Man, it was really hard to be serious for these last few posts. Right about now, I really need to go back to being a smart ass or I'll bust my maverick.By now, the Republican Party is going through election withdrawal over their sorry loss to PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA, with some officials fitting themselves for nooses and others walking the streets with hooded sweatshirts in order to hide themselves from the shame of being freakin' losers!
But I'm not an unfeeling brother. I understand what it is to have a complete organizational meltdown and walk through a chaotic political muck, just inches from a cliff that drops off into an eternal abyss of confusion and anguish. I've got a heart.
In fact, I think I can offer some solace to John McCain and my Republican brothers and sisters and show them a few reasons they lost (in case they didn't already know what has been obvious to the country for at least three months):
5. The Religious Right.
Hey, I've got no problem with people who go to church, keep faith close to their hearts or invest in some type of spirituality. But these guys have been getting ridiculous since the late 1970s. That insipid liar, the (thankfully) late Jerry Falwell began this "Moral Majority" movement that eventually took over the GOP voting base, and eventuall took control of the party out of the hands of its policy makers which had once been a group of rational-thinking fiscal conservatives. In time, it became more important to be a Bible-thumper than it was to actually balance budgets, reach out to the rest of the globe, recognize societal diversity, or encourage human rights. All that culminated over the last eight years of idiocy in the Bush Administration. People saw the result of giving absolute power to religious zealots. If it had continued, we'd be on our way to a Taliban-lite theocracy.
4. It's Stupid, the Economy.
Make no mistake, this economy is in an outdoor toilet. The Republican (and Democrat-supported) notion that you could just deregulate the nation's financial industries and it would have no effect is like letting dogs loose in a yard and expecting them not to poop. That led to everything from the Enron scam to the big subprime mortgage debacle. The government should, in theory have little more to do with the Gross Domestic Product than just tabulating it, but there are reasons we have laws that keep these things in balance. The idea of living within our means has been sacrificed for a 'more, more, more' culture on many social levels, finance types took advantage of that, and it has cost us. Yes, free markets are the hinges to the doors of our economy, but they have to have something to keep them in check so that the greedy can't run roughshod all over innocent people. If that's socialism, then just call me Trotsky!
To be fair, if the economy had tanked under a Democratic administration, then we'd be blaming them, like we did Jimmy Carter for crap Gerald Ford pulled. The truth is this is the fault of both Democrats and Republicans for not checking the hedonistic attitudes of the finance industry. Bottom line, if you keep feeding a baby, eventually you will find something in his diaper.
3. Joe the Plumber, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayres, ACORN, accusations of being a 'terrorist' and/or 'socialist.'
This was sloppy politics at its worst. At a time when people were worried about keeping a roof over their heads, McCain/Palin supporters constantly tried to use the same fear factor tactics that worked in 2004 for Bush. They didn't get it: this isn't 2004. If John McCain wanted to run against Bush "he should have done it four years ago." The GOP spent way too much time trying to prove how Obama was bad instead of proving how McCain was good. All this stupid stuff should have been shut up immediately by the campaign, but instead they allowed the slack-jawed yokels to take control, driving an 18-wheeler on an icy mountain cliff road with no steering wheel.
Lincoln once said: "You can fool some of the people some of the time...(yadda, yadda yadda)," but if you take everyone for an idiot, they will kick you in the balls.
2. Sarah Palin.
I don't know where to begin with this woman. If it wasn't for her incessant cackling of the word "maverick"; her bragging about her husband Todd's multiple wins in the Alaskan Iditarod dog sled race; or continually saying stupid things the few times the Republicans let the press have access to her; maybe the GOP would have had a chance. I remember when John McCain brought her onto the stage at the Republican National Convention, there was a televised shot of ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich (author of the 'Contract on America'). The disgust tatooed on his face said more than enough about this poor choice. Palin's ascendancy into the spotlight only showed that McCain no longer had the judgement required to be president. He clearly picked her to get disenfranchised Hillary Clinton voters, and the simpletons who drooled over George Bush, sniffing his farts, in two elections.
It probably became clear to him what a mistake this was when during an ABC News interview she made clear that she did not know what the "Bush Doctrine" of pre-emptive action was. Recently it has even come out that she spent far more than the reported $150,000 on wardrobe, and that she did not know that Africa was a continent. It was an anti-intellectual choice for a country that is way smarter than the Republicans took them for.
1. George Walker Bush.
By now, I'm certain several pundits have already said this: Bush caused a McCain loss in both 2000 and 2008. The first time with dirty politricks. The second time by being the worst president in many decades. I don't have to spell out the laundry list of poor policy decisions, political mistakes, ignorance, willingness to put the country at unneccesary risk, warmongering, and outright criminal lying that came to define the past eight years of the White House. To top this off, a God-awful ill-conceived war that has fractured our military and caused us to be the object of international hatred, and will eventually cost us trillions, is the hallmark of this dude's life. It is clear that the Texas Rangers was the place for Bush, he couldn't have made them any worse.
