I challenge anyone to name even ONE real achievement of republicans

[ima_sinnic]

This thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1279070

about Ghouliani barrel-scraping to use the 1980 "Oct. Surprise" act of treason as something to brag about got me thinking: what DO repukes have to point to as "achievements"--even in the last 20 years or more?

Just under the current "administration" (you are welcome to chime in with the non-achievements of Bush Sr. & clown Reagan):
--demolition of twin towers and ~3,000 American lives lost under their watch, nobody really brought to justice for it after 6 years
--destruction of an entire region by hurricane, many American lives needlessly and painfully lost as a result of their negligence and incompetence
--bankruptcy bill: screwed American consumers
--Medicare rewrite: screwed American consumers, esp. the elderly & disabled
--No Child Left Behind: screwed American children
--outsourcing/boost to globalization: screwed American workers AND consumers
--weakened FDA, USDA, FEMA: screwed American consumers, made less safe
--selling off of vital resources and infrastructure to foreign interests, many Middle Eastern--harbors, toll roads--made Americans more vulnerable and less sovereign
--coddling cheap-ass employers who love paying illegal immigrants under the table, no realistic solution to problem of illegal immigration
--illegal spying on, hassling of American citizens, fake "security measures" at airports that only hassle the people and do NOTHING to make us safer
--massive propaganda, polluting of the public airwaves and muddying of the public discourse
--scandal upon scandal, too numerous to list here, from Watergate to Oct. Surprise and Iran-Contra to Jack Abramoff, Mark Foley, outing of Valerie Plame, rigged contracts, missing billions, illegal wiretaps, etc. etc. ad nauseum
--mass murder of Iraqi citizenry and destruction of entire country to make war profiteers rich

*bots and repuke apologists: I double-triple-dog DARE YOU, I DEFY you to name ONE REAL ACHIEVEMENT of a repuke senator or other "public servant" since Nixon was kicked out in 1974--something that TRULY benefited Americans! The repukes have NOTHING to go on for a RECORD that has done anybody any good (besides of course the ultra ultra wealthy). Yet the pathetic a-hole voters still vote for these despicable scumbuckets.

[quinnox]

1. ok I will say the first one that comes to mind - devils advocate

There has been no major successful terrorist attacks on the United States since 2001. Now pay attention to my wording, I know there have been various attempts and plots but nothing successful.

That is the one thing republicans have going for them in 2008, but it won't be enough for them to win IMHO. And yes that is what Guiliania will be running on, continuing the fear theme of the Bushes. It won't work, Americans are tired of it.

[Throwing Stones]

4. Madrid, London .... eh?

Those were not successful? Or does doing our part in the "Global War on Terror" only matter so long as U.S. targets are not hit?

[quinnox]

5. yes I amended my post

because that is what I meant, no attacks on the United States. I'm not going to defend republicans but I try to be objective.

[NewJeffCT]

7. Anthrax attacks

took place after 9/11.

There have also been at least 30 RW groups that have tried various terrorist activities, including the bombing of women's health clinics.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

14. I have ALWAYS found it curious that abortion clinic bombings aren't "terrorist"

If I ever have any say in the matter, they will officially be classified as the terrorist activities that they are. I mean, it's the very DEFINITION of terrorism - "the systematic means of terror as a form of coercion."

[rfranklin]

19. Americans are attacked every day in Iraq...

and Clinton actually had a better record if you limit it to the U.S.

[ima_sinnic]

21. what real attempts have there been (anthrax aside)?--meaning, bombs

I have seen no evidence of any viable plans that were thwarted EXCEPT for some "libertarian" kooks with caches of weapons and bombs.
None of their so-called "scares," "plots," or "red alerts" have amounted to a hill of shit. They have some poor suckers locked up (or are they free now?) who might have "joked about" something or other but had no network, no money, no sponsors, and no real solid plans.

[leftofthedial]

2. they destroyed the world's oldest democracy

Hitler, the USSR, Imperial Japan and many others failed, but the repukes succeeded

[Throwing Stones]

3. Almost 75% of Americans Polled Agree about the President

That's an achievement.

And * has probably been good for the effigy business (hat tip to SM).

[Dollface]

6. Sadly, repuke supporters just look at this list and say, "...and your point is?"

then they shout "Reagan" and genuflect.

[RoBear]

8. They've done a pretty good job of

dismantling America...:cry:

[NewJeffCT]

9. The "Do Not Call" bill!

that was decent.

[mindfulNJ]

15. Ha! You beat me to it.

Do you think they can win in 08 on this?;)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

10. I was going to say EPA until I saw "since Nixon was kicked out in 1974." -nt

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

11. They kept Teri Schiavo alive!1!!!#$

Oh... wait... :D

[Richard Steele]

12. Nothing inspiring has come out of the conservative mind since the age of John Adams" George McGovern

My favorite George McGovern quote.

[Zywiec]

13. How about the first gulf war?

Bush 41 got a real coalition and authorization from the UN to throw Saddam out of Kuwait. We threw Saddam out and we went home. The US could have gone to Baghdad, but 41 knew it would be nothing but shit. Unfortunately, junior thought he could one-up daddy. Now we are in that shit with no way out.

[ima_sinnic]

17. so basically, all repukes know how to do "well" is wage war

--and 43 couldn't even do that "well."

