I agree that the Republicans feel completely defeated at this point, but to think that they will just roll over is very naive of my good friend and most excellent blogger Kevin Drum.
They won’t be willing to say this during a presidential campaign, but there are at least half a dozen smart Republican senators who understand this and don’t really want to go down with the ship. So even if Democrats don’t win a filibuster-proof majority in November — as they almost certainly won’t — it’s likely that there will still be enough survival-inspired GOP senators around to give Barack Obama the votes he needs to make a difference. If that’s the case, and if Obama has the courage of his convictions, his first two years could be historic.
This election is going to be nasty and the Republican 527’s will have a field day come November which is why I think it was a big mistake for Obama to cut funding to David Brock’s Progressive Media group. The two things Conservatives are very good at are personal political attacks and obstructionism. And without a filibuster proof Congress they will do everything they can to block legislation and try to destroy the Democratic brand and regroup.
The truth is that they know the Republicans are very, very likely going to lose the presidency anyway. And they are fine with it. It brings them together. Here’s old hand Richard Viguerie making his pitch for GOP to lose in 2006:
[Sometimes] a loss for the Republican Party is a gain for conservatives. Often, a little taste of liberal Democrats in power is enough to remind the voters what they don’t like about liberal Democrats and to focus the minds of Republicans on the principles that really matte…read on
No Trackbacks To “Whistling in the Dark“
The GOP is grossly underestimating the displeasure in the country.
However, if racism trumps displeasure, then expect four more years of stagnation in the country. Stagnation is good for the corporatists because they can always augment profits elsewhere, like outside the country. Stagnation is bad for people, because at minimum economic improvement doesn’t come and at worst, people continue to decline economically.
The people vote against Obama because he is black, they deserve what they get. The states vote for the wingnuts because they believe in war and all the talk about the flag, homos, etc etc etc….they deserve what they get.
Who are these “liberal Democrats” that Richard Viguerie is talking about?
Lord, I am not going to start worrying now about what might happen in 2012 and beyond. We have several more months to go before we even know what will happen in 2009.
this country can not take another reichwing gop administration…….
the most criminal group in the history of the United States.
the gop = fascist and amoral
christianreligious bastardsEnlighten me:
Why did Obama cut funding to Brock’s group?
More “let’s shoot ourselves in the foot” strategizing from the “snatching defeat from the jaws of victory” party?
If the filthy GOP hangs on to the White House for a couple more terms, the country is finished.
The Dems are fooling themselves if they believe the GOP will simply roll over in November. Conservatives are masters at playing a dirty, nasty game. And believe me, they will play it. If Obama thought Billary has treated him roughly…just wait. He hasn’t seen anything yet.
“focus the minds of Republicans on the principles that really matter”
And what would those principles be, pray tell?
All the conservatives need is sufficient numbers to impede governance.
Obama may have cut funding to Brock’s group in a last-ditch and naive attempt to elevate the debate. He vastly overestimates the decency of the American people when it comes to trash ‘em politics. As more and more t-shirts show up for sale in flea-markets across middle America depicting him as a banana-toting monkey, I’m sure he’ll figure it out fast.
Blue Lensman @ 7:
Family values while cavorting with prostitutes and engaging in anonymous sex in lavatories.
Smaller government while building up the largest deficits in the history of the world.
Compassion while supporting the President’s veto of healthcare to underprivileged children.
How much lower can we get?
http://www.boot.com/deficit.gif
I’m not sure if this is relevant to the thread, but here’s a letter I sent to The Dallas Morning News regarding the Obama is an appeaser argument boosh used, but they’re unlikely to use it due to it’s being 28 words over the maximum length, and maybe a bit more cut and paste than I’m used to doing. I did try to make it my words though.
