“Rove Uses Threat of GOP Loss to Stir the Base”
That’s the headline.
Newsflash: Conservatives and libertarians – “the base” – are this way because we have either had experiences that made us have a conservative/libertarian outlook on life and politics, or we thought through the issues and came to the conclusion that this was the right outlook to have, or some combination of the two. We don’t vote Republican to be part of some loot and power-divvying scheme, so we aren’t terrified of losing power. This ain’t Tammany Hall – though the way y’all are running things lately, it might be. The salient point is when Republicans stop being conservative or libertarian in any meaningful way and basically become Democrats (except for the occasional red meat social conservative flag waver, like the futile Schiavo and stupid gay marriage amendments) then we have no inclination to vote for them. Moreover, when the Republicans start acting like Democrats – out of control spending and pork, rent seeking, getting shaky on national defense, establishing huge new entitlements programs like the prescription drug benefit – the specter of a Democrat win doesn’t hold the implications it once did. Sure, the Dems will be marginally worse. But even if Congress goes totally Dem, there is still the presidential veto – that is if the christian socialist in the WH is actually capable of using it. The Republicans badly need a moment of clarity before the next presidential election, and I deeply hope we give it to them. Just ask yourself, “what massive new social welfare program does Karl Rove have up his sleeve to buy this election or to build the Bush legacy?” (A legacy which, near as I can tell, will look something like a huge national credit card bill.)
Karl should feel free to threaten away. The more he treats us like sheep who aren’t smart enough to know what is going on, the more likely it is we’ll stay home. The Republican Party may be the stupid party, but there’s no reason we have to be the stupid voters.
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2. Is the message really directed at voters or at RINO Pols?
The republicans may be dumb and self serving, but I'll be damned if I'll help put the country through another presidential term with a president who's as stupid as Carter and a dem congressional leadership even dirtier and more un-American than Slick.
If you put that bunch together with the left-ball-licking media, what you've got is a catastrophe for the country.
Has it occurred to you that it might be worth gambling - give the Dems control of at least one house of Congress so they can let their freak flag fly up until the next election, meanwhile chastening the Republicans pretty badly?
The Republicans are taking us to the same place the Dems would. The only difference right now is they are doing it a little bit more slowly. I'm not going to sit idly by and keep pulling the lever for them. Splitting the difference between right and wrong, as the Republicans are now doing, is still wrong.
We already know that that sort of crooked jiggery and pokery isn't just attractive to them, it's in their very marrow as Dems; they know that their ideas are dated and fading, and that every honest historical review and poll shows liberalism/socialism losing ground with mainstream Americans. Desperate times, desperate measures, etc.
We know that, as "concerned" citizens of the world (one of their most-beloved conceits), the Dems' idea of "patriotism" is mistrust for America's motives, disregard for America's interests, disinterest in America's security, and embarrassment over America's successes. We know that the Culture of Treason is very real, and quite securely entrenched in positions of influence and power.
We know that the Repubs are very nearly worthless; we know that the Dems are far worse. I know the Republicrats do indeed need a serious wake-up call, if not outright expulsion from the ranks. But I'm still uncertain that rewarding the Dems with electoral victories this near to our having vanquished them utterly is the best way to do it. It might end up seeming more like cutting off our nose to spite our face in the long haul. I'm still hoping for a viable third party, the American Constitution Party, myself -- although I do realize what a forlorn, vain hope that is.
Worth considering, certainly.
I think you need to take a shot of oxygen, or maybe a shot of bourbon here. It's far from a short jump. A bit of a long leap, or perhaps a middling march. But definitely much longer than a short jump to abject surrender.