New Rule #7:
To The Republican Party - If you
wish to ever become relevant to the majority of
Americans (again) you must stop
nominating candidates who know very little about issues central to the presidency, respect the
majority of Americans, and are smarter
than a fifth grader.
The
recent election has finally (or so it seems) broken through the wall of denial
which has been the facade of the Republican party for the last 12 years. In the wake of smug, out of touch, Willard Romney's drubbing in
both the electoral college and the popular vote, cracks seem to be appearing in the wall. I know, I know, this
is probably just posturing and finger pointing to distance themselves from a
loser, but could there be more to it than that? Naah, probably not, considering the sources. GOP stalwarts like La. Governor Bobby Jindal, Wis.
Governor Scott (union buster) Walker, N.C.
Senator Lindsey Graham and Newt (the
salamander) Gingrich, are very critical of some of Romney's comments before and
after his loss. This somehow comes across as more damage control than ethical
urging for inclusion. Gingrich sounds hollow when he says of Mitt Romney's suggestion that he
lost the election because President Barack Obama offered "gifts" to
African-Americans, Hispanics, and young voters. "I just think it's nuts, I
mean, first of all, it's insulting." Since when has being
"insulting" not been a huge part of Newt's toolkit ? Walker's record
with teachers and other public service unions in Wisconsin speaks for itself as
well. There seems to be a continuing inability to find smart electable candidates
with the ability to connect across party lines.
In an
effort to show just how badly the selection process (of candidates) has done ,
I shall highlight (or lowlight) three persons - Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin and
John McCain. Most of what I write, as with Pat Robertson (see N.R. #6) will be
public record, with comments as I deem appropriate.
case study number 1 - Mitt Romney mostly in his own
words.
Willard
M. Romney was just never able to shake the "spoiled child of privilege, out of touch with the majority" tag. It didn't help that he made comments like
this, "Corporations are people, my friend ... of course they are.
Everything corporations earn ultimately goes to the people. Where do you think
it goes? Whose pockets? Whose pockets? People's pockets. Human beings, my
friend." This to a heckler at the Iowa State Fair who suggested that taxes
should be raised on corporations as part of balancing the budget. Of course in Romney
World, we all own stock in corporations, so what's the problem? Hell, there are probably people buying stock
with food stamps! Or not.
Perhaps
an even greater indicator of Romney's willingness to do or say anything to get
elected is shown by these two statements literally uttered 45 minutes apart. "As
President, I will create 12 million new jobs."( during the second
presidential debate) "Government
does not create jobs. Government does not create jobs." (45 minutes later). Another yardstick of the gap between reality
and Romney World is shown by this exchange, " Is $100,000 middle
income?" (George Stephanopoulos) "No, middle income is $200,000 to
$250,000 and less" ("Good Morning America," Sept. 14, 2012.)
Really, Mitt? A quarter of a million annually
is what it takes? So what is a lot of
money in Romney World? "I get
speaker's fees from time to time, but not very much." —Mitt Romney, who
earned $374,000 in speaking fees in one year according to according to his
personal financial disclosure . OK, can we say "disconnect?"
But
Mitt is a simple family man, and look at his lovely wife. “We can be poor in
spirit, and I don’t even consider myself wealthy, which is an interesting
thing,” said Ann Romney to Fox News. “It can be here today and gone tomorrow.”
Hmm. Interesting indeed, considering that her husband is worth about $200
million. In fact, he’s wealthier
than the last eight presidents combined. In a world where many college
students leave school with huge debt, Romney just sold a little stock, which
had been given him by daddy, according to Ann. No wonder he doesn't understand
this whole school loan issue! Ann Romney’s favorite fancy dressage horse, Rafalca, costs
more to feed and shelter than your whole family. How wealthy does that make you
feel? Rafalca was a $78,000 dollar a year tax deduction until 2011, when Romney
decided to not use the deduction to boost his tax rate percentage. This was in
addition to over $200,000 in annual tithing to the Mormon Church, also
deductable and deducted until 2011.
Rumor
has it that Ann was secretly glad Willard lost, because she hated the thought
of downsizing. We leave the Romneys with Willard in his new roles as party pariah
and medium as we fondly recall those moments when he seemed to channel J.
Danforth Qayle, " "I believe in an America where millions
of Americans believe in an America that's the America millions of Americans
believe in. That's the America I love" and "Tomorrow we begin a new
tomorrow." Say goodnight Willard.
case study number 2 - Sarah Palin (included only
because there are those Republicans whispering "Palin in 2016")
There is ample evidence from her own
lips that Sarah Palin was in the deep end from the second she was nominated in
what must still be the worst job of vetting ever performed. There are also some ludicrous attempts by her running mate, John McCain, to
"legitimize" her candidacy. What does come shining through is her
lack of any competency regarding national government, how to tell you husband
to "Cool it with that secessionist crap", geography and US history.
