
I have to work today so someone please continue!
5) We are a Christian Nation.
We despise non-Christians and
We want all those Moslems to go home.
6) Instead of focusing on important issues, we will offer fake outrage at anything or anyone who is critical of our Wasilla Thrilla.
7) We will forget that Newt Gingrich has been married three times and led the charge to impeach Clinton for adultery while he, Newtie, was himself commiting adultery. Heck, now that Newtie's a new Catholic, he has earned the right to be a self-righteous a@@hole.
Etienne, Rita and Kathy,
Keep it coming. Your lists are spot on.
I just want to comment that the Cerberus reference is spot-on. Thanks for supplying that image.
6) we need your tolerance to be a two-way street; for us, we don't do tolerance at all.
7) if you disagree with us you're taking away our freedom of speech.
8) eat lead.
9. We will "wink wink" at the illegal citizen army in pursuit of the dreaded and illegal alien.
Because the Federal Gov't isn't doing its' job.
And number 10: Be afraid. Be very afraid. All the time, of everybody who is different and not 'Murican.
Roger-
Don't know how that one
Could have been left out.
FEAR is the necessary ingredient
In every Republican recipe.
I really missed those ORANGE ALERTS
During the election cycle last Fall.
Here is a thought for politicians everywhere: perhaps a bright one, in either party, could put a stop to the continued old boy school, conflict of interest policy of giving folks regulartory positions that merely are conduits to high paying jobs (in the same field) afterwards.
So whose keeping score of 2009 GOP war: MM(minority of minority) vs BM(base of minority). MM 5 here, and the suspense for the BM response is simply overwhelming. How exciting ugghh...
I'm with Squiggy, limited message of fiscal conservatism is the future. Wake up and let's get on with it.
GOP
Grumpy Old People
One of the major problems the Republican party has is that it is controlled by Fox News and Rush Limbaugh. Those that run Fox News as well as Limbaugh have a hugh investment (financial as well as emotional) to keep the Republican party a mean-spirited, extremist party. Until this hold can be distroyed, I don't see any hope that the conservatives will have any resonable party to express their position. This is the faustian bargain the Republican party made - they wanted the fringe to fire up the base and now the fringe is in control and they don't know how to get the control back. Very sad, very worrisome.
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Now repeat CalScreams diatribe using Arnold's accent.
Don't y'all have enough problems in your state?
What whining are you talking about? Just the trashing of the constitution may never be corrected. And fixing the last 8 years, can you even imagine how much money is being thrown at the Dems now? How will they be able to resist? And if they do will they end up like Wellstone?
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californiascreaming.
Please articlulate how Limabugh is "Right".....
"The problem is Limbaugh and other conservatives don't want to engage", no SHIT!. Limbaugh would get hammered on a show like Bill Maher, Olberman and Stewart, he can only BS his way when he is around like minded thugs, Limbaugh is a coward.
Cheney has lost his mind, he pushed the US to go to Iraq and look what it was brought... 60,000 dead iraqi's and over 4,000 dead Americans for NO WMD, @ the very least it was a mistake and the very worst it was an out and out lie.
Limbaugh is a drug addicted, three times married bloated thug, if he is the answer then the G.O.P. is F*&KED.
"Cheney has lost his mind, he pushed the US to go to Iraq and look what it was brought... 60,000 dead iraqi's and over 4,000 dead Americans"
add all the billions in cost to that tragic graveyard.
Limbaugh is the "King of Non-guested Confrontation." He has shown that he cannot think on his feet fast enough to hold his own in a debate. He requires his own format with no guests so he can pull facts out of his nether regions to support his outrageous accusations, with nobody to call him on it.
But the really scary part of Limbaugh are all the mouthbreathers that accept his propagandizing with no critical thinking. Think Munich, 1932.
Lets not forget that tens of thousands of solders were saved by modern medicine but are seriously walking wounded that need to be counted among the casualties.
if this is gop wisdom, you'll not be getting the youth back any time soon.
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Youth doesn't matter? It does because the old die. In 20 years if the Republicans don't change they will be extinct. We need both sides of the political spectrum to have a functional democracy.
