Suicide Watch

Suicide Watch
By Nancy Greggs

Anyone who has been watching the Republicans over the past few weeks has to come to one undeniable conclusion: they are trying to lose this election. There can be no other reasonable explanation for what we have seen unfold on the undisputed hit sit-com of the season, “GOP – RIP”.

Either someone of great party influence is manipulating the behind-the-scenes machinations as a massive publicity stunt before releasing their new tome, “How To Lose An Election”, or these guys are collectively hitting the sauce on a non-stop basis.

Never before in the annals of American history has a campaign looked less like the results of the legendary Republican well-oiled election machine, and more like Alfalfa telling Spanky, “Hey, there are some old costumes out in the barn. Whadda you say we put on a show!?!”

I have had my suspicions about the lock-step mis-steps for a while, and I am now thoroughly convinced that what we are witnessing is Republican mass suicide, played out for the viewing audience in a last-ditch attempt to at least go out with the sympathy vote in lieu of actual votes in the ballot box. It is a time for obituary writing, I-remember-them-well memorial speeches, and for those who require background music, Jim Morrison’s “The End” seems the obvious choice.

And starting, appropriately, at the end of the story, we have G.W. Bush’s astounding flip-flop – he was for it, before he was he was agin’ it – denying he had ever espoused a Stay-the-Course strategery (or lack thereof) with respect to Iraq. When one talks about phrases that are inextricably connected with a single man, “Stay the Course” long ago surpassed the Green Giant’s famous “Ho, ho, ho,” and Rocky’s “Yo, Adrian”.

But the laughs – or tears, depending on which side of the aisle you’re watching from – just keep coming. After North Korea dropped the bomb – literally and figuratively – and the number of troop casualties in Iraq had to be changed on bottom-screen crawls as fast as the alterations to the country’s mounting debt figures, our Clueless Leader decided to change tack from his traditional strong-on-national-security polit-speak and instead extol the virtues of our booming economy. In other words, after realizing that telling the citizenry we had hit an iceberg wasn’t depressing enough, he decided to go with the news that there aren’t enough lifeboats to go around.

If you don’t believe the Republicans currently only open their mouths long enough to hari-kari themselves with public displays of stupidity, recent remarks by Rick “Middle Earth” Santorum and Bill “Taliban Supporter” Frist should remove all doubt. Not convinced? Try Peter King’s comparison of downtown Baghdad to mid-town Manhattan; as they say, if that don’t get it, it ain’t in town – either one of them.

Even the GOP Cheerleading Squad is off its game. Chris “Tweety” Matthews attempts to rally the mindless zombies (aka his audience) by describing Nancy Pelosi as being ‘scary’ in that left-wing San Francisco type of booga-booga way that’s sure to bring out the undead voters in droves.

Apparently, Chris didn’t get the memo citing that today’s Scare-de-Jour is that perennial favorite, Osama Bin Laden, whose reappearance in a new TV spot serves as a friendly reminder that five years after 9-11, he’s still posing for GOP ads instead of wasting away in prison. Too bad this hastily slapped-together commercial didn’t allow for footage of a still-ravaged New Orleans and the hole in the ground where the WTC once stood, because if you’re really out to lose your base, nothing will do it like a visual homage to the trifecta of failure.

Not to be outdone in the use ‘em, abuse ‘em, and finally lose ‘em sweepstakes, Rush Limbaugh bitch-slaps none other than Michael J. Fox, who had the audacity to ‘act’ like someone who has Parkinson’s disease in a recent pro-Democrat commercial. The fact that Fox actually does suffer from the disease was lost on Limbaugh, too Oxy-ied out to realize his listeners might not take too kindly to making fun of the afflicted, no less that adorable Alex Keaton fella they’ve come to love over the years.

As voters everywhere ready themselves to go to the polls, Republican-related scandals are so plentiful, they’re actually vying for space on the front pages of the nation’s newspapers.

