GOP blinded by its anti-Obama jihad
Norm Ornstein, a scholar with the conservative American Enterprise Institute, looks on in bafflement at the behavior of Senate Republicans. For example, he writes in Roll Call, “I cannot fathom why they are doing what they are doing” in trying to block ratification of the START treaty:
“The failure of START in the Senate would endanger future cooperation and be a major embarrassment to (Russian President Dmitry) Medvedev and a big boost to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. It would also devastate the existing regime of inspection over nuclear arms, ramping up the danger of nukes getting into the hands of highly undesirable people and groups… The Russian willingness to work with us and the Europeans on a missile defense system will melt away if START falters.”
Ornstein is equally befuddled and appalled by the blanket refusal of Republican senators to support the DISCLOSE Act, which would require corporations to reveal the huge campaign donations made legal by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. The DISCLOSE ACT would “bring sunlight to the outrageous, anonymous huge funders who played a major role in the 2010 campaigns, hiding behind the cloak of 501(c)(4)s run by groups cynically manipulating weak IRS enforcement of the law,” Ornstein writes.
“Voters support disclosure by overwhelming margins. So do Supreme Court justices — by 8-to-1. The only chance to provide it is in the lame-duck session; the bill passed the House in the 111th Congress and has zero chance of making through the 112th House. If the Senate does not act now, disclosure is dead….
So where are the previous champions of campaign finance reform? Where is Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), whose greatest legislative accomplishment was given a sharp stick in the eye by a 5-4 decision on the Supreme Court? Where are previous supporters of reform — and professed supporters of disclosure — such as Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Scott Brown (Mass.)? And most important, where is Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), who has always been an independent voice, whose Snowe-Jeffords amendment to the campaign reform law was the provision most assaulted by the Citizens United case, who stood up to immense pressure from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Republican leaders in 2002 to do the right thing?….
The urgent need to raise more and more money will lead inevitably to more and more corruption, trading votes or other favors for campaign cash, or shaking down prospective donors. But disclosure at least can provide some counterweight. It will be beyond disappointing if somehow McConnell can mesmerize or intimidate every one of the erstwhile reformers above to ignore their principles.”
Mr. Ornstein, prepare to be profoundly, repeatedly disappointed. As these and other examples demonstrate, congressional Republicans have no interest in governing — they don’t even have much interest in politics as it is normally understood. They have convinced themselves and their followers that the continued presence of Barack Obama in the White House represents a danger so fundamental to the country’s future that fighting him justifies ignoring every other problem put together, from national security to open elections to the economy, and they are intent on acting on that belief.
This is a holy war, and it’s going to get ugly in ways that even now are difficult to fully imagine.
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257 comments Add your comment
Matti
November 24th, 2010
11:03 am
jo nix,
Haha! No. Violence is not the answer. Taking out the top Plutocrats would only make them martyrs and inspire the confused to turn against the good guys. My piece is purely for self-defense in a Rand Paul world where the “Don’t Tread On Me” crowd thinks it’s fun to step on the heads of those who disagree.
tommytwotone1
November 24th, 2010
11:05 am
When you villify ALL government as “the problem” why would you expect any sort of nuanced answer back?
————————–
I like how you inserted the word “ALL” on your own, as if to make a point.
I said that they suck up about 50% of the economy, and waste about 40% of that. So they’re 10% correct and helpful. And that’s being generous, actually.
I’m not going to do your research for you, although even just common sense should tell you that government is mostly waste if you would pay attention…which I’m sure you don’t.
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:05 am
tommy
Okay, Buddy, bring it on! Name the time, place and second…en garde! Some of us liberals aren’t the wimps you’d like to think we are…
tommytwotone1
November 24th, 2010
11:07 am
Some of us liberals aren’t the wimps you’d like to think we are…
—————————
I wouldn’t want to interupt your manicure appointment.
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:07 am
matti
See my 11:05! I just believe in making it personal…no group action for me. My kindergarten teacher had me pegged early on: “does not work and play well with others!”
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:08 am
Tommy
Like I said, time, date, place and second…and best think about that manicure thingie…”the better to scratch your blind eyes out with, Dearie…”
Soothsayer
November 24th, 2010
11:09 am
My personal experiences have led me to believe that people like tommytwotone1 and Zeke owe the government $thousands in back taxes and blame government for everything that’s wrong in their lives.
Usually it’s these same types of people who also favor the FairTax.
