Pessimist: "(5) It throws into focus once more ideological anchor of today's GOP. As we've said before, today's Republican Party is not your grandfather's, father's GOP or even George Bush's father's GOP anymore. The Cult Of Personality often trumps ideology and Follow The Leader (and adjust your original tenets accordingly) sometimes seems more vital than Stick To Your Core Principles."
I'm not sure that the Cult of Personality is a trope in Republic Party politics that is new to W's administration.
I agree, but that was the observation of the author - p
I seem to recall pretty strong personality cults for Nixon and Reagan as well. It seems to be more of a post-Goldwater phenomena, one that occurred by appealing to those who, for whatever reason, felt disenfranchised by the progressive politics of the time.
Nixon added implicit, code-worded, racism to the "small government" and security concerns of Goldwater -- which is odd, given that Nixon's actions as President weren't especially small gov. and his record on affirmative is actually pretty damn good.
Then Reagan came along and added abortion and religious pandering to the mix.
The effects of these steps and rhetoric were to create an us v. them attitude that made the liberal wing of America aliens, criminals, inferior to the right wing.
It also promoted a cult of leadership. The whole enterprise is really quite fascistic.
.
Or does Bush think that the American people are so gullible that they will buy whatever he sells them – as long as he does it with a folksy charm?
The American people are that gullible. I haven't seen any evidence to the contrary. What I have seen is that the Republicans for the last forty years, and Bush/Rove recently, capitalize on widespread ignorance, racism and xenophobia. All that was there before the Republicans organized themselves to take advantage of it. Hell, it was one of the pillars of the New Deal coalition.
Posted by James E. Powell at January 17, 2006 11:04 PMWow--- that's a new low Pessimist- actually claiming to include a quote where you have removed material to change the context of the quote. Specifically your quote from David Sirota's blog where you say he is reporting... here. He included an excerpt which you edited the true end of excerpt reads as follows:
"...- two Republicans and two Democrats - declined, through his spokesmen, to do so."
And I didn't think you could sink much lower then Pravda...
You forgot your reading glasses again!!! In the spot where I named these I put THEIR PARTY AFFILIATIONS in as well: [Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA), Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV), Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) and Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) - ed.] Have your seeing eye dog point it out to you
If I have to do your thinking for you to tally up these numbers that you lamely bitch about, it's no wonder you Bu$hite$ look like fools to the rest of the world. - p
BTW, hate to rain on the parade around here but, just a quick note regarding the NSA intercepts. The recent statements from the FBI actually damage any case related to the President violating his authority. Think about it for a minute... the NSA is allowed to detect people, and if the result is they passed on information to the FBI (and the FBI then complains about how much information they have to investigate within the US) - then all that has been done is information detected by our external facing agencies has been passed (as requested by the 9/11 commission) to our internal facing (FBI) agencies. Therefore the wiretaps that discovered who the persons of interest were didn't necessisarily violate any laws, so an investigation should be very interesting.
WE await the impeachment of all of Bu$hCo - p
As for Gore - Please nominate him... there are so many Democrats like Hillary that are far scarier both in taking control or having a chance to that I personally welcome the previously bearded one as a candidate...
BTW, are you ever going to institute the identity checking you keep claiming is going to be in place some weekend?
You are at the top of the list ;)
Posted by OutsideTheEchoChamber at January 18, 2006 12:03 AM"Or does Bush think that the American people are so gullible that they will buy whatever he sells them – as long as he does it with a folksy charm?"
Well, it has been successful so far.
From the main post I understood that it was 2 dems, 2 rupubs willing to not investigate corruption. I don't understand Outside's premise.
Posted by Sharon at January 18, 2006 02:18 AMre-elect al gore
Posted by dennis at January 18, 2006 02:48 AMOutside has no premise other than taking pess's argument and tying you into a prezel with irrelavancies about it.
Posted by idiosynchronic at January 18, 2006 04:21 AMHillary is Republican light which is as good as worthless. She should not run in 2008.
She's working hard to protect our flags from combustion and our kids from fake violence like every other hack.