Rumor has it that the hottest game in DC is “Pick-a-Perp” where everyone tries to guess who’s going down next. “I’ll take Curt Weldon for $500, Alex,” seemed like the winning answer two days ago, until news started trickling out about Dennis Hastert’s possible involvement in bribe-taking. It’s gotten to the point where caught-red-handed Republicans are going to start bragging about their participation in covering up for sexual predators in hopes the public will be too mesmerized with the titillating details to focus on even worse news involving funds derived from heroin delivered in “suitcases full of cash”.

While an anxious nation braced itself for the traditional October Surprise, it is the Republicans who have the nervous jitters this fall – continually jumping out of their skins at a noise that sounds like gunfire, but is actually the sound of their own rhetoric backfiring with their once-loyal constituents. Attack ads on Democrats have resulted in a backlash against Republican mud-slingers who are making it abundantly obvious that insinuating their opponents might be sleazier than they are is proving to be a less-than-compelling reason to rush out on November 7th and vote for your favorite Republican before he gets indicted and hauled off in handcuffs.

Oh, the operatic drama of it all! As our tragic GOP heroes and heroines publicly throw themselves on the sword, down the hemlock, jump off the side of the ill-fated sinking ship, one wonders if their last thoughts are of a teary-eyed nation mourning their passing …

Nah, not a chance.

(Cue up footage of Mrs. Alito crying. Fade to black.)

I've said it before and I will say it again - inside the DU website are all the talking points the Democratic Party could ever need.

Bonus!

Well, there goes what was left of the Fundie vote ...

The problem is, they are like a kid who has a messy room, and plans on their parents cleaning it up, only to return to it just to mess it up again. We need to stop this cycle.

An Idiot like Bush never would have had a shot if the Republicans didn't believe that Clinton had cleaned up the nation's "room" to a point where no one could really mess it up without really trying to do so.

Well, they managed to get Pigpen (s)elected - who's crying now?

Although I've enjoyed the last few weeks, it hasn't been with much glee, as I keep thinking this well-oiled GOP machine and it's propoganda dept./MSM will will snap back "on message" and, along with any last minute October Surprise(s), regain their lost ground, or get things close enough to steal...but still, it *does* feel different than other times our hopes have been raised, then dashed...this time, even if they steal it again, I'll take comfort knowing that 2/3 to 3/4 of Americans want the GOP out of power, and may finally be opening their eyes and ears to realize what's *really* been going on the past 6 years...

:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

"Be it hereby declared as part of my Last Will and Testament that the words 'Massive Kickassitude' shall be etched on my gravestone."

Being of relatively sound mind,
dated this 24th day of October, in the Year 2006,
--- NanceGreggs

but please put off the need for one for a very, very long time.

All of your essays are, but this one is especially good.

The Republicans are walking around with big ugly buckets on their heads and toilet paper stuck to the bottom of their shoes.

... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Lately that's about the best I can do.

we have been saying they should be hurting. Not because of a backroom conspiracy. Some Republicans say that they want Democrats to take Congress to reign in Bush's power overreach. Some Republicans say they want Democrats to take Congress so that they can blame Democrats for all the country's problems in 2008. Some Republicans say they want Democrats to take Congress because they don't like the Republicans in charge. Some Republicans would rather have a split government.

This isn't some grand conspiracy that we have no power over. It's just politics.

... because they've seen the poll numbers and realize they don't have a choice.

I have finally concluded that the plan is to sacrifice the 2006 election in order to keep the Executive branch in 2008.

They will "let" the Dems take the House and perhaps Senate, and then give them 2 years to clean up this huge mess that the Repubs have made, and when the Dems fail, this will be their rallying cry for 2008 -- "See?? They can't help you!"

Factor in some sort of engineered terror event right after the election which will prove that the Dems are bad for security.

Then, the executive branch is safe for 2008.

After all, why else have they been so damned single-mindedly focused on concentrating power in the executive branch? That's the only power seat they care about.

