Unless, of course, the Republicans know there's no way they CAN lose. Look for a "miracle win" by whatever delusional bible-thumping geezer they nominate, enabled by the rigged voting machines nobody's done anything about since 2000!
Posted by dalloway at December 31, 2007 06:17 AMThat's the obvious conclusion I wanted to write, dalloway, thank you, but if I did I'd instantly be written off as an alarmist crank.
That is a real, real danger, nonetheless, it has to be. We'll just have to see.
Posted by paradox at December 31, 2007 06:22 AMBoy, I'd caution you not to be too certain you'll never see Prezlidenterer McCain, Romney or Hucksteree or you could become suicidal come Nov 2008. Our "system" is conspicuously broken.
Our nation's citizens woefully failed in 2004, and the likelihood is that their brains have gotten worse since then. The corporate press will be shilling non-stop for the GOoP nominee, and trashing the Dem, whomever it may be. That's important for the ordinary boob, who gets every scrap of their "news" from 24/7 cable TV talking heads and Repub talk radio.
Plus the Supreme Court will this term authorize Repub minority vote suppression by approving state "voter ID" laws, which the entire South will immediately enact for 2008. And how'd our Dem heroes do on reforming paperless voting? Oh yeah, we gave up on that. So vote suppression and election fraud (ala Ohio) will reach unprecedented levels in 2008---and it'll be institutionalized.
The Repubs know their brain-dead audience and know what reeking, foul shit to serve up for them, don't kid yourself. The "independents" are then manipulated via the corporate press into a powerful hankerin' for the steaming GOoP shit as well.
Repubs only need to obtain a victory in the electoral college, not the popular vote, and the new improved Radical Repub Supreme Court showed that the GOoPs don't even have to win in the electoral college---a Dem prez is bad for the nation, Scalia & Co said so!
Myself, I think it's highly likely that BushAmerica fails again and elects another authoritarian Repub model in 2008---as much as we try, it's a solid 50/50 that it occurs again. Failed democracies usually can't reform themselves, and we haven't even tried. Plus, one of the two main parties depends upon the current broken "system" in order to "win".
At best, 2008 will be a crap shot; knowledge and reason are not part of the American "model" any longer.
Posted by euzoius at December 31, 2007 06:23 AMThere is confidence, and then there is over-confidence. I know precisely what you mean, euzoius, I was aware of it when I wrote it. The only defense I have is that with all that I know and have seen the GOP is displaying they don't care if they lose in 2004. That does not mean I won't be working my ass off to make sure the Democratic nominee will win, I'll be there, believe me.
I was also remiss in leaving out a GOP strategy, voter fraud. They never plan to win or steal with it, the game is played by shaving small percentages. Sometimes they pay off, like that she-bitch hyena Katherine Harriss so aptly displayed, may her rotting corpse of a soul smolder in hell forever.
Posted by paradox at December 31, 2007 06:42 AMHave you considered the possibility that what you perceive as a lie is not recognized as a lie by conservatives? You could read some George Lakoff for background on this.
Posted by Horselover Fat at December 31, 2007 07:02 AMi think the number of prominent repug congresscritters who are retiring tells you everything: they expect a bloodbath.
on the presidential level, don't forget- repugs are the faith-based party. fantasies and delusions are all they have.
Posted by Turkana at December 31, 2007 07:07 AMSuskind's shorter version: We are an empire now, we make our own reality.
Posted by Horselover Fat at December 31, 2007 07:11 AMRepublicans/Conservatives exist on two levels...racism/money making. They want to make money and keep that money. They do not want that money taken from them in taxes or any kind of Corporate accountability, and given to the brown and black masses. Simply look at the Bush years to see that put into practice. The GOP is simply greedy white folks at the top, and stupid white folks at the bottom.