She was just mentioned in GAMER magazine for her most important work on Video Game regulations which was struck down for being unconstitutional. DON'T WE HAVE ENOUGH OF THIS BULLSHIT FROM THE REPUBLICANS.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10492713/
"Hillary. Hillary. Hillary. The senator from New York was all over the place in 2005 calling for an FTC investigation in June into the Hot Coffee mod on "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," joining fellow politicos Sens. Joe Lieberman, Sam Brownback and Rick Santorum to sponsor legislation for a five-year $90 million study on children and media consumption and introducing legislation in December to protect kids from games. On the state level, Illinois passed a law restricting the sale of violent and sexually explicit video game sales to minors; it was then declared unconstitutional by a federal judge. Another federal judge blocked the enforcement of a similar statue in Michigan. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, no stranger to fictional violence himself, signed into law a measure banning the sale of violent video games to children and it, too, was blocked by a judge. "
Posted by mparker at January 18, 2006 05:05 AMin his magnificient speech al gore mentioned not only was gw a lawbreaker but that the administration indeed had information that could have prevented 9/11..two of the hyjckers names...they failed their country in doing so..george bush and dick cheney allowed 9/11 to happen...and then took credit for fighting terrorism..even though the main perpetrator is still free....this time around one of the campaigns for dems will be george reading to the kiddies..tells you all you need to know about our hero..this time around as spade is going to be a spade..
Posted by dennis at January 18, 2006 05:15 AMDespite OTEC's drooling over Al Gore running, I will say again that he should NOT run. The fact that he was beaten once (even if underhandedly!) makes him damaged goods even in the eyes of those who no longer support the GOP.
Someone new is going to have to lead the charge, as an op-ed by Maureen Down in the NYT examines this morning.
In a sense, the Democrats are going to have to take as big a step as they did in 1960 when they ran John Kennedy - and let's hope they do. It IS time for a change in the party, and nothing would reflect that better than to get new blood in the front seats.
Posted by pessimist at January 18, 2006 05:19 AMpessimist
with all respect i strongly disagree..the republican attack machine will be in full force against anybody who runs..a newcomer i don't believe will make it...edwards will be portrayed as a slick lawyer with ony 6 years in the senate..hillary..well what can you say..we all know the baggage..the elephants are polished marketeers without scruples who will do anything to win..al gore was elected once ..he beat bush...he can do it again if given the chance..edwards as vp might work..two southern boys won in 1992...could work again..i personally like gore/dean...after eights years of being lied to this will be the dirtiest election in history...i want experience..it ain't gonna be a tennis match
Posted by dennis at January 18, 2006 05:28 AMI've always disliked Hillary because she stood by her man so enthusiastically, when a sane woman, a woman with a fucking conscious would have kicked his Bush-Family-loving ass out the door. Al Gore is a jerk, a walking Too Little Too Late, as dull as the Republicans always said he was. He made that speech Monday because I guess he thinks he needs the publicity. He should've shown that he was a man in 2000, and thus spared us the dictatorship we have now.
Posted by Mal Feasance at January 18, 2006 05:37 AMWhy do Lefties believe the 2006 elections will save our asses from BushCo, as in getting in enough Democrats to impeach the Son of Satan? If Democrats sweep, our Unitary Executive will simply void the election and refuse to permit another.
I prefer Al Gore to Hillary, too.
In m view, Hillary is unelectable. I had great hopes for Mrs. Clinton, but her zeal for Bush's Iraq war and her refusal to support gay marriage makes her the wrong person for the Executive office.
Let her stay in the US Senate where she can be highly effective and help the people of New York.
.
Outstanding post pessimist.
while Bush may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, it is he who thinks the American people are the real dullards.
Sounds like Lonesome Rhodes to me.
Lonesome:(laughing ) I'm stupid but the public is stupider than me. I've got to think for them
or
Man: Lonesome do you really think you can sell that stiff Fuller as a man among men?
Lonesome: To those morons out there? Sure. I can take fertilizer and make them think its caviar.
Good night you stupid idiots....good night you miserable slobs
BTW this post inspired me to contact my 2 Senators and urge them to filibuster Judge Monarchy.
Posted by Daryl at January 18, 2006 06:13 AMtsk, tsk, tsk... still thinking that your superior intellect is gonna make a difference I see. Al Gore in 04 err 08.... whenever....
1. Its too early. I know you are starving for some attention from your beloved socialist party, but it aint gonna happen. wait, just wait.
