The Republican Party and Conservative Movement Are On Life Support

http://www.progressivedailybeacon.com/more.php?page=opinion&id=1587

The Republican Party and Conservative Movement Are On Life Support
A. Alexander, June 26th, 2007

Make no mistake about it the Republican Party, if not the entire Conservative movement, is on life support. Rigor mortis may already have set in.

George W. Bush has an approval rating of 26 percent. Only corporations (18%) and Congress (23%) are disliked by more people. Republicans might be tempted to find some hope in the Democratic-led Congressional approval rating, but that would be to their further detriment.

Understand, the Republican Party's self-proclaimed "Commander Guy," their "Decider"-in-Chief, has closed in on Nixon-like approval ratings. Considering Nixon was forced to resign from office, that's a pretty ugly reality. The GOP's second in command, Dick Cheney, proclaimed himself a new and never before heard of fourth branch of government. And, according to Mister Cheney, his fourth estate, comprised solely of him, is beyond the reach of the Constitution and exempted from all oversight. Hey, if a person is going to make up stuff, might as well go all the way.

Honestly, regardless of the Democratic-controlled Congress having the lowest approval rating in a decade, with Mister Bush and Dick Cheney orbiting the political universe, what possible hope do Republicans have? If George W. Bush's approval falls any lower, Republicans are going to begin begging the Democrats for a mercy impeachment. Too, one is left to wonder if a bodiless cat with a big grin isn't a regular visitor to Mister Cheney's self-created alternate universe.

In fairness to Republicans, bleak as their existence is today, it is easy to understand why they might find at least a glimmer of hope in the peoples' disappointment in Congress. Also, as the dissatisfaction with Congress runs rather deep, it is possible to see why Republicans might be tempted to assume Mister Bush and Dick Cheney will be of no consequence to their 2008 political fortunes. Sometimes pity insists one allow Republicans to dwell in their delusions and denial. After all, it isn't polite to speak poorly of the soon-to-be deceased ... especially when their prognosis worsens by the moment.

The reality for Republicans, however, is that there is no hope for the GOP. Despite the peoples' grave disappointment in Congress, they appear to be savvy enough to distinguish between Democratic efforts and Republican obstructionism. In the same period of time that Congressional approval fell through the floor, the peoples' Congressional preference for Democrats over Republicans rose by 5 percent. Last month people preferred Democrats to Republicans by 7 points and now, the gap is 12 percent (46-to-34 percent).

There really is no hope for Republicans. Their Party and the Conservative movement are on life support ... if rigor mortis hasn't already set it.