GOP Infighting Fills Our Enemies with Joy ((The Stupid Party getting even stupider)

The Times-Picayune [New Orleans] ^ | February 12, 2004 | James Lileks [Newhouse News Service]

[quidnunc]

Let's just be blunt: The North Koreans would love to see John Kerry win the election. The mullahs of Iran would love it. The Syrian Baathists would sigh with relief. Every enemy of America would take great satisfaction if the electorate rejects the Bush doctrine and scuttles back to hide under the U.N. Security Council's table. It's a hard question, but the right one: Which candidate does our enemy want to lose? George W. Bush.

And some conservatives will be happy to help, it seems.

Woe and gloom have befallen some on the right. Bush has failed to act according to The Reagan Ideal.

The actual Reagan may have issued an amnesty for illegals, but the Ideal Reagan would have done no such thing. So unless Bush packs freight cars full of gardeners and dishwashers and dumps them off at the Mexican border, some voters will just sit this one out.

The Ideal Reagan would have eliminated the National Endowment for the Arts; the actual Reagan proposed a $1 million increase in his final budget. But Bush increased NEA funding. So angry conservatives might just sit this one out.

And if a Democrat takes office, and the Michael Moores and Rob Reiners and Martin Sheens crowd the airwaves on Nov. 3 to shout their howls of vindication? If the inevitable renaissance of Iraq happens on Kerry's watch, and the economy truly picks up steam in the first few years before the business cycle and Kerry's tax hikes kick in? If emboldened Islamist terrorists smell blood and strike again? Fine. Maybe the next Republican president will do everything they want.

-snip-

[swampfox98]

Blame the spell check. I'll rephrase for you: you and your partners in slander. You like that better?

[reformed_democrat]

He IS the candidate, period.

And if you don't want to vote for him, fine; go find yourselves another candidate and vote for him.

BUT GET OUT OF THE WAY -- we are NOT going to sit here and let you people hand this country back over to the Democrats so they can destroy our security.

Period.

Howlin, we need to get you elected to something. You ROCK!

I think Bush is using a refined version of the Muhammed Ali "Rope-A-Dope" move. He needs to lull the sheeple back to sleep so they stay home, secure in the knowledge that, no matter who wins this election, PBS will continue to broadcast Barney and Juan the pool boy will continue to show up every Tuesday and Thursday. He needs a veto-proof majority, and he doesn't need fence-sitters getting nervous and voting for democrat senators and representatives just to "give the ticket balance."

Bush is seen by the general population as tough on terrorists, maybe a little squishy on domestic issues, but overall, not a bit scary. In spite of the shrieking by the media, no one really believes Bush is poisoning the water or starving granny. He's just a nice li'l 'ol country boy unwise in the ways of the big city, not some radical conservative hell-bent on installing Moses himself on the Supreme Court.

If I'm wrong, and Bush DOES turn out to be a squish on domestic issues, he's STILL head and shoulders above any dem candidate the rats come up with.

So, because I think these past four years were not so bad at all, I'm going to vote for Bush. That's not the message the rock-headed conservatives want to hear, but who cares. They're going to stay home anyway, so we can quit trying to placate them and spend our energy on something that will do some good, like getting Bush his veto-proof majority.

[sully777]

I make it a policy to never agree to not disagree nor imply any agreement to the contrary. It is my right to communicate such matters.

"Now, there you go again." -- Ronald Reagan

[swampfox98]

We're not mindless robots, as you must tell yourself.

You'd do the Republican President a service if you would not become so angry when others on FR tell the truth about some of his policies, and how they are hurting the country. If conservative Democrats would have spoken out when their party became the abortion party, would there have been 45 million deaths by now? Who knows?

I know you don't want Kerry to win and neither do I. But I am sure furious as heck at Bush's antics here at home. After the marvelous job he has done in fighting terrorism, he has ruined it for me and millions of other conservatives. The Republican party better not ignore us. We have issues that are important and are not to be scorned or ignored.

