Theories on "why now"?

Why now with defunding Planned Parenthood?
Why now to make such an over the top, concerted effort to bust unions?

This isn't the largest majority the Republicans have had in the house.
This isn't the first time there's been this configuration of divided Government (Dem Senate, Repub House, Repub President).
Hell, for a time they held all 3 branches.

So why now? Why didn't they try this stuff when they held more power? It's not like they ever liked Planned Parenthood. It's not like they ever liked Unions.

I know that things like the whole Birther movement is much more related to race and it's because we have the first black president in office. But that doesn't really explain the other stuff which has been around forever, and which Republicans have always hated, and which they've had many previous opportunities to try and break the backs of those institutions.

So what are people's theories and proposed reasons as to why now? My own theory is that it's a matter of blood in the water making them want more and they've seen how weak and willing to fold/compromise the make up of Dems is in all 3 branches and so they're going for more, more more than they ever had. But I'm willing to hear and am curious as to any other theories or if there's something historically speaking that I'm missing as to what makes this different now. I'd like to say the media landscape is different but the media was just as complicit and as right leaning as it was during the Bush years. And if anything it's oh so slightly (only slightly) different because we have people like Rachel and Ed on cable networks and during the Bush years it was all Fox and Fox Wannabes.

I think the repub leaders think they will be able to keep the freshmen from going over the cliff. I think they're wrong.

...nothing will get done. No jobs will be created. The economy will stay in the crapper. People will blame President Obama for everything. They could very well win back the White House and gain control of the Senate once again. And, then they can come back and finish the job of destroying this country.

When you've paid for something, you should get it.

in response to the Tea Party supporters mostly.

The "crisis" is so dire that everything must be cut - including Social Security and Planned Parenthood and NPR and whatever boogieman the right-wing has created over the years.

And a bunch of people are standing around and do nothing about it, the criminal will get more bold, if that is how he thinks.


Think about it, they tried to take my beer and travel money, and have not sent that to me, and that has not been corrected yet, why wouldn't they think they can steal rape and pillage all Americans.

:shrug:


It is about having an establishment of justice cover over a society.

step, and the door was ripped off the hinges to welcome it, a DINO here and there, the corporate takeover...what's inspiring is the wave of standing up to it this time by we the people...it's finally here, blatant and in their faces. There are far more true patriots than the tea partiers...this time they woke the sleeping giant...and once you get it, there's no going back. :)

:bounce:

their last hope.

thievery or injustice.

The RepubliCONS keep pushing everything to the right, further and further to the limits. They are pushing to see how much more they can steal, how much more of your national wealth they can take away from you.

Americans did nothing when a corrupt Supreme Court prevented the counting of votes, and picked our president for us.

Americans did nothing as our voting process has become more and more questionable.

Americans did nothing when banksters were bailed out of the mess they created while the average citizen was left to flounder on their own.

Americans did nothing as a health-care system that profited off of NOT providing a service that customer paid for, bribed their way out of single payer (the only real solution).

Americans did nothing as torturers were protected from accountability and the law.

Americans did nothing as more and blatant federal corruption was exposed daily.

Americans did nothing as monopolies called corporations gained a strangle hold on our justice and political systems.

What is surprising is that Americans finally protested over something.

The public has been numbed beyond reason, and their heads are so swirled with disinformation that it's too much to process and they know that this stuff will be let pass.

And again, it doesn't help that we've got so few even on "our side" willing to stand up and shout this stuff from the rooftops.

Two years ago, they were defeated, washed up, defunct, only hoping to not get indicted for war crimes.

Since then, they've been able to turn things around to an unimaginable degree. Even with ownership of Congress and the Presidency, Democrats have been unable to deliver any meaningful change to Americans. Even the staggering Bush tax cuts were continued with nary a whimper.

In just two years they've gone from the deepest depths to resounding victory in the midterm elections. Now that the Republicans have some actual power again, they are eager to use it aggressively, they believe that the Democrats will do little to stop them.

A black guy becoming President is only the start.

The growing Hispanic population.

Gay's getting married and able to serve openly.

Their personal economic situation has to be blamed on some one. And it can't be on themselves.

As Bill O'Reilly has correctly noted, all of these things reflect the "end of the white Christian power structure in the US."

That's why they are flipping out. The craziest of the crazy actually voted and put a few other crazies in office.

And now they are swinging away wildly at every element they've ever hated.

have access to information controlling their bodies. Women have more control now than ever in history of being able to plan their families.. when they will have children and how many children. Republican men (white old guys) do not like anything that would diminish their control.