I'm sure this is what's happening.

... my post is pure satire.

They have given up on this election, however, simply because they have no choice. The Perfect Storm ("State of Denial", mounting casualities in Iraq, the Foley scandal, etc.) have knocked them down to the point where there's no getting up.

But I think you're right in that their eye is now focused on the '08 prize. I believe it is imperative that the Dems keep the ills of the nation firmly attached to Bush's ass, and remind voters in '08 that no matter who the GOP proffer as a candidate, and no matter how far he or she tries to remove themselves from the Bush agenda, if you vote Republican in 2008, you are voting for another four years of GEORGE W. BUSH and all of his attendant failures.

for their so-called party. It would be completely within their capacity to take a hands-off approach to this election in order to secure 2008. I guess it's similar to the mihop vs lihop debate.

They are letting it happen, for the reasons I mention -- the long term prize at the executive level. That's all they care about, and every move they have made has been to concentrate power there. Surely they aren't doing that thinking that a Dem will *ever* inhabit that seat again?

But if that's what they're up to, it's a big roll of the dice for them.

Because any hesitancy, any weakness, any mercy that the Dems might show the Repubs, will sink them for good, and this is what the Rs are betting on.

The Dems need to read Sun Tzu's The Art of War, and follow it like it's their playbook, at least until the 2008 election is over and secured.

if the democrats get control, and try to go "we are going to NOT deal with it for the good of the country" route, they will surely lose in 08.

and nancey, you are my hero!

from us, to you :grouphug:

and also, as another poster said, there is everything the democrats need right here at du, to run the gop out of town on a rail, for decades.

we are the ultimate democratic think tank. the leaders need to wake up and use us.

... but Rove, Norqust and their ilk also planned on a success in Iraq that would pave the way for a publicly-supported war on Iran -- you remember, the old 'domino theory' of one ME nation after another falling before the might of the US military. Didn't work out too well, did it?

And with all of the money-laundering, eager bribe-takers, etc., they also didn't plan on getting caught, didn't plan on Abramoff singing like a canary, didn't plan on the Foley scandal hitting the MSM ... didn't plan on all kinds of things.

Sorry, but I just can't go along with the "LIHOP" version of events when it comes to this election. In view of the news that keeps trickling out to the public -- despite their stranglehold on the media -- I can't believe it was 'part of their plan' to be this badly battered.

Losing this election was not a matter of choice -- not by a longshot.

I just know that evil can be really really nasty, and, well, evil.

It's not so much that they planned those things, it's that they know how to twist them to their benefit.

All I'm sayin is that the Dems need to be strong and agressive the minute they get in, and clean this shit up FAST and furious, no holds barred, take no prisoners.

I will be shocked if, after the Dems take power, there isn't some sort of dramatic development (terrorist attack, war in Iran, nuke in or out of N Korea, something big to challenge the dems (in the media anyway, since we have a unitary executive in charge of the real game, but the regular folk don't understand that). And then the talking point starts, how the Dems can't keep us safe.

"... the Dems need to be strong and agressive the minute they get in, and clean this shit up FAST and furious, no holds barred, take no prisoners."

But we should remember there are other things in play here. One of the greatest mis-steps the GOP have made (not visualizing what has unfolded in the past few months) is taking every opportunity to connect the fate of the nation, and every event that happens around the world, to George W. Bush.

Had things turned out as they'd planned -- victory in Iraq and Afghanistan, a thriving economy and a contented citizenry -- it would have been inextricably entwined with a Republican president, and the Republican agenda.

However, as events have unfolded, all of the ills the country is experiencing will continue to be associated with BushCo and his party, lame-duck president or not.

Another terrorist attack? BUSH said he'd keep the country safe. Economic disaster? BUSH said the economy would boom.

They've tied EVERYTHING around his neck, assuming it would all be positive -- and now anything that is NEGATIVE will hang like a noose around his neck.

