Why do Republicans act like someone just killed their firstborn son...?

[kentuck]

whenever they stand up to say they are voting agianst this White House? Is it really that painful for them??

We had Voinovich almost coming to tears because he felt that Bolton was not the right guy for the job. So, what's the big deal. Bolton is an asshole. Why is it so difficult to go against the White House on that one??

Then, in the House, we have Congressmen such as Duke Cunningham, standing up and giving his personal story in explaining why he would support stem cell research. Instead of being proud of his vote, he acts like he is ashamed. Can it really be that painful to vote agianst George W Bush, another asshole?

[proud patriot]

1. I think it's fear

:think: see sigline

[ooglymoogly]

5. imo it is fear that bushco, (rove) own the vote counting

apparatus, machines etc.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Loyalty is a huge thing for them. I mean, we're loyal here on the left,

but more to our ideals. They are loyal to their party whether it truly represents their ideals or not.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. The White House will make it painful for anyone who goes against them.

I suspect those senators who seemed to be apologizing for doing the right thing were more frightened than sad. They know KKKarl will punish them somehow.

[napi21]

4. I'm sure it's because of things the RW have said to them.

The extremists are absolutely brutal in the way they deal with people, and when another Pub does something that will cause them to not get their way, I can't imagine what mean hateful threats might have been made.

[kentuck]

7. Lindsey Graham must be terrified about now...

I would not be surprised to read about a horse's head.....

[imenja]

8. they are calling him the third senator from New York

for a conservative, that's about as bad as it gets.

[Pushed To The Left]

14. They are getting more ruthless

all the time! It sounds like there is a lot of intimidation and bullying going on on the other side. I wish the Republicans who are being attacked by the radicals in their party would stick it to them by leaving the party and/or forming an alliance with Democrats!

[imenja]

6. They have exerted tremendous pressure on Voinivich

and other Republicans that dislike Bolton. That's why Voinivich broke down on the senate floor and that is why Bolton will be confirmed, not because a majority of senators actually think he is qualified.

[libertypirate]

9. This is what happens when you tie your person to your politics

What * Co. has effectively done is sold politics in the same fashion that people pick sports teams. This is why it's personal they believe in Bush which is much more powerful then knowing anything about him. When everyone says Karl Rove is a genius I always shrug and ask why? All he does is tie into predictable human emotion and self doubt; which engages guilt.

To relieve this is not too hard, I think what People in general don't understand is that the whole thing is a setup. There are a predictable number of people whose personal perspectives don't include the information to process what they are shoveling correctly. This is just a fact of life and it is not to hard to quantify.

As a matter of fact how do you think they know what publications to sell specific advertisers in? They know who is reading what and for how long, they know what we watch and for how long, and they know how much time the average American seeks knowledge through various news outlets.

[Jade Fox]

10. Money.....

Certainly all elected Republicans must be, to some degree, dependent on
funds from the Party when they go up for re-election. They're afraid of
biting the hand that feeds them.

[dorktv]

15. Maybe it is a good thing then that the DNC rarely funds

Democratic candidates for congress unless they raise stupendous amounts of money and have a 70% of winning.

[sojourner]

11. The political climate is such that both

Dems and Republicans are having trouble reconciling these factors:

-the corporate sponsorship $$ (and the influence it buys);

-intense WH pressure (this is hardest for Republicans, who are called on to play along as party loyalists);

-and the mean activism of the Fundie-RWNs (some of whom are actually their constituency)

with what they themselves believe is right for the people they serve.

Huge conflict of interest.......$$, WH favor, ability to be re-elected. Not a wonder they fall apart when they drum up the courage to take a public stand on principle or conscience!!

(This is a demonstration of one of the REAL effects of "cognitive dissonance" which is properly defined as an uncomfortable internal state occuring when an individual is confronted with conflicting internal values, beliefs or attitudes. Politicians value all of the four factors mentioned above. When these factors are diametrically opposed to one another then you have INTENSE dissonance and either we break down emotionally -- or we begin to rationalize -- or we avoid the whole thing by going into complete denial (we value internal harmony).

[Ready4Change]

12. Without Conservative rage, Neocons are nothing.

by keeping them enraged, Neocons can keep conservatives from noticing that they are in control of the very government they rage about, and therefor they should only be angry at themselves for the state the nation is in.

They control the WH, Congress, the Senate, the SCOTUS. And yet they complain as though they are the oppressed underdogs. If they weren't kept in an irrational enraged state, they would realize the problems they see are actually the result of the actions of THEIR OWN LEADERSHIP, ie, the Neocons.

Fools. Led by the nose, blind to their own nose rings.

[kentuck]

13. Excellent point!

"by keeping them enraged, Neocons can keep conservatives from noticing that they are in control of the very government they rage about, and therefor they should only be angry at themselves for the state the nation is in."

[sellitman]

19. Well put!

I would have tried to say it better but would have failed!

[high density]

16. Watching Snowe and Collins is a pretty hilarious thing

When the base closure list came out earlier, they both acted stunned and angry when Maine got screwed. Then it was right back toting the "Bush is a marvelous leader" Republican line as if their heads would be cut off if they said anything else bad against his nutty policies.

[Crunchy Frog]

17. Because Republicanism under Bush Jr.

is a religion, not just a political affiliation. Standing up against Bush on anything for them is like a devout Catholic standing up against the Pope.

That's how I see it anyway. I don't think it was like this under past Republican presidents, even ones far more charismatic and popular than W. We've become a very sick society.

[kodi]

18. it has become very much a Utopian world view akin to a religious one.

that is the problem.

[Pepperbelly]

20. Yep. They look like they got their peckers caught in a ...

sparkplug cap.