Defending Torture Will Wreck The GOP

There are two sources of political power. The more obvious is that of patronage. When you hold office, you hold the purse strings,can make appointments, pass bills and set policy.

The less obvious is the power of insurgency. When you are out of power, you get to sit back and criticize, watch for abuses of power, put your opponent on the defensive by exposing corruption. To do this effectively you must be aggressive and passionate. You need to have a cause that will unite your base, which might whither away without patronage.

The best situation of all is to be able to do both. As you are reforming the Government in your own vision, the past abuses of the previous Government come out. The more embarrassing the revelations, the more dispirited the opposition’s base will be. They will be too busy defending the indefensible to launch any offensive against you. And you can use that breathing room to further your own agenda.


To do this effectively, the President needs to be above the fray. He cannot be seen as fanning the flames of outrage against the abuses of the previous government. In fact, he needs to be the one shielding them from the lynch mob, while his own base demands just punishment. Then he needs to let the law take its course. The shameful secrets of the past must get out drip by drip. Each day a new morsel must be released to be chewed up by the wolf pack. And each day the opposition must find itself defending something even more indefensible than the day before.

This is just what is happening to the GOP. You can see the desperation in their faces. Not all Republicans are cowardly sociopaths like Hannity or Cheney. They are honorable men and women who happen to believe in a different political philosophy. They do not want to defend criminal behavior any more than us.

The drip drip of daily scandalous revelations is the political equivalent of Chinese water torture. We can see their responses become more irrational, more desperate.

Continued>>>
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I agree with everything but the end when he says we can't destroy the GOP and get healthcare through. I strongly disagree. I think we get more done when we have them on the ropes. The public goes with the winner. The more we win, the more we win.

Pound them with torture and push healthcare through at the same time.

as it becomes increasingly clear that they are evil and that they back and promote evil.

and gather and re-group around a big round table and talk turkey.

They need to publicly and fiercely renounce their disastrous affiliation with their contemporary "leaders" heretofore. They need to renounce Dubya and Dick and Condi and Rummy and Slam Dunk Tenet and that whole bunch of lizard-souled monsters on whom they previously placed all bets.

They need to publicly and fiercely renounce the hate radio hosts, once and for all time, and bring pressure to bear on FOX News to cease and desist its propaganda and subversion.

They need to publicly and fiercely renounce their also-disastrous unholy partnership with the fundamentalist Christian movement, also once and for all time, and re-align with the spirit of Lincoln as a controlling symbolism.

They need to stop using "moral agenda" state referenda to split the citizenry into intemperate and divisive camps.

They can start with torture as an issue and IMO a public and fierce apology is called for.

"To do this effectively, the President needs to be above the fray. He cannot be seen as fanning the flames of outrage against the abuses of the previous government. In fact, he needs to be the one shielding them from the lynch mob, while his own base demands just punishment."

we must make the president do what he knows needs to be done.

ellen fl

:rofl:

I assume you mean wreck them further? :evilgrin:

:silly:

:evilgrin:

If the Repubs were to rationalize it, once you get it, you will be immune from ever getting it again. They would say that it would be good for the children 'cause it would build up their immune system for when they are older. Many thousands might die, but it could have been in the millions....etc...etc...