Anyhow, I'm off to the doctor and we will agree to disagree forevermore.

[Spiff]

Jorge W. Bush has openly betrayed American citizens and violated his oath of office. By conspiring to aid and abet the tens of millions of criminal aliens swarming across our borders, Jorge has placed his reelection in doubt. The Reconquista is an invasion executed by Mexico, such is the myth of the "homeland" of Aztec, documented cannibals the last time "Mexicans" invaded Del Norte. To aid the sedition for Aztlan is criminal. We Constitutionalists are angry at RINO's hyper-Keynesian fiscal socialist policies and medicare wealth tran$fer scheme to buy votes just like Dems. Jorge W. deserves the RINO's defeat. Jorge W. & Co. are proven socialists. The Dems are proven fascists, aka criminally corrupt socialists, planning their world fascist movement with cover in the name of UN. Imagine communist China's form of government for us, Bill & Hillary are jealous and scheming.

Um...I'm throwing a Moby flag on the play. Are you for real? If you are, you're not doing our side any favors. Knock off the "Jorge" crap and the shrill stuff. I'm not saying that I disagree with the points you make, just that your delivery is helping nothing.

[prairiebreeze]

In speaking with people here at work, they are fed up with the Democrats and their attacks and know that our country will still be a whole lot better off with Bush than with the idiot, stand-for-nothing-against-everything liberals.

Precisely my experience too rintense. I speak with people frequently about their perceptions, opinions etc. 8 out of 10 people that I talk to, even if they don't agree with the President's stand on every single issue, are adult enough to recognize that Bush being re-elected is paramount for the good of America. They recognize that there will be time to voice their views about individual issues after the President if re-elected. And the election of John Kerry is OUT OF THE QUESTION!!

The only ones who start spouting the rhetoric similar to what we see here....are liberals with a capital "L". I've decided that these folks either come to FR to get their talking points from some of the posters such as are on this thread, OR those posters are liberal plants. Or DUmmies.

That's why I believe these complainers aren't really worth bothering with. They comprise a very small percentage of reality in the "core" of conservatives in the US.

Prairie

[reformedliberal]

Because the position taken by those bitching is so far to the right as to be over the cliff. Your positions have never in the modern history of this nation been capable of a candidate or a majority. Not even Reagan was what you fantasize him to be. He himself said he would take 80% if that was all he could get. You give the impression (to be charitable) that it is either far hard right or nothing.

We have a huge country and not even those who fall from center right to various further right positions who have one pragmatic bone in their bodies can back your declared actions (sit it out/vote 3rd party)as a response to what angers you.

You have not been betrayed. You are far hard rightwingers. So be it. Leave it be. We do not need to have you on every thread telling the world that conservatives aren't voting for Bush. We got the message. Bush has gotten the message. Now please, stop spamming every thread on this topic. Go to Liberty Lobby and post there.

But I do want to thank you for one thing: I believe your loud whining and threats are allowing moderate independants to cautiously consider voting for Bush. It is you folks who scare them away from the Republican Party.

So keep it up and tell the world that the far hard right wingnuts are NOT Republicans. Then move over so those who might agree with everything but your extreme positions can come in under the tent.

There are several 3rd parties you can join and they all have forums. Post there. If you absolutely insist on posting complaints to FR, at least admit you will support the President, given the circumstances of this election.

[reformedliberal]

This is a rational and intelligent response. I agree with it.

[reformed_democrat]

I am sure furious as heck at Bush's antics here at home. After the marvelous job he has done in fighting terrorism, he has ruined it for me and millions of other conservatives. The Republican party better not ignore us. We have issues that are important and are not to be scorned or ignored.

Bush has signed into law a ban on partial birth abortions. He has also signed a Medicare bill that will privatize the system by the time my son has children of his own. He has increased military spending, and, better still, he has improved military morale.

He has led by example. He has shown a demoralized nation that it is possible to have a leader who is a good man, not just a good politician.