But another true conservative party will take their place. Maybe that isn't such a bad thing...
"The problem is Limbaugh and other conservatives don't want to engage"
True: They don't want to engage because they can't. Limbaugh and his type have radio or television shows where they can control the debate. They can shout down guests they don't agree with. They cut off discussion with anyone who makes points they don't like. This is the only way their brand of communication will work.
Put any of these guys on an even playing field where they're forced to respond to follow-up questions and back up what they say with facts and they'll fall apart completely.
Not Maher............. I thought ole' Bill was gonna give Joe the Plumber a blow job right there on the stage!
California, what are Limbaugh and Cheney right about? Could you give me even one example where Liz Cheney is holding her own weight or making a point that couldn't be disputed.
I see Limbaugh as a coward, and Hannity as one for refusing to be waterboarded, but what do I know, I am just a Colorado Singing and not quite so angry.
Does anger make your brain work better? Maybe I will try it.
The "deficits don't matter"-Dick Cheney, economy that the republicans set into motion 25 years ago hasn't turned out so great...In Iraq it cost over a million dollars a piece to kill or capture a single jihadi, while Iran's regional influence has expanded...Then there's Katrina, the corruption scandals, etc...And not a single right wing radio guy accepts any blame for any of this..."Flim flam cronies" is apt but an overly kind description...Batchelor is right on.
blinky,a million,thats pennies,we have to be near a billion,at least hundreds of millions,and the last 25 years were great or Dick Chaney fo sure.all of them.
Viagra, anyone?
Exactly.
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CaliforniaScreaming...the article is titled: "Attack of the Zombie Republicans". Did you miss this because you sound like you did? We are discussing the REPUBLICAN dead weight in this case....
Your comment "Plus Arnold is a liberal not a Republican." Don't even understand this comment. He totally is a Reagan loving Repub.
I don't see that Limbaugh wants to lead. He sits on the sideline in his cozy studio taking swipes at people. Why doesn't he go on some of the shows and defend his ideas? To me a guy who sits back there and only preaches to his choir is a big pussy.
1st - Don't assume that everyone who voted against McCain is a Dem.
2nd- We do have a representative form of government, which means that politicians (at least some dems) listen to their constituency before acting which takes time.
3rd - "Do I know anything about civics." They are a pretty good car and they used to get excellent gas mileage.
4th - Some had to suffer the last 8 years listening to crap about if you don't agree with Bush you are unAmerican, and worse watching the erosion of the constitution that will probably be worse with the dems. Look at how many traffic cameras there are now or the 72 year old grandma getting tasered because she talked back to constable. One could write a book on how much got f*&8ed up by Cerberus!
CS see Genni's comment! "He sits on the sideline in his cozy studio taking swipes at people", "sits back there and only preaches to his choir is a big pussy." I agree 100% with Genni which means You could be Rush....
Now I know why they call them ditto heads!!
Be fair Genni, he has gone on Sean Hannity. LOL
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CaliforniaScreaming:
Keith Olbermann a pussy? YOU say. You better check down their between your own legs...Masculinity seems to be a preoccupation with you.
californiascreaming........
It will take a while to undue what "Get 'er Done" did for 8 years. You need to do your homework before you spout off, there is not a 60 seat filibuster proof firewall in the senate, your Repub coward Norm Coleman is holding that up, he lost now he should step aside....
Why is it that the conservative gas bags cannot handle real debate?., Why do they sit on the sidelines?. I agree with Genni2002, why wont Limbaugh get off his fat ass and debate a Liberal on TV live?.
Arnold, Cloin Powell, McCain are all REAL Republicans, they are just not single issue rubes.
Frankly I think the best thing to happen is the G.O.P. falls flat on it's face and startas from scratch, let the wingnuts go off on their own...
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So muddog, McCain is a real Republican? Hmmmmmm then why did not your St. Colin of the Powells endorse the real Republican? It had to be because of race... you let the cat out of the bag. Powell was a Republican only until there was a viable black candidate, then he abandons his party and I suppose his political principles and votes for the black guy. Because there is nothing about Barack Obama that is even moderate Republican or any proof that he ever worked across the aisle on tough subjects...didn't you ...read his, uh , books?????