The neo-cons and their supporters have made their bed. They are about to find out how uncomfortable it is to lie in it -- for a long time to come.

They've made their bed and they will lie in it....as they lie, lie, lie.

Read and enjoy all your articles...and this one is especially appropriate for Halloween and a good pump up for us. :toast:

I expect, however, that Dubya has a plan to force issues to a crisis and when things go bad, to blame them on the Democrats....

e.g....the Eisenhower Battle Group is in the Straits of Hormouz at the moment. If Bush asks a DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS for permission to use force against Iran and the Congress refuses, then, if something happens to one of the ships or any of the personnel (a Navy fighter shot down by Iranian SAMs) then IT'S THE DEMOCRATS FAULT....

If he asks for more money for Iraq and we refuse, then every American casualty after this is the Democrats fault.

The only way to win this battle is INVESTIGATIONS and the more the better...because the more we can show the corruption, incopetence, and downright evil of these SOBs then the more likely it is that (a)he'll be too busy defending himself to to cook up any more scams, or (b) anything bad that happens after he is exposed IS HIS FAULT....

I don't know...maybe I have an overactive imagination :hi: or is it :tinfoilhat: ???

People's memories are very short, as a whole. Wihtout the MSM plaaying the "memeory role" for society, they will be even shorter.

... LOL 500 times. The current crop of Dems couldn't wipe their backsides with speed and efficiency.

The Republicans have been handing them this election on a silver platter and they are still sweating it.

you don't have to worry about the (especially) Dem senate doing anything, they just don't have the stuff. If they can just stop Bush from doing stupid things, I can settle for that.

but my suspicion is even more cynical....

The course the Republicans have set us upon is completly unsustainable....it's a slow-motion train wreck for the economy, the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, foreign policy...the whole mcgilla....correcting it or suffering the consequences of their policies is going to be painful..downright ugly..and the American public is going to hate every minute of the "cure" for the Republican disease.

The Repubs don't want to be the party to force America into painful detox...they want the Democrats to be the "stern Father" who administers "tough love" to the nation. They want to sit back and criticize so that in the future, (either '08 or later) they can create a permanent Republican majority by waving a bloody shirt of pain inflicted by the Democratic party.

If they take a hit in 06, they won't take a bigger one in 08 or 2010 or 2012....

It's also a cleansing that will take place within the party to remove the tainted elements and replace them with purer (ideologically and legally...probably not morally) actors...politicians and fish begin to spoil after three days.....

jmho...e

Your scenario describes exactly what I see too.

It's diabolically brilliant, because it's a steel trap.

We need a miracle.

is an "event" to declare martial law and seal the deal.

We have much better odds this year than we did in 2004 and yet I'm not able to rejoice because I was so terribly injured by what happened in 2004. Yeah, I'm doing the GOTV and I will be voting, of course, but I'm not getting to enjoy any of this carnage as much as I would like because I just can't face being devastated again. I'm one of those who isn't sure that Diebold can't steal any number of votes. It really sucks for me because chances are, either I'm wrong or they won't try because there would be too much of an outcry. But boy, I will be making up for it on November 8th, if we do win. I will be doing the Conyers mamba and the Pelosi Jig.

Give this contestant the prize!

I'm not completely certain the Republicans are truly deliberately losing the many elections around the country, but in some ways it would be quite convenient for them to lose control of at least one house of Congress. If they only lose one, they get to complain mightily for the next two years how the obstructionist Democrats in the other house is making it impossible to pass any legislation. If they lose both, they get to sit back and dare Democrats to clean up the mess.

Since 1994 Republicans have systematically undermined so much of what Democrats built up, and especially since 2001 our national debt is completely out of control. Remember that when Clinton came into office he was horrified to learn that Bush had systematically lied about the budget. But Bill dug in, got taxes raised that needed to be raised, and turned things around. We were headed for record surpluses at the end of 2000, and now we have record deficit.

