Victor Davis Hanson: Democratic Suicide

NRO ^ | 5/6/2005 | Victor Davis Hanson

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[Thoro]

How is it that we are the aggressors in this and at the same time were not prepared? This is a perfectly asinine thing to propose to anyone. ONLY aggressors are prepared!!! If we were not prepared, it is because we were not and are not the aggressors in this!!! The whole terrorist agenda is a lesson, albeit a late one, that our guard had been let down and that we failed to for see the worst. Who is to blame for that 'peace has broken out' view of things?

I always find it funny that they always resort back to the "We're not focusing on finding Bin Laden", which is not only an empty view, but an insulting one. It pretty much says that our military, the one that fought a world war on two fronts, is incapable of walking and chewing bubble gum at the same time.

[Grampa Dave]

Superb!

[beckett]

Kudos to Hanson. Among the many stellar columns he has penned, this one ranks near the top.

[SMARTY]

If we are not focusing on Bin Ladin, then why is Mushariff as goosey as a whore in church and why is Karzai so earnestly and openly committed to the US remaining in Afghanistan... even though his personal security may be secured without the broad and intense level of commitment we continuity to show there?

[AFPhys]

When we see Democrats speaking and living like normal folks — expressing worry that the United States must return to basic education and values to ensure its shaky preeminence in a cutthroat world, talking of one multiracial society united by a rare exceptional culture of the West rather than a salad bowl of competing races and tribes, and apprising the world that we are principled abroad in our support of democratic nations and quite dangerous when attacked — they will be competitive again.

Ain't gonna happen. There core of the Demodogs is comprised of those who are totally opposed to doing this. Their only chance is to fool people, and that can't be done for long enough. They're cooked.

[Please add me to your VDH ping list]
`

[aculeus]

BTTT

[CGVet58]

hey wootr (but perhaps, to the left of me??? - ;-}),

I disagree. Morbid as the next may seem, remember this fifth column ego-centric nihilist force we call the dhimmicrats bracket their oh-so-obvious lustre to the world by death coming (abortion) and going (euthanasia)... their frenzied clamor in todays agora may make for great and loud drama, but I suspect it's more akin to the sound that comes from millions of lemming-paws as they approach the cliff...

[John Lenin]

When we see Democrats speaking and living like normal folks — expressing worry that the United States must return to basic education and values to ensure its shaky preeminence in a cutthroat world,

As long as the RATS get all their money from Hollyweird and San Francisco liberals this will never happen. Not to say that the GOP can't screw up bigtime on the judges and SS but the culture war is waxing not waning.

[Tolik]

Ouch. Beautiful!

[Tolik]

Added to the VDH ping list. Thanks.

[mondonico]

All of this sounds right, but they came so close in the last two elections......

[Billthedrill]

Great article. A lot of Democrats mourn a party that has become unrecognizable and end up voting Republican or not at all. They'll attempt one more comeback by misrepresenting an ideologue as a centrist in Hillary Clinton in 2008 - in many ways her failure would be the best thing possible to happen to the party. Her success would throw the whole thing back into the hands of political "experts" for whom the package is more important than the contents. We've had quite enough of that.

Or, if al Qaeda, operating from a sanctuary in Iran or Syria, took out the Sears Tower, how would a Kennedy, Kerry, or Gore respond? Six cruise missiles? A police matter? Proper work for the DA? Better "intelligence"? Let's work with our allies? Get the U.N. involved?

Ouch. Those are Clinton solutions and I don't just mean Bill.

Whatever we think of George Bush, we know he would do something real — and just what that something might be frightens into hesitation — and yes, fear — many of those who would otherwise like to try something pretty awful.

It helps, too, to hound the sumbitches to the point where they're glancing over their shoulders too much to attempt anything forward-looking. Osama's urging Zarqawi to attack the U.S. is a case in point. The former is now in deep concealment and the latter chased from one safe-house to another on an hourly basis. These are no longer men likely to succeed in taking the Sears Tower down.

[spacewarp]

I'd agree it reads real well. Agreed, the Republicans need to earn it. Right now, they're not doing well at all. But, fortunately, the Demoncrats are doing MUCH worse.

Paul

[CyberAnt]

"let's hope they don't listen"


Why would they listen .. they're too arrogant to believe we know anything.