Matti
November 24th, 2010
11:12 am
lil’ tommy,
Interrupt MY manicure. I dare you. You’ll be wearing AND tasting my favorite nail color: Humiliated Neocon Red.
tommytwotone1
November 24th, 2010
11:12 am
best think about that manicure thingie…”the better to scratch your blind eyes out with, Dearie…”
————————————————————–
I don’t even want to think about what you’d do with the pedicure then.
tommytwotone1
November 24th, 2010
11:13 am
You’ll be wearing AND tasting my favorite nail color: Humiliated Neocon Red.
—————————–
Go cook dinner and make the bed first.
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:14 am
tommy
The better to kick you a33 with?
tommytwotone1
November 24th, 2010
11:16 am
The better to kick you a33 with?
———————–
So is that a threat?
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:17 am
“,,,make the bed…”
Why? Sounds like yours don’t get rumpled that much…
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:17 am
tommy
Nope. A promise.
tommytwotone1
November 24th, 2010
11:20 am
Nope. A promise.
———————–
It’s funny when liberals start to “tard” out like that. Did I hurt your feelings? Was it my welfare check comment earlier? I’m sorry if I made you cry. We can be friends.
Matti
November 24th, 2010
11:20 am
Hahaha!
Mary Elizabeth
November 24th, 2010
11:22 am
Tommytwotone1 @ 11:01
Tommy says: “mouthbreathers like you” “if any of these politicians had to get a job in the private sector, they wouldn’t be qualified to clean a toilet” “You’re damn right we hate liberals. And you’re damn right we hate the government.” “But hate isn’t bad if it’s used in the right manner.” “The positive outcome is the end of liberals, the end of an over-reaching government, and end to your wauy (sic) of thinking. . . then all the better”
———————————————————————————-
Tommy’s words reinforce my post at 10:50, to wit: “media giants such as FOX News and Rush Limbaugh are keeping the American psyche stunted and stunted in negative, destructive ways”
The language that we use is a reflection of our thinking and of our very souls.
Tommy words reinforce my thinking, expressed at 10:50 a.m..
Matti
November 24th, 2010
11:22 am
lil’ tommy thinks if you’re not a neocon you pay your bills with welfare checks. He probably thinks us bed-wetting libs aren’t armed, either. Heh…
Paulo977
November 24th, 2010
11:23 am
Josef ….
Does T know how tall you are?
Fred
November 24th, 2010
11:23 am
Sometimes it’s fun to play with trolls, other time is fun to just sit back with a cold beer and watch someone else playing with the troll……….
Matti
November 24th, 2010
11:25 am
Fred,
It is time to loosen up and enjoy the holiday season, after all.
tommytwotone1
November 24th, 2010
11:28 am
Does T know how tall you are?
—————————————–
I don’t care how tall he is. I don’t care if he’s 7 feet tall, 300 pounds with 2% body fat.
He’s still a wimp.
Oh sure, he may have some level of physical size and strength. So what?
He still has no character. He as no sense of self responsibility.
Liberals, by nature, are children trapped in adult bodies who want the government to cater their every need. They want to use government force to bend others to their will and to meet their needs.
This is what makes Josef, and all liberals, wimps.
Something tells me his dad wasn’t a liberal. Maybe his dad was even a Marine or something along those lines. He must be very dissapointed in his son.
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:29 am
PAULO
He doesn’t…and I doubt he knows my regional ethnic socio-cultural norms either!
Tommy…
Me? Cry? Not when I can laugh…”why can’t we be friends…I pay my money to the welfare line, I see you standing in it every time…I know you’re working for the CIA, they wouldn’t have you in the Mafia…” Now that’s MY kind of War…
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:32 am
Tommy
Actually my Pop was rather proud of me…especially after a certain night in a county line juke joint when some a double took to talking bad about my family…
tommytwotone1
November 24th, 2010
11:33 am
Josef, I’ll just make my way over to garden hills and you can tell me all about it.
I’m sure your employer will love to know about you using the school computer to make threats.
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:36 am
tommy
No need to…if you knew your a33 from a hole in the ground, you’d know I’m not at school today…and it’s not too hard to find me…I don’t hide behind a blog name…
I guess they were wrong
November 24th, 2010
11:37 am
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
When a nation goes down, or a society perishes, one condition may always be found; they forgot where they came from. They lost sight of what had brought them along.
Carl Sandburg
Matti
November 24th, 2010
11:39 am
The fascist leaders embolden their base by explaining that the “libs” are wimps who won’t put up a fight. That’s how the neocons instill in them the “courage” to come after us with their strong words. The radio mouthpieces reinforce this ridiculous precept daily. “They all drive a Prius, sip lattes, eat a vegan diet, and watch PBS. They’re afraid of guns, meat, internal combustion engines, sports, war movies, and the truth as we feed it to you. Now GO GET ‘EM, soldiers!” HAHAHAHA!