By the time Nov. 4, 2008 came the overwhelming majority of voters at the very least felt that Jar Jar Binks could have done a better job then Dubya. In short, Bush turned out to be the worst president of my lifetime. At least Reagan was smart but evil. Bush was just stupid. It was this violent uphil whitewater river filled with ice and and an Exxon tanker oil spill that McCain had to contend with. If he had won the presidency against that, we would have had to test him to see if he could walk on water.
****
The high likelihood is that McCain will serve out the last years of his term in the Senate forgetting about another presidential run, and retire...a wise old statesman who has seen some of the best and worst this country has had to offer. He shouldn't worry about what might have been, but proudly hold his head up that he wanted better for the USA. Like the saying goes: "Old soldiers don't die, they just fade away."
Comments: (58)
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By: poetforlife on 11/08/2008 8:48AM
You hit the nail(s) on the head. It is amazing to me to think just how complete the GOP and McCain's campaign underestimated the intelligence of ALL Americans! I'm glad, though. We have a President-elect who will heal this country and its relationships in the world through diplomacy, intelligence and humanity. Thank you for your absolutely correct insights.
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By: There was a time ... on 11/08/2008 2:23PM
What occured here to me is that the Republicans TRIED
to use FEAR to harness the VOTE but....... it backfired.
In the new millenium, folk are just sick and tired of getting jacked at work, at the gas tank, at the grocery store THEN there is a BOSS at the job, that is truly OUT OF ORDER.
Americans are just fed up with OLD SCHOOL CRAP
Now MY PEOPLE, let's get our MONEY UP ... for real
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By: Kaj Johansson on 11/08/2008 3:17PM
Granted Mr. Obama's mind is a brilliant one but how much better off will USA be with him in the driver`s seat? From a slightly socialist European view he's far too dependent on Big Finance.
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By: calif on 11/08/2008 5:30PM
1)91%of republicans loved sarah palin, 69% said she helped McCain. McCain was a poor choice, and he had way zero chance of winning, then Palin came and energized the base, they still lost but did not loose to a "landslide" that the MSM predicted. actually 2008 had about a million more in new votes, but they were pretty much the same as 2004 voter turn out. 2) the press, obviously in the tank for Obama, helped him win. if you remember, Hillary was beating him but the press was not having it and made her look bad.. Obama beat her. she is now a laughing stock and has zero credbitilty now. 3) i agree, GWBush is a lame duck, but he kept us safe. if you do the research (not the MSM type) you will see that in 2004, 2006 the precentage of poor people making over 200,000 started to increase and the poor people started to earn more money. how is this possible-the MSM said it wasn't true! do the research (pew polling). 4) the MSM ignored the big reason behind the finacial mess melt down, it was fannie mae and freddie mac- guess who was behind it, the dems. rahm Emmanuel served on the board in 2000 2001 (before bush took office) and already they were being investigatad for cooking the book and posting false quarterly reports. i wont put it all on the dems, i saw the report, there were some republicans pocking hush money from fannie mae. and we want to give people like barney frank, chriss dodd, pelosi and reid more of our money so they can screw us some more. i was surprised when i read that it said 70% of the African Americans voted yes on prop 8. also, i do not think we should blame this all on the religious group. i mean how many of us go to church and say we are religious but we do not follow the bible all the time. i beleive this was passed by all groups of people (religious, non religious, minitorites, female, male,young and elderly). some of us deeply deep down wnat to preserve marriage as between man and woman, somedo it not to descriminate against the gay and lesbian (how many of us have family members that are gay or lesbian) and we love them but deep down we do not agree with it? i am also wondering about this. i was study the hisotry of the democrat party and the republican party. did you all know that the democrat party orignated in the south when jim crow and the KKK was strong, they thought of giving welfare to the poor, sadly this way of giving money to the poor is not always good, it creates dependency on the goverment. recently obama acknowledged abraham lincoln as the last president from Illinois.. Abe was a republican. he was the president during the civl war. do you know what one of the main reasons for the cause of the civil war was? to fight the tyranny of the south (democrats) which lead to abe declaring freedom and end to slavery. a white republican illinois president declared a end to slavery. and imagine that white men fought and died to make this happened...we sometimes forget our history. the people of california have spoken.
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By: aliou on 11/08/2008 7:06PM
What is the Black race asking from President elect Obama?
What are they waiting to ask for teir own appointments and agenda?
I have the impression that Blacks are thinking that Barack Obama will take care of their needs.
What are those needs? or do you think he will imagine what you need and just give it to you?
The republicans have been defeated. But all I hear about is their needs, what they want, who they want appointed.
