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Title: The GOP's Dangerous and Destructive Brinksmanship Is About to Pay Off
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Published: Nov 1, 2010
Author: http://www.alternet.org/story/148684/the
Post Date: 2010-11-01 10:52:39 by tom007
Keywords: None
Views: 626
Comments: 57
The GOP's Dangerous and Destructive Brinksmanship Is About to Pay Off The GOP has successfully created the meme that 'hopey, changey' politics are dead and that electoral participation doesn't really change anything. October 30, 2010 | LIKE THIS ARTICLE ? Join our mailing list: Sign up to stay up to date on the latest headlines via email. From outside of Washington, the process of politics appears to be hopelessly broken. After a stunning campaign that energized a new generation of voters, the Obama administration seems as dysfunctional as any that came before it. Hope and change have turned into the same old gridlock. From inside the Beltway, however, the origins of this political paralysis are clearer. Engineered by Republicans and enabled by Blue Dog Democrats, the plan to obstruct administration policies is expected to pay big dividends for Republicans on Tuesday. When Barack Obama executed a nearly flawless election campaign in 2008, the Republicans – who just five years prior expected to maintain a “permanent Republican majority” – faced an existential crisis. If Obama delivered on his promises, he could become the Bobby Kennedy who lived. Camelot II could have captured the imagination of a generation of young voters. Stopping Obama’s agenda and extinguishing that spark of hope was the GOP's only hope of long-term political survival. Their plan took nerve, but by toughing out the short-term criticisms from political pundits, the GOP plan to obstruct virtually every administration initiative – including ones the Republicans themselves had proposed in recent years – has succeeded in making the Democrats look inept (admittedly not an insurmountable objective). While there is certainly much to criticize in Democratic strategy, the Republicans understood that only a minority of American voters actually follow the details of Washington politics enough to lay the blame where it belongs. Most Americans see Washington as a political black box. They see the head on top of the box and they see what comes out the other end, but few follow the byzantine process by which the political sausage gets made. Many younger first-time voters thought they had changed the “head” atop the box from Bush to Obama so it should be crapping roses out the other end by now. The Republican strategy was to dash their expectations by obstructing the intestines inside the body politic. The Republican gambit was twofold. First, they mobilized the extremists from their base to make as much noise as possible. They shouted down members of Congress in town hall meetings with accusations of “Obamacare death panels” and other wild claims that terrorized Blue Dog Democrats into siding with the GOP. Second, and more importantly, they now had enough votes in the Senate to block major aspects of Obama’s agenda. It was there that the GOP would become the sphincter of Washington and constipate the political process. There was an inherent risk in the GOP strategy that the media might call them out and identify them as the source of the dysfunction, but unlike "American Idol" or "Dancing with the Stars," the narrative of politics is long and complicated. Undecided swing voters – the clueless ones who after eight years of Bush policies, still didn’t know which party they supported – were unlikely to follow the arcane procedural obstacles employed by Senate Republicans. They voted for change and Democrats weren’t delivering. While the political commentariat rightly characterized the GOP as the “party of NO,” the mainstream media did little to analyze the deliberate strategy of blockage and obstruction. Rather, they focused on the horse race aspect of politics by reporting on wins and losses. The Republicans rightly gambled that many voters – especially the new and undecided voters – would blame the head of the body rather than explore the messy and complicated guts. The GOP has successfully created the meme that “hopey, changey” politics are dead and that electoral participation doesn't really change anything. Many 18- to 30-year-old voters who helped bring Obama to power have become increasingly convinced that Washington will never change and that Obama represents business as usual. While there are many reasons to be cynical about Washington, those who stay home on Election Day will be enabling the ultimate act of cynicism by rewarding the Republican strategy of constipation and dysfunction. By not voting, they will be rewarding the assholes. Sanho Tree is a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC. This article expresses his personal opinions. * 1 View as a single page
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#18. To: Flintlock (#16)
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
?????
"Satan / Cheney in "08"
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
this is the reason our only hope (and i'm talking mustard seed size) for change is dumping out establishment elitist scumbags both R & D. let me be clear. i don't expect much. i am looking forward to the angst that this election, should there be a significant number unseated, of my favorite obots. you know of whom i speak.
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
The Tea Parties getting incumbents booted from the primaries is a good start.
Gridlock! Gridlock! WE WANT GRIDLOCK! I don't care for the D's or the R's and a pox on both their houses, and the rat that followed them.
"One of the least understood strategies of the world revolution now moving rapidly toward its goal is the use of mind control as a major means of obtaining the consent of the people who will be subjects of the New World Order." K.M. Heaton, The National Educator
That fits my current view - vote against the incumbent regardless of party (except Ron Paul).