In a way, it would be far, far better for the Republicans to stay in power so that even the die-hard 30 percent who continue to think well of them will finally come to their senses. But this country honestly cannot survive that.

And do not underestimate the cowardliness of all the many Representatives and Senators with a D after their name who supported Bush's worst legislation, who voted for war, who voted for torture. We need to get rid of them, also.

As I mostly see them trying to put lipstick on the pigs. The gap of what they could print and what they do print around here is as big as the Grand Canyon.

Oh, what a wonderful piece of writing! Thank you, thank you, Nance Gregs.
Again.

... and thanks to you for becoming part of the DU family!

:toast:

I had something to say to Rush earlier this evening about his comment on Mr. Fox. I should go kick it about now.

Wish you had provided a link ... so here it is for everyone here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2464384

You kicked ol' Lardass's butt!!! BRAVO!

Thanks again.

as I look at it the same way as you.

Why is everything "bad" happening to the replubricants? (not that i really care). Are they trying to lose on purpose? are they just trying to show us how they can manipulate the voting? are they trying to dump everything on the Dems? are they willing to lose the battle (2006) but hell bent on winning the war (2008)

For me right now, it seems like a tinfoil hat moment. I just have to wonder if what the Rebuplicants are doing this by design.

Dap

Man, Babe Ruth had nothing on you.

votes do not count as they have now implanted the myth of the GOP 72 hour machine and vote targeting ability, perhaps allowing massive fraud and vote suppression and vote ignoring to product vote count totals that always give them control.

If the GOP controls Congress after this election, it would seem that they will have made their point.

Thom Hartmann also said on his show recently, "Dems need to start a shadow government, ala Mexico". A very interesting election coming up...

And the kids are into not being noticed by authority.

If there is a march I will join and carry extra nitro (pills :-) ) for the crowd!

:-)

Yeah, too bad the Repukes can't follow up on campaign promises ...

The optimist in me wants to believe that the truth invariably emerges over time.

The pragmatist in me thinks:

GOP Suicidal Life Support System = Electronic Voting Machines.

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

.

Yeah, he's so good at what he does that his president has a sub-40% approval rating and the House is about to flip to the Democrats, possibly the Senate as well. Maybe if he weren't such a genius Bush would only be at 16%.

Forget Rove, he might control Bush and the republicans but he doesn't control reality, as much as he'd like to, and reality is now biting the republicans in the ass. They're on the wrong side of every issue that's of importance to Americans these days and nothing that Karl can do will move them to the right side.

"Forget Rove, he might control Bush and the republicans but he doesn't control reality..."

Approval rating doesn't seem to matter much to reality. Reality are things like laws, like the Detainee bill, like the Patriot Act(s), like the composition of the Supreme Court, like war, like deficits, like the economy.

Approval rating does not seem to have much of an impact on reality. Bush is able to, via signing statements, via who knows how, get his agenda pushed through no matter what.

Aside from social security, what has he not done that he wanted to do?

Approval rating does not seem to matter one whit.

It's reality that is bringing down the GOP, because that reality is hitting home with more Americans every day.

The Fundies are finally realizing they are not getting anything they were promised, like the anti-gay marriage amendment and sweeping legislation to restrict or totally outlaw abortion.

The middle-class have realized their getting squeezed out of the American dream with their 'big' tax cut of a few hundred bucks, while the owners of the corporations they work for are getting cuts in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan are touching everyone on a personal level, with the loss of a child, a sibling, a neighbour, a friend - coupled with the realization that there is nothing good coming out of these misadventures, which have cost billions in taxpayer dollars.

And as you've said, Rove et al can't control that reality ... or its impact on a very angry populace.

is hitting the oscillator right now, especially after how controlled all the news has been these last 6 years. I can't decide if this is all being orchestrated, or if the dam just broke under its own weight.

The conspiracy theories about the GOP throwing the election are pretty far fetched, but not completely so (see #4 below...)

