Posted on 11/01/2010 1:06:27 AM PDT by Scanian
Harry Reid tried very hard to cause his own country to lose a war, bending all the powers of his high office to that ignoble end. And it is not an issue that can be raised in his reelection campaign.
Harry Reid wanted America to be defeated in Iraq to embarrass a president who belonged to the other party and to gain seats in Congress for his party, thereby enhancing his own prestige. And he is quite comfortable putting party ahead of country.
The charge carries insinuations of treason, so it is necessary to make the appropriate distinctions.
Back in the 1840s, New Englanders advanced cogent arguments opposing war with Mexico. In the second decade of the 20th century, isolationists argued against joining a war of European imperialist powers on the grounds that the nation's founding principles were antithetical to such interventions.
Out of a very reasonable fear of being demagogued ferociously and dismissed as antiques by the Democrats' mainstream media auxiliaries, Republican pols didn't dare to brand Reid's antics as treasonable, the crime of treason having long since passed out of existence. If John Kerry can appear in uniform at the Paris peace talks to plead the cause of North Vietnam and Jane Fonda can sit, wearing an enemy helmet and an insane grin, astride the guns used to shoot down American aircraft -- if such things can be done with impunity (Kerry was rewarded with a seat in the U.S. Senate, and Fonda earned millions from her comrades in Hollywood), then treason has become an empty concept.
No, Harry's behavior is no longer beyond the pale. He was merely doing what politicians nowadays are expected to do. Say anything at all to savage the other side. It doesn't matter if you're lying through your teeth; it doesn't matter if you endanger the lives of the young men and women overseas; it doesn't matter if you weaken the nation's security. The paramount issue here is partisan gain. Will what I say help my side to achieve ephemeral gains? If the answer is yes, then the gloves come off, and no blow is too low.
Excellent article.
For the rare time here, I have nothing to add, just READ THIS.
Once the Dems sensed W could be vulnerable on the issue, they made a calculated decision to push the OMG, war-is-lost button at every story about American casualties or Iraqi civilian deaths. And nowhere in MSM editorials was a story about the barbarity of the beheading of an innocent person or captive...or a suicide bomb blast in a crowded market...or IED destruction of a school bus full of children...and how utterly imperative it was that we prevail in a struggle against evil. Instead, every episode (fully understood by the terrorists themselves) led to the inevitable trek to the microphone by Harry Reid, et. F*%*@#$ al. to wail and moan about “this war”...”this president”...”the American People” this and that. They became nearly giddy as the American death toll topped each milestone...and the MSM, equally eagerly, reported. And then the Surge—the potential end to the party—was opposed and derided by the entire Rat caucus. The shamefull treatment of Gen. Petraus, one of America’s absolute best in the post Jimmy Carter era, pushed the envelope of treason and got a totally free pass by the “American” YELLOW press. If there was some way to calculate how many American, Iraqi, and other Allied deaths were attritutable wholly or in part to Democrat aiding and abetting, a trial (in a just world at least) might well be in order...a military one.
Hey Harry,
“The War (election) is lost.”
Excellent... And none dare call it treason....
At the end, this nugget:
“And the man we have to thank is none other than Karl Rove, who now admits that failing to refute the false and cynical charge that Bush lied us into war has hurt the country badly.”
I used to really like Karl....don’t know why now. Silly girl, I guess. Now, after the past few weeks, I see him on Fox and I hit the mute as fast as I can.
pattyjo
Glad you liked the post.
I find your comment very complimentary. Thanks.
I haven’t turned on Rove the way many have. I just think his time has passed, and he doesn’t like it, the way anyone wouldn’t like it.
The “we have Rove to blame” thing doesn’t really make much sense to me. Bush wasn’t that kind of guy. A character asset that is also a flaw, his desire not to grab credit or moan about no one understanding him really injured his presidency, but I don’t see it as another opportunity to pile on Rove just because I think Rove should shut up and go away.
We used to adore Rove, now we all seem to hate him. I’m not saying that just because we loved him them we have to ignore his ridiculous comments now, but it does seem like we need to re-think how much trust we put in any politician. Look at the people we’re all praising to the heavens now—the fact is, we’ll be complaining about almost all of them eventually. Yes, even that one.
Hillary Clinton did the same thing when she accused General Patraeus of lying in the Senate hearing.
You’re very welcome. I’m sure many here will agree that any thread that gets me to shut up can’t be bad. :P
Thanks for the post.
I hope it can be useful.
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason? Why if it prosper, none dare call it treason.” Ovid
True then, true today. Despite what the author says, treason has not “passed out of existence”. A traitor is, and always will be, a traitor for betraying his country. The examples he cited were BEFORE we went to war. Reid gave aid and comfort to the enemy while we are at war. He is a traitor. Kerry is a traitor. Fonda is a traitor. Benedict Nelson is a traitor. Stupak is a traitor.
This is what most infuriates me about the PUBs. They remain silent because they don’t want to offend anybody. Meanwhile, the RATs project their treason unto all who dissent.
It is high time to call out our enemy and the Hell with whether we offend them. After all, they offend all of us and especially, those who give their lives for our freedoms. We owe it to them to speak the truth.
Yes, the trouble with the establishment pubbiies is that they forget that when you lie down with swine, you end up smelling like swine.
We need to fumiigate and eliminate that type of GOP politician one by one until the party represents the will of the people. Or a 3rd party will be the inevitable result.
It’s the pols’ choice. Respond to the voters or get out of the way.
It is high time to call out our enemy and the Hell with whether we offend them. After all, they offend all of us and especially, those who give their lives for our freedoms. We owe it to them to speak the truth.
--------------------------
I agree NT
We owe all vets for the freedom we enjoy everyday.
Check out some non-traitorous patriots:
Weird world...complaining about Rove’s comments. Delighting in Dick Morris’ predictions.
Agreed. Rove’s big sin seems to be speaking his mind at an inoportune moment. I think he was wrong to say what he did when he did, but it’s hardly the sin of all sins. I happen to agree with his assessment of the candidate, though I hope she wins, but that’s neither here nor there. I think his crime is not so important as what it reveals about his political class, which fears losing power, as it should.
Dick Morris may have some interesting observations, but I can’t even recall how accurate he’s ever been in his predictions. His book about 2008 being the year of Hillary Clinton vs. Condi Rice doesn’t fill me with awe at his powers of prognostication.
Morris is NOTORIOUSLY inaccurate in his predictions; that is part of the strangeness of so many conservatives listening to him. That and his change of party loyalty.
People are angry at Rove because of his treatment of O’Donnell. Fine. I think he was angry O’Donnell got the nomination because he knew Castle was a lock for the seat and it was a mistake for him to say anything.
But look at who he has supported or opposed with large sums of money:
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/10/american-crossroads-spends-big.html
Rove puts his money where his mouth is, and it has helped a lot of Republican candidates, conservatives included.
“And none dare call it treason”
I will.
Harry Reid - You are a traitor.
John F’n Kerry - You are a traitor.
Jane Fonda - You are a traitor.
“what politicians nowadays are expected to do. Say anything at all to savage the other side.”
I don’t think this fits politicians in general, but about certain Democrats and their helpers in the media.
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