We think we're smarter than Republicans, but...

[dorkulon]

Why weren't the Democrats chanting "shame" the first time the Delay majority held a vote open for hours so they could wrangle the votes they needed?(EDIT: Okay, I'm an idiot. They did (thanks onenote!). But the GOP never apologized the way the Dems are doing, and they kept right on doing it.

Why weren't the Republicans crippled by hand-wringing and strategic worries when they moved to impeach a president--when only 30% of the country supported it?

Democrats react to polls. Republicans change them by aggressively promoting their message. If the Dems had called bullshit on the Iraq war and the overblown "global war on terror" nonsense from the beginning, they'd look like fucking geniuses now. Instead, they're still running scared from the bogus "soft on terror" charge today, with Bush at 25% approval. If the Dems had been challenging that rhetoric all this time, the polls on those issues would look different.

We may be smarter, but the Republicans have courage. They're better at this than we are.

EDIT: A lot of folks seem to have a problem with my use of the word "courage," usually a positive trait, to describe Republicans. So forget that word. Use whatever word you want. "Tenacity," "ferocity," "cojones," "guts," stubbornness," whatever. What I'm saying is they push and push and don't back down. That's the trait I envy in them.

[cboy4]

1. The Republicans have courage?

:wtf:

I don't even know where to begin with such a ridiculous claim.

No offense, but Republicans are some of the most gutless, inhumane cowards on the planet.

[dorkulon]

3. They have the guts to pursue their agenda, whether popular or not.

Don't get me wrong; I think they're idiots. But I'd like to see democrats apply even a fraction of their ferocity.

[cboy4]

15. Right, I understand. But I don't think courage is the proper

adjective to use when referring to Republicans in general.

Maybe they're more aggressive or determined in certain circumstances, but I wouldn't really call that courage.

But that's just me.

[dorkulon]

17. How about balls?

I don't really care what we call it; I just wish the Dems had some of it.

[cboy4]

18. I don't disagree with that.

:)

[zabet]

2. I agree...

sometimes you have to crawl down in the ditch to
kill all of the snakes. You cannot reach them all
from the 'high road'.

[ProSense]

4. No offense, but that first point is BS!

The media took every opportunity to spin the incident against the Dems, but...

Republicans Walk Out On Procedural Matter

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. Not courage....rampant hypocrisy. They do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.

And they feel as if their goals are God-given - so they are above any laws - either earthy or biblical.

They are dangerous people in general - they are no better than any other extremist, militant, violent group that they love to talk about.

[dorkulon]

8. Dems should do whatever it takes too.

This is a life-or-death struggle.

[givemebackmycountry]

6. The Republicans are the Bulldozer.

The Republicans are the Bulldozer.
Loud, powerful, smoking, uniform, running over and through anything in the way.

The Democrats are the sandbox.
Soft, pliable, easy to push around, and when the wind blows, easy to disperse.

And we wonder why we lose.

[RandomKoolzip]

7. They don't have courage.

It's the difference between "assertive" and "aggressive." Republicans are the latter.

What they also have that we don't is a mindset that views politics as a big game rather than as a vehicle for positive social change. Republicans don't give a fuck about real people - they're just pawns. As long as they're winning, principles, ethics, and scruples mean nothing to them, whereas Democrats actually are trying to make the country substantially better. This is why we look hopelessly naive and airy rather than tough and shrewd.

[dorkulon]

10. In order to make it better, they need to whip the GOP.

That simple. Good intentions don't mean a damn thing right now. We need to kick their asses.

[onenote]

9. you might have a point, except you're wrong: the Democrats did chant' "shame"

when the repubs kept the vote open in 2005 --

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/10/13/1359253

[dorkulon]

13. Erk! I stand corrected.

How embarrassing! Still--the fact the GOP continued the practice, and didn't rush to apologize the way Dems are doing today, show I have a point, even if predicated on a falsehood.

[PassingFair]

11. We have the DLC.

They vote with the CORPORATIONS.

They need the dry powder to cover their SHIT-BROWN NOSES.

[napi21]

12. I sure never said we were smarter!

I don't think it has anything to do with intelligence. The Pubs don't ever worry about potential fallout from their actions. They know what they want and just do it! If they get flack they try to spin their way out of it. Most of the time it works! The Dems are ALWAYS THINKING! Thinking "What if" we do this and THAT happens? I don't know if you wanat to call that courage or arrogance or something else.

I have to admit, I sometimes wish the Dems had a little MORE of what ever it is!

[dkofos]

14. Not so much rebubes have courage as dems are pussies, and more

worried about polls, and what their chances are for reelection.

They could care less about the people.

[Mythsaje]

16. Sorry...

This makes me nuts.

"Couldn't care less."

I don't even know what "could care less" is supposed to mean.

:)

[dkofos]

19. RYA QS

[DS1]

20. Being a fucking asshole does not equal courage

That's the difference

[CJCRANE]

21. Rank-and-file Republicans don't have courage

by the very fact that they march in lock-step to whatever their leaders tell them to.

Bush-Cheney don't have courage either - they're just psychopaths. Trouble is, it's hard to face down a psychopath because they will lie, scheme, connive, manipulate and intimidate to get what they want.

[stillcool]

22. Good Cop..Bad Cop

which one has more 'courage'?

[hfojvt]

23. republicans have the unwavering support of their base

Big corporations, rich people, the media, and anti-abortion fanatics. That's not courage under fire, it's courage with over-whelming air-power on your side.

[xchrom]

24. while you might have a detail here and there wrong -- you point is well taken.

since 94 -- or even reagan -- the republick party has managed to show extraordinary discipline and a willingness to stand shoulder to shoulder.

are they wrong? -- yes -- do they get their way? -- absolutely.

can dems learn from this? -- not yet it seems.

[OHdem10]

25. This is not meant to flame

You are so correct.

The Republicans take "Power" Seriodly. First of all they believe
in the ideology(we may think it is a wrongheaded idelogy) but
they believe in it. They spend time with their activists who
in turn spend time with their their grassroots rank and file
Republicans. They do this 365 days a year--year in and year
out. It appears our Leaders, Congressmen show up at election
time. We have to wait for a Presidential Candidate to find out
what we are to believe or they will set a platform . There is
no ideology. Maybe a laundry list of programs.

Republicans have more fire in the belly. Much more assertive
agressive and yes sometimes--take no prisoners. The name of
the game is winning. Here is an example. SC is reddest of
red states. However, they look at the race and say. What do
we gain if Democrats win the election? Is it not better
to put someone who can beat Hilary even if we do not agree with
him on certain issues. It is better to have a Republican
even a Moderate Republican than a Democrat. Winning becomes
their goal.