The subject of appeasement from Bush as referenced by Mark Davis and John Dickerson’s, Talking the Talk is ironic. Prescott Bush, George W’s grandfather, made much of his family’s fortune dealing with German companies that helped establish Adolph Hitler. Prescott was closely involved and getting wealthy with the help of such Hitler enablers such as Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH), Holland-American, Silesian-American, and Consolidated Silesian Steel Company (CSSC), that was based in mineral rich Silesia on the German-Polish border. On October 20 1942, the alien property custodian seized the assets of the New York-based Union Banking Corporation (UBC), under the Trading With the Enemy Act, of which Prescott Bush was a director. This is all coming out from a lawsuit by former Auschwitz prisoners who were worked as slaves there, as reported by the British newspaper The Guardian.
According to the BBC 4 Radio news, earlier in 1934 Prescott Bush was involved with the American Liberty League, made up of large corporations, that plotted to overthrow the US government and install a Fascist government. This plot included Heinz, Colgate, Birds Eye Foods and General Motors.
Additionally, the appeasers like the Tory Neville Chamerlain were conservatives, who wanted to stay out of the war. In our country, it was the Democrats who wanted to fight and defeat Adolph Hitler, which they did in less time than we’ve been in Iraq .
Hate hate hate, fear fear fear.
THAT’S what republicans have. Good thing for them it works really well on scared-of-the-dark, fear-face, hairless monkeys that make up humanity.
We absolutely don’t want to become complacent, that would surely turn this into a race. That said, I’m just a semi-casual observer, hardly near to those who are in the know. But it would seem that with the results beginning to come in from recent races that the public is finally waking up to the crooks and liars who have been inhabiting the white house for the past 8 years. This should be the biggest landslide and switch of power this country has ever seen. I believe wholeheartedly that that is going to occur. Ideology aside, when you mess with regular people’s gas money, they rebel.
Too bad it had to wait until the bush crime syndicate ransacked the country. Someone with Waxman’s moxie needs to go after them and impeach and incarcerate. Only then will this ship this country begin to be righted. Pray that it is not too late and don’t get complacent.
When Richard Nixon resigned the press declared the Republican Party was dead.
Take heed!
ysbaddaden @ 12:
The reason they won’t print it is not because of the length of it. It is because it has facts about the Bush family, they don’t want their readers to know about.
The repubs may be a lot of things, but they aren’t stupid. They see the writing on the wall and they hear the American people say they want a change. Could there be anyone less apt to make a change than a 71 year old professional politician? That’s why they wanted to run against Hillary. She is a change but not as much as Obama will be. I think they fear that he will not only win, but be a different kind of democrat that might actually win over members of their own party during the next four years.
ysbaddaden @ 12:
Good letter, but it won’t be printed.
Why?
As i said: It is a good letter.
Obama represents the Republicans worst nightmare. If he succeeds to and as President, their all-white, exclusive party will be seen even more as an institution that time and progress has passed. They’ve already lost the younger people, who think the repubs are so unhip. Black Republicans? Comedy and tragedy. Republican party= racism, anger, entitlement, imaginary white nationalism.
It like Obama doesn’t want to fight fire with fire. He want’s to fight it with ‘water’ by pushing voter registration and a positive message of hope. It may be a big risk from the 2000 and 2004 slim fest. I just image fleets of swift boaters out there waiting for September / October to attack.
Left&Left @ 19:
It’s not all white. They have collected a few black fascists along the way.
kep306 @ 20:
Obama has already proven he won’t take that crap lying down. He is one tough cookie.
Two things -
1) To Republicans govenment is a blend - a continuous spectrum with washington on one end and wall street on the other end. Any Republican that doesnt fight the left in Washington will be persona non grata on Wall Street. I expect a Republican insurgency.
2) Dont missquote Vigurre. He isnt - by his own definitions - a modern republican. Read this …
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/n.....E_ID=51421
“WASHINGTON – One of the architects of the Reagan Revolution is calling on fellow conservatives to withhold support of the Republican Party establishment – including most GOP incumbents in Congress this year.”
That was August 2006.
He is still at war with the ‘Republicans’.
I just wonder what kind of parallel we can draw from prescott and his German involvement to boosh I and II with Carlyle.
Only unlike the American Liberty League they don’t have to draw up a force of Pension Army soldiers, because they already have Blackwater (Black-shirits?)