Yeah. Bring it. This football-loving, V-6 driving carnivore can take the nuts off a turkey at 30 yards without even grazing the drumstick. Sucker. We’ll see who cries and asks a government employee to save him.
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:39 am
“…they forgot where they came from…”
Yep.
tommytwotone1
November 24th, 2010
11:41 am
No need to…if you knew your a33 from a hole in the ground, you’d know I’m not at school today…and it’s not too hard to find me…I don’t hide behind a blog name…
——————————————————–
Yes, because you’re a big brawling intimidating a$$ kicker, we know.
You don’t hide behind a name, but you do hide behind your (supposed) size.
Still a wuss.
You can beat me in arm wrestling perhaps, but you’re still wrong about the role of government in our lives, you’re still wrong about taxes, Obama still sucks, and you’re still worthless as a person.
Throw all the temper tantrums you want.
You’re still wrong.
As for you not being at school today, it doesn’t matter.
Imagine a concerned parent calling the school, expressing worry that a potentially violent sociopath is working at the school.
Better get ready for that welfare check.
Matti
November 24th, 2010
11:43 am
jo nix,
Did lil’ tommy just threaten to have a GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE step in on his behalf and solve his problem with you?
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:49 am
Tommy
You might be surprized by what the parents think of me…and how do you know it’s Garden Hills?
Meanwhile, though, I need to get my monthly pawn shop stuff in line…the welfare check is spent…
And as for size, I learned a l-o-o-n-g time ago not to mess with the little fellers…they’ll beat the tar out of you and never break a sweat…
wrong about government in our lives? Oy, Mate, you obviously don’t know me as well as you think you do! Taxes? I complain just as much as anybody else on that one. Obama? I’m decidedly no big fan of the Fierce Advocate…
Fred
November 24th, 2010
11:49 am
LOL this is too funny. Tommy sure is thin skinned. Does he come around here much?
I’m about to brine a turkey. Is that an unmanly act? Does it make me a lib?
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:50 am
Matti
It’s creeping socialism, I tell ya…insidious, lot, they…
I guess they were wrong
November 24th, 2010
11:55 am
Yep Fred it does, unless you shot it’s nuts off without grazing the leg LOL to Matti
Fred
November 24th, 2010
11:55 am
Josef, what does ESOL stand for?
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
11:58 am
FRED
English to Speakers of Other Languages…
And, since Tommy has been put on hold by the Bruin…
Fred
November 24th, 2010
12:10 pm
Thanks. I thought is was something along those lines but couldn’t make the letters work. I was trying variations of English as a second language………
LOL and all this time I was trying to figure out the “significance” of your screen name. I use one for the protection of my wife. I have a tendency to be rather blunt at times and it could interfere with her work……………
I dunno why I bother though. I’m just as blunt live and in person………..
Bad Bob
November 24th, 2010
12:13 pm
Death Tax – there’s NO such thing!
But – the Estate Tax kicks in when your ESTATE is over 1.5 million. So what if Trust Fund babies have to pay a portion a small portion of their net worth; they have plenty of money. The tax burden has been on the working people for too long.
What’s wrong with the idle rich paying their fair share?
marky mark
November 24th, 2010
12:19 pm
Matti…..wow…
“Yeah. Bring it. This football-loving, V-6 driving carnivore can take the nuts off a turkey at 30 yards without even grazing the drumstick. Sucker. We’ll see who cries and asks a government employee to save him.”
Are you married?….I may learn to like a liberal lifestyle…….
marky mark
November 24th, 2010
12:20 pm
I am lurking today….to many mouths with too few brain governors for me today….
marky mark
November 24th, 2010
12:23 pm
Bad bob…..because there are more small farm inheritance type babies out there (or family business babies) than that boogeyman the Trust Fund baby….
I guess they were wrong
November 24th, 2010
12:26 pm
Bad Bob@12:13 pm
The tax burden has been on the working people for too long.
What’s wrong with the idle rich paying their fair share?
_________________
That’s what I have been saying. The tax cuts for what is considered wealthy remain in place for those who DO CREATE JOBS.
The ones that DO NOT CREATE jobs revert to previous rates.
Maybe a kick in the ass is what the rich need finally.
And yes I do agree with the ones that want to raise the dual income limits. I would say up tp $400,000 and adjusted as to COL per state.
Matti
November 24th, 2010
12:29 pm
marky mark,
Haha! You flatter me.. *blush*
I guess they were wrong,
I have suggested this to my Congressman several times. Extend the tax cuts for the wealthy who actually invest in businesses that employ people HERE. No extensions for the ones who are sitting on it until their “uncertainty” passes. I think that’s a reasonable compromise, but of course, my Congressman will NEVER compromise, ever. (The Plutocracy depends on his refusal to do so.)