[Jackpine Radical]

16. The Emancipation Proclamation?

Oh. You said 20 years. Nevermind.

[underpants]

18. They emptied the treasury, raided the public trusts, and invaded Iraq

Well at least those are accomplishments TO THEM!

That seems to have been all they really wanted to do -K.I.S.S. and all

[Giant Robot]

20. Destroying the Constitution?

That has to be lauded with how well crafted that document was, and how long it stood for something.

[LeftishBrit]

22. Don't know...

I could probably come up with examples of liberal Republicans rebelling against their party to good effect- but would that count? (especially as the most noted example is Jeffords' party-switch!)

If you mean major official policies, I would have to go back to Nixon (yes, I know, ugh!) and his negotiations with the USSR and especially China.

[BrotherBuzz]

23. It's been all downhill after Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law

Republicans Are at Risk of Becoming an Endangered Species

by Paul N. "Pete" McCloskey
January 2, 2004


Thirty years ago, I was pleased to stand at President Nixon's side as he signed the Endangered Species Act into law. It was tough legislation, but also popular in a way that is all but unimaginable today: The Senate passed it unanimously and only a dozen of my colleagues in the House opposed it.

In the last three decades, the act has done much to protect eagles and other endangered species by protecting their habitats. I'm proud of what the law has accomplished.

I'm not so proud of my Republican Party and its current attitude toward this landmark statute.

Back in 1973, the environment was a bipartisan issue. Both parties strongly supported the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act and many other bedrock laws that have done so much to make our lives enjoyable. Yet today, the Newt Gingrichs and Tom DeLays and others have led the Republican Party to abandon the legacy of Teddy Roosevelt. There are a handful of pro-environment Republicans still in the Congress, but they are outnumbered by people who put corporate campaign contributions and business and development interests ahead in their priorities.

The Endangered Species Act — which turned 30 on Dec. 28 and remains a visionary piece of legislation — is a public commitment by a great democracy to care for the rest of the creatures with which we share the planet.

The act has been remarkably effective. Peregrine falcons, brown pelicans, American alligators and many other species, once on the verge of disappearing, were aided by the law and now thrive. Still-protected species — black-footed ferrets, California condors and manatees among them — would almost certainly be extinct if not for this law. Just last month, I was privileged to see a pair of young condors circling in the Santa Lucia Mountains below Carmel. Twenty years ago, there were no wild condors in California.

Now, however, the administration and its congressional allies are in a pitched battle against the act. The administration has moved to exempt the military from the law.

I once was in the Marine Corps. We do not need to drive species to extinction at Camp Pendleton or Guantanamo Bay or Hunter Liggett to keep our armed forces adequately trained and prepared for combat.

The administration has stopped designating "critical habitat" for listed species except under court order. It has stopped adding to the list of threatened and endangered species unless ordered to do so by a judge. It has moved to exempt the Forest Service from abiding by the law on the pretext of fire prevention. It is working to weaken the requirement that endangered species be protected from pesticides.

And that list barely scratches the surface. The assault on the law is widespread and relentless.

The administration and its comrades in arms argue that the law is ineffective, expensive and in need of drastic overhaul. In truth, they are acting as agents for the timber industry, the mining industry, land developers, big agriculture and other economic interests that sometimes find their profits slightly decreased in the short run by the need to obey this law.

These points are key: Species-protecting measures can have economic consequences on narrow interests in the short term, but in the long term the economy overall — along with the public and the natural world — benefits from a healthy ecosystem.

When I served in Congress, conservatives and conservationists worked together in friendship. Something dark and onerous has happened since the Republicans took over the House. It's time for Republicans to stand up and try to keep the party true to its historical concept that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness include the preservation of endangered species.

If we stand back and allow Democrats to be identified as the sole preservers of environmental values, the GOP could soon return to the minority status it occupied for most of the last 70 years. And that, however unfortunate for the party, would be a good thing for eagles, turkeys, ducks and rainbow trout.

[IDemo]

24. They have united the world

[donkeyotay]

25. They restored dignity and honor to the White House

no, wait. They ended partisanship and the politics of personal destruction...er, they balanced the budget! They got government off our backs? They ended our long national nightmare of peace and prosperity! Yes, they did. But for an actual accomplishment? The jewel in the crown has got to be that no-call list...assuming they deserve the credit for it. That's definitely improved the quality of life.

[leftwing9]

26. I really kind of liked the early Daylight Savings Time this year.

I have no idea who made that call, but if it was you, Bush, good job, buddy!

[devilgrrl]

27. I recall that Nixon did some okay things for the environment, only to have them scraped by Reagan/Bu

sh.

[ThomWV]

28. Nixon created the EPA (in truth it was a Democratic Congress that did it but he signed off)

[mitchum]

29. They all eventually become food for worms

[aikoaiko]

30. They ended slavery -- been downhill since then

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

33. Teddy Roosevelt had several accomplishments...

but I think the OP was looking for something recent. And let's face it, TR would be a Republican if he were alive today.

[DeSwiss]

31. They created the need for DU n/t

:)

[LeftishBrit]

32. They appointed a couple of liberals to the Supreme Court..

Ford appointed Stevens; Bush 1 appointed Souter. Though they probably didn't expect the judges to turn out to be liberal.