Posted by T2 at December 31, 2007 07:14 AMWhat a bunch of crap, even after 2006, this stuff still comes up. If my side wins it's legit, if yours does...it's not. And the racist line again...we'll never get passed it with Democrats continually bringing up this stuff. Martin Luther King will never see his dreams come full circle with people like we have here constantly reminding Americans of passed events. Maybe Democrats are worried about their own deficiencies, or they want to keep some people under thumb. "Can't have these people making their own decisions now."
Either way Republicans got the Equal Rights Act of 1964 passed. Republicans aligned with LBJ to get the Voter Rights Act of 1965 passed. Higher percentages of Democrats opposed the two Acts. LBJ admitted his parties roll when signing the Acts into law. It's always the three fingers pointing back at ya.
Wonder comes out of that meeting at OU on January 7th? Will the major candidates make the pledge of a "Unity government" that those attending are looking for...to go beyond tokenism.
Posted by peter at December 31, 2007 09:30 AMQuestions for Peter:
How much bipartisan legislation was vetoed by your hero president; yet, there were not enough votes to overide his vetos?
How many filibusters were used by Republicans to block bills?
For all of LBJ's faults--and there were many--if you or any member of your family or friends are receiving Medicare benefits or were helped by student loans to attend university, you have LBJ to thank. I dare you to thank a Democrat!
Posted by Sawbones at December 31, 2007 11:08 AMLest the grammer police complain, I meant to write "vetoes".
Posted by Sawbones at December 31, 2007 11:11 AMSaw, never a "police" complaint from me. LBJ's no problem about giving thanks...others like Sam Nunn and David Boren also no problem, todays Democrats...forgetaboutit.
Posted by peter at December 31, 2007 11:38 AMI just want to record, paradox, not in condemnation but for the sake of letting you know, that more than once in your post you let your passion overcome coherence.
For one example,
"With over a year to go for scheduled Executive transition to very likely the opposition Democrat Republicans are strutting around spouting the most blatant fantasies. . . "
I am at sea what the scheduled Excutive transition to vey likely the opposition Democrat Republicans means: when I put in a comma, so that we have:
"With over a year to go for scheduled Executive transition to very likely the opposition Democrat, Republicans are strutting around . . . "
I am no less at sea as to what you just said. I think you mean that there is only one year until the new President takes office, and that the new President is likely to be a Democrat. But "the opposition Democrat"? Unclear. And why would one ever speak of "scheduled Executive transition"?
I am just as culpable in lack of clarity, mind you. Just bringing my confusion to your attention.
Posted by mmeo at December 31, 2007 12:18 PMWhatsamatter, petr don't like it when your party's cheatin' ways are talked about----"that's over an' done, a passed event, just ask martin luther king!" (whatever that reference means). It'll "come up" as long as Repubs main election tactic is voter suppression, which doesn't look like it'll be ending anytime soon.
Hey, didn't we just have another besuited young white male "conservative" leader in Kansas bragging in an email to the Repub faithful how they had the biggest Repub "vote caging" operation in state history set up? What was that all about, peyter?
And you seriously don't know what's behind the latest conservative Repub drive for "voter ID" laws? Oh yeah, you know the GOoP pretext: non existent "voter fraud". Does it suppress minority and low income voting? oh yeah, you betcha, but that's just a coincidence!
Your conservative "side" gave up on fair elections some time ago, peter, a fact I'm sure you're well aware of---winning is what matters to you criminal Repubs, not democracy. You agree, don't you?
Posted by euzoius at December 31, 2007 04:29 PMVote and vote tabulation has puposefully become unveribiable. Have the Dems done anything about it since 2006? No.
Open source software for e-voting and vote tabulation with paper trails, along with mandatory random audits would be much more transparent and trust worthy. There has been no move toward this common sense approach to the questions millions of voters have about the HAVA mandated changes to how politicians come to power.
It is my belief that vote fraud has become institutionalized. Both parties benefit and see no reason to change a system that fills their pockets with cash.
Once a Republic is corrupted, a return to the Constitutional adherence is the only solution. Anything less is a prescription for more corruption.
Posted by brisa at December 31, 2007 05:50 PM