While all the political game is being played, once again, blacks have retreated to their usual apathy.
They become the spectators in their own country. They seem to wait for someone to think about them, and give them what ever they feel like giving.
If I was anyone who is qualified out there, I would have been on all obama change or transition websites applying for a job, and making sure my name is on every black or white pair of lips in america.
Common people, Stop talking and do something. ask for what you want from president Obama. IF he doesn't know what you personally would like to see done, he has no way of knowing. Election is over. Today is a new day and there are new games in town. throw your dice. It's like the lotery: if you are not a player, you can't win.
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By: aliou on 11/08/2008 7:13PM
ELECTION IS OVER. IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO, PLEASE ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT FROM YOUR PRESIDENT ELECT. WHO YOU WANT APPOINTED, WHAT YOU WANT IMPLEMENTED THAT MAY HELP THE BLACK COMMUNITY. AND DON'T BE SHY. IT IS NOT BECAUSE SOMEONE SAID THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE BAIL OUT FOR THE POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO ASK AND MAKE SURE YOU GET IT. IF YOU ARE QUALIFIED FOR A JOB AT THE PRESIDENCY, HERE IS YOUR CHANCE TO ASK FOR IT AND GET IT. THE OPPORTUNITY WILL NEVER BE SO POSSIBLE. TAKE IT. THROW YOUR DICE. STICK TO YOUR GUNS. AND YOU WILL GET SOMETHING OUT OF YOUR VOTE. IF YOU DON'T, DON'T COMPLAIN. !!!!!!!!!!!1
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By: Rick on 11/08/2008 7:37PM
I'm amazed that if the Black Citizens of the USA all want to be treated the same, which they are by me, why do you need a special Black Voices web site. From ready this blog., many also have issues with having a fair and balanced government. Native Americans were here before any of us and you don't hear them bitching nearly as much. And how about our Asian population as well as all others from the four corners of the world. If this is truely a liberating election, then stop the rasict comments and attitude and be open to everyone.
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By: Melissa on 11/10/2008 1:17PM
The Republicans lost because 1) they are crooks; 2) they are used to getting what they want at OUR expense; 3) they hold themselves out to be morally superior WHILE being immoral; 4) they made a mockery of being an American; 5) they stood behind the dumbest President in our history while he decimated the U.S. Constitution, eliminated Habeas Corpus, burned the Bill of Rights at the stake; 6) ran up the largest deficit in our nation's history; 7) doubled the national debt; 8) squandered our children's future and padded Dick Cheney's pockets. And the unforgivable: tortured in my name.
They lost because the American people HAVE HAD ENOUGH. It will take 10 years for the Republicans to even begin to put a party back together. If the last 8 years represent "conservativism," then by all means, give me a tax and spend Democrat. I'll take them ANY DAY.
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By: Denise on 11/08/2008 11:23PM
Rick, you need to check yourself and your facts. Blacks have right to "bitch" because we DID NOT come here voluntarily. We were kidnapped (not brought) and forced to the so-called "Land of the Free" via ships in which we were packed like sardines in our own feces to become slaves where we were dehumanized, whipped, raped, separated from our families by being sold, and considered 3/5 of a human.
Yes, the Native Americans were here before any of us and are still treated badly after years of genocide. They were treated by the same people who enslaved Blacks. With a few exceptions, Asians came to America voluntarily. They wanted to come here but the US made laws keeping them out! Yes, many Asian countries are enpoverished, however, it is because the same people who enslaved the Blacks, attempted genocide on the Native Americans, and impoverished most countries in Africa who is responsible for all these problems. Blacks were freed, without any compensation for over 200 years of enslavement. Those who did receive the 40 acres and a mule had it forcibly taken away, with almost all the other rights guarenteed by the Constitution by Andrew Johnson and the Supreme Court at that time.
We have been "truly" free since the 1960s but never equal. All the laws and policies enacted to promote equality, have been overturned. Schools have been resegregated and education is almost as unequal as it was in Jim Crow. You say we have no right to "bitch"; I beg to differ.
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By: ALBERT on 11/09/2008 12:52AM
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF SARAH PALIN WEARS A HEARING AIDE? I WAS WATCHING A DEBATE WITH HER AND McCLAIN AND SHE HAD ONE IN HER EAR. BY THE WAY SHE WAS ACTING AS THOUGH SHE WAS LISTENING TO SOME ONE THAT WAS TELL HER WHAT TO SAY. NOONE HAS SAID ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND I WAS WONDERING IF I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO SAW IT? IF SO THEN WHY WOULD THE G.O.P. WANT SOMEONE LIKE THAT AND NOT THE PERSON WHO WAS COACHING HER? PALIN IN 2012? NO WAY! SHE WILL BE 48yrs OLD AND STILL JUST AS DUMB. P.S. THANKS FOR H.D. TV..
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