A Method to Republican 'Madness'

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2010/033110.html

By Robert Parry
March 31, 2010

Washington’s conventional wisdom for explaining the intensity of Republican obstructionism toward President Barack Obama breaks down one of two ways: either it’s a philosophical disagreement over the role of government or a desperate need to stay in line with a radicalized right-wing base.

But there is another way to view the GOP political strategy, as neither principled nor reactive to the rantings of Tea Partiers, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. It is that the Republicans are following a playbook that has evolved over more than four decades, to regain power by sabotaging Democratic presidents.

In this analysis, the Republicans believe they can reclaim the lucrative levers of national authority by making the country as ungovernable as possible while a Democrat is in the White House, essentially holding governance hostage until they are restored to power. Then, the Democrats are expected to behave as a docile opposition “for the good of the country” (and usually do).

The “destroy Obama” game plan tracks most closely with Newt Gingrich’s strategy for undermining Bill Clinton 16 years ago. But today’s strategy also traces back to Richard Nixon’s sabotage of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Vietnam peace talks in 1968 and Ronald Reagan’s October Surprise gambit against President Jimmy Carter’s Iran hostage negotiations in 1980.

In all four cases – covering the last four Democratic presidencies – the Republicans did not behave as a loyal opposition but rather as a single-minded political enemy that viewed the White House as its birthright and Democratic control of the Executive Branch as illegitimate.

[Schema Thing]

1. I think this nails it.

[rfranklin]

2. This should be repeated again and again...

why is it the Dems are so reluctant to use the facts against the treasonous Republicans?

[maxsolomon]

3. the Hannity and Colmes government theory!

Colmes gets to talk as long as Hannity gets to interrupt.

[Mme. Defarge]

4. Dead on ...

Carter's presidency was destroyed by the press when TV evening news manufactured the drumbeat that he was incompetent with "day 17,329 of the Iran Hostage Crisis."

[foxfeet]

5. K&R

[DCKit]

6. In that case, charges of treason are in order. n/t

[Kablooie]

7. No question.

There are no principles or ideology involved.
The ONLY goal of the GOP is to regain power.