Interesting Letter written to John Boehner and other Ohio Reps on Congress.org

[Polethebear]

Republican Blame Game Based on Poor Toilet Training in Childhood

To:
Sen. Mike DeWine
Sen. George Voinovich
Rep. John Boehner
President George Bush

October 25, 2006

The Buck Stops Way Over There

There has been an interesting phenomenon among Republicans in recent years. And it's what has helped get the party into this monumental mess. Any Republican who doesn't think they're in a monumental mess is precisely part of this interesting phenomenon.

(To recap the monumental mess: The President has a 33%approval. 79% of Americans think Republicans put politics above the safety of teenage pages.

Americans support Democrats in their own district by 59-36%. Americans trust Democrats more to combat terrorism by 44-37%.)

The interesting phenomenon is blaming others for all their problems.

It's now clear why the President didn't want everyone to play "The Blame Game" after Hurricane Katrina. He wanted the field to himself.

Bear with me, because this has remarkably turned into a good thing. For Democrats.

Passing blame for Republicans is like an in-bred religion. You reach the third level of nirvana by concocting some way to blame Bill Clinton.

(Even now they can't help themselves. When North Korea detonated a nuclear test, John McCain blamed Bill Clinton. The Clinton knee-jerk has gotten so bad that eight GOP Congressman have reportedly knocked themselves out by accident.)

The Bush Administration says it got bad intelligence on the WMDs. Bad intelligence on yellow cake. Bad intelligence on Hurricane Katrina. Bad intelligence on Hezbollah, Iran, North Korea, Osama bin Laden. Eventually, you realize this Administration should just drop the concept of having "intelligence."

It was always someone else's fault. The President has never made a mistake. And this from the Party of Personal Responsibility.

They turned blame into an art form with the Foley scandal. Everyone involved is a Republican. Foley. The Speaker of the House who was told. The House Majority Leader who was told. The Congressman who knowingly convinced Foley to run for re-election . The source for the story, the witnesses. All Republicans. And Republicans tried to blame it on...Democrats.

And this actually was a good thing. For Democrats.

Indeed, all of this blame by Republicans on others for the past six years is a good thing for Democrats.

Everyone knows there was only one proper response to the page scandal. "This is terrible, and we will fix the problem." Period. Instead, Republicans started blaming everyone else. This could only come across like Republicans not only don't care, but have something to hide. It could only backfire on them - because instead of getting out in front to resolve events, they were just wasting their airspace blaming others.

And that's what's happened. People get it. They understand that finger-pointing at others for this scandal is unacceptable. It's like being on the Titanic as everyone races for lifeboats, while the captain and first mate are simply telling everyone it's the headwaiter's fault.

And it's all backfired on them.

But it's worse than that. Because what people also get is that this is the party in control of the White House, Senate and House. And all they do is blame others for their problems. People see this - and they finally get it. And that's what's showing up in all those freefalling poll numbers.

This collapse isn't about Mark Foley. This is about the last straw and a long-simmering outrage surfacing.

People get it.

That's why it's fine to watch Republicans blame Democrats about the Foley scandal...and everything. Let them! There will be those blasting these very comments for being Typical Liberal Blathering. Let them! C'mon, criticize this for pointing out the mess the Republican Party is in. Criticize. Go ahead. Please. Waste your airspace not addressing your actual problems, but wildly pointing your fingers at others. I dare you. Bring it on.

As Republican poll numbers plummet, avoid the harsh reality of the onrushing election hurricane and don't fix it. Blame others.

In the end, that's the far larger problem with George Bush not acknowledging mistakes. That's the problem blaming others for everything. When you don't admit there is a problem, then you can't address it - and fix it. It's not just politics. That's basic life.

You can say that the Iraq War is going well, our fight against terrorism is successful, we're rebuilding New Orleans, that we protected teenage pages, there's no global warming, and on and on, and blame Democrats whenever anything goes wrong. But all that does is avoid the problems and it all just gets worse.

And what you get is the President at a 33% approval, Americans against Iraq 64-34%, and the public supporting Democrats in their own district by 59-36%.

Americans love that Harry Truman had a sign on his desk, "The Buck Stops Here." But when the President puts the responsibility on everyone else - when a Party controlling all houses of government puts the responsibility on everyone else - eventually the American public will wonder why we gave those people the responsibility in the first place when they clearly don't want it.

People finally get it.

Robert J. Elisberg
10.24.2006
www.huffingtonpost.com
*******************
I've been reading John Dean's "Conservatives without Conscience," where he describes the authoritarian mindset so prevalent among todays' dysfunctional Republicans. He actually distills it down to a single point:

Do you believe that all people are created equal? If NOT, then you're some kind of authoritarian who wants to prevent the undeserving, the lesser folk from getting what they need or want. You also want to ensure the deserving, the betters (which of course includes yourself) to get all of the benefits that liberty provides.

This fundamental assumption of superiority and the implicit denial of universal equality fuels every aberrant, conscienceless behavior of the right wing. Accept blame? Nonsense. Humility? That's for the lesser among us.

Whenever you're in a political debate, just ask: "Do you believe that all men (and women) are created equal?" You can tie just about any political belief back to that question and ascertain the real answer without too much difficulty. And in discerning that answer you can tell whether the person is a REAL American or not.
By: bimplebean on October 25, 2006 at 12:42am
www.huffingtonpost.com

Dayton , OH


Of course, it may not mean anything in less than two weeks with the voting systems,fix or not.

[autorank]

1. "People get it." KR

Wow, this is just amazing. Where did it come from? It's the truth.

"Of course, it may not mean anything in less than two weeks with the voting systems,fix or not."

I very much want to reference this sentence in an upcoming article. I think it's pretty clear and
others will too.

Thanks so much and please get a link or some verification.

[DeSwiss]

2. So I'm assuming that....

....the captain is Cheney (obviously) and the first mate is Bush? Rove? Mmmm.... that means "The Clenis" is the headwaiter. No?

I loved this letter!!!! :D

It isn't often you get to read something you can agree with COMPLETELY. Its so obvious and they just don't get it. I loved the closer:

"eventually the American public will wonder why we gave those people the responsibility in the first place when they clearly don't want it."

Right.

And John Dean continues to amaze me. After Nixon, the man converted. He's seen this before. And he speaks the truth clearly.

k & r ;)

[Hav]

3. .

Good letter and it was about time someone put it like this.