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Enemy of the Week
Super Republicans
They're bowling Democrats over.
Wow, that was a close one, saving President Obama's credibility in the pigskin world. A day after he predicted economic recovery will take years, not months, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team he endorsed, needed only two minutes to recover their lead and eke out a win in a heavily regulated Super Bowl. Pittsburgh won even though standout wide-receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who played for the losing Arizona Cardinals, declined to switch sides after the Steelers' dominated play through the first quarter. There is honor among pass snatchers.
Today we learn if New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg, a Republican, will resign from the Senate to become our nation's and President Obama's (notice how he's always referring his cabinet members of "my" such and such secretary) Commerce Secretary. Why Gregg would want to pick up where Gov. Bill Richardson left off is anyone's guess. Does he loathe Harry Reid that much? Perhaps the President has assured him that it will take years, not months, before Commerce has any business to transact. More likely, it's another example of how the Republicans have learned to flex their muscles as never before. The fewer of them remain in Congress, even as their minority numbers shrink toward the single digits, the more imposing and intimidating their political authority becomes.
Despite holding huge and expanding majorities in both houses, Democrats fear for their legitimacy. When a stimulus bill easily passes without Republican participation, they regard it as a major defeat. Their toadies in the media join forces to denounce and taunt the Republicans for refusing to cooperate. Ignoring these catcalls and insults to their maternal heritage, the Republicans emerge ever cleaner and stronger. It's clear what's going on. No junkie likes to inject himself. Better if a handsome young stranger does the trick. Sorry guys. Compassionate conservatism moved back to Texas on January 20.
Of course, the entire deal could be jeopardized if New Hampshire's Democratic governor appoints a Republican to complete the final two years of Gregg's term, thereby setting up the possibility of a return to the Senate by genuine economic conservative John Sununu in 2010, meaning growing Republican numeral strength and consequently declining political prowess. But let's not jump the gun and add to the Democrats' skittishness. It's hard enough on them not to see any resolution of the Minnesota recount in a way that would allow the seating of Al Franken and thereby strengthen the Republicans' hand still further.
The Democrats face other pressing problems, above all those having to do with former Sen. Tom Daschle's recent charitable donations to the Internal Revenue Service. In their intensely competitive world, it's not every Democrat who can afford to write out a six-figure check to a worthy cause. Mr. Daschle, who hopes to sacrifice further by becoming President Obama's point man on nationalizing health care, seems to be in the driver's seat on this one, even if he's not actually the driver. But he is the driving force behind a well-researched plan that would replace traumatic ambulance services with limousine delivery to our nation's hospitals and emergency rooms.
Notice that there hasn't been much attention paid to the important post of Drug Czar in the new administration. But that's because no naturally qualified candidate had emerged who might make the nation forget the pioneering work Bill Bennett did in that post many drug interdictions ago. Thankfully, that shortcoming has been rectified. Michael Phelps brings hands-on, mouth-to-source experience, he's a national hero, and his solid medal count is certain to win over Republican monetarists of the Ron Paul persuasion.
One small problem: our fact checking department informs us that Mr. Obama already has an acting drug czar of sorts, one Edward Jurith, who is so little known that some presume him to be working under cover, even though he held the job for 11 months under the second President Bush. Could he be our EOW this time, for failing to test Sen. Daschle's driver and Michael Phelps's lungs? And not planting drugs on Washington's remaining Republicans?
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Robert Rosencrans| 2.2.09 @ 8:34AM
Once inside the beltway, former citizens elected to Congress, become Washingtonians. It's a form of social disease passed amongst others, not by kiss or intercourse, but some form of social behavior modification, where they become part of an elite social discourse.
In the background the rest of America is stupid and can't see the Washingtonian vision of secular humanism, and a government elected, that becomes a government by fiat, running from crisis to crisis that the government creates, all the while smiling like a Cheshire cat to the public, telling them everything is going to be all right.
Terry| 2.2.09 @ 8:51AM
Robert...it's the water.
Gironde| 2.2.09 @ 9:14AM
At some point as the spent, evil, carcass of government topples an angry, fierce group of patriots will invoke Robespierre and the Directory and dear Mme. Lefarge - the play is an old one. There are plans for a guillotine on the web - get your now and start building. You will have to use a search engine (ixquick stores no personal data) they are not at the Popular Mechanics web site.
Rick Josey| 2.2.09 @ 9:14AM
Actually, Terry, it's not the water. It's the air. More specifically, the elevation. Once in power, their heads tilt back, their nostrils flair and they become afflicted with the disease of arrogance. An horrible affliction that makes them delusional. They begin to think themselves the great rulers of our land, yet they cannot even balance a budget. They smile as they envision a great society where everyone is fed from the public til. While conveniently forgetting that government must first take from its citizens every dollar that it then inefficiently redistributes.
