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The GOP, Party of Cowards
Ever Vigilant ^ | 12/23/2003 | Lee R. Shelton IV

Posted on 01/02/2003 6:12:39 AM PST by sheltonmac

Most Americans seem to believe that Trent Lott deserved to suffer for his "insensitive" comments at Strom Thurmond's birthday celebration. Now that Lott has been forced to step down as Senate Majority Leader, neo-conservative Republicans are the ones cheering the loudest.

"We've wanted him gone for a long time," some have said. "We needed to get rid of him and move on with our agenda." The trouble is, no one in the party seems to know exactly what that agenda is.

Of course, that hasn't stopped neo-cons before. Pragmatism has always trumped principle, and as long as the polls reflect public approval for their actions, they really don't care about anything else. They must increase their majority in 2004 at any cost, and to do that they must first shake their xenophobic image.

As everyone knows, the GOP has long been branded as the party of racists. Such labels have been successfully utilized by the liberal left for years, and Republicans have tried everything to keep those labels from sticking. The end result is that in order to present the voting public with a kinder, gentler GOP, Republicans typically begin adopting Democratic positions.

It's the same three-step process every time: 1) liberals make the accusation of racism against a Republican, 2) the Republican denies the charge and 3) the Republican agrees to sign on to the liberal agenda, hoping that in doing so he might prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that he is not a racist. The entire fiasco surrounding Trent Lott is only the latest example of this kind of Republican cowardice.

Lott's comments sparked all the predictable reactions from all the usual suspects. Men like Al Sharpton and NAACP president Kweisi Mfume —both veteran champions of racial divisiveness —wasted no time in attacking the senator.

Sharpton, who had remained strangely silent in 2001 when Senate Democrat Robert Byrd let fly with his "white niggers" remark, said, "[Lott] should step aside. No one is saying that if the people of Mississippi want to elect him to the Senate that they don't have the right to do that. But to be the head of the party in the Senate, given the sensitivity of that position for the interest of the country and the party, Mr. Lott should step aside."

Mfume's response was a bit more harsh. He called Lott's little speech "hateful bigotry that has no place in the halls of the Congress," and dismissed Lott's subsequent apology as "too little, too late."

Reacting to the verbal barrage from the left, the neo-cons scattered. No one even bothered to mention the possibility that Lott was simply acknowledging the distinguished political career of his 100-year-old colleague. Nobody proposed that when the senator from Mississippi implied that we would be better off had Strom Thurmond been elected president in 1948, he was referring to some of the more noble causes Thurmond stood for, like states' rights and a less-intrusive federal government.

No, the neo-cons were so desperate to prove that they could be just as racially sensitive as their slightly more liberal counterparts that Lott's political fate had already been sealed. He was the perfect fall guy, and his sacrifice was worth it if it meant keeping the GOP in power.

Republicans, listen up. Whether you agree that Trent Lott should have resigned as Majority Leader or not, his ousting is yet another sign that you just don't get it. No matter what you say or do, you will always be viewed by the left as a bunch of bigots and racists. Bending to political peer pressure doesn't help —in fact, it makes you look weak. The sooner you learn that, the sooner we can begin repairing the damage your party has done to the conservative cause.

But it's probably too late. The mob has spoken, and Trent Lott has been forced out of his leadership role. Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah summed up what Republicans expect of Bill Frist, Lott's successor: "I think Bill has a kind of a more moderate record and a more moderate approach toward things, and I think that it's going to be very difficult to criticize him."

In other words, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." And that, my friends, has become the battle cry of the neo-conservatives in the GOP, Party of Cowards.


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To: sheltonmac
Now that Lott has been forced to step down as Senate Majority Leader, neo-conservative Republicans are the ones cheering the loudest.

"You're not going to dump this garbage on us!"
Trent Lott to the impeachment managers.
61 posted on 01/02/2003 7:24:29 AM PST by Valin
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To: Nick Danger
President Bush wants Lott in his house so he must not be a racist or all that bad like you all want us to think.

Statement by the President

"I respect the very difficult decision Trent made on behalf of the American people.

As Majority and Minority Leader of the Senate, Trent Lott improved education for the American people; he led the way in securing tax relief; he strengthened our national security; and he stood for a bold and effective foreign policy.

Trent is a valued friend, and a man I respect. I am pleased he will continue to serve our Nation in the Senate, and I look forward to working with him on our agenda to make America safer, stronger, and better."

George W. Bush 12/20/2002 http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/12/20021220.html
62 posted on 01/02/2003 7:26:13 AM PST by TLBSHOW
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To: sheltonmac
I will never forget the time on C-Span (1994) when Queasy I'mPhony and (i think) Jose Torres were equating defunding the Congressional Black Caucus with "ethnic cleansing."

Add to that Queasy's refusal to disavow that very racist ad the NAACP did w/ James Byrd's daughter and the video of a truck with a chain behind it....

Lord, please grant me an opportunity to tell Queasy face to face that he has no right to say word 1 about racism and to

STFU!

'Pod

63 posted on 01/02/2003 7:26:41 AM PST by sauropod
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To: sheltonmac
Lott could have simply said, "I wasn't talking about segregation. I was just voicing my admiration for my colleague, and I think much of what Strom Thurmond has done over the years has been a credit to this nation." End of story. The left would have had nothing to run with.