"One of the least understood strategies of the world revolution now moving rapidly toward its goal is the use of mind control as a major means of obtaining the consent of the people who will be subjects of the New World Order." K.M. Heaton, The National Educator
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
Under the circumstances gridlock is the best possible outcome. I did not say it was a desirable outcome - other than it will act, to some small degree, as a brake on the world control agenda of the Alpha Banksters and Psychiatrists who wish to establish total, and I do mean TOTAL, control down to what people are "allowed" to think.
"One of the least understood strategies of the world revolution now moving rapidly toward its goal is the use of mind control as a major means of obtaining the consent of the people who will be subjects of the New World Order." K.M. Heaton, The National Educator
Amen.
"One of the least understood strategies of the world revolution now moving rapidly toward its goal is the use of mind control as a major means of obtaining the consent of the people who will be subjects of the New World Order." K.M. Heaton, The National Educator
Nope. The Tea Parties have put their money where their mouth is. There has been major problems between the Tea Parties and the beltway party, not just in the primaries. You and others like to say that those in the D.C. beltway are just one party. Finally when a new group of people stand up, has shown to have vast amount of political power, and start getting the incumbents thrown out, you attack the new group. You are a puppet for the beltway.
Well said, thank you.
WWGPD? - (What Would General Pinochet Do?)
You're welcome.
Its the other way around. Somewhere, Jimmy Carter is laughing and saying, "Finally! I won't be the worst President ever!"
First three are funny. The forth I am not so sure. It could have a couple of different means.
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
You are asking for rightfully angry population to be pacifists. You are a fool for asking so.
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
No, that is what you are doing. You take you anger out on everyone but the government.
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
You prove your a plant by stated a catch-22. If they are not part of the "mainstream", you say the Tea Party is not legitimate. And if the Tea Party is part of the "mainstream", you say the Tea Party is no legitimate. What happened for you to hate Americans this much, did the local chapter of the Tea Party throw you out of their meeting?
ghostdogtxn, Have you ever noticed that anytime someone posts an article which shows the government in a negative light that PaulCJ shows up to defend the government? Yet now here he is, whining because you aren't attacking the government. He's playing some sort of game here.
I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. - Benjamin Franklin
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
I'm just questioning whether the Tea Party movement has been taken over by neocons. Apparently it has. I never claimed you were attacking the government. You missed my point. Nevermind.
I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. - Benjamin Franklin
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
To me it says that the GOP has been trying to issue orders to the Tea Party to go after the Dems. The Tea Party declined. GOP establishment HATES the Tea Party because the establishment thinks they can use the Tea Party to go after the Democrats. The Tea Party will not go. Keep in mind, its a decentralized organization made of small groups. ANYONE can set up a group can call themselves the "South City Tea Party". Appropriately, as a collective consciousness, the Tea Party movement has decided its best bet is to seize the GOP and rattle it. Around here the message from Tea Party groups is simple. "Do as the PEOPLE say. Listen to the PEOPLE or in two years, we will replace you again. GOT IT?" Ignore the BS and fluff.
Somewhere, Jimmy Carter is laughing and saying, "Finally! I won't be the worst President ever!"
A leaderless movement cannot be taken over. Please, show me the National Tea Party Headquarters and their fearless leader. You can't. ANYONE can start a group and call it the "South City Tea Party" or the "West Redneck Tea Party". That is the entire problem with the perception. The Media assumes there is someone behind it pulling strings. EVERYONE assumes there is a centralized something-or-other. There isn't. Maybe in a couple of the Tea Party GROUPS, but as a whole there is no central organization and there is no leader. Thus, even the DC establishment GOP hacks are putting out propaganda. ...and the sheeple are buying it hook, line, and sinker...
Somewhere, Jimmy Carter is laughing and saying, "Finally! I won't be the worst President ever!"
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
Hazard of how the thing is put together with no central organization. Even Democrats are starting their own faux-tea-parties to run independent candidates. From hanging out with local Tea Party groups, I can distill their demands to three. 1) STOP THE SPENDING. They wrote letters when Bush started. They were ignored. Its really not difficult to do once you talk to them. Now, HOW they want that done is another matter (rabble rabble) and isn't likely to be resolved anytime within the next century.
Somewhere, Jimmy Carter is laughing and saying, "Finally! I won't be the worst President ever!"
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
That's fine. No two people are going to absolutely agree on everything. The key is to tie this back to "Stop the Spending". Even the most rabid war monger will grudgingly give it up when the country is going broke. Personally, I see a new wave of classic Ron Paul style "isolation" coming in the not so distant future. Keep with the economic/finance theme and you win because even the most rabid neocon responds when the purse is empty. The "Generational Theft" argument that the neocons use applies directly to them in this case. Remember, it is easier to use someone's own argument against them than it is to think about how to convince them using your own. I'm jazzed over this because for the first time, I can use someone's own rhetoric against them to get exactly what I want and there is no way they can dismiss it. It is a historic opportunity. Ride the wave.
Somewhere, Jimmy Carter is laughing and saying, "Finally! I won't be the worst President ever!"
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)‡
It is the only way to win. Hammer the economic issues and don't let up the pressure. Remind the Republicans that they serve at OUR pleasure and that should they choose to make us unhappy, they will be replaced. What we have going for us is that, front and center in the media, lies the Debt, the Deficit, and Unemployment. That is not likely to change. Even 60 Minutes is doing specials on people who are PISSED at the economic mess we are in. Its a wave to be ridden and it is a beautiful thing. The only answer is to cut spending and cut taxes. Raising taxes will murder what is left of the economy and turn Obama into Nixon overnight. I hope I'm right in all of this; what I do know is that if the direction is not changed, we will be doing this again in 2012 and every two years after that until things get pulled in the right direction. It may become a process; I am hopeful it gets sorted out today -- but regardless, it is a GOOD THING to scare the living daylights out of the politicians. If nothing else, causing them to freak out every time they look at We The People is an outstanding result.
Somewhere, Jimmy Carter is laughing and saying, "Finally! I won't be the worst President ever!"
#19. To: Shoonra (#15)
I had somehow hoped, obviously in futility, that we could disagree without being disagreeable.
#20. To: Shoonra (#15)
#21. To: Shoonra (#15)
#22. To: ghostdogtxn (#20)
#23. To: christine (#22)
#24. To: ghostdogtxn (#23)
It IS our only hope. And I'm not going to be lead down the garden path of "if we can only elect more Pubbies" or the converse, for that matter.
#25. To: Shoonra, tom007, Ghostdogtxn (#15)
... if the Republicans win majorities in the House and Senate, they will essentially block most Obama proposals and Obama will probably refuse to sign most Republican legislation, with the result that the rest of us will suffer, not from inferior solutions but from none at all.
"Nobody's Life, Liberty, or Happiness is safe while the Congress is in session." ~ Unk.
#26. To: PaulCJ, ghostdogtxn (#24)
The Tea Parties getting incumbents booted from the primaries is a good start.
#27. To: PaulCJ (#24)
#28. To: Original_Intent (#25)
#29. To: Original_Intent (#26)
#30. To: ghostdogtxn (#28)
#31. To: ghostdogtxn (#29)
We definitely need more Ron Pauls.
#32. To: ghostdogtxn (#27)
The problem is that the Tea Parties seem to have been co-opted by the establishment GOP.
#33. To: PaulCJ (#32)
Finally when a new group of people stand up, has shown to have vast amount of political power, and start getting the incumbents thrown out, you attack the new group.
#34. To: Flintlock (#33)
Well said, thank you.
#35. To: ghostdogtxn (#4)
For about a minute the Tea Party had a libertarian bent, and America had hope, but the Tea Party jumped into bed with the GOP
#36. To: mirage (#35)
#37. To: PaulCJ (#32)
#38. To: ghostdogtxn (#37)
When the Tea Party stood for non-interventionism, a reduction in foreign aid, a reduction in the size and scope of the federal gummint, an audit of the Federal Reserve, bringing the troops home and securing our borders, I was all for it.
#39. To: PaulCJ (#38)
#40. To: ghostdogtxn (#39)
So the Tea Party is gonna take it's "rightful anger" out on US soldiers, our budget, a bunch of arabs and some cavemen in the Middle East?
#41. To: PaulCJ (#40)
#42. To: ghostdogtxn (#41)
Hey, at least I am not desperately trying to legitimize a non-mainstream movement by moving it into the mainstream.
#43. To: PaulCJ, ghostdogtxn (#40)
No, that is what you are doing. You take you anger out on everyone but the government.
#44. To: PaulCJ (#42)
#45. To: PaulCJ (#42)
#46. To: F.A. Hayek Fan (#43)
#47. To: ghostdogtxn (#46)
I'm not "not attacking the government".
#48. To: F.A. Hayek Fan (#47)
#49. To: PaulCJ (#36)
The forth I am not so sure. It could have a couple of different means.
#50. To: ghostdogtxn (#46)
I'm just questioning whether the Tea Party movement has been taken over by neocons.
Apparently it has.
#51. To: mirage (#50)
#52. To: ghostdogtxn (#51)
And by not clearly setting out what they stood for, the Tea Party folks practically invited every opportunistic pol from Maine to California to join the "movement/non-movement"
2) LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE. Many of them went to Town Hall meetings to have the politicians blow them off.
3) OBEY THE CONSTITUTION.
#53. To: mirage, cynicom (#52)
#54. To: ghostdogtxn, cynicom (#53)
But then the war comes up, and they split up into camps.
#55. To: mirage (#54)
#56. To: mirage (#54)
#57. To: ghostdogtxn (#56)
I think the only way we are going to take their toys away is to thrash the spenders on all fronts, which means nothing is off limits.
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