Beginning
with her positively Bushian (new word)
aversion to reading, When asked by Katie
Couric which newspapers she read, "All of 'em, any of 'em that have been in
front of me over all these years" was her response. This was to qualify
her to follow a man who read the New York Times and the Washington Post before
breakfast? This would, however, explain
in part why she couldn't recall any USSC decision other than Roe V. Wade with
which she disagreed. This was somewhat troubling in that it followed a modest rant
regarding activist judges. The specific dialogue was, "Well, let's see. There's ― of course in
the great history of America there have been rulings that there's never going
to be absolute consensus by every American, and there are those issues, again,
like Roe v. Wade, where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed
there. So, you know, going through the history of America, there would be
others but ―." It must be admitted
that she passed the Evangelical litmus test with flying colors. Sometimes,
however, it was a bit more fanciful. "We used to hustle over the border
for health care we received in Canada. And I think now, isn't that
ironic?" In actuality, it's heroic and stupid, since the shortest line of
travel from Wasilla to a Canadian town of any size is well over 650 miles and
13 hours by road.
But
lest we give the impression that Sarah is one dimensional, let's listen to her
where she really shines, history, geography and world affairs.
''He who
warned, uh, the British that they weren't gonna be takin' away our arms, uh, by
ringing those bells, and um, makin' sure as he's riding his horse through town
to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be sure and we were
going to be free, and we were going to be armed.'' Paul revere would puke, I
know I did!
"But obviously, we've got to stand with our North
Korean allies." ( after being asked how she would handle the
current hostilities between the two Koreas. Sorry about that 1949-53 nastiness.
''Our, our
next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the
executive of.'' What?? Oh, wait, she
means Afghanistan. ''They are also building schools for the Afghan children so
that there is hope and opportunity in our neighboring
country of Afghanistan.'' Wow, and I used to think Afghanistan was about 8,000
miles away! Not to worry. John McCain to the rescue: "Sarah Palin knows
more about energy than probably anyone else in the United States of America.
... And, uh, she also happens to represent, be governor of a state that's right
next to Russia." --after being asked about Sarah Palin's foreign policy
experience, Sept. 12, 2008. So it's all good.
Well,
maybe not all..... ''Ground Zero Mosque supporters: doesn't
it stab you in the heart, as it does ours throughout the heartland? Peaceful
Muslims, pls refudiate.'' (a twitter by a twit) Refudiate? Is that what you do
after you have attempted to fudiate and failed? Apparently English wasn't our
gal's strong suit, but Social Studies? ''I think on a national level your
Department of Law there in the White House would look at some of the things
that we've been charged with and automatically throw them out.'' Tell that to
the Secretary of Law. Oh never mind, there isn't one. How about this one? ''They're
in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there
with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life
better for Brandon and his family and his classroom.'' This last is Palin
describing the duties of the office to which she aspired. An office whose real
responsibilities she didn't understand. The Vice President can "just get in there" and vote only to create or break a tie. Otherwise
he raps the gavel and is seldom there anyway. In spite of this awesome display
of ignorance, her front man, John McCain actually said these words: "I think she's most qualified of any that
has run recently for vice president, tell you the truth." He obviously
never met Dick Cheyney, Al Gore, Richard Nixon or Lyndon Johnson. He continued serving dutifully as her apologist until the November
mercy killing. "She's a partner and a soul-mate." "She needed
the clothes." --explaining to reporters why the RNC spent $150,000 on
clothes and accessories for Sarah Palin and her family. "I might have to
rely on a vice president that I select’ for expertise on economic issues."
Expertise? Really?
if she can convince John McCain of any of these, she
should dump Todd and move in with the McCains,
taking Bristol, Trig, Track, Willow and Piper with her. In the words of Bill Maher,
''Naturally the smart thing to do to solve your economic woes is to demonize
the Democrats. And of course, Sarah Palin is more than happy to oblige. She's
been saying that Obama hangs out with terrorists. And you know, I think the
evangelical lady who's in a video getting blessed by a witch doctor, who's
married to a secessionist, and can't name a newspaper — she's right, Obama is
scary." Of course, he completed his term in office regardless of partisan
squabbling, something else about which Sarah Palin would know nothing.
case study number 3: John McCain
OK,
right up front, John McCain was a war hero, so was Ulysses Grant, who was a
mediocre president whose administration was the most corrupt until Harding's. So what"? I honor his service, but being in the military
at any level doesn't translate to "Good President." Ask Thomas Jefferson. McCain has traded on the
war hero cachet more than most. "Could I just mention to you, Jay,
that in a moment of seriousness I spent five and a half years in a prison cell.