2. Hillary is very, very liberal, she pretends to be a moderate to appease those N.Y.'er to get her re-elected, but really to set herself up in 08, so that AMERICA thinks she is a moderate like her lil' ole sweet husband. Its a game. (I remember reading about Bill Clinton in 1988 as the head of the Southern Conservative Democrat Leadership group (sic) I thought to myself then, gees, who is this Bill Clinton, is he setting himself up as a moderate southern conservative democrat? That would mean he might beat Bush 41. . . . boy was I right. He ran as a southern conservative....death penalty, gun rights, welfare reform, but ruled as a coward liberal. So to will Hillary. She will run as a conservative/moderate govern as a liberal and sell out some hard core basic principles to get re-elected. She is evil.....
3. Mayor Nagin, announced his pleas for New Orleans to return to be the Chocolate City that it is "supposed to be". Then he back peddles. He didn't know non-liberals, non-blacks were listening, this is what Hillary is doing.. She is only talking moderately because the media is listening to her every word, but trust me, like Nagin, she wants to make America into her little fiefdom of socialism. You will love the real Hillary, pay no attention to the man behind the Curtain. She is really the horrendous monster that you want her to really be.
Posted by carpediem at January 18, 2006 07:07 AMNo to both. Gore's voice makes me weary. Hillary is Bill's 2nd coming. (sorry) We need parties that aren't clicks. The last 20 years have been either of 2 administrations. From Reagan to Bush to Bsuh... with 8 years of Bill. We don't need another 4 to 8 of a Kerry or a Kennedy or a Hillary or a Gore.
That being said GO GORE! and GO HILLARY!
Gore's speech was dead on. Hillary's plantation commments were dead on. The democrats need to restrict-not eliminate-late term abortion and support limited parental rights and there would be no republican party anymore.
carpy
you're as nutty as a fruitcake..and so is bush junior...you stole it and you have come to believe you really won it....he let 9/11 happen and 9/11 is what elected him 2nd time ..that and all the lies they told along the way..there is a reckoniing coming....the truth in the end will win...woe to the liars..you and yours have done much damage..the invoice for it is coming...it's an administration steeped in lies and deceit..and i ain't talking about liberals and conservatives...i'm talking about crazy people
Posted by dennis at January 18, 2006 07:32 AMDear Dennis,
May I quote you?
"Crappy. . . yada . . . liberal. . yada . . hate Bush. . . yada . . . you'll see. . . yada.
Posted by carpediem at January 18, 2006 08:12 AMcarpy
feel free to quote away..what i said was your as nutty as a fruitcake..and that your hero let 9/11 happen then ran on it...i don't hate anybody but i've grown so weary of what people like you have let happen to this country...let me ask you something have you ever seen a copy of george being told we were under attack while reading to the kids..have you seen it?...i'd like to know your thoughts on how he responded..really.. i'm curious
Posted by dennis at January 18, 2006 08:22 AMcarpy
have you seen the video of the commander in chief reading my pet goat to the children..and being told that united states of america was under attack ??..what do you think?
Posted by dennis at January 18, 2006 09:20 AMcarpdied: Controversal quotes by Clinton-Nagin are all that remains in your Kool-Aid jug? Troops are being killed and maimed. Reporters and contractors kidnapped and executed. U.S. cred in the toilet. Mountain of deficit spending. Recruitment down. No option for Iran. Katrina non-response. Yer do'in a heck of a job, Bushy. Have another glass of Kool-Aid, carp.
Posted by TIKI AL at January 18, 2006 09:23 AMcarpdied: Controversal quotes by Clinton-Nagin are all that remains in your Kool-Aid jug? Troops are being killed and maimed. Reporters and contractors kidnapped and executed. U.S. cred in the toilet. Mountain of deficit spending. Recruitment down. No option for Iran. Katrina non-response. Yer do'in a heck of a job, Bushy. Have another glass of Kool-Aid, carp.
Posted by TIKI AL at January 18, 2006 09:23 AM
*****
Make sure he gets some of that Jim Jones special brew kool-aid.
Posted by God Of War at January 18, 2006 10:54 AMCarpy and anyone else who thinks Hillary is "liberal."
What liberal cause has she sponsored in her five years in office? Or do you think protecting our sacred flag from being torched is something liberals lose sleep over?
Posted by Matt Hogan at January 19, 2006 11:11 AMGood points, Matt!
Posted by pessimist at January 19, 2006 12:03 PM