Like hell they wouldn't have. Lott said the country might have avoided some "problems" had Strom been elected in 1948. Since the Dixiecrats existed almost solely to perpetuate segregation, it is a very reasonable jump to believe that Trent was praising that institution. Only Trent knows if he is a racist or is just an idiot, but neither is a suitable trait for a majority leader.

This story is done and gone, but you seem compelled to keep it alive. However, the more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets, so pull out your spatula if you want to pry this one off the asphalt.

64 posted on 01/02/2003 7:26:51 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: dirtboy
President Bush really thinks Trent does a good job!

See post 62, in fact he looks foreword to working with him.
65 posted on 01/02/2003 7:28:42 AM PST by TLBSHOW
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To: TLBSHOW
Have your parents written the college you attended to ask for their money back?
66 posted on 01/02/2003 7:29:41 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: Mustang
"re: your 4th paragraph...you're now know as a full fledged political astute mental midget"

You mean the GOP hasn't been branded by the left as a party of racists? Are you sure you live in the U.S.?

67 posted on 01/02/2003 7:30:18 AM PST by sheltonmac
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To: Nick Danger; Luis Gonzalez; Miss Marple; Poohbah
Agreed.

Furthermore, we have higher standards.

Tell me, what would you rather have a major figure in the party in the headlines for: Dumb comments, or for rendering aid in a very nasty automobile accident, saving four of six victims?
68 posted on 01/02/2003 7:30:32 AM PST by hchutch
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To: dirtboy
You sound like a liberal, blaming others instead of placing the blame firmly where it belongs - with Trent Lott himself.

My sentiments exactly! Lott got exactly what he deserved -- his statement was bad enough but the apologies were dumb! He had to go or his comments would have been the Senate agenda by the RATS. Anyone that cannot see that doesn't understand the politics that is going on in D.C. The RATs had an agenda that Lott gave them and they were not letting go helped along with the liberal national media.

Sometimes you have to cut your losses -- this was one of those times! Lott had to go.

P.S. I am a Senator Nickles' supporter and am proud of my Senator for standing up for what was right!

69 posted on 01/02/2003 7:32:17 AM PST by PhiKapMom
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To: dirtboy
So Bush is wrong? Hummm!
70 posted on 01/02/2003 7:33:00 AM PST by TLBSHOW
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To: sheltonmac

President George W. Bush talks with House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott while watching election returns in the White House residence Tuesday night, Nov. 5, 2002. White House photo by Eric Draper.

71 posted on 01/02/2003 7:35:21 AM PST by TLBSHOW
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To: dirtboy
dirt...

Personal attacks are forbidden plus being rude and obnoxious.

72 posted on 01/02/2003 7:35:36 AM PST by cynicom
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To: TLBSHOW
I bet you laugh at the punch line when you tell yourself a joke. Look, nutbar, I never said Lott was a racist, and I never said he should resign from the Senate, so I really don't see why you are trying to make an issue of this, unless you have absolutely no grasp of logic and reason...
73 posted on 01/02/2003 7:37:36 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: cynicom
dirt... Personal attacks are forbidden plus being rude and obnoxious.

TLBSHOW is the most obnoxious poster on the forum, IMO, with his nonstop spamming of inane statements regarding Lott, and deserves an occasional kick in the pants for trying to put words in my mouth.

74 posted on 01/02/2003 7:38:47 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: sheltonmac
My point is that if the GOP really cared about fighting for conservative principles, Lott would have been sent packing a long time ago...

Your point is simplistic. The GOP is a conglomeration of many individuals -- it's not an individual thing to be describe in a single notion.

The GOP happens to be the party that most freedom lovers in this country support and vote for. It is the party, where our power base resides. It is the party through which freedom will evolve.

The more people who believe in freedom, the more rightward the GOP politicians will move. I'm am tired of hearing all the whinning and misplaced blame that eminates from so-called conservatives. The real problem is that we just don't have enough freedom-minded people. Over time that will change.

Hold the GOP politicians feet to the fire -- yes. Trash the entire party -- NO!!

75 posted on 01/02/2003 7:39:22 AM PST by FreeReign
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To: sheltonmac
At the time he stepped down, the public perception of Lott (and, therefore, the political reality) is that he was a bad person. From "the Tonight Show" on down, his name has become universal shorthand for "white racist."

Right or wrong, he's the modern Archie Bunker.

So maybe Lott has been unfairly singled out, maybe he got hit with a a cheap shot...but that shot still took him down.

It's like football. Maybe it was a foul that injured the Quarterback, but once the quarterback is injured badly enough, you have to take him out of the game before he loses the whole thing.

Lott may have taken one for the team but it was time to bench him. The good of the Republican team demanded it.


76 posted on 01/02/2003 7:40:01 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
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To: dirtboy
dirt...

You owe TLB an apology, are you man enough to do it????

77 posted on 01/02/2003 7:40:15 AM PST by cynicom
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To: sheltonmac
BTW....the GOP is not the party of Racists.

The Liberal-Socialist-DemocRAT, (aka the LSD), party are the race baiting demagougues who gleefully reap votes from the ignorant and misinformed, which has historically earned the Racist label.

BTW, mac...my frustration is not toward you, but the author of this drivel.
78 posted on 01/02/2003 7:41:24 AM PST by Mustang
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To: Mustang
He wrote this story!
79 posted on 01/02/2003 7:42:07 AM PST by TLBSHOW
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To: Mustang
Better check the author again....
80 posted on 01/02/2003 7:42:44 AM PST by cynicom
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