I didn't have a house, I didn't have a kitchen table, I didn't have a table, I
didn't have a chair." --once again playing the "POW/War Hero card to deflect a question from Jay Leno about
how many houses he owns, "Tonight Show" interview, Aug. 25, 2008
The
question for McCain is "Why should you be President? Are you in touch with
America?
With
the already ailing economy a front burner issue in the 2008 campaign , look at
some of the things McCain pulled out of...(insert your word here)... the hat.
"The chairman of the SEC serves at the
appointment of the president and, in my view, has betrayed the public's trust.
If I were president today, I would fire him." --(apparently unaware of the
fact that the SEC chairman, as a commissioner of an independent regulatory
commission, cannot be removed by the president)
"I understand the economy. I was chairman of the Commerce Committee that
oversights every part of our economy." --ignoring the fact that it is
actually the Senate Banking Committee which is responsible for credit,
financial services, and housing -- the very areas currently in crisis)
"Our economy, I think, is still -- the
fundamentals of our economy are strong." (Jacksonville, Fla., Sept. 15,
2008) "Sure. Technically, I don't know." --asked if the U.S. is in a
recession, ("60 Minutes", Sept. 21, 2008)
It is also
worthy of note that McCain is one of the "Keating Five" - senators
from both parties who got huge campaign contributions from Lincoln S&L abuser
and convicted felon Charles Keating in
exchange for their attempts to protect him
All these statements are disturbingly reminiscent of
Calvin Coolidge, as he headed out the door in 1929 saying that the economy was
in fine shape. "I'm
going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military
and foreign policy issues. I still need to be educated." "The issue
of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should. I've got
Greenspan's book." "I might have to rely on a vice
president that I select’ for expertise on economic issues." (GOP debate,
Nov. 28, 2007) This last is previously cited, but so outrageous when Palin is
considered that it bears repeating. Really? The 4 term Senator and Chair of the
Senate Commerce committee knows less about the economy than the half of one
term and soon to resign Governor of Alaska?
Foreign
policy is an area where McCain not only
blows his own horn, but is frequently hypercritical of President Obama, so
there ought to be some real meat here, huh?
"I have a clear record of working with leaders
in the hemisphere that are friends with us and standing up to those who are
not. And that's judged on the basis of the importance of our relationship with
Latin America and the entire region." --after being asked if he would
invite Spanish President Jose Rodriguez Louis Zapatero to the White House,
casting an ally of the U.S. as a potential enemy while simultaneously confusing
Spain for a Latin American country (Sept. 17, 2008).
"In the 21st century nations don't invade other
nations." --on Russia's military action against Georgia, (Birmingham, Mich.,
Aug. 13, 2008) Apparently those little Iraq and Afghanistan thingies slipped
his mind.
"We have a lot of work to do. It's a very hard
struggle, particularly given the situation on the Iraq-Pakistan border."
--referring to a border that does not exist, (ABC News interview, July 21, 2008).
"I
was concerned about a couple of steps that the Russian government took in the
last several days. One was reducing the energy supplies to
Czechoslovakia." --referring to a country that hasn't existed for 15 years,
Phoenix, Arizona, July 14, 2008
So;
not so good in economy related issues, a little weak in foreign policy, how
about building consensus and "bringing us together", every candidates
favorite mantra?
"F**k you! I know more about this than anyone
else in the room." --to Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), during a testy exchange
about immigration legislation
"Do you know why Chelsea Clinton is so ugly?
Because Janet Reno is her father." --at a 1998 Republican fundraiser
"I think I'd just commit suicide." --in
October 2006, on the prospects of the Democrats taking back the Senate in the
November election
"No, I'm
calling you a f*cking jerk." --to fellow Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley,
when Grassley asked "Are you calling me stupid?"
"Only an
a**hole would put together a budget like this ... I wouldn't call you an
a**hole unless you really were an a**hole." --to Budget Committee Chairman
and fellow Repulican Sen. Pete Domenici, during a Senate budget hearing
"Don't
touch me. Do you know who I am? Do you know who you're talking to?"
–becoming enraged when a woman grabbed his arm during a game of craps at a
Puerto Rico casino in 2005.
"At
least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you c*nt." -to his
wife, Cindy, after she playfully twirled his hair and said "You're getting
a little thin up there," as reported in the book The Real McCain by
Cliff Schecter . Have you seen how much makeup Palin uses?. Careful John!
Now here's a consensus builder who can bring all of
us c*nts. a**holes and f*cking jerks together!
So Republicans,
with this track record, why are you still asking why you lost? There are good
folks out there, but apparently a Scott Brown
isn't offensive , evangelical or misinformed enough to satisfy the far right
true believers. With the viable candidates out there, this was the best you
could do? Pity, that.
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