What makes civilized Republicans turn to monsters ?

[kentuck]

Nancy Johnson, Chris Shays, and Deborah Pryce used to be thought some of the more rational Republicans in their caucus, but recently, they are acting like mouthpieces of Karl Rove. Nancy Johnson, who sometimes appears to be a gentle grandmother, has turned on her opponent with a vengeance. She has run negative ads for a month straight and then gets angry when her opponent responds in kind.

Chris Shays, who has survived so many years because of his Democratic support, is acting unexplainedly irrational. In his latest tirade, he attacks Ted Kennedy and defends Denny Hastert by saying that "at least Speaker Hastert "didn't kill anyone". What could possibly explain such behavior from this civilized Congressman?

And Deborah Pryce of Ohio, third in line in the House succession, is reportedly in a very close race in OH and she may lose. Although she has yet to dive into the deep slime with Johnson and Shays, that may happen when the next poll comes out? The probability of defeat shines a new light on these "civil" civil servants...

[Marie26]

1. Fear. nt

[silverweb]

2. Sleep with pigs, you start oinking.

n/t

[leftofthedial]

3. mannerly vermin are still vermin

eventually they expose themselves as the degenerates they are

[kenny blankenship]

4. Opportunity? The availability of victims for the monster to victimize?

A certain lack of restraint that comes to the fore when one side kicks the table over and throws the rule book into the fire?
Give them power and turn your back for a second, and...you see what happens.

And why is it a surprise that the party of incipient Fascism should become the no-kidding-around Fascist Party when they've finally seized power? They're only doing ALL THE STUFF THEY TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS-DECADES. They put their usual rhetoric into action and swept aside their opposition by denying the right of a minority opinion to act as any kind check or moderating influence on their behavior--and the result is a slaughterhouse abroad and a bonfire of constitutional rights and legitimate gov't at home. Quel fucking surprise.
It's really no surprise that their "kinder and gentler" exponents would become vicious, too, when the main body of their goosestepping mob marches into the public square and declares a New Order.

[T Wolf]

5. There is no such thing as a civilized repist.

The sooner that reality is accepted and we can rid the planet of them, the better off all life on Earth can continue its slow progress.

As long as they are around, we will regress.

[Richard Steele]

6. Maybe the "civilized" veneer was just an act...

And now that they are feeling some heat, the masks
have started to come off.

[FSogol]

7. Their party felons, I mean leaders, must be putting a lot of pressure on

them. Either that or their true red colors are coming out.

[RufusEarl]

8. It's Karl Rove,

i think he gets some smut on these people and blackmails them to do his bidding.

[Bake]

9. Insecurity - a threat to their power

Their seats are threatened; hence their prestige is threatened. Most of all, their access to MONEY $$$$$$$$$$ is threatened.

That'll make 'em pretty nasty buggers.

Bake

[jdadd]

11. DING ! DING ! DING ! DING!

And we have a winner here folks....:toast:.....Money$$$$$

[applegrove]

13. Yes. Very true. Afraid that they will no longer rule the world and

be extra special.

[AndyA]

10. Civilized Republicans? Is that a new species? I've never heard of

them before.

:rofl:

If they existed, they must be extinct now.

[applegrove]

12. By letting monsters take over their leadership? By handing responsibility

over to someone else for all their thiking. By lying and embracing a culture of lying. By choosing the political over governance. Basically by becoming children again and not being the leaders they were elected to be.

[Supersedeas]

14. they checked their civility when they checked their oversight authority

[GreenArrow]

15. "civilization" has a very thin veneer.

.

[shance]

16. The fact that they can be bought. When anyone has a price, they are

someone elses slave.

[damntexdem]

17. There's one thing I don't under stand about your question:

the phrase "civilized Republicans."

[kentuck]

18. Perhaps I should have said "supposedly civilized" ?

a fair point.

[ComerPerro]

19. Conservatism. Its as simple as that