Seeds of Downfall in GOP's Victory

[Tony_FLADEM]

The Republicans are living in a fool's paradise. It's true that over the next few years Republicans will have enormous power. In the long run, however, they're doomed.

snip

The Republicans' main problem, however, is that their basic political and economic strategy is totally unsustainable. Where the Democrats had tax and spend, Bush has tax cut and spend. One core element of the Bush strategy is to lock in the allegiance of the business community through breaks for corporations, investors and the wealthy, in return for which they will gratefully give the GOP a huge fundraising advantage. Spending is another key element of the plan. Bush wooed the elderly with a prescription drug benefit and rural America with lavish agriculture subsidies.

<http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-chait3dec03,1,7732459.column?coll=la-news-comment-opinions>

This is what I have been saying. The GOP tries to give people everything - tax cuts and increases in popular spending programs. Eventually this will catch up with them.

[Dark]

1. And, an interesting question is, do we want a Dem in charge when it occurs

[unblock]

2. nonsense. eventually a democrat will win and fix the budget

and then republicans will be able to spin the poor sap as the cause of all our problems, then they'll have another 3 or 4 terms in charge.

when we REALLY need to raise taxes, THAT's when a democrat will win.

trust me on this one.

[Cobalt Violet]

3. Soon Wal-Mart and the Oil Companies will be at war.

I'm just speculating but the pie of the underclasses isn't big enough for both of them.

[TaleWgnDg]

4. And one could look at this way, too . . .

1. It won't be Kerry's War in Iraq.
2. Nor will it be Kerry's economy dragging around his neck.
3. Not his record-breaking national debt either.
4. And lo and behold it's not Kerry's tumbling dollar!
5. And it soon will not be Kerry's spiraling inflation too.

See? There's a wonderful bright side to all of this. It's not the doing of the Democrats, John F. Kerry, or even Bill Clinton!! Nope. Instead, the entire blame is on the shoulders of the rightwingnuts in the Republican Party, for they and only they have the majority in both houses of congress and in the White House.

Indeed. And, trust somebody who's been around in politics since Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president in his 4th term in office . . . "too much power corrupts, wait!!" I say.


.

[bobweaver]

6. That is exactly right

In one sense it is good that Bush will be re-elected because then he will have to face up to his own messes. If Kerry was elected he would have to spend the first 2 years cleaning up all the crap Bush did. This way, Bush will have to finally face reality. With Republicans in control of all 3 branches of federal govt., they will have nobody else to blame but themselves for the continuing debacle that they have created. If they were smart they would have left a little bit of power for the Democrats so that they would have someone to scapegoat - but they are too selfish and short-sighted to realize that.

[TaleWgnDg]

7. right on !! n/t

[Cobalt Violet]

16. Repuke will find a scape goat.

They'll never take personal responsibitiy. They'll stage another "Pearl Harbor/9/11" so that they have someone to fight, someone to blame.

[Old and In the Way]

8. We restart in 2006

That will be the year that we retake government. We'll have a radicalized new crop of Democratic Congressional candidates that run on and get a clear mandate to dismantle the Republican agenda. With a majority Congress, we'll start having real investigations. Those that know will start singing. This will pave the way for a Democratic Presidency in 2008. The good news is that the Republicans will see all the precedents they've taken used against them.....

I agree on your assessment of a Kerry win this year. He'd be hamstrung with a corrupt Republican majority looking to scapegoat a Democrat for the problems they have created. Now, there is no one to blame for the mess that their policies and politics have/will wrought. The Republicans spent $750MM in this election cycle and still could only win by gaming the vote....they hit their high water mark. It will be all downhill and into the trashbin of history by 2008.

[anamandujano]

9. of course not

It's clinton's war, economy, debt, tumbling dollar and spiraling inflation. Silly goose.

[TaleWgnDg]

12. hey . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[glitch]

10. Not really - this wheel's on fire. Who do we want driving this spinning

vehicle? Someone who maybe, just maybe, can pull us out of the spin, or someone who will hit his own personal eject button when it gets too scary?

[Bullshot]

19. While I agree 100% with what you said, Tale,

There are a lot of idiots who will blame it on Democrats no matter how long ago they've been in power.

I oversee a state grant. The department overseeing this grant's program has been under tight budgets for a couple of years. My supervisor said it's because the state is trying to get out of the mess the Democrats left the state (Ohio) in.

Here are the facts:

Ohio has had a Republican governor for the past 14 years.

Republicans have controlled the state House and Senate for the past 12.

Republicans have held every elected cabinet post for the past 12 years.

During that time, the state's rainy day fund has been squandered. The multi-billion dollar tobacco settlement has been spent.

And my supervisor still believes it's the Democrats' fault. That's what we're up against.

[bobweaver]

5. Republicans are certain to have infighting

Because they drew so many people into their party with the social issues (abortion, guns, gay marriage, etc.) who also differ on other issues (bosses and workers who are at odds with each other on economic issues, such as overtime pay, for example) there will be a lot of tension within the Republican party itself. There is disagreement within the GOP over the war. They really have expanded too much from their base, and eventually a lot of disillusionment and infighting will surface. Already even voters who call themselves "true conservatives" and who believe in very limited government spending are very unhappy with Bush. The American Conservative magazine even endorsed Kerry in this election! What does that tell you about unity within the GOP?

[kodi]

11. Be Careful Of What You Wish For

"Those who the Gods wish to destroy, they first make mad."

Herodutus

[DeadHead67]

13. I don't think I would have wanted to be President Kerry. . . .

. . .and have to clean up the hideous freakin' mess the Asshole in Chief has made, especially in Iraq. And oh, by the way, how many of our spineless democratic reps and senators backed him?

[anamandujano]

14. This subject was raised elsewhere

and at first it sounded good. Then people began to point out that the repukes have not yet finished destroying our democracy or economy or reputation or killing more people in Iraq, Iran and Syria. 4 more years will give them the time they need. We will never recover. This is not the route to take.

[jamboi]

15. If it turns out that Bush wins (ie. we don't know yet) he's already been

shooting himself in the foot and can't get his party to go along with his agenda. I don't see the Republicans as being that together at this point. The right wing is really letting their hair down and flying their true colors, for one and all to see who they really are. For instance Falwell is talking about trotting out the Moral Majority again. I'm telling ya the more folk see of these wacks the more they'll recoil in disgust.

[mvd]

17. They will have a downfall

But here's another contributing factor - the Ohio protests are the first rumblings of the 60s over again. And you know what a sore spot that is for the regressives/neo-cons.

I am still really upset about the "election" - we had a good candidate, money to spend, and a pResident that had messed up badly - yet Bush still "won." However, as you say, things will get so bad for them that not even their media will be able to cover for them.

[MsConduct]

18. Don't you see that when they self-destruct, they'll take us with them? n/t