I’ve got your maverick right here, Mr. McBush!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com.....0afd_o.jpg
xoites defends Constitution @ 22:
You can’t crap lying down, twert befouling yourselves.
Yep. There is nothing more vicious than a cornered rat or a Rethug without a hope of power. They will open the very gates of hell and unleash the Four Horsemen as they have nothing left to lose. It is going to get very, very ugly as the legions of the damned reveal their true selves.
ysbaddaden @ 24:
They also did not have designs on “overthrowing” our government and replacing it with a fascist one. Instead they chose to just convert the gov. to fascism from within - and have done a damn fine job!
ysbaddaden @ 24:
I wouldn’t worry about Blackwater too much. They may be made up of some of the most highly trained Death Squads on the planet, but if you think the US Military is not capable and willing to take them out in a heartbeat then i have news for you.
If Obama can do just one thing to change things for the better, it would be to fix “education”. The great dumbing down of America is one of the main reasons for the recent strength of republicans.
Abolish No Child Moves Forward, promote excellence in teaching through better pay, and give grants to get every qualified kid wanting to go to college.
Educated people making educated votes. A can’t lose strategy for the future.
YourMom @ 30:
It may surprise you to learn that as a direct response to campus unrest during the Vietnam War colleges and universities decided to stop teaching students how to think and started teaching them how to make money.
xoites defends Constitution @ 29:
After reading the book “Blackwater” I think there might be some soldiers very happy to take them on.
ysbaddaden @ 24:
A mercenary army is dangerous, a Praetorian Guard more dangerous still. Neither owe loyalty, and the latter can place its candidate on the throne. Hence, I don’t worry about Blackwater.
The Truth Hurts @ 6:
Why do you people fear the GOP? It is so patronizing when people unfoundedly say “just wait until the GOP get to Obama” It is so sad to read “progressives” still buying into the fraudulent GOP juggernaut. If you fear your opponent before the competition, you will lose. Hillary has already tried the Repub tactics and has been rejected(except by the bigots and the ignorant). “Conservatives are masters” yeah right.
Left&Left @ 34:
I agree. They are the ones who are justified in being afraid and guess what?
They are!
Left&Left @ 34:
This is very true, well said. I hope to read less posts on the blogosphere from chicken little progressives who fear a spanking from the “daddy” gop. The Democratic party is older, better, and stronger and will win this year. 8 years of a Barack Obama administration should teach these “masters” some humility.
xoites defends Constitution @ 35:
They’re shaking.
And referring to your post @31:
Nope, Doesn’t shock me at all. I also don’t necessarily equate having lots of money with a commensurate load of smarts. A person can learn to do one thing really well, even something that allows them to make a good living, and still not be a well-rounded, educated, or thoughtful individual.
Sorry, I posted this in the wrong thread.
Republicans only got away with majorities, as long as they picked people who sounded and acted competent. Now, they’re just opting for bi-polar candidates with no sense of restraint or respect.
Whistling in the Dark
Maybe their werewolf ran off their leash.
The DNC is fooling themselves if they think Obama has a snowballs chance in Hell of winning the general Election. Even IF he hadn’t alienated upwards of 50% of Clinton voters with his false charges of racism against the Clintons and continuing with the red herring that if he loses it’s because of racism, thuggish behavior of his backers at the caucuses and his blatant misogyny he would have a tough row to hoe. His “Judgment” which he seems to think is his string point will justifiably be brought forcefully into question regarding his business associates REZKO. His Political mentors AYERS, his for 20 years spiritual mentor Rev Wright and the famous oh I bet they wish they could make the tape disappear “for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country”. And it don’t count for squat what barky thinks id off limits or not. Watching his and all the little obamazoids heads explode as the GOP with help from alienated Clinton supporters shred barky right there for all the world to see will be VERY entertaining. The only REAL question will be if there are enough adults with more brains then GAWD hissef gave GEESE to pull together the shattered remains of the postobamalamadingdong Democratic Party together in time for an attempt at salvaging 2012. I mean, like Charles Barkley says”I may be wrong…but I doubt it”!
Ron @ 16: