GOP 'cranks' dominating debate

[w1z4rd]

Joe Wilson’s outburst Wednesday night earned more than a personal rebuke from the president and a dagger-eyed gasp from the speaker of the House; it drew winces from Republicans worried that their party is becoming known less for the power of its ideals and more for the pettiness of its vitriol.

“Neither party has an exclusive on wack jobs,” says Republican media consultant Mark McKinnon. “Unfortunately, right now the Democrats generally get defined by President Obama, and Republicans, who have no clear leadership, get defined by crackpots — and then they begin to define the Republican Party in the mind of the general public.”

Turn on the TV, and you see what he means.

Here’s Orly Taitz, insisting that the commander in chief was born in Kenya. There’s a flock of angry protesters chanting “Just say no!” and carrying signs depicting a Democratic congressman with devil’s horns. Former GOP vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin warns darkly that Obama is planning “death panels” for senior citizens. Georgia Rep. Paul Broun equates the president’s plans with “Nazi” policies. Ohio Rep. Jean Schmidt — last heard calling John Murtha a “coward” — tells a birther: “I agree with you, but the courts don’t.”

And then, in the midst of all the catcalls, hand-held signs and “I’m not listening” BlackBerrying, Wilson interrupts Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress by shouting, “You lie!”

“The president was helped more by the optics of House Republicans than by his own speech,” says former Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.). “It’s not likely to do any long-term damage, but they need to be very careful how they oppose this president.”

One veteran GOP official puts it bluntly: “The image of a bunch of white guys booing an African-American president is about as bad as it gets.”

Republican leaders were quick to distance themselves from Wilson’s outburst. John McCain said Wilson should apologize, and he did — although he also insisted that he was right about Obama’s lack of candor.

Brian Jones, a former communications director for the Republican National Committee, finds it frustrating when lawmakers like Wilson hijack the party’s public persona.

“You have a little bit of tyranny of the minority with these people,” he says. “It may raise their profile, it may make them more attractive in their district — but does it really help the image of the party in the midst of an important debate? I think no. Obviously, there are some who will be cheering this, but I think the cake is baked with them in terms of how they feel about Obama and health care.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27015.html#ixzz0RAYN0XdE

I think most educated people can see that the Republican party (no matter how noble its roots) has become more than a little bit of a joke. This is a generalization, but generally the GOP is made up of 3 kinds of people.

Very intelligent business men out to make a buck... these guys are shrewd and would sell their moms in an instant to make a quick buck. These tend to be the leaders.

Very loud shrill evangelical types... the kind that you would find around Ted Haggard and co. They make up a massive part of their voter base and are easily manipulated by the shrewd businessmen.

Lastly, but not least... generally racist white trash that like to carry guns, drive Nascar and line dance. Normally with an IQ on par with the previous group and also easily manipulated with fear or the mention of the color black.

The GOP is really going to have to reinvent itself or someone is going to have to attack America for it to survive the long haul.

Yes Alan, I know you disagree with everything Ive said.

 

[Alan]

Ag shame and the still Obama's popularity plunges. These 'cranks' are shooting him down in flames. Even that crazy freak Glenn Beck set off the chain of events that got Obama's Eco Czar to resign.

 

[w1z4rd]

Ag shame and the still Obama's popularity plunges. These 'cranks' are shooting him down in flames. Even that crazy freak Glenn Beck set off the chain of events that got Obama's Eco Czar to resign.

You are my perfect cliche for the GOP. Thanks Alan

 

[Arbiter]

Some prominent Republicans are lashing out because they feel backed into a corner with a lot of their support waning. This does not mean there is anything wrong with the party.

They are being ridiculed and demonized because the democrats won the election and are now acting like apartheid's heroes, pointing fingers and looking for closet skeletons and mistakes that could be found in any democrat.

It's all a bit pathetic. Not to mention hypocritical. After all, Obama's contract with Big Pharma is proof of Republican behaviour in a democrat president. Not a good sign. Not to mention the other Bush policies he has taken over.

What is really happening is that the democrats have simply assimilated a large portion of Republican-esque methods into their own. But this is heresy and they need to move the public eye off that fact. So religious zealot Mr Republican redneck hick beergut is plastered in cartoons, splashed over newspapers and dangled on the television for national hilarity.

Not exactly the activities of the noble democrats.

Sadly, everyone loves a bandwagon.

 

[w1z4rd]

Now I know who you are Arbiter... did your last alias start with an A .. as well? Something like aeron or whatever (sorry they come and go so quickly I dont remember them very well) Theres a small handful of Republican supporters, and by your posts... you match another poster pretty closely *dons his tinfoil hat*

 

[PeterCH]

Politics in US is cyclic - the one party wins for a few seasons, then the other one; it's pretty much like the economy - up and down, bull and bear and so on....

 

[w1z4rd]

Politics in US is cyclic - the one party wins for a few seasons, then the other one; it's pretty much like the economy - up and down, bull and bear and so on....

I understand that, I also know (as you have pointed out), that they reinvent themselves. IE, the Republicans were once the liberal party, and the democrats where the big asses. This has reversed now... but I expect it to reverse again in the future. I guess as the one party becomes more powerful, it also starts corrupting faster or something like that.

 

[Arbiter]

Perhaps you are underestimating the amount of people who disagree with your theories?

I was merely pointing out the hypocrisy of saying the Republican party has become a bit of a joke, when the democrats have simply assumed many of their policies. I don't support them, but I don't support sharp shooting against them either. Which is exactly the kind of exposure they are receiving in the media these days. I could sharp shoot the democrats and their president until they resembled slime. But I don't do that.

“Neither party has an exclusive on wack jobs,” says Republican media consultant Mark McKinnon. “Unfortunately, right now the Democrats generally get defined by President Obama, and Republicans, who have no clear leadership, get defined by crackpots — and then they begin to define the Republican Party in the mind of the general public.”

You missed the most important paragraph of the news article.

Very intelligent business men out to make a buck... these guys are shrewd and would sell their moms in an instant to make a quick buck. These tend to be the leaders.

Very loud shrill evangelical types... the kind that you would find around Ted Haggard and co. They make up a massive part of their voter base and are easily manipulated by the shrewd businessmen.

Lastly, but not least... generally racist white trash that like to carry guns, drive Nascar and line dance. Normally with an IQ on par with the previous group and also easily manipulated with fear or the mention of the color black.

Shrewd businessmen can only belong to the Republican party? Just like evangelical folks and white trash?

Harry Teague? John Kerry? Warren Buffett? These are all very shrewd Republican businessmen who would sell their mothers?

 

[Alan]

Politics in US is cyclic - the one party wins for a few seasons, then the other one; it's pretty much like the economy - up and down, bull and bear and so on....

+1

One wonders how they get anything done

Harry Teague? John Kerry? Warren Buffett? These are all very shrewd Republican businessmen who would sell their mothers?

The Dems managed to earn more cash in the last election :erm:

 

[PeterCH]

I understand that, I also know (as you have pointed out), that they reinvent themselves. IE, the Republicans were once the liberal party, and the democrats where the big asses. This has reversed now... but I expect it to reverse again in the future. I guess as the one party becomes more powerful, it also starts corrupting faster or something like that.

Not necessarily corrupting - but voters get tired of the same old BS. Politicians are usually pretty much the same.

 

[Alan]

Not necessarily corrupting - but voters get tired of the same old BS. Politicians are usually pretty much the same.

Yeah. Why people fall head over heels for some of them...... *shudder*

 

[PeterCH]

Yeah. Why people fall head over heels for some of them...... *shudder*

Yup especially when they show themselves to be elitist and racist to boot.