Oh, this afflicting disease of elevation! Thank God the rest of us, ordinary citizens, don't have to breath the thin air of the Washington elite.
www.PatriotHangout.com
MI1336 | 2.2.09 @ 9:36AM
Forget the politics mumbo jumbo, smoke some more reefer dude!!!
Michael Roush| 2.2.09 @ 9:39AM
The preliminary report of the Commission on Wartime Contracting states that poor planning, weak oversight and greed combined to soak the U.S. taxpayer and undermine American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The same dynamic worked at home in the financial industry. I notice that none of you speak of the enormous debt that is not even on the books that has been run up fighting the war in Iraq. You'll forgive me if I don't take seriously Republican and conservative claims to patriotism and fiscal responsibility.
Gill O'Teen| 2.2.09 @ 10:10AM
Gironde: per your 2.2.09 @ 9:14AM comment - my sentiments exactly. I firmly believe that our only hope is to apply the French solution to their 18th century bread shortage to our current crises. Where do I sign up?
Anthony| 2.2.09 @ 10:15AM
Super Republicans? You're kidding of course, right? If Judd Gregg and the RNC fall for this pick off move, they deserve the stupid party label for sure. The only way a Democrat gov would honor a "pledge" to appoint a Republican as Gregg's replacement would be if the R was a Colin Powell or John Dean type. This is a rope -a -dope, and Gregg is a fool and a sell out to his constituents if he allows the Democrats to enhance their senate numbers. Is Gregg bored? I can't imagine he doesn't relish the role of minority member of the senate, after all, it's the R's favorite position to be in, even when they're in the majority.
P.S. Mr. Roush, take your phony concern for fiscal resonsibility and stick it where it truly belongs, with the Community Reinvestment Act, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Jamie Gorelick Franklin Raines et al, who are directly responsible for this economic sunami. Oh, and let's not forget Obama's $800B pork project on top of the TARP folly!! And you wring your hands over defense spending? You're a classic L, all right.
J David| 2.2.09 @ 10:31AM
Anthony is right...
Moreover, those under the misapprehension that the commie-lib Dems want to *fix* current crisis in the country are going to be quite open to every deception that comes down the pike.
Rahm E. let the cat out of the bag when he encouraged his party not "waste a crisis", essentially in gaining control of the country by the present socialist majority, and permanently consolidating that control.
Sorry to be impolitic here, but any who believe that commie-lib Dems *have the best interests of the country at heart*(being the America-loathers that they are) are pure, 100%, grade-A, USDA FOOLS! You are more completely clueless than than a frozen rump roast, and will believe pretty much anything.
Paul| 2.2.09 @ 10:57AM
Anthony:
May I add to your names of Democrats (Dodd, Frank et al.) who undermined our financial system Rham Emmanuel, who was quite well compensated as a director at Freddie Mac? He earned over $230,000 in 2001 not as an company officer, but a merely a board member. Does anyone recall the accounting scandals that overtook Freddie and Fannie in 2001? Yet Emmanuel's time there is never mentioned by the press. "Quod licit Jove, non licit bove."
Pingback| 2.2.09 @ 11:24AM
The Bipartisan Myth « The Forum links to this page.
Sebastian B. O. Buniontow V| 2.2.09 @ 11:24AM
Hey, maybe Obama can sub for Drug Craz having admitted to doing coke and his half brother knows where to find his too.
Howard| 2.2.09 @ 12:04PM
I thought the Democrats were the party of the Common Man, Little Guy. Why is it that they can prosper and it is good. But when a Republican prospers he's Greedy? The Democrats need more common folks like John Forbes Kerry, Al Gore, and Jay Rockefeller.
clashseeker| 2.2.09 @ 12:13PM
Dear Muckle Roach, am I allowed tho ask what the heck is the " Commission of Wartime Contracting " ? Am I allowed to be skeptical ? Are they of the same ilk as those who vetter Geithner and Dascle ? Just a headline machine for the MSM I'd suspect.
Gerard E.| 2.2.09 @ 1:28PM
The fun has just begun. Republicans have time to leak many of the more interesting aspects of the Pork-O-Rama Bill to the Washington Times, New York Post, Fox News, El Rushbo, other sympathetic media types. Mitch McConnell is an accomplished master of Senate procedure, who may whip his Senate crew into shape like John Boehner with the band GOP Stalwarts Featuring the 11 Blue Dogs. EC might have hit the nail on the head - compassionate conservativism ended when George W. Bush boarded the helicopter back to Texas. Now those Republicans who remain are more inclined to make life miserable for the Obama administration. With or without Sen. Gregg.