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
12:32 pm
Fred
Since it’s no great shakes to find out who’s who in the cyber world if you’re so inclined, I just try to save them the trouble…
marky
Matti’s my kind of woman…wouldn’t want her on my bad side…
Matti
November 24th, 2010
12:38 pm
jo nix,
BTW, I was pulling for both Ole Miss and Miss State in last Saturday’s squeakers. Good games, tough losses. But that’s life in the SEC.
Adam
November 24th, 2010
12:49 pm
Well said Jay. I just wonder what it will take to get through to people that they are being INSANE!
josef nix
November 24th, 2010
12:55 pm
matti
Saturday…not a good time to come calling on my family!
Bad Bob
November 24th, 2010
1:00 pm
Poor old farmers, they get dragged into to every GOP excuse for Reagan/Bush tax cuts to millionaires.
Most family farmers are not rich and probably do pay their fair share. But, I’m willing to give them some kind of fair exemption to the Estate Tax (minus their subsidies). Corporate farmers, Trust Fund Babies, banksters, insurance company executives and CEO’s with their multimillion dollar bonuses – NO WAY!
I hope I heard wrong
November 24th, 2010
2:11 pm
As the repubs are fond of saying when was the last time a poor man gave you a job, or a trust fund baby or a CEO.
In my lifetime NEVER
Joel Edge
November 25th, 2010
5:31 am
“The Russian willingness to work with us and the Europeans on a missile defense system will melt away if START falters.”
If there’s American money and technology to be stolen, nobodies going anywhere.
BTW, is missile defense OK now? Lord knows you liberals were pi#$ing and moaning about what a waste of time it was back in the day.
TnGelding
November 25th, 2010
8:59 am
If there is evidence of corruption then it should be reported to the Justice Department. The media controls the elections more than money (ironically that they collect) by not giving unknown candidates the exposure they need to build a following.
Of course the GOP is harming Obama and the country. Their win at any cost strategy needs to be investigated and prosecuted if that is their intent. They’ve gone too far.
TnGelding
November 25th, 2010
9:00 am
…after all, according to them we are at war.
On Arms Treaty, White House Seeks a Republican’s Ear – New York Times | Conservatives for America
November 25th, 2010
11:01 pm
[...] Servi…Eurweb.comNew START in trouble: The road to 67The EconomistLeft Foot Forward -Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)all 18 news [...]
Bill Orvis White
November 26th, 2010
8:18 pm
Liberal Jay and his friends do not understand that WE THE PEOPLE are taking our country back. For far too long, we have been living under the shackles of tyranny and oppresssion in the form of illegal health care, high taxe$, environmentalism and Godlessness. I’m sorry to report that it’s not enough to have a Republican House. We need a solid Republican Senate, White House, military and Supreme Court. Only then, will we see our lives improve.
Under Hussein Obama, we are furthering our moral decay. Children are on the pill. Fewer folk are attending church. Marriage is dying on the vine by the minute. Our military is being weakened into a pansy operation by turning it into a social playground experiment. They’re going shirtless in the Oval Office-thus disrespecting the office more than Bubba Clinton and Jimmah Carter ever could imagine.
It’s gone downhill and getting worse. There will be some relief when the Honorable Mr. Boehner rightfully gets the gavel from that witch in January. But folks, there’s a lot more work to be done. First off, WE THE PEOPLE need to hold the Republicans accountable. If they cannot control out-of-control spending, then fire them and replace them with real Republicans. Next, we need to work hard to oust every single rotten Democrat out of their jobs. I don’t care if it’s in Liberal California or Taxachusetts, WE THE PEOPLE can prevail! While all that’s going on, WE THE PEOPLE need to get a solid presidential candidate out of the gate and fast! Will it be Mitt Romney? Miss Sarah? Mr. Cheney? Mr. Rumsfeld? Gov. Pawlenty? Let’s get this thing started, folks!
Amen,
Bill
Jay
November 26th, 2010
8:28 pm
I hate to ruin your holiday weekend, Bill, but “liberal Jay and his friends” are also part of “we the people.”
Get over it.
Bill Orvis White
November 27th, 2010
11:16 am
@Jay
If you are dedicated to free, unfettered market$, Judeo-Christian ethics, educational choice, a safe homeland and love of country, then you can be part of WE THE PEOPLE. After reading your naive, misguided posts, I think you and your liberal friends have a long way to go.
God Bless,
Bill