Taibbi: GOP Meltdown?

[doom&gloom]

Re: Taibbi: GOP Meltdown?

aren't google image searches just wunnerful?

[vinoveri]

Re: Taibbi: GOP Meltdown?

This reminds me the 96 election. Repubs put Dole against Clinton. Come on, everyone knew Dole could not beat Clinton.

Same with Kerry against Bush - if the DEms wanted to win, they could have done better than a New England liberal which just energized the bush base more.

Even Obama-McCain was laughable, as if there was any question Obama would win.

Maybe they are one big party ... and TPTB just find it more convenient to max the presidential term to 8 years and not change out until they have too.

As for the Taiibi piece, he is on target, but let's his liberal bias come through a bit too much on this one

The ultimate political question is always: "what is Truth"? A big problem of course (aside from the fact that few actually choose to think past 2 steps in a logical sequence) is that not that folks don't agree on the Truth, but they deny its existence, or simply feel its irrelevant. Remember, Bernays, memes, etc.,

Without some basic and axiomatic principles of truth, the biggest bull horn wins. The myth of the serpent in the garden is a great metaphor for how emotional manipulation, and casuistry is always used to persuade/dupe the common man (e.g., who is trusting, simple and good-willed) to act against his interest and ultimately his neighbors

[Raz]

Re: Taibbi: GOP Meltdown?

Maybe they are one big party ... and TPTB just find it more convenient to max the presidential term to 8 years and not change out until they have too.

There are some real differences between their beliefs as to their constituencies, but they work together to bring about results for themselves.
We have an Imperial CONgress that functions as a single party - RepubliCrat. Washington works for Washington, and the rest of us are left out - unless you can buy a few key Senators and Congressmen.

[DToM67]

Re: Taibbi: GOP Meltdown?

After such astute and often entertaining articles on finance, corruption in, etc Taibbi jumps the shark with this drivel.

[Thailandnotes]

Re: Taibbi: GOP Meltdown?

JHK...

“Is this finally its Whig Moment – the point where the Republican Party has offended history so gravely that it goes up in a vapor of its own absurdity? I hope so. The conservative impulse is hardly all bad. We need it in civilization. But it can’t be vested in the sheer and constant repudiation of reality.

“The opposing Democrats have their own problem with reality, which is that they don’t tell the truth about so many things despite knowing better, and, under Obama, they act contrary to their stated intentions often enough, and in matters of extreme importance, that they deserve to go down in flames, too. Just as there is a place for conservatism in civilized life, there is also a place for the progressive impulse, let’s call it – for making bold advance in step with the mandates of reality and an interest in justice for all those along on the journey.”

Red Green & Blue (http://s.tt/15LT6)

[goodrich4bk]

Re: Taibbi: GOP Meltdown?

I don't know if you've noticed, Steve, but we ARE doing ALL of the things on your list. The Dems rhetoric about "clean energy" is merely a sales job to attract the eco vote. The Repubs rhetoric about "drill baby, drill" is merely a negative campaign slogan. Dems demonize the Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Corporations and, in return, Repubs demonize Dems. It all ensures the appearance of democracy but, as so many others are beginning to notice, its an oligarchy under Repubs and a plutocracy under Dems. Neither party cares a shit about those who are not connected to a significant voting group.

Still, so long as we bounce from one to the other we get a semblance of balance. Repubs will drill more, Dems will push conservation and alt energy more, so there are minor "wins" for whatever side you prefer. For example, I am sure many women who might have an abortion in Virginia feel like they won something last week, as do public union members last year in Wisconsin. When I drive through Sacramento in the summer, the air is much cleaner than it was when I was a kid, and that is certainly a benefit I received from Dems and not Repubs. Similarly, I'm glad when Repubs stop the issuance of some nanny-state regs that make no sense, or force cuts in unnecessary or wasteful spending.

As a libertarian I prefer the smaller government Repubs claim to like, but only if it is consistently applied. It never is (massive defense spending, large deficits and religious zeal are not my idea of conservative values), so I have never voted Republican in Presidential elections. And when Repubs support the Big Government/Tiny Tax clowns on display this year (with the exception of Paul) as "leaders", I head in the opposite direction.