Yes, it's taken me awhile, but the Republic Party really is in its death throes

[Ishoutandscream2]

I know, they always come back. But what I saw last night confirmed to me what many of you have been saying. The Republic Party is out of ideas, and even the American people are finally understanding this.

I have been very hesitant to say this. I live in red hell, where every 7 of 10 voters chose McCain. I still hear shit about Obama, and even my signature line on my work email with a quote from Obama's inaugural speech got me some rather rude comments (you know, things like "hope" and "working together" just are so wroonggg).

Last night, however, really sealed the deal with me. Obama's speech was masterful - it was FDR lifting the spirits of a tired, rather depressed nation. He outlined succinctly what government would do to help families who has lost jobs, homes, etc. All the while, you would look at the Republic side, and members would not stand. I thought, "What a slap in the face of hard working Americans." They really showed how out of touch they were.

But the kicker again was when Bobby Brady of Louisiana gave the Republic rebuttal. And what did he say? After I tried to stop my laughter, Bobby gave the same ol' Reagan song and dance that, quite frankly, the majority of Americans now reject. He spoke to that small base of between 20 to 30 percent of Americans who still buy in to the trickle down nonsense. You know, that small base that seems to reside in my community.

What I gathered from all of this is that the Republics truly are UN-AMERICAN. And I say that emphatically because that is what they have truly become. Their strategy is not to support anything the president wants to offer - they show how unpatriotic they are by really wanting Obama to fail. And, if Obama's strategy fails, we essentially all fail. However, that could open the door to the Republics gaining seats. So, failure means more power. And that's all they want. And that's their only real strategy. Power over principle; failure for the nation over success. That, folks, is very un-American.

By the way, DU was on a roll last night. My wife and I were laughing hysterically at the comments last night from those of you after Bobby Brady's speech. We hadn't had such a laugh in a long time. Thanks for your comic relief. Laughing helps, especially in hard times.

[ShortnFiery]

1. Not yet! Show no mercy for if they scamper back into the woodwork like they did after "Watergate"

the next time the GOP scores the Executive Branch - IT WILL RESULT in FULL BLOWN FACISM.

Stay Strong Progressives - don't show your soft underbelly to the GOP ... EVER! :patriot:

[TlalocW]

2. It would be nice if it were true

Political parties have come to an end in the past. I personally would like to the republicans splinter into various factions, but what with the prevalence of the two party system in America, it's unlikely that they would.

TlalocW

[ginnyinWI]

3. reporting: the opinions of a right winger

Email from a conservative relative of mine. He saw Obama's speech and said it was the "same old thing".

Earlier in the day he wrote me that:

"Obama is succeeding with his socialism--Like in Germany in the 1930's things will get so bad that the people will accept anything he wants, thinking anything will be better than what they have.
the social government will control all banks--therefore pension systems--. Then healthcare and doctors and hospitals. and finally social security and Medicare. Too bad, this WAS a good government for 200 years. To now be completely ruined by one man is just a few !!!!! No thank you to the damn fools that elected him."

I think it's good to be aware that there is still a lot of bitterness out there. Highly partisan conservatives reflexively blame every bad event on the nearest Democrat. When Bush screwed up, it was really Clinton's fault. Now that Obama is president, it's all his and the Democrats in Congress's fault. This relative steeps and poisons himself with right wing radio propaganda and FOX news daily. He will never change his views. People like him will just be swept off into the margins.

I could answer: "well, how did it get this bad, hmm?" and he'd answer that Pelosi or Bill Clinton did it. No Republican is capable of ANY mistake, I tells ya! So I never even try--it's honestly a big waste of my time.

[B Calm]

6. I understand your frustration, but when given the chance, I remind

them the republicans controlled congress 12 out of the last 14 years!

[ginnyinWI]

11. if I were speaking to him in person, and said that,

he'd just give me a blank look. It's happened before when I've cornered him on some of his bs.

Via email I would just not get an answer. Most of his rhetoric seems to come straight from the mouth of the latest rw pundit so without them he doesn't have much of an argument to make. Just the general "democrats bad" meme.