A more reasonable explanation might include:

1. Career government employees being fed up with the Repuclicans
2. MSM payback for six years of intimidation and right-wing spin
3. Republican candidates getting desperate and making mistakes
4. Principled Republicans working behind the scenes for divided government
5. A bunch of shallow, selfish croneys and trust fund kids running (and ruining) the system

Newsprism

To think that the GOP are deliberately orchestrating current events is utter nonsense, IMHO.

These people did not out Foley's behaviour and enmesh themselves in contradictions and in-fighting, they did not hand Abramoff over to the feds and say "Make sure he implicates a lot of Republicans, okay?" They did not get together and decide on a strategy to up the US casualties in Iraq just to prove how inept they are weeks before an election.

All of these things were out of their hands, and if they deliberately wanted to lose the mid-terms, they would not have chosen scandals that will have far-reaching ill effects for their own party for years to come.

My prediction is that we will see great attempts by Republicans to distance themselves from BushCo over the next two years, in hopes of presenting themselves in '08 in a much different light.

With a distrous economy, escalating debt, loss of respect around the world, utter failure in Iraq and Afghanistan, etc., that is NOT a legacy they are going to want to build on -- their only hope of retaining the WH apres Bush is to convince the populace that they will steer the country AWAY from the Bush disasters, and not -- dare I say it? -- Stay The Course.

And by the way, the sun came up this morning -- and Karl Rove had nothing to do with it.

There is no way they wanted this. As paranoid as I've become about this administration and their tricks, I see nothing positive, and a lot of things happening that are beyond their control. The cards they played before aren't working anymore, people have woken up, and one by one, they do seem to be shooting themselves in the foot.

The only possible tinfoil theory I would believe is that there are a lot of people who want them OUT, thus all the leaks. The CIA for starters, decent, old-fashioned conservatives, and all sorts of people who can no longer tolerate the arrogance, hypocrisy and destruction of our country, even though they happen to be republicans.

There is just way too much for Rove to be of much assistance, and it's even possible he's in a bit of legal trouble of his own, or trying to stay out of some.

I think there may be more and more coming out, simply because I think "important" people want these guys gone. The only thing I do kind of worry about is that I put nothing past this administration - they've got to be desperate, and THAT scares me. Not as much as it used to, though. I think powerful people want them out, and there's not a whole lot they can do about it anymore.

"I think powerful people want them out, and there's not a whole lot they can do about it anymore."

And just as the disatrous state of our country has finally hit home with a lot of Americans, so it has dawned on GOP politicians that their party has been tarnished by the incompetence of this president. And if there's one thing we can count on Republican politicians for, it's their sense of self-survival.

Any GOPer who is looking at maintaining their seat in future, or moving up to higher office, has got to be thinking that being associated with a floundering economy, escalating debt, failure in Iraq and Afghanistan, etc., is not going to do THEIR careers any good.

I also don't discount the fact that there ARE people on the other side of the aisle who do have morals, who do have a conscience, and who do care about their fellow citizens. Those people, unfortunately, have been silent too long. I think THEY'VE had enough, too.

about staying the course never being part of his Iraq policy qualifies him for removal from office under the provisions set forth in Section 4 of the Twenty-fifth Amendment. He has an obvious thought disorder, and is thus incapable of carrying out the duties of President.
I was actually thinking Bob Dylan's "It's All Right Ma" as background music. Some argue it was the first rap recording.
In my fantasy dream, shortly after Hillary Clinton is inaugurated President on January 20, 2009, Rush Limpbaugh has a stroke on the air and the only known cure comes from stem cell research.
I anxiously await the deathbed confessions.
Thank Zeus I'm a Democrat.

:toast:

Where's rove's "genius" when he needs it?

