*Republican*: The New *Liberal*

[Autonomy]

We've spent quite a bit of time on the Left trying to de-demonize the word "liberal" and restore its dignity and etymology. Some of us have advocated moving on to a word with less baggage, like "progressive". Others have suggested equivalently dysphemistic terms for our opponents, like "regressives". Professor George Lakoff has written entire books on the subject. But we never seemed to be able to get the taint off the word, or get our own tar to stick.

But, then, just when we weren't looking, while we celebrated our midterm victories, a strange phenomenon was taking place. Suddenly no one wanted to be called a "Republican" anymore. ~shudder~

I'm not just referring to http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/10/chafee.GOP/index.html?section=cnn_latest">Linc Chafee running for exit door of the Republican cloak room, and I don't mean the death of the "rock-ribbed" http://cbs4boston.com/mainewire/ME--YankeeRepublicans_e_n_0me--/resources_news_html">New England Republican, I mean the rank and file are eschewing the Republican Party.

The FReeper feels betrayed by the R-party and is sheepishly glancing around for a viable alternative.

The stalwart Southern right-winger, with a confederate flag and a "Save a Whale, Kill a Hippie" bumpersticker on his pickup truck can be heard asking, "http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2704786">Republi-who?"

Joe Scarborough and a host of other R-W talking heads are exclaiming, "Don't blame me, I voted (garbled)!"

We on the Left tried, but failed, to play with words the way the righties do. But no sooner had we won on the merit of our positions and policies than did our opponents hand us our very own dysphemism. They are running, screaming, away from being called "Republicans"! In public, at least.

DU- We need to push on this right now. Keep the taint sticking to the sick, incompetent, immoral organization called republican. Republican means failure. Failure at home, failure in Iraq, failure against terrorism, failure to represent conservative values (this last one is key). Republicans are sick, twisted, perverted, pedophilic, drug-addled, incompetent, failures.

The only difference between our dysphemism and theirs: ours is actually true. Consider it a nice little bonus from our friends at the Republican Failure Party (tm).

[Lilith Velkor]

1. Here at DU, it's been an insult for years

But the one who's done all the hard work making it stick has been George W. Bush. :patriot:

[not_a_robot]

2. you know

Liberal and liberty have the exact same origin.