[OESY]

New York Times: "There are many incompetent people in the world. But a Cornell University study has shown that most incompetent people do not know that they are incompetent.... One reason that the ignorant also tend to be the blissfully self-assured, the researchers believe, is that the skills required for competence often are the same skills necessary to recognize competence. The incompetent, therefore, suffer doubly...."

For instance, take Howell Raines and Jayson Blair, please.

[Thoro]

If we are not focusing on Bin Ladin, then why is Mushariff as goosey as a whore in church and why is Karzai so earnestly and openly committed to the US remaining in Afghanistan... even though his personal security may be secured without the broad and intense level of commitment we continuity to show there?

"But those are sidetracks that are deterring us from the hunt for Bin Laden!" < /liberal rant off >

Only in the illogical mind of a liberal could the obvious be mistaken for inaction. Thank goodness the parents are in charge.

[OESY]

Mwanwhile, watch your back:



Quoted from TomPaine (courtesy RightWingNews.com):

As we’ve heard again and again recently, if we are going to beat this bunch of rule breaking GOP misanthropes, we’re going to have to start fighting as dirty as they do. I started this thread for one reason, to get everyone’s ideas on a list of things we as Democrats can consider to stop the takeover of this country. This isn’t going to be a thread for the squeamish, or for the ideologically pure. Best to steer clear if that describes you.

Here are half a dozen ideas to get the ball rolling.

1) Get Republicans fired at your workplace, or fire them yourself if you can – In the belief that all activism starts with the grass roots, do us all a favor, and fire your Republican employees this week. There are legitimate reasons to fire virtually any employee, so avail yourself of them. Not only will it quit the gloating you’re hearing around the office, it’ll stop those donation checks they are getting ready to write. Might also teach them a bit of humility regarding the poor and the disadvantaged. They can be the “Pioneers” of “Unemployment Window A”

2) Pretend to be a Republican, and then cut down the next Republican that you have a conversation with. - The more public/crowed the place you do this, the better. Use whatever remarks you know are sure to make the intended impression. “You’re no better than the liberal scum you claim to hate… get back into the kitchen… Just wait till we win next year and toss peons like you into the field or the workhouse… People in your income bracket don’t have the right to be Republican or vote etc.” If you need talking points, just observe in a Yahoo political chat room for a few minutes and you have all the right wing bile that you can use and quite possibly all that you can stand.

3) Create, plant and disseminate widely “news stories” that discredit GOP policies – A good way to do this is to print out stories in the visual style of a major newspaper or magazine (don’t use the logo or other copywrited [sic] material, however) and theme them similarly to the ones that targeted John McCain’s platform last presidential election. Make sure not to slander individuals directly. Leave stacks of the printouts where people are certain to find them – i.e. supermarkets, coffee houses, bars, community centers etc. As in #2 make sure to write these from the right wing perspective, for maximum effect on the target audience. Avoid digital media, as it’s too easy to fact check, not that most GOP voters care to check these things anyway.

4) Contact the IRS and anonymously tip them off regarding prominent GOP contributors in your area. – Lets face it, they are likely tax evaders in any case (that’s why they are GOP), so might as well have them go thru an audit and feel a bit of what it’s like to have a hostile government prying into their affairs. The tax money you shake free will be a little payback to your community for the egregious tax cut they undoubtedly are enjoying.

5) Make sure that you’re the only ride on voting day for a group of hard right types who live out of the way, and then don’t show up. – This works best in low population density areas and poor right wing communities. Cultivate a group of right wing friends and make sure they depend on you for the ride on Election Day. Then don’t show up. Every vote they miss is an uncontested vote on the blue side of the aisle. The right needs a taste of Florida 2000.

6) Impersonate Linda Tripp. – Whisper into the ear of GOP associates to encourage and get dirty laundry regarding their improprieties, and then make sure that information gets into the wrong hands. It’s hard to brag about family values or think about politics when you’re in a divorce court.

Are you really serious about winning the culture war? Do you mean it when you say it’s time to fight fire with fire? Then channel that anger and let’s hear some ideas. Given the thin skin of most conservative ideologues, it won’t take much to have them running far away from such policies and tactics so we can all enjoy proper, principled political discourse in the country again. First, however, they need to be taught that fighting dirty burns them as much as it burns anyone.

[IronJack]

they're too arrogant to believe we know anything.

Perfect. That reality will dawn on them just about the time the meteor strikes and their fate is sealed.