In general people with anti-social personality disorders of any degree tend to not only be emotionally numb to the suffering of others, but also their own. Simply put, the republican party has a prevailing pattern of promoting the most psychopathic members to the top. It is not a result of some conspiracy or mistake or infiltration, but the inevitable result of a doctrine that opposes empathy and compassion, the foundation of civilization. What we are seeing now is people without a conscience unable to realize their own failures, because conscience after all, is the ability to realize ones failure, and influence decisions based on it. It is a tragedy that there are so many people in this world willing to support their own destruction and the destruction of other on false promise or rigid indoctrination, but at the same time it leaves those of us capable of learning with an important lesson. The socially conservative mentality is not viable. It can not bring happiness, success, or ensure anyones survival in the long run. It can only fail.

And welcome aboard the Good Ship DU, matey!

:hi:

I have already voted by absentee ballot, and many, many, many republicans are voting, and some democrats and independents are voting now as well. DON"T WAIT UNTIL NOV. 7th - It will be too late. We know old folks, republicans and wealthy people (often one and the same) use absentee ballots on average much more than our folks - Democrats. So, on election night when the first round of returns are reported on TV is the initial count of absentee ballots. When the number seem to be far more in favor of local republican candidates, it discourages our people from going to the polls. This is especially true moving from the East Coast to the west here in Calif. Early returns have changed election results, espcially in Calif.

If democrats have or can get absentee ballots we should encourage our sisters and brothers to do so now, then spend the rest of the enregy to get our people to polls on Nov 7th

I want the democrats to take over the Congress to start curing the many ills foisted upon our nation by the republicans. I voted for Angelides, and Bowen for Sec of State (maybe more important than Gov in Calif - face it Arnold will win by 10% at least - sorry!)

I am more focused on DUMPING DooLITTLE! I voted for Charlie Brown for Congress. Today's Bee reported the Republican National Committee is pouring millions to shore up Doolittle - Nancy Pelosi was qouted as saying that the Democrats are not going to focus funds on Charlie Brown because he is fighting a local race (basically "Charlie - you're on your own"). They have already conceeded to Doolittle want don't want to waste resources on a likely losing cause. Makes me want to throw up. Doolittle will be soon indicted for his connections to Abramoff, - I certainly hope. He is one of the highest ranking Republicans - cut fromthe same cloth as DeLay, Blunt, Hastert, Ney, etc.

So my hope here is that democratic troops will not focus on the turnout for just Nov 7th and will from now on encourage our people to vote by absentee then use our energy on turnout.

Absentee Ballots Uncounted. The number of absentee ballots has quintupled in many states, with the number rejected on picayune technical grounds rising to over half a million (526,420) in 2004. In swing states, absentee ballot shredding was pandemic.

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1021-25.htm

I have heard Grep Palast many times on AAR, Thom Hartman and other places and admire and apprecaite his work tremendously. I have not heard about the absentee ballots. I guess my vote here in the most republican county in Calif is lost. I stand corrected.

Not that going to the polls is much better, but you can often see the "irregularities" first hand...

They should televise or at least tape absentee ballot counting. I never see that done, only the annouced results later, if at all.

We certainly cannot count on this happening every time, although some seem to think that because the GOP is down, they are out. Like the Terminator, they'll be back. It was great in one respect when the Republicans had all the power because they would also have all the blame when things went wrong. When the Democrats are in power, they will be in the same position and the Republicans will hold our feet to the fire. Republicans still hold the White House for the next 2 years and they have a lot of power to manipulate things to make Democrats look bad, or to spin it that way. When Democrats take power the public will expect them to do things and address the issues and not just spend the next 2 years getting revenge on Bush and feasting on his flesh. There can be a measure of that, but it had better not be the main course.

