....would whither and die. As Gomez Adams would say, "Capitol idea, Tish!"So, this is the Republican Party of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, huh? That is (to be polite) a bit of a stretch, wouldn't you say so? To imply as much is like saying that Beach Blanket Bingo was a remake of Battleship Potemkin; or that Wayne's World was an adaptation of Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich - a silly proposition any way you slice it or dice it. Why don't they just rename it "The Tea Party" and be done with it? Or how about (in homage to Monty Python) "The Silly Party"? Anything but the Republican party. It only soils the memory of two great Presidents.
Then again, what's in a name? The damage has already been done and it may very well be irreparable. This was proven yet again on Tuesday in the so-called "New York 23" election, when the extremists from all over the country stormed into town to defeat a woman who was deemed "too moderate" for the half-witted hardliners. They ended up handing a congressional seat over to a Democrat in a district that has not gone Democratic since the nineteenth century. Way to go, assholes!
Then again, what's in a name? The damage has already been done and it may very well be irreparable. This was proven yet again on Tuesday in the so-called "New York 23" election, when the extremists from all over the country stormed into town to defeat a woman who was deemed "too moderate" for the half-witted hardliners. They ended up handing a congressional seat over to a Democrat in a district that has not gone Democratic since the nineteenth century. Way to go, assholes!
Who the hell is leading that worthless party anyway? Michael Steele? Please. Mitch McConnell?? Have another sip. Their "leadership" (such as it is) may be found in the form of Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and Michele Bachmann. Is it the goal of these clowns to destroy the GOP in order that it may be rebuilt in their own, hideous image? If that is the case they're in for quite a surprise. That nutty party is already "in their image". Are they serious when they imply that they wish to move it even further to the right? How "far right" can one move before one falls off of the face of the earth? Are they serious? Here's the good news: They are.
When the grand old party was handed over to the lunatic fringe of American politics at their convention in the summer of 1964, it was only a matter of time before it was destroyed from within. Who would have thought it would take forty-five years for that to happen? Better late than ever, I suppose - but DAMN! Did they have to take the rest of us down with them?
In his column in Monday's New York Times, the usually astute Paul Krugman ended that morning's piece with this extremely rare (for him) clunker:
"The point is that the takeover of the Republican Party by the irrational right is no laughing matter. Something unprecedented is happening here - and it's very bad for America."
No, Paul! BAD PAUL! What is happening here is very good for America! Can't you see? The Republican Party - the party of Strom Thurmond, Jerry Fallwell, Jesse Helms, Spiro Agnew and Ronald Reagan (all mercifully dead) - IS IN THE PROCESS OF COMMITTING SUICIDE! There is no other way to describe what is now happening to them! Professor Krugman, I admire you as much as any writer I can think of - but you must understand that this will not be "very bad for America". Trust me on this one, okay? Good Paul!
All over the print and electronic media this week, the poobahs and pundits are predicting major Republican gains in next year's elections. What is their basis for so bold a prediction? Historically, the party of a sitting president always loses in the midterm elections. It is as natural as autumn following summer. However, they fail to take into consideration one crucial factor: this is no ordinary time.
Given their weird behavior in the last year or so - and given the fact that they will only continue to self destruct in coming twelve months - I cannot foresee them gaining any serious ground in either the House or the Senate on Election Day next. In fact I can only see their numbers diminishing even further. By this time next year, Michele Bachmann will be yesterday's news - count on it.
We can only hope that out of the carnage of the GOP's destruction will come a third party that is a tad more moderate and thoughtful - and I must emphasize the word "Hope". That ain't never gonna happen, baby! It's easy to predict that the Democrats will be running things for a long time into the future. The problem with that little scenario is, as Lord Acton said, "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" - and the Democrats already have more-than-their-share of corrupt political hacks. For every Russ Feingold there are about ten Max Baucuses. If the Democratic Party is going to be taken seriously in their self-proclaimed roll as the "the party of the people" (and that's getting harder to believe by the day) they need to be purged of their dead weight.
Real reform is needed. And it's not just the GOP of which I speak. The overwhelming majority of our elected representatives - from both parties - need to be challenged in the primaries by reformers intent on taking our country back. That might also mean a challenge to the President in the primary of 2012. It is too early in this administration to give Barack Obama anything but the benefit of the doubt. We'll see where we stand a year or two from now. I want to believe in this guy - and I do believe in him - but the sad and painful truth is that I am starting to become disillusioned with my president.
In case you haven't noticed it, the entire American legislative branch has been taken over by organized criminals. But I'm preaching to the choir here. You have noticed, haven't you! Good for you! The most glaring comparison I can come up with is the mafia. Everybody knows what those worthless sons-of-bitches are all about. Everybody knows they make their living off society as parasites - and yet they operate right out in the open. How much of a no-brainer is it to conclude that lobbying is nothing more than legalized bribery? It's not free speech - it's organized crime! Why is it allowed to fester? Why are you and I allowing it to fester? What the hell is wrong with this picture? Any ideas? Any answers? HELLO, AMERICA???
