[al_again]

The new Republican mantra: "The other guys are worse".

I'm sorry, I'm willing to fire the current inept leadership for someone new. If they are as bad or worse, then I will work to fire them too. Soon, another Reaganesque figure will appear who is actually deserving of the job and will win based on ideas and results! I've had it with the other guy is worse argument (as it is hard to believe).

[kingu]

The new Republican mantra: "The other guys are worse".

Is it a mantra or reality? Every time I hear someone complain about someone's position, you look at who they're running against, and not only do they have a like position, but usually further off from the mainstream. Since most voting jurisdictions don't have a 'none of the above' that means anything, you're not firing anyone. You're hiring a more wacked out guy to fill the slot.

I got ticked at David Dreier's constant pandering to the illegals crowd. I happily stood outside his door for the 'Fire Dreier' protests. And on election day, I looked at his opponent, and I voted for him, because voting for the opposition meant I'd lose more. Sure, it might have been vaguely safe given the results of the election, but I can't count on everyone else in the nation not getting sick of their own morons.

Instead, I hammer his office with e-mails, faxes and letters. I join protests to get his attention, and when he has neighborhood forums, I'm sitting there with a question card already filled out. And he's getting better... Until I and others look away and he'll slink back to the strange demi-world that is Washington politics today.

Now mind you, I voted against him in the primaries in favor of someone who matched my views better. I would have been wildly enthusiastic to have seen a real campaign from him, but mostly it was a few postcards from a campaign office that wasn't even in the district. Thrilling stuff.

But if I fired, as you put it, every lame Republican that came rolling along, all that would happen is that I'd have even more Democrats screwing up my life. I'd be waiting for the Reagan to come along.. Heck, at this point, I'd love even an Orson Scott Card. But if I got a choice between a two turkeys, I'm going to always bag the one that looks least likely to cause me illness. Sure, I guess that means I lack the purity that some demand. Whoopie for them; the rest of us have work to do while they're waiting for perfection.