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View Full Version : Obstructionism reaps its reward



Parkbandit
10-30-2010, 10:39 AM
The polls and pundits are all in alignment now.

The Republican Party is headed for a victory Tuesday to rival the biggest and best of those that the party has known in the lifetime of most Americans.

In 1938, the GOP won 72 seats in the House.

In 1946, Republicans swept both houses and presented Harry Truman with a "fighting 80th Congress" that contained three future presidents: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon.

In 1966, Republicans picked up 47 House seats to set up the comeback of Nixon, who had led the party out of the wilderness of Goldwater's defeat.

In 1994, the Republican Revolution added 52 House seats and captured both chambers for the first time since Eisenhower's first term.

Looking back on those Republican triumphs, and forward to Tuesday's, what do these Republican off-year victories have in common?

In all four – 1938, 1946, 1966 and 1994 – the GOP won not because of what the party had accomplished or the hopes it had raised, but because Republicans were the only alternative on the ballot to a Democratic Party and president voters wished to punish.

The ultimate expose on the radical nature of our 44th president: "The Manchurian President: Barack Obama's Ties to Communists, Socialists and Other Anti-American Extremists." The best-seller as an audio book is also available.

By 1938, America had had its fill of FDR, as the Depression returned with a vengeance and his aristocratic arrogance became manifest in the crude attempt to purge Democratic senators and pack the Supreme Court with six new justices who'd rubber-stamp his New Deal.

In 1946, Truman was perceived to have been as naive as FDR in trusting "good old Joe" Stalin, who was imposing his murderous Bolshevik rule on 100 million Eastern Europeans and whose Maoist allies were waging war on America's ally in China. What our boys won on the battlefield, our diplomats had frittered away, the country believed.

In 1966, the nation was reacting viscerally to the stalemate in Vietnam, rising casualties, campus disorders, soaring crime and riots in Harlem and Watts, all seen as the legacy of LBJ's Great Society.

In 1994, it was gays in the military, Hillarycare and the public perception that Bill Clinton was more liberal than he had let on that cost Democrats both houses. The postelection spin that the nation had rallied to Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America" was pure propaganda.

Tuesday's election, too, will be no embrace of the GOP, but rather a repudiation of what Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have come to represent. All are seen as power-hungry politicians of an out-of-touch regime that is seizing control of private wealth and private lives as it fails in its duty to win our wars, balance our budgets and secure our borders.

Republicans will be the beneficiaries of this repudiation, as Republicans are, almost everywhere, the only alternative on the ballot, and because they are seen correctly as having opposed the Obama agenda with near-drill-team solidarity.

Every Republican in the Senate but Arlen Specter and the ladies from Maine voted against Obama's stimulus bill. Every Republican in the House, save eight, voted no on cap-and-trade. Every Republican on Capitol Hill voted no on Obamacare. More GOP senators opposed Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan than opposed any Supreme Court nominee in memory.

Tuesday, obstructionism reaps its reward.

On Tuesday, the nation, including millions of Obama voters, will come out to empower the Party of No, even as the nation voted in 2006 and 2008 to throw out that party. While many did respond positively to Obama's politics of hope and change in 2008, as they ousted the Republicans, the nation, after Tuesday, will have voted in three straight elections in four years to be rid of its ruling regime.

The United States is starting to look like the French Fourth Republic.

After France lost Indochina, began losing Algeria and was flipping from one premier and one party to another, the call went forth from an exasperated nation to Gen. DeGaulle to come and take charge of affairs.

Consider the critical issue facing America today – the budget and trade deficits, the soaring national debt, an unemployment near 10 percent for 14 straight months – and how neither party seems to have the cure.

While George Bush's tax cuts did not cause this, they did not prevent it. And if Republicans believe that his deficits did cause it, why have those Republicans not addressed the causes of those deficits – Bush's wars, Bush's tax cuts and Bush's social spending on No Child Left Behind and Medicare drug benefits?

Yet, if liberal Democrats are right and deficits are the correct Keynesian cure for recession, why have Obama deficits of $1.4 and $1.3 trillion failed so dismally? Paul Krugman says they are not large enough. Perhaps, but the country is about to end the experiment.

The Federal Reserve, having used and broken every tool in its toolbox, including doubling the money supply and setting interest rates at near zero, will now bet the farm on inflation, starting Nov. 3.

Both parties have lost the mandate of heaven, and neither knows if its economic philosophy even works anymore.

