It's not cutting and running so much as it's running for office
There was a saying before my time that "what's good for General Motors is good for America." The new philosophy of the Republican party is "what's good for Republicans is good for America." Of course the phrase should have been "what's good for America is good for General Motors" since we're all in this boat together but let's move on. Republicans, having used the September 11 attacks as a partisan club to bludgeon political opponents moved on to start a war with Iraq that was packaged, promoted and sold like Spider-Man 3. For the last four years we've heard all the talking points from Republicans why we had to invade Iraq and why we have to stay there no matter what. The terrorists would win or they'll follow us home or democracy would fail or Iran would become emboldened or chaos would ensue or the region would be threatened or Al Qaeda would have a base of operations to attack America. The list goes on and on. But it really is simpler than that. It was good politics for Republicans. They used the "Commander Guy" to swagger, talk tough and scare the piss out of people that if they voted for Democrats they would die. It worked in 2002 and 2004. Not so much in 2006. So now since it is not good politically to support staying in Iraq Republicans have decided not for the good the nation but for their party's own good it's time for a change.
Here's how the Washington Post reports it, "House Republican moderates, in a remarkably blunt White House meeting, warned President Bush this week that his pursuit of the war in Iraq is risking the future of the Republican Party and that he cannot count on GOP support for many more months." My own Republican congressman - an empty suit apparatchik - Mark Kirk was a "leader" (how are there leaders among blind followers?) of the Republican congressman who went to see the President and told him NOT that the war was a mistake and that we're doing more harm than good there, but that it's hurting the GOP politically. Not that it's hurting America but that it's hurting something more important - their political futures. After four years of mindless flag waving and supporting the worst foreign policy disaster possibly in our nation's history, these Republicans don't want to get out of Iraq because it's what the people want or that staying is further damaging America but rather that it's damaging the Republican party.
This isn't like Barry Goldwater telling Nixon he had lost all his support in Congress and for the good of the nation he should resign. No this is more like a few lackey Republican congressmen who go up to see Bush and tell him for the good of their jobs and their pensions and lobbying futures he needs to change policy in Iraq. It was the central front in the war on terror, a threat to the world and now it's just a threat to their jobs and their perks of elective office.
What's good for America is good for America not just the political prospects of the GOP. Remember that in 2008. Remember that the only thing these guys care about is winning elections and if cutting and running from Iraq helps their electoral chances they'll do it. They're doing it now.
Here's how the Washington Post reports it, "House Republican moderates, in a remarkably blunt White House meeting, warned President Bush this week that his pursuit of the war in Iraq is risking the future of the Republican Party and that he cannot count on GOP support for many more months." My own Republican congressman - an empty suit apparatchik - Mark Kirk was a "leader" (how are there leaders among blind followers?) of the Republican congressman who went to see the President and told him NOT that the war was a mistake and that we're doing more harm than good there, but that it's hurting the GOP politically. Not that it's hurting America but that it's hurting something more important - their political futures. After four years of mindless flag waving and supporting the worst foreign policy disaster possibly in our nation's history, these Republicans don't want to get out of Iraq because it's what the people want or that staying is further damaging America but rather that it's damaging the Republican party.
This isn't like Barry Goldwater telling Nixon he had lost all his support in Congress and for the good of the nation he should resign. No this is more like a few lackey Republican congressmen who go up to see Bush and tell him for the good of their jobs and their pensions and lobbying futures he needs to change policy in Iraq. It was the central front in the war on terror, a threat to the world and now it's just a threat to their jobs and their perks of elective office.
What's good for America is good for America not just the political prospects of the GOP. Remember that in 2008. Remember that the only thing these guys care about is winning elections and if cutting and running from Iraq helps their electoral chances they'll do it. They're doing it now.
posted by Crankyboy at 12:45 PM
9 Comments:
Thank you. Thank you. Well said.
I read that article yesterday, appalled at the nerve of the media to present the Congressmen as if they were real leaders with real principles. Rather, they are pathetic, groveling cowards who are kissing the ring of the mafia don and telling him of their troubles in keeping the neighborhoods in line.
Pathetic.
It's so obvious but of course you'll never hear it from the MSM because they all want to get invited to gridiron dinners and White House correspondence dinners and even state dinners with the Queen. I mean why on earth is Richard Wolffe and David Gregory eating with the Queen of England?
They are all part of one clique. A friend of mine said, a while back, "there has been a coup in this country, it just hasn't been announced yet." Bush and his junta prove this true with every word and deed.
Capt. Fogg said...
Re: Crankyboy's refernce to talking points: "I'm not even sure what the hell a "talking point" is. I get accused of using them whenever I bust someone's fallacy or point out logical flaws.
Apparently invoking the "talking point" as a magic phrase, you get to dismiss a valid argument without cause.
The only thing I'm sure of is that talking rectums talk about talking points a great deal."
12:19 PM
Well said Anon. Oh wait - you didn't say anything. Just quoting other people because you can't be original or interesting.
Here's something perhaps a tad more interesting. I actually agree with you that the republican congressmen are doing what they're doing for purely political reasons - no b.s. from me on that one. Might you then be willing to agree with me that John Edwards' "apologizing" for voting for the war is nothing more than an election year tactic to appeal to the left-wing base of the Democratic party with the hope of securing that nomination? Ditto for Joe Biden. All I was pointing out was that you referred to Republican talking points AFTER I was lambasted by those who agree with you for referring to Democratic talking points in a previous post.
You are correct - I used the term "talking points." And I guess your comment is a gotcha in a way. Fair enough. But I think since you've read this blog a bit you've seen I've gone beyond simply labeling something a talking point and left it at that. I've gone into great detail how the bumper sticker phrases like "Mission Accomplished," "Stay the course," "we'll stand down when they stand up," "Iraq is the central front in the war on terror" and "We're fighting them over there so we won't have to fight them over here" are not only talking points, they're two steps down. They're phony meaningless phrases more appropriate for a fortune cookie than real arguments or reasons to plunge the nation into a war of choice and then stay there forever. I think you can hardly equate my reference to dismissing another's argument without serious discourse.
And by the way there really are talking points sent out to the rank and file apologists for the Republican party. Why do you think they all use the same words, phrases and arguments on all the cable channels?
If there is one thing I am it's not unoriginal. Like talking points.
Of course talking points are sent out, BY BOTH parties, and they're equally insulting to your and my intelligence even if we disagree on some core issues. Let's face -- it's just politics as usual in Washington.
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