One of my Facebook friends (How sad is it when you have far more online "friends" than you do in real life?) is an unabashed and unrepentant Conservative whose opinions I find rather amusing. Most of her writings are on variations of what she calls "Progressive Conservatism", which, over and above anything else, sets off my oxymoron radar. "Progressive Conservatism"? OK, so I could be trite and compare it to things like "military intelligence", "slightly pregnant", or even the classic "Compassionate Conservative". I could do that, but it would be way to easy, so what's left to me then is to recognize and highlight the desperation those on the Right seem to be feeling these days and the degree to which they'll go to repackage themselves in their efforts to deceive the American Sheeple. After all, is not a wolf in sheep's clothing still in the final analysis a wolf?
I've actually tried to engage some of these folks in something resembling a debate online, but that's turned out to be a spectacularly unsuccessful strategy. The reality is that most of these folks just simply don't get it. They understand that they lost this election- badly- but they seem unable and unwilling to honestly recognize and evaluate the reasons why they had their @$$e$ handed to them as they did. They seem to think that it's merely a matter of tinkering around the margins, and then Americans will once again be voting Republican. Clueless and built to stay that way....
OK, in an attempt to assist those who clearly neither want or value assistance, here's one person's primer as to why Republicans lost so badly:
Three words: George W. Bush. Mr. 24% © is far more interested in his own principles than in what's best for the country that (allegedly) elected him. Then again, when God's on your side, who needs public opinion? Stay the course!
Your Presidential candidate was a political opportunist willing to do or say ANYTHING that he thought would get him elected. What he opposed two years ago, he supported during the campaign...because in the end, principles don't matter a damn if you can't fool enough of the American Sheeple into voting for you.
Your Vice-Presidential candidate was straight from the Right's "Not Ready for Prime Time" Department. Oh, sure, I wouldn't kick her our of bed...as long as she didn't open her mouth. That someone lacking even the most basic grasp of complex issues could be thought ready to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency is an insult to any American with a functional intellect. What, McCain thought people would vote for him because men would be wanting to fantasize about (&^%$#@ Sarah Palin? If this doesn't make you question John McCain's judgment, there really isn't much hope for you, is there?
All protestations to the contrary, racism and fear-mongering is alive and well in today's GOP. When y'all discovered that you couldn't compete on the issues, you resorted to lies (Obama's a Muslim), character assassination (Obama pals around with terrorists), and racism (Obama's a bad, angry black man). And that's just the stuff that immediately comes to mind.
Face facts, y'all; you were beaten by a candidate with superior ideas, who insisted on discussing issues, and who remained above the fray, In doing so, he revealed McCain-Palin and their Republican cohorts to be the vacant, ideologically bereft collection of desperate haters they truly are.
I could go on, but I think by know you probably understand the argument I'm trying to make. "Progressive Conservatism" is every bit the load of oxymoronic crap it sounds like. In the end, Progressive Conservatism is neither...which to me defines EXACTLY why Republicans not only lost, but were trounced on 11.4.08. No amount of rationalizing, sloganeering, or blame-shifting is going to change that- although y'all should feel free to go right ahead swimming in your delusions. The longer you refuse to face reality, the easier it's going to be for real Progressives to get this country back on track...and we've got a LOT of cleaning up to do from the mess y'all have left us.
Happy trails.... ;-)