We are in uncharted waters. The country is up for grabs.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=221125

Pretty good opinion piece from a guy I don't generally agree with. He seems to bash the Republicans as much as the Democrats.

If the Republicans take over the House on Tuesday, they better get their collective "Conservative" shit in order.. because it is that idea of drastically cutting spending and improving the economy that would have won them the election. If they aren't on board with that clear message, then there is 2012 and 2014 to let them all know again.

Kuyuk
10-30-2010, 11:05 AM
That was a pretty dumb article IMO.

I hardly see them point any fingers at republicans, other than regarding the bush sentence, which then lead into a bigger finger point at dems...

Meh, whatever. No point in arguing.

Parkbandit
10-30-2010, 11:58 AM
That was a pretty dumb article IMO.

I hardly see them point any fingers at republicans, other than regarding the bush sentence, which then lead into a bigger finger point at dems...

Meh, whatever. No point in arguing.

Read the article again. You clearly missed the point.

And of course, he would point a bigger finger at the Dems.. since he's a Republican.

Latrinsorm
10-30-2010, 12:01 PM
Two things that stood out to me:
By 1938, America had had its fill of FDR...
In 1994, it was gays in the military...God bless the mob!

BriarFox
10-30-2010, 01:01 PM
All I hear in this entire election cycle from the Republicans is, "Ha ha, you didn't clean up our mess fast enough! Watch how we misrepresent you."

Tgo01
10-30-2010, 01:10 PM
All I hear in this entire election cycle from the Republicans is, "Ha ha, you didn't clean up our mess fast enough! Watch how we misrepresent you."

I know exactly what you mean. It's like hearing the Democrats saying "Ha ha, we blame Republicans for all of the woes our country is facing! Give us another two or four years to fix everything!"

Warriorbird
10-30-2010, 01:12 PM
So somehow Republicans are going to be better? Riight.

RichardCranium
10-30-2010, 01:23 PM
So somehow Republicans are going to be better? Riight.

Less bad.

Warriorbird
10-30-2010, 01:35 PM
And thus the excellent strategy of running on America's attention span.

No Republican in our lifetimes has actually cut total spending (unless maybe you're PB).

Parkbandit
10-30-2010, 02:45 PM
And thus the excellent strategy of running on America's attention span.

No Republican in our lifetimes has actually cut total spending (unless maybe you're PB).

No Republican in our lifetimes has actually spent as much as Obama has in their first 2 years. (even if you're PB)

Let's slow the fucking runaway train down.

Parkbandit
10-30-2010, 02:46 PM
All I hear in this entire election cycle from the Republicans is, "Ha ha, you didn't clean up our mess fast enough! Watch how we misrepresent you."

And 2008 was "Hey, we aren't Bush!"... and look where that got us.

Warriorbird
10-30-2010, 02:57 PM
No Republican in our lifetimes has actually spent as much as Obama has in their first 2 years. (even if you're PB)

Let's slow the fucking runaway train down.

Here's the thing. If you compare it to Bush's LAST year in office, it isn't that bad (if we're going to play year match up to year match up). The 'future spending' bit is also ridiculous, given as Obama and the Democrats have been excoriated by Republicans for trying to reduce it on the campaign trail.

'slow the runaway train' will never fucking happen. You're old enough to know that. Though we may eventually render the government so ineffectual that it can never achieve anything and that'll theoretically achieve the Republican ideal.

The only problem is 'completely ineffectual' actually hurts the economy.

I also laugh whenever I see a Republican rail against spending proposed by Bush as somehow the product of Obama.

Parkbandit
10-30-2010, 03:14 PM
Here's the thing. If you compare it to Bush's LAST year in office, it isn't that bad (if we're going to play year match up to year match up). The 'future spending' bit is also ridiculous, given as Obama and the Democrats have been excoriated by Republicans for trying to reduce it on the campaign trail.

Still more than Bush spent in his final year. No President, in the history of this country, has spent as much as Obama.. and you can even adjust for inflation.



'slow the runaway train' will never fucking happen. You're old enough to know that. Though we may eventually render the government so ineffectual that it can never achieve anything and that'll theoretically achieve the Republican ideal.

Vote the fuckers that won't be respectful of our tax money the fuck out of government. You saw this in the primaries.. you will see it on Tuesday. If you can't be responsible for the people's money, then you have no place in government.

Or, you can just shrug your shoulders when your party is guilty of it and scream and yell about it when the other party is President.. ala WB.



The only problem is 'completely ineffectual' actually hurts the economy.


