If you drive a Volvo and you do yoga, you are pretty much a Democrat. If you drive a Lincoln or a BMW and you own a gun, you’re voting for George Bush.
- Ken Mehlman
In a moment of high comedy, some GOP functionary once referred to the Republican Party as the “Big Tent Party”. Well, sure…it IS a big tent- as long as you’re White, Rich, Extremely Conservative, and not at all concerned with independent thinking. If you fit that mold, you’re more than welcome. If you don’t, well, you might be able to get a job waiting tables at the country club, because you’re sure as hell not going to be occupying a leadership position in the new GOP.
Having gutted their opponents, Republicans are pretending to patch up divisions as they ruthlessly consolidate their gains. Democrats are turning the other cheek. At the opening of his presidential library, Bill Clinton assured the audience that Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry were “good people” who “just see the world differently.”
The Republican Visigoths are crushing checks and balances and driving Democrats (and moderate Republicans) into subservient, obedient roles, sticking antiabortion provisions into major spending bills. Even the suggestion that Congress has an advise-and-consent role on judges caused the Visigoths to slap Arlen Specter into stocks, until he whimpered he would do their bidding.
The party of moral values deemed that crime pays, shielding Tom DeLay with a rule that someone facing a felony charge can still be a leader.
The ultracreepy Mr. DeLay de-pantsed Democrats on Friday, sneering: “I understand the Democrat Party’s adjustment to their national minority status is frustrating, but their crushing defeat … should show them that the American people are tired of the politics of personal destruction.”
Well, yeah. Watching Bush supporters shred a war hero into a war criminal was tiring.
Yes, it’s true; being a Republican means never having to say you’re sorry. It also means that you can allow your Machiavellian leanings free reign (Tom DeLay, anyone??). Now that Republicans have sold their testosterone-laced world view to the American public, it is now time to clean house. Those who do not march in ideological lockstep with the Bush Administration might as well begin polishing their resumes, because the odds are that they will be looking for employment sooner rather than later.
There appears to be no place for independent thinking or (HORRORS!) “moderate” Republicans- you know, the kind who don’t necessarily think that poor people are only poor because they want to be. And how sad is it when Democrats (or Ellen Goodman) are reduced to defending trolls like Arlen Specter? Talk about the lesser evil….
To make matters worse, the Visigoths are trying to enforce the lockstep mentality on the American public as a whole.
This most secretive administration wants to stop the public from getting any facts that might challenge its story line.
The Department of Homeland Security is making employees and contractors sign pledges barring them from telling the public about sensitive but unclassified information.
Porter Goss has warned C.I.A. employees that they should support the administration and “scrupulously honor our secrecy oath” by letting only the agency’s public affairs office and Congressional relations branch talk to the media and Congress.
Senate Republicans have voted to allow Bill Frist, the majority leader, to fill vacancies on powerful committees, rather than abiding by the seniority system - a sword over moderates and mavericks.
The White House says it wants greater harmony, but it’s acting like the thought police. Having run into resistance in their bid for global domination, the president and vice president are going for federal domination, pushing out anyone with independent judgment who puts democracy above ideology.
It’s a paradoxical game plan: imposing democracy abroad while impeding it here.
Well, of course, silly. Iraqis can’t vote in American elections, remember? Besides, what else could one reasonably expect from a President whose ideal Cabinet would probably be the Iraqi Governing Council- grateful, compliant, blissfully unaware of the Constitution?
Congratulations, America- you’ve done this to yourself. Nice going….
Your continuing assertion that conservatives by and large lack independent thinking is superficial and unsubstantiated by reality. This puzzles me.
I do agree with your last statement.
No, bob, it's not that I believe that Conservatives are incapable of independent thinking. I DO believe that Conservatives found "guilty" of thinking independently are committing career suicide.
Yes, any conservative that doesn't completely adhere to the party line gets labeled a RINO (Republican In Name Only) and treated to the same abuses as any Democrat.
It makes more sense now, thanks.
I guess it boils down to what you interpret independent thinking to be, and who's doing the thinking. Clinton never hesitated to solicit resignations from cabinet level people who were "independent" nor did other presidents, particularly during their second terms.
I'm still curious about one thing... Large numbers of people who are democrats or might describe themselves as liberal voted for republican candidates recently. Are these people independent thinkers?
And, of course, the neo-cons are the self-appointed keepers of the flame when it comes to ideological purity. Republicans really DO eat their young....
I think Northstar's primary argument comes down to, how can the Republican Party claim to be a "big tent" when it treats people who disagree with leadership policies so badly.
The lines of argument are:
- Is it okay for Republicans to disagree with the actions of Tom DeLay and the more conservative side of the party?
- Are the policies being put forward by the more conservative elements of the party, the policies that Northstar objects to, wrong and, if so, why?
Oh, and:
- Are the actions taken against Republicans who disagree with the "party line" appropriate or warranted?
Last time I checked, a person was still innocent until proven guilty. Like it or not, this applies to DeLay. At the point he becomes a political liability the republicans will point him toward the door. (Remember Trent Lott?)
The administration's actions are both appropriate and warranted. Similar measures have been taken by many presidents. "Visigoths crushing checks & balances is a gross exageration borne of extreme disagreement (and perhaps a desire to use exotic adjectives ;) It's typical inflamatory liberal fear tactics at work. The internal rules and structure of either party has absolutely nothing to do with the system of checks and balances put in place by our constitution.
bob,
the point is the PARTY is not what we elect these people to represent, and the PARTY RULES are not supposed to be imposed in place of government.
these people work for us. You and me. The voters.
It's about time we started reminding them of that.
THROW ALL THE BASTARDS OUT IN 06!
The point is that political parties are one thing, and the checks and balances prescribed by the constitution are another.
A related point is that this TPRS post and similar items in mainstream news decry horror and exploit fear at absolutely routine actions from the executive branch.
The democrat party dominated the legislative branch of our federal government for several generations. Within it evolved a party pecking order, or "good ole boy" system that fed on itself and ultimately distanced the party proper from the people it claimed to represent. Eventually it became clear to many democrats that their party was controlled by superficial liberal elitists.
"Regan democrats" were an anomoly. The clear conservative trend began to grow in the early 90's, bore fruit in 94, and continues to grow today.