Nobody stays in power forever, as both the Democrats and Republicans should know. The Hatfield/McCoy feud needs to start coming to an end and Democrats can be the ones to begin to build more bridges than walls because it is more in the nature of the philosophy of our party. That does not mean we bend over for the Republicans or be fools or foolish or naive. It does mean that we should include them more in the process more than they have to us and to at least listen to them. It does not mean that if we have power we have to do as they wish. The desire for revenge is a powerful and primal human emotion, but as Ghandi said, an eye for an eye only leaves everybody blind. Somebody should be the adult in this relationship and it may as well be the Democrats. What is right is right and it should not be situational. We tell our kids that just because your brother hit you doesn't mean you should hit him back. It should be the same way with political parties. I think that the irony is that if Democrats can manage to evolve in this direction it will bring more voters and supporters to the party and manage to keep it in power longer. Our current path only leads to what goes around comes around, and around and around nonstop.

P.S.,
I realize that my idea is very unpopular with many here at DU who cannot wait to get a noose around Bush, but that does not mean I am wrong. So, flame on.

"In other words, after realizing that telling the citizenry we had hit an iceberg wasn’t depressing enough, he decided to go with the news that there aren’t enough lifeboats to go around."

And he's damn proud of it! :rofl:

Ok, maybe this one is better:

"It’s gotten to the point where caught-red-handed Republicans are going to start bragging about their participation in covering up for sexual predators in hopes the public will be too mesmerized with the titillating details to focus on even worse news involving funds derived from heroin delivered in “suitcases full of cash”."

Oh shit, yer killin' me tonight! :rofl:

Nevermind.

nm

I've watched too many elections stolen in the last few years, and today at "Radio Day" KKKarl was saying that "by his math" the ReThugs will hold Both houses.

<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6376549>

<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6376573>

... because he controls the entire universe, you know.

Funny, I really expected him to say, "Yeah, we're about to get our asses kicked."

which proved itself unquestionably in 2004.

... voter supression, all kinds of things.

But just because Rove says that the GOP will win, or because Bush smiles at a press conference, that doesn't automatically equate to 'the fix is in', or 'they KNOW something we don't know'.

They are polticians, and they are going to predict a win for their party, and put a positive spin on it, no matter what. Just like every other politician.

When facts emerge about e-voting, voting discrepancies, etc., those are facts that must be investigated and dealt with head-on. But holding out the fact that Rove looked happy today, or Bush looks confident, are not 'facts' to be addressed. They are just politics as usual.

Let's keep focused on the 'real' problems, and stop being distracted by who was wearing a 'knowing' smirk yesterday afternoon. It serves no purpose, nor is it 'proof' of anything.

I realize we all had our hearts broken in 2000 and 2004. But if we allow ourselves to be distracted by reading something sinister into every remark, every nuance, every bit of body language, the stolen elections of the past have even an even more far-reaching effect: they discourage people from keeping their eye on the prize and working towards it now and in future.

If enough people are convinced that the fix is already in, they don't bother campaigning, contributing, or voting. And if that's the case, they won't even have to bother with Diebold - they've already won by other means.

Sorry for ranting - no disrespect intended. But, quite frankly, if Rove and Bush weren't out there yukking it up about another great victory, I would think they were both insane. They've also been talking about victory in Iraq for years now -- does that sound like prophecy, or an insider's look into something the rest of us don't know? Of course not; it's just mindless blather that doesn't change the outcome or the facts.

or how ever you spell his name on Monday. He was talking about how he hopes the pukes lose this mid term election because they will take back control in 2008 anyway. It would not surprise me if this is the "master plan"

Thats all I could stomach and I quickly turned to another station

... this is the guy falling down on his face at a party, then standing up and saying, "Yeah, I MEANT to do that."

This rhetoric started weeks ago, and it's been ratcheted up by the RW pundits every chance they get. The theory: The Democrats will make such a mess of everything, the public will be begging for a Republican prez in '08."

I say dream on. There's no way the Dems can possibly make more of a mess of things than the Republicans have done. And if we think the public is fed-up with Bush policies now, how much MORE fed-up will they be in two more years?

The GOP will have a really tough row to hoe in 2008. Their constituents won't want anything that smacks of the past eight years, and it will be very difficult for any Republican candidiate to convince them that he's any different than BushCo - especially since they've all lock-stepped behind him for years now.