Hey all of you folks who criticize Republicans and tell them how they can improve...is it that you are disappointed with the Republicans and really, reallly really want to go back to them, or ...whatever. Muddog, you wouldn't vote for a Republican anyway, all of this concern about how badly the Republicans are doing is disingenuous. If the party was full of John McCains you would have a problem with it.
First there is not a 60 seat filabuster proof Senate, because your repug Norm Coleman has not lost enough yet..and further it will take a good deal of time to unwind the mess our country is in because of the Cheney/Bush cabal who by the way, never governed. They were too busy breaking laws and shredding the Constitution. Your "Get 'er done" reference makes it seem that you would be more comfortable in Mississippi than in California.
Redhead, did you mean the river or the state of Mississippi?
Very funny and masterfully written. You hit the nail on the head. If the Republican Party is to redeem itself it must get rid of its bigoted, hysterical base, pure and simple. I have written on this blog that extremists have no place in a mainstream political party; in Europe they have their own fringe Party (Le Pen's National Front in France comes to mind). As long as Limbaugh and Cheney continue to dictate the norms of the Party, it is destined to, yes, fail. Failure is a word that describes Cantor, Gingrich, Limbaugh, and especially Cheney, perfectly.
GOP Platform Continued
9) We hate Gay people
10) We hate Black people
11) We hate Jews
12) We hate everybody who isn't like us
13) We believe Racists are just misunderstood and need to be represented like everyone else
14) We hate foreigners too
Obama's family's pastor(for 20 years!): We hate Jews
Where do you get this stuff from? It is you folks on the left that hate and you project it onto the Conservatives. You actually hate people that's why you guys support things like unfettered access to abortion, increased welfare and nationalized healthcare. You guys divide people up into groups. You guys believe that people cannot accomplish anything and the government has to be there to ppick up the peices.
Republicans hate Jews.... really say that to Bill Kristol and Charles Krauthammer or Joe Lieberman
Republicans hate blacks..... Check out the Voting Rights Act it was Republicans that got it passed since the majority of Democrats were against it
I haven't heard the Republicans say that...but then again I'm not up on my code
Hate Gays.... no, just because we support DOMA just like Clinton and Obama?
Racists? The Democrats are the biggest racists ever. Paternalistic bastards that enslave folks in Ghettos like Cabrini Green or allow the NEA to get away with not teaching kids in inner city schools how to read or write. Yeah guys like Daley in Chicago....wonderful guy ....oops a Democrat.
Hate foreigners.... that's stupid, we think that American citizenship is not something you steal, there is a process and illegals short circuit it. However, we DO hate the French.
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Number Six...
Dead on.
The only word Batchelor forgot to use is the one that sums them all up:
Petulant.
Isn't that the truth.
Imagine going in your kids messy room to clean up while he's still trashing the room and refuses to help.
That is today's GOP.
They left us stuck in two wars damn near destroyed the global economy and now that we have someone in charge who's trying to clean up there mess they refuse to help.
I imagine you must be a lousy parent. You need to be more hands on. And be sure to be nice to the hired help.
I can't believe there is still somebody in the republican party capable of realistic, lucid thinking. John Bachelor is a remarkable person in this respect.
Did CaliforniaScreaming go off his meds?
No.
He's just an angry angry man.
You've seen him on the freeway-
Driving too fast and screaming to
Himself inside the truck cab.
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Hahahaha.
Screamer-
Aren't you happy to think that.
You should try and get some help
For your fragile state of mind.
xRR
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Hey Screamer. Take it from somebody who's possibly older than even you: those kind of insults are a little, like, outdated. Nobody gets insulted by that anymore because it says a lot more about you than anybody else.
roger37 -- Screamer's comment is an audition to enter pricklypear's Tween Comments Fraternity
Woops! Looks like California Screamer got disappeared, also.
DB censors--can't you just take out the really offensive ones? We're grownups and can handle most of what screamer says. Don't get like Huff Po, OK?
Thank you.
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