Republicans: A Threat to the Republic?

[babylonsister]

http://inthesetimes.com/article/4541/republicans_a_threat_to_the_republic/

Republicans: A Threat to the Republic?
By Robert Parry

snip//

Sometimes, it seems Democrats would prefer to see Obama’s reform agenda fail—and the United States careen toward bankruptcy—than face the prospect of more GOP attack ads accusing them of “tax-and-spend.”

Another key factor in this political dysfunction is that journalists in the mainstream media have their own career fears about being accused of “liberal bias” if they challenge right-wing canards or investigate GOP crimes.

With a few exceptions—like MSNBC’s experimental evening lineup of liberal hosts—the U.S. news media continues to cower before the Right’s demonstrated ability to destroy journalists who get in the way.

The American Left has contributed to the crisis, too, by failing to invest much in building media outlets that will stand up to pressures from the Right, even as pro-Republican financiers were pouring billions of dollars into the construction of a vertically integrated right-wing media apparatus ranging from books, magazines and newspapers to talk radio, cable TV and the Internet.

This combination of factors has enabled the Republican Party to guide a large portion of the American population into a never-never-land of made-up facts and raging paranoia.

And, as Palin’s bizarre resignation statement made clear, the GOP was excited over possibly handing the reins of national power to someone who was clearly unstable and unfit for high office.

After eight years of George W. Bush and last year’s nomination of Palin, the question must now be asked: Has the Republican Party become a clear and present danger to the security of the United States and to the future of the American Republic?

[Joanne98]

1. YES

[baldguy]

2. Very definitely, yes.

[abq e streeter]

3. A vehement yes, and their MSM and cowardly, spineless "Democratic" enablers

are every bit as guilty and dangerous

[indepat]

12. Two thumbs down to every despicable, cowardly Democratic

enabler. :P

[Enthusiast]

16. +1

[DJ13]

4. That needs to be broadened out to just conservatives

Our own Blue Dogs show its not just party affiliation thats the danger.

[Juche]

5. Authoritarian conservatives yes. Republicans no

The libertarian republicans are not a threat to our democracy IMO, only the authoritarian ones are. Read up on some of the things written by Bob Altemeyer on authoritarianism. Authoritarians (aka the religious right who make up about half of the GOP) tend to be hostile to concepts of democracy such as individual freedom, tolerance, human rights, civil rights, etc. Authoritarians have opposed most attempts to make the country more open and free (gay rights, civil rights, women's rights, labor rights, prisoner's rights, animal rights, etc. However to be fair I do not think authoritarians opposed children's rights). They are a threat to democracy.

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/

[Demeter]

7. The Libertarians ARE TOO a Threat

Their economic policies are what got us into this depression. And if they don't get some smarts, we aren't getting out of it, either.

[Juche]

9. Libertarians respect the concept of democracy

Authoritarian conservatives do not. Economic policy is one thing but the infrastructure of democracy is another. Libertarians tend to support individual liberty, personal freedom and the concept of the rule of law and democratic institutions. Authoritarians conservatives do not.

Most people disagree with libertarian economics, and for good reason. But supporting bad economic policy is not the same as opposing the concept of democracy.

[Demeter]

10. Bad Economic Policy DESTROYS Democracy

You can't have one without the other.

[Juche]

11. I do not consider it the same thing though

Some on the right thing that left wing economic policy can destroy democracy by making people dependent on government interventions. Libertarianism can and will destroy the economy. That is why there are no wealthy, developed nation with good infrastructure that are libertarian. Once a nation obtains wealth and infrastructure it developed safety nets and regulations. However on the issue of direct effects on democracy a libertarian is likely to support giving rights to non-whites, women, GLBT, etc whereas an authoritarian conservative is not. A libertarian is also more likely to respect the concept of a constitution, voting and elections, authoritarians are so fanatical and fearful that they are willing to steal elections and dismantle the constitution.

Bad economic policy can destroy democracy. However that criticism is leveled against liberals for liberal economic policy too. But I do not consider attitudes on economic policy the same as attitudes on democracy.

[Doctor_J]

13. Where are the "Libertarian Republicans" of which you speak?

You might as well list them all, there can't be more than 4-5.

[Juche]

14. Libertarians make up about 9-13% of the electorate

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6715

Libertarians abandoning the GOP is a reason the GOP is losing ground.

[wolfgangmo]

18. Ah yes ... Libertarians

Those fiercely independent rugged individualists who make and their mind on absolutely every subject in the world and yet, inexplicably, seem to vote Republican every time.

[checks-n-balances]

6. Damn tootin'!

Great post. k&r.

[hay rick]

8. Is a tiger slashing your throat a danger to your well-being?

Republicans are nothing more than dupes for the plutocracy. The economic policies they still espouse will push this country from decline to ruin.

[Enthusiast]

15. Like I have said about a million times

This is our greatest challenge. Why send money to left wing advocacy groups when a Reich Wing media controls nearly every word heard on the MSM? The internet is simply not enough to change the hearts and minds of America. The other side uses their ill gotten gains to strengthen their bastion of media dominance. And all the while they convince the dummies that the media has an unfair progressive bias. Stealth RW advocacy media is the worst of all. I'm talking about NPR and C-Span. Watchers/listeners are convinced this information is untainted making it all the more effective.

[JohnWxy]

17. Well, after the sabotage of an election in 2000 and probably in 2004, and now doing everything they

can to sabotage the Democrats efforts to fix this Republican Deregulation Depression and to get us out of this REPUBLICAN DYSTOPIA ...HELL YEAH!

THE BIGGEST THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY (which was reinstituted with the election of 2008) IS NOT AL KAIDA, OR OSSAMA BIN LADEN. IT'S CLEARLY THE REPUBLICANS - (THE CORPORATE LOBBYIST PARTY).


The question is, what are we going to do with these slime-balls? Nothing seems to work with them (that is, no appeals to responsible actions with respect to doing what's right for the country seem to interest them in the slightest. All they want is their fascist state. Anything else, they are willing to destroy.

What do you do when they won't listen to reason?