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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMUST READ: Jeff Flake's brilliant, patriotic speech is the GOP's death knell
By Keith Pickering at Daily Kos
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/24/1709523/-Jeff-Flake-s-brilliant-patriotic-speech-is-the-GOP-s-death-knell
"SNIP...........
Mr. President, I rise today to address a matter that has been much on my mind, at a moment when it seems that our democracy is more defined by our discord and our dysfunction than it is by our values and our principles. Let me begin by noting a somewhat obvious point that these offices that we hold are not ours to hold indefinitely. We are not here simply to mark time. Sustained incumbency is certainly not the point of seeking office. And there are times when we must risk our careers in favor of our principles.
Now is such a time.
It must also be said that I rise today with no small measure of regret. Regret, because of the state of our disunion, regret because of the disrepair and destructiveness of our politics, regret because of the indecency of our discourse, regret because of the coarseness of our leadership, regret for the compromise of our moral authority, and by our -- all of our -- complicity in this alarming and dangerous state of affairs. It is time for our complicity and our accommodation of the unacceptable to end.
In this century, a new phrase has entered the language to describe the accommodation of a new and undesirable order -- that phrase being "the new normal." But we must never adjust to the present coarseness of our national dialogue -- with the tone set at the top.
We must never regard as "normal" the regular and casual undermining of our democratic norms and ideals. We must never meekly accept the daily sundering of our country - the personal attacks, the threats against principles, freedoms, and institutions, the flagrant disregard for truth or decency, the reckless provocations, most often for the pettiest and most personal reasons, reasons having nothing whatsoever to do with the fortunes of the people that we have all been elected to serve.
None of these appalling features of our current politics should ever be regarded as normal. We must never allow ourselves to lapse into thinking that this is just the way things are now. If we simply become inured to this condition, thinking that this is just politics as usual, then heaven help us. Without fear of the consequences, and without consideration of the rules of what is politically safe or palatable, we must stop pretending that the degradation of our politics and the conduct of some in our executive branch are normal. They are not normal.
...........SNIP"
Ruby the Liberal
(26,217 posts)maxsolomon
(32,992 posts)Hyperbole is the bane of this Era.
PSPS
(13,516 posts)The actual "death knell" would be if the senate stopped voting in lockstep on virtually everything trump dreams up to destroy the country. I'll bet Flake and McCain will vote 'yes' on every dreadful "tax reform" trump dreams up.
bagelsforbreakfast
(1,427 posts)I'm convinced our plunge into sh*t creek as a world began with Murdoch's UK tabloidization of the airwaves.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)bagelsforbreakfast
(1,427 posts)Awsi Dooger
(14,565 posts)I mentioned several days ago that it is futile to loudly call Trump a liar, and use all type of hyperbole, even if that hyperbole is accurate.
Right wingers dismiss that type of thing as nothing but standard political banter. Independents aren't impressed. It literally accomplishes nothing. And Trump thrives on it.
Unfortunately I'd estimate at least 90% of our output is that worthless crap. It's no different than the way we campaigned against Trump last year.
But when I've slowed down almost to a crawl and described Trump's lack of truth on one topic or another, accompanied by supporting material, suddenly some right wingers and right leaning independents will stop and pay attention. This is primarily on political forums of sports sites but also in some emails and occasionally in person. I've been very satisfied with how differently it plays out when that tactic is applied.
Right now I'm convinced Hillary would have won if our campaign against Trump has been more instructive than demeaning.
KelleyKramer
(8,853 posts)Didn't catch his name, he was a former staffer for the Turtle
He was so full of shit it was spewing out of his eyes and ears
The lies and delusion were so brazen that there was a point during the segment I was seriously concerned he was going to be struck by lightning right there in the studio
hatrack
(59,446 posts)Big fucking deal.