If this is a shot at the "Party of No", imagine if they just went along with what Obama wanted to spend. I'm thankful that there are some in Congress that realize we simply can't print money and spend it like drunken fools.
Granted.. not as many as I would like.. but it's a start.



I also laugh whenever I see a Republican rail against spending proposed by Bush as somehow the product of Obama.

Almost as much as I laugh when I see liberal blame everything on Bush.. 2 years into a Democratic President and Congress. Shocking.. you and your ilk don't like to take any personal responsibility. It's almost like that is a manditory character gene to be a liberal.

Warriorbird
10-30-2010, 03:19 PM
Ah. Kay. The Hoover solution.

Well, we'll see how it works.

Get back to me when there's some actual ideas other than 'raaaaaage.' and 'let's start a war.'

I've said many times that pointless spending will happen no matter who's in power. I just prefer it on actual Americans to corporations who won't give any back or some Middle Eastern folks who don't give a fuck about us.

So far the only thing that they've proposed repealing is Obama's healthcare plan (yeah, once again, fuck anybody with pre-existing conditions)(How much do you also want to bet that no premiums will be reduced?). How much do you want to bet that if Republicans get Congress/The Presidency there won't be more spending?

You're not that dumb.

In addition, it seems awful simple that if they get defeated in repealing healthcare, they'll just blame the lack of cutting on 'Democrats.' It's the 'cross the aisle' version Pelosi/Reid blaming the failure of healthcare on Republicans rather than their troubled leadership of votes they had.

Tgo01
10-30-2010, 03:33 PM
I've said many times that pointless spending will happen no matter who's in power.

Obviously. The question is how much will they spend though.


I just prefer it on actual Americans to corporations who won't give any back or some Middle Eastern folks who don't give a fuck about us.

What's the difference? The outcome is still the same, a shitty place for future generations because we were too busy worrying about us and the here and now.

Warriorbird
10-30-2010, 03:40 PM
The last chance of it actually being fixed died with the last Teddy Roosevelt candidacy.

Tgo01
10-30-2010, 03:57 PM
The last chance of it actually being fixed died with the last Teddy Roosevelt candidacy.

So we just give up and embrace it eh.

Warriorbird
10-30-2010, 03:58 PM
Barring rare re-alignment elections, we pick a direction and we do. Ultimately, I find organizations such as MoveOn or the Tea Party self deluding in the face of the system as it stands. You've picked your direction as has PB as have I. Of course we're not perfectly happy.

Despite fantastic gains, until somebody creates an actually convincing third party it's going to be more of the same. It's like a bad marriage that Americans make to political parties.

Gan
10-31-2010, 12:36 AM
Can't wait to drain the swamp.

Firestorm Killa
10-31-2010, 06:28 PM
Barring rare re-alignment elections, we pick a direction and we do. Ultimately, I find organizations such as MoveOn or the Tea Party self deluding in the face of the system as it stands. You've picked your direction as has PB as have I. Of course we're not perfectly happy.

Despite fantastic gains, until somebody creates an actually convincing third party it's going to be more of the same. It's like a bad marriage that Americans make to political parties.

I think Warriorbird is just cranky because he cannot use the Kosch Brothers in his arguments anymore without anyone bringing up George Soros.

SIDENOTE: There was a convincing third party that tried to run awhile back, but the Democrats brought legislation to the floor and pushed it through making it to where a third party could not run for Presidential office. Their argument is because the USA is a two party only system. I am sure it is also republicans though.

Warriorbird
10-31-2010, 08:22 PM
I think Warriorbird is just cranky because he cannot use the Kosch Brothers in his arguments anymore without anyone bringing up George Soros.

SIDENOTE: There was a convincing third party that tried to run awhile back, but the Democrats brought legislation to the floor and pushed it through making it to where a third party could not run for Presidential office. Their argument is because the USA is a two party only system. I am sure it is also republicans though.

To begin with I

A. Actually cited use of George Soros funding as an example of something valid to critique liberal organizations with in a post.

and

B. LOL. You accidentally the rest of your post.

I can't wait till you get back to being three people. Did your time in the hospital help with your problem?

Cephalopod
11-01-2010, 09:51 AM
SIDENOTE: There was a convincing third party that tried to run awhile back, but the Democrats brought legislation to the floor and pushed it through making it to where a third party could not run for Presidential office. Their argument is because the USA is a two party only system. I am sure it is also republicans though.

wat?

Welcome back!