Bill| 2.2.09 @ 2:07PM
Any Republican who supports this bill and gives the Dems cover should leave the party. The only items that should be approved are the ones that will stimulate the economy. Such as more money in the hands of the tax payers who spend it and that will stimulate manufacturing and provide jobs. But commn sense is so hard to come by for those in congress who have never held a real job.
the-gunslinger| 2.2.09 @ 3:29PM
I am sharpening my knitting needles
signed...Mme LeFarge
Marc Jeric| 2.2.09 @ 6:20PM
Our Abu Hussein from Kenya is a new Jimmy Carter - and that is a good news really. The people will eventually wake up - what with the unemployment at 11% and inflation at 13% in about 2-3 years from now. 2012 will be a new 1980 - provided we can field another Reagan by then.
Michael Roush| 2.2.09 @ 6:49PM
Anthony,
I have no problem acknowledging the role of Democrats in our current financial crisis. Are you willing to do the same viz Republicans?
Clashseeker,
You have a computer. Do a search. Read a newspaper. The information is there.
Anthony| 2.2.09 @ 8:26PM
Mr. Roush; Let me role play being a mindless, moron, leftist for just a few minutes and have you lead me by the nose and tell me which Republicans have contributed to the Fannie and Freddie debacle. Hint: don't even think of telling me Bush and McCain or I might be forced to throw up on you.
Michael Roush| 2.2.09 @ 9:10PM
Anthony,
The problem is far greater than Fannie and Freddie, but you're clearly not interested in anything that contradicts your ideology. Have a good evening.
Sam| 2.2.09 @ 10:53PM
Dear Mr. Roush,
Yes, the problem(s) extend beyond Fannie and Freddie, but that is where the problems started and were exacerbated by the CRA.
Heavens! War profiteering! Wow...is that all you have to deny victory? War profiterring? Gee, I don't remember that ever happening. We have kicked the crap out of tyrannical regimes and Islamic goombahs and replaced them with constitutional governments and an understanding that we will be back, and back firmer, if need be.
That is money well spent, Sir.
Victory is not cheap.
ruth| 2.2.09 @ 10:57PM
Republicans overspend by fighting wars, liberating oppressed millions and protecting our country's freedom (hugely successful, by the way!). The corrupt Democrats overspend to acquire more power by lining their own and their special interests' pockets, (Fannie/Freddie/ACORN which caused our econimic meltdown). Chicago thug politics now owns Washington, D.C.
Kat| 2.3.09 @ 1:37AM
So funny to see Roush tuck tail and run when he couldn't answer Anthony's simple question: Which Repubs contributed to Fannie/Freddie debacle? The answer that eluded Roush is: NONE! Liberals lie.
Robert Rosencrans| 2.3.09 @ 8:09AM
The only reason Obama needs Gregg is because he can't find a Democrat who is not under investigation or a Democrat who voluntarily pays his/her taxes.
Rich Rostrom| 2.3.09 @ 11:29PM
Anthony, Kat: when Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) tried to investigate Fannie and Freddie's bogus bookkeeping, Denny Hastert stripped his subcommittee of jurisdiction. He gave it to Rep. Mike Oxley (R-OH), who had had over a dozen Fannie/Freddie-hosted fundraisers. Oxley sat there and let Barney Frank run the probe as a whitewash. F&F;was predominantly a Democrat operation, but important Republicans collaborated too.
Kat| 2.4.09 @ 12:05AM
I'll share the blame, but in no way will I own it all. It is liberal social engineering, though. Hastert--what a disgusting, traitorous slob.
Bill| 2.4.09 @ 2:27PM
The budget was in surplus under Republicans in the late 90's, unfortunately many Repub's were corrupted by Washington. That's why term limits makes sense!
Nick| 2.4.09 @ 11:29PM
Mr. Rostrom,
You make a great point. This is my biggest problem with consevative talk radio and Fox News. While talk radio did take President Bush & congressional Republicans to task over certain big issues, especially after the 2nd term started, they didn't expose Republicans acting like democrats enough. They spent too much time defending the war and talking about the big news of the day. They should've named names, like Bud Shuster, Jerry Lewis, David Drier, Bill Young, and others who were there, not to be conservatives, but to be congressmen.
Fox News used to be good at finding out of the way stories of the abuse of power. Anybody remember the coverage of Klamath Falls? Anybody seen a story like that on Fox lately? Now they mostly cover the stories that CNN & MSnbc does. If I wanted that I would watch Wesley Crusher- I mean Rachel Madcow.
Kat| 2.5.09 @ 9:55PM
Rachel Madcow--LOL.
ruth| 2.5.09 @ 9:57PM
Poor Will Wheaton, he's cute. Is he related to Madcow?
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