You say you have issues. Are any of these issues so important that they outweigh the accomplishments of this President?

[reformedliberal]

You make an excellant point. If Tancredo needs other House members and the WH to get his bill passed and signed, not to mention the Senate, writing him in, if it makes the press, might poison the well for real immigration reform.

Tancredo write-in supporters, have you considered the effect on your pet issue?

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping

[quidnunc]

swampfox98 wrote: Blame the spell check. I'll rephrase for you: you and your partners in slander. You like that better?

The fact that what is said is the truth is an absolute defense against the charge of slander.

[reformedliberal]

Truth is an absolute defense against a charge of slander or libel.

You are entitled to your opinion and no one can tell you how to vote. But JimRob has already stated that those who are preparing the ground for division w/in the Republican Party in an election year are not going to be silently accepted here.

I am glad you are supporting President Bush. I think what is needed is for the Dems to see that we can disagree AND vote for a 2nd term, knowing we can deal w/our differences w/in the context of retaining and increasing our majority, like adults.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Pure garbage article.

[Sloth]

Not even Reagan was what you fantasize him to be.

I don't recall even mentioning Reagan.

He himself said he would take 80% if that was all he could get. You give the impression (to be charitable) that it is either far hard right or nothing.

Not at all. Heck, I'd settle for 60% right now. But of *all* the domestic issues of Bush's entire term, I can think of substantive conservative movement on only two: the tax cuts and partial-birth abortion ban, the latter of which was largely symbolic, but at least a step in the right direction.

Everything else has just been a case of caving to the Democrats. I have no problem with an incremental approach -- I have a problem with accelerating the incrementalism toward the *left*.

We have a huge country and not even those who fall from center right to various further right positions who have one pragmatic bone in their bodies can back your declared actions (sit it out/vote 3rd party)as a response to what angers you.

I have a question, and I would honestly like to hear your answer. What political incentive does the GOP have to do anything conservative at all? In other words, why does the party not go whole-hog into socialism in order to sway DemonRat voters?

So keep it up and tell the world that the far hard right wingnuts are NOT Republicans. Then move over so those who might agree with everything but your extreme positions can come in under the tent.

My "extreme positions" mainly consist of fiscal restraint, not killing babies and not urinating on the U.S. Constitution.

[deport]

Well I believe that there are a least four parts to the equation..... not just one as some would like to advocate.... They are: President, Representative, Senator and voters that elect them.... So to place the blame on the President in total is false and most likely why things don't get changed more often.

The President by the Constitution changes every four or eight years..... The remaining parts of the equation have no assured built in change other than death as an example. Thus every one frets and jumps on the one part that is guarenteed to change and lets the other parts remain in place election after election.

So you want major change then go for the parts that don't change often and get them modified. Like in 1994 when there was major turn over in the House of Representatives.

The drumbeat about Amnesty is wasted effort because if you believe the Congress critters it isn't going to happen. However assuming it would surface then it will have to be developed or modified in the Congress not by the President. Yet there are tons of expended energy on that subject here which could be better put to replacing some of the Critters in the Primaries that are currently occurring.

So imo if you want to move the conservative ball down the field then spend the effort to change the parts that have the longest lasting impact or control and doesn't have a shorter built in change of four or eight years.

My opinion your mileage may differ.

[Sloth]

Because there's nobody to compromise with to the right of you guys!

I meant to the left of the status quo, not the left of me.

[MEG33]

You lose credibility with the "Jorge" bit and overblown rhetoric.

[general_re]

Ah, yes. Election season. That magical, wonderful time, when thousands of freepers set aside their petty differences in order to work in peace and harmony towards a common goal. And we all have a Coke, and apologize to each other for being so mean and insensitive during the rest of the year. And then we sing together on a lovely green hillside, about how much we love each other, and about how happy we are that at the end of the day we can come together to make the world a better place, all by selflessly working together for the good of everyone.

It really is a shame we only get to do this every other year, isn't it?

:^)