In the mean time the ship of state is only going to continue to sink. That's alright by me, though. As long as I've got material to write about, I am as happy as a clam at high tide, thank you very much. For someone like me who makes his name writing about the catastrophe that the American political system has become in the last thirty years, these hideous fools are the gift that keeps giving and giving and giving and giving and giving and giving....
As Frank Sinatra once sang, "Don't worry 'bout me, I'll get along."
Tom Degan
tomdegan@frontiernet.net
SUGGESTED VIEWING:
Capitol Crimes
From Bill Moyers' Journal
Available from PBS Video
AFTERTHOUGHT:
Darlene Costner is a retired eighty-four year old woman living in Tuscon, Arizona. She writes a blog called Darlene's Hodgepodge that - in its sweet little way - kicks some serious butt. Highly recommended! Here's a link:
http://www.darleneshodgepodge.blogspot.com
The gal takes no prisoners - again, in a very sweet and loving way. Happy reading, campers!
In his column in Monday's New York Times, the usually astute Paul Krugman ended that morning's piece with this extremely rare (for him) clunker:
"The point is that the takeover of the Republican Party by the irrational right is no laughing matter. Something unprecedented is happening here - and it's very bad for America."
No, Paul! BAD PAUL! What is happening here is very good for America! Can't you see? The Republican Party - the party of Strom Thurmond, Jerry Fallwell, Jesse Helms, Spiro Agnew and Ronald Reagan (all mercifully dead) - IS IN THE PROCESS OF COMMITTING SUICIDE! There is no other way to describe what is now happening to them! Professor Krugman, I admire you as much as any writer I can think of - but you must understand that this will not be "very bad for America". Trust me on this one, okay? Good Paul!
All over the print and electronic media this week, the poobahs and pundits are predicting major Republican gains in next year's elections. What is their basis for so bold a prediction? Historically, the party of a sitting president always loses in the midterm elections. It is as natural as autumn following summer. However, they fail to take into consideration one crucial factor: this is no ordinary time.
Given their weird behavior in the last year or so - and given the fact that they will only continue to self destruct in coming twelve months - I cannot foresee them gaining any serious ground in either the House or the Senate on Election Day next. In fact I can only see their numbers diminishing even further. By this time next year, Michele Bachmann will be yesterday's news - count on it.
We can only hope that out of the carnage of the GOP's destruction will come a third party that is a tad more moderate and thoughtful - and I must emphasize the word "Hope". That ain't never gonna happen, baby! It's easy to predict that the Democrats will be running things for a long time into the future. The problem with that little scenario is, as Lord Acton said, "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" - and the Democrats already have more-than-their-share of corrupt political hacks. For every Russ Feingold there are about ten Max Baucuses. If the Democratic Party is going to be taken seriously in their self-proclaimed roll as the "the party of the people" (and that's getting harder to believe by the day) they need to be purged of their dead weight.
Real reform is needed. And it's not just the GOP of which I speak. The overwhelming majority of our elected representatives - from both parties - need to be challenged in the primaries by reformers intent on taking our country back. That might also mean a challenge to the President in the primary of 2012. It is too early in this administration to give Barack Obama anything but the benefit of the doubt. We'll see where we stand a year or two from now. I want to believe in this guy - and I do believe in him - but the sad and painful truth is that I am starting to become disillusioned with my president.
In case you haven't noticed it, the entire American legislative branch has been taken over by organized criminals. But I'm preaching to the choir here. You have noticed, haven't you! Good for you! The most glaring comparison I can come up with is the mafia. Everybody knows what those worthless sons-of-bitches are all about. Everybody knows they make their living off society as parasites - and yet they operate right out in the open. How much of a no-brainer is it to conclude that lobbying is nothing more than legalized bribery? It's not free speech - it's organized crime! Why is it allowed to fester? Why are you and I allowing it to fester? What the hell is wrong with this picture? Any ideas? Any answers? HELLO, AMERICA???
In the mean time the ship of state is only going to continue to sink. That's alright by me, though. As long as I've got material to write about, I am as happy as a clam at high tide, thank you very much. For someone like me who makes his name writing about the catastrophe that the American political system has become in the last thirty years, these hideous fools are the gift that keeps giving and giving and giving and giving and giving and giving....
As Frank Sinatra once sang, "Don't worry 'bout me, I'll get along."
Tom Degan
tomdegan@frontiernet.net
SUGGESTED VIEWING:
Capitol Crimes
From Bill Moyers' Journal
Available from PBS Video
AFTERTHOUGHT:
Darlene Costner is a retired eighty-four year old woman living in Tuscon, Arizona. She writes a blog called Darlene's Hodgepodge that - in its sweet little way - kicks some serious butt. Highly recommended! Here's a link:
http://www.darleneshodgepodge.blogspot.com
The gal takes no prisoners - again, in a very sweet and loving way. Happy reading, campers!
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