I know lefties do it too, but this team loyalty thing is really rather ridiculous. Highly partisan people are unwilling to ever admit that their side screwed up, even when it is so obvious, like now, that Bush and his Congress did, big-time. So they make themselves look just plain dumb to the rest of the population. Exhibit A: Bobby Jindal last night.

[gratuitous]

9. I think you should answer your relative

Because as certainly as Hitler would have been impossible in Germany without the hapless Weimar Republic that preceded it, what does his anti-American screed (imagine denigrating the Commander-in-Chief in wartime!) about President Obama say about the folks in power just prior to his administration?

And what's so bad about socialism? Would the government have to be taking over banks and pension systems if they were healthy and robust? And who drained them of their financial clout to line their own pockets? Think, think. Who had such untrammeled power during the prior eight years that he could actually subvert the Constitution, the Geneva Conventions and the Magna Carta?

[PVnRT]

4. Think again

There are certainly cracks, but it's much more likely that some moderates will defect to the Democratic party (and dilute it further, weakening it), allowing the Republicans to become far more ideologically pure, driven by right-wing fundamentalist Christianity.

[B Calm]

5. We're witnessing the fall of the republican party! What goes up . . .

[Peace_Sells]

7. Too good to be true.

I want the republic party to be gone but really it sounds too good to be true to me. I'll beleive it when I see it.

[NeedleCast]

8. "They" were saying the same thing about Democrats in 2004

I wouldn't take these death throes too seriously. The public has a way of forgetting about things like this in the very short term.

I remember how Bush 1.0 was billed as an easy win for re-election because of the success of the first gulf war. Then the economy tanked and he lost huge.

[KharmaTrain]

10. Consider Them Caged Animals...

That's far different than having them on the loose like we did 2 years ago, but they're dangerous nonetheless.

I've been long enjoying the implosion...I trace it to the Terri Schaivo fiasco that scared many moderates who tolerated repugnicans because they thought they were "responsible" and showed how intusive and strident they became. Then add in Katrina, the fiasco in Iraq, Abramoff and unprecedented ineptitude and corruption and a party that once dominated government...was on the verge of driving the Democrats into obsolence in 2006 are now in that hinterlands itself and heading even further off the abyss.

Their big tent has ripped...all the selfish factions are out for themselves and each is blaming the other for what went wrong. The only thing that continues to unite is hate. While the fundies don't trust the "fiscal conservatives" who look down on the freepers who blame the neo cons, they still rally around the siren call of intolerance. It makes them still feel powerful.

Yep, it's pitiful as much as its amusing as they vainly hold onto "values" that have been proven failures and have no other solutions. All they have now is anger and hate.

[ginnyinWI]

12. good insights.

Bush and the repub congress overreached, to be sure. And failed the country with Katrina and Iraq and the many scandals that have come out.

While the fiscal conservatives are in disarray over what their party has wrought, the social conservatives and the religious right are weakening and changing from within. The new generation doesn't care for the outmoded ideas of their senior leadership and is moving in a more moderate direction on abortion, creationism, stem cell research, end-of-life issues, etc. The younger ones are more concerned about solving real problems such as poverty and are more likely to become Dems if they aren't already.

None of their factions is strong now: not the fiscal conservatives, not the neo-cons, not the fundies. A perfect storm brought on by their having a chance to test their ideology in real life and watch it fail: the economy, the war, Terry Shiavo, everything.

[KharmaTrain]

13. We Saw That In The Primaries

I know many here were wrapped up in our own contest, but the GOOP primary showed exactly what you're describing...a bunch of weak candidates...none who could unite the other factions. It allowed the "lesser of evils", in McCain to survive this demolition derby and his support was always a mile wide and an inch thick.

But he's also made the perfect foil...a Dukakis, if you will. Each faction can absolve itself of being at fault for losing last year and claim that the "ideology" or "conservatism" didn't lose. It's total denial and may it continue as they marginalize themselves and further alienate nearly 2/3rds of the country.

Cheers to you.

:hi:

[Ishoutandscream2]

14. "Caged animals." Very well put

And caged animals can get very nasty. And if they are released, look out!:scared: