How much does a vote cost these days?

[Patsy Stone]

I've heard several talking heads tonight opining that the Democrats are powerless to stop the war because the Republicans are planning on hanging on to it through the primaries, when the "loyal Republican base" turns out to decide if these incumbents will go on to the general election.

Common wisdom among the panel I saw on Hardball tonight held that once the primaries were over the hawks would become doves and they would scamper away from George Bush and his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad war as fast as their cloven hooves could carry them. To this political end, 60-90 soldiers could die every month, per General Petraeus, between today and the day the Republicans who face re-election challenges can fool their loyal constituents into believing they support the war.

This deadly plan, if it's true, exists then solely to ensure the support of the 29% of Americans (but, let's face it, at this point it's only Republicans) who have no grey matter left with which to reason any more substantial than Terri Schaivo had when Dr. Frist diagnosed her from the Senate floor. These few, these brave morans, these lemmings, these die-hards, and their willingness to follow their party to hell, are worth the deaths of American soldiers in the minds of many elected officials. The members of Free Republic and the National Review's subscribers are the reason the Republicans will continue to keep our soldiers mired in the middle of a civil war. What could be more valuable than the opinion of the extreme right-wing and its whack jobs? Clearly, nothing I can see from here...

The amount of power, the amount of deference paid to this small minority of Americans is obscene. 29% of registered Republicans equals about 13.75 million people; or 8% of the total registered voters in the US, all parties combined. 13.75 million people is about one-third of the number of people who watched the season finale of American Idol last year, just for a little perspective.

Are these people's votes worth the price the Republicans are asking me, you, and the families and friends of the troops, and of course the troops themselves to pay? Our soldiers are being held hostage for a fanatical 8%. No. And those Republicans who think they are should take a good, long look at themselves and their ambition and feel shame for what their careers and egos costs America.

[VP505]

1. Another reality

that the Dem's need to speak about loud and often is that our military and their families, a small number of Americans are the ones sacrificing the most for this immoral occupation. How right is it that two, three or maybe four hundred thousand are bearing 99% of the burden for shrubs excellent Iraq adventure?

[Patsy Stone]

3. Very, very wrong.

If I ruled the world, it would be illegal. Using the troops as a politcal tool is something I hoped I'd never see, but unfortunately, I'm looking right at it.

[EFerrari]

2. An election strategy based on a false, homicidal premise.

The people have ALREADY turned against the war.

[Patsy Stone]

4. And here I thought there was nothing more vile

than an election strategy based on cheating, vote supression and judicial interference. Live and learn.

:hi:

[EFerrari]

5. This really is Big Casino, isn't it?

I was really hoping we'd be somewhere else by now.

:hi:

[Patsy Stone]

6. Is that a movie?

I totally missed that reference.