If we just shout louder
May 4th, 2009 10:22 am · 15 comments
Via Sullivan, I think this gets it exactly right:
The reason the Republican Party continues to bleed members has much more to do with the general attitude of the party’s political and intellectual leaders than anything else. Rather than admit to any mistakes or take even the slightest bit of responsibility for the state of the country, they insist on blaming everyone but themselves. Rather than working with a popular new President, they insist on opposing his every move, attacking him relentlessly, and blaming him for problems that even the most clueless voters know aren’t his fault. People may not follow the ins and outs of policy debates, but they can tell when one side is being unreasonable. They watch TV and they see a very intelligent, charismatic President who says a lot of very reasonable sounding things and exudes competence. And then they see a bunch of angry conservatives and Republicans who insist that that same man is some sort of evil communist who’s going to destroy the country.
In other words, the problem is not the ideas, but the attitude. … When you’ve just been voted out of power for manifest incompetence and your opponents are led by a very popular and reasonable-sounding person, you don’t have the luxury of acting righteous and uncompromising all the time. You have to acknowledge error. You have to act civilly. You have to appear pragmatic and reasonable. But the GOP is not interested in doing any of these things. Those who are left in the party are ultra-partisan and utterly convinced of their own infallibility and moral righteousness. Until they lose that attitude and general combativeness, it won’t matter what their ideas are. They’ll just keep turning people off.
Based on the tone of winger mail I get, it’s as if these folks think that if they just SHOUT LOUDER and kick the OUTRAGE!!! up a few more notches, they are going to somehow regain the momentum they once had. But I also suspect the shouting is an attempt to rally the troops - as a commander might as his hill is being overrun, which is probably a pretty good metaphor.
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Tags: Republican Party
There are currently 15 comments on this blog postView Topic | Comment on this blogArtie See
5/5/09
12:45 PM | But the GOP is not interested in doing any of these things. Those who are left in the party are ultra-partisan and utterly convinced of their own infallibility and moral righteousness.
I beg to differ with that statement.
This is true of a certain faction of the Republican party, unfortunately the one which has been in control for quite a few years. And it is true that many otherwise mainstream Republicans have been deceived by this faction.
But the majority of Republicans are decent people. Just because someone considers themselves to be a Republican doesn't mean they accept such behavior. Yes, some Republicans have abandoned the party, but many more are waiting for a more reasonable leadership to come into power.
It is unfair to the vast majority of Republicans who are really decent people to group them in with a loudmouth faction that seems to be in control of their party right now. After all, this too shall pass. |
justplainjoe
5/5/09
1:17 PM | But I also suspect the shouting is an attempt to rally the troops - as a commander might as his hill is being overrun, which is probably a pretty good metaphor.
here is a better metaphor is story form....
during a battle in wwII the germans and italians were fighting side by side and losing badly. the german commander ordered his captain to bring his red coat.
curious , the itai commander aksed why he wanted a red coat.
"because if i wear a red coat and get wounded, my men won't see the blood and become more demoralized. i suggest you make a similar gesture."
the itai thought for a minute and said " sargeant, bring me my brown trousers." |
ArtVandolay
5/5/09
2:29 PM | But I also suspect the shouting is an attempt to rally the troops - as a commander might as his hill is being overrun, which is probably a pretty good metaphor.
here is a better metaphor is story form....
during a battle in wwII the germans and italians were fighting side by side and losing badly. the german commander ordered his captain to bring his red coat.
curious , the itai commander aksed why he wanted a red coat.
"because if i wear a red coat and get wounded, my men won't see the blood and become more demoralized. i suggest you make a similar gesture."
the itai thought for a minute and said " sargeant, bring me my brown trousers."
And Joe's bigotry volume control is up all the way. Again. Think about it, Joe. Aren't you the one quoting scripture all the time? |
johnq
5/5/09
2:38 PM | I beg to differ with that statement.
This is true of a certain faction of the Republican party, unfortunately the one which has been in control for quite a few years. And it is true that many otherwise mainstream Republicans have been deceived by this faction.
But the majority of Republicans are decent people. Just because someone considers themselves to be a Republican doesn't mean they accept such behavior. Yes, some Republicans have abandoned the party, but many more are waiting for a more reasonable leadership to come into power.
It is unfair to the vast majority of Republicans who are really decent people to group them in with a loudmouth faction that seems to be in control of their party right now. After all, this too shall pass. Artie, your reasonable post is unwanted here. Unless you wish to loudly celebrate the absurd notion that the Republican Party is gone for good you should take your opinions elsewhere. |
Pericles
5/5/09
3:53 PM | Artie, your reasonable post is unwanted here. Unless you wish to loudly celebrate the absurd notion that the Republican Party is gone for good you should take your opinions elsewhere.
But then, if the Republican party is gone for good, why do some people continue to make a career out of bashing it? Why bother commenting on something that is irrelevant?
I know, it's called an obsession. Or a one trick pony. Or a short repertoire. |
Lancaster
5/5/09
4:15 PM | I beg to differ with that statement.
This is true of a certain faction of the Republican party, unfortunately the one which has been in control for quite a few years. And it is true that many otherwise mainstream Republicans have been deceived by this faction.
But the majority of Republicans are decent people. Just because someone considers themselves to be a Republican doesn't mean they accept such behavior. Yes, some Republicans have abandoned the party, but many more are waiting for a more reasonable leadership to come into power.
It is unfair to the vast majority of Republicans who are really decent people to group them in with a loudmouth faction that seems to be in control of their party right now. After all, this too shall pass.
But Artie, then Gil would have no 'shtick' |
justplainjoe
5/5/09
4:28 PM | And Joe's bigotry volume control is up all the way. Again. Think about it, Joe. Aren't you the one quoting scripture all the time?
what is bigotted about a wwII story art? man you are edgey since the republicans have tailspinned out of control.
oh wait...did you get the joke? see the italian wanted his brown tousers so that when he !profanity! himself his troops wouldn' t notice.
hey art..invest in some brown trou bro.LOL |
ArtVandolay
5/5/09
5:21 PM | what is bigotted about a wwII story art? man you are edgey since the republicans have tailspinned out of control.
oh wait...did you get the joke? see the italian wanted his brown tousers so that when he !profanity! himself his troops wouldn' t notice.
hey art..invest in some brown trou bro.LOL
I am glad you are being open for all to see. |
justplainjoe
5/5/09
5:54 PM | I am glad you are being open for all to see.
well my mother came to america from italy so your suggestion of bigotry is wrong if it is the italians you think i disparage.
(slap on forehead) gosh art..did i make you feel bad by poking fun at nazis?
you got me art. i think hitler was a madman. a conservative, to be sure, by your definition.
sorry if i offended you by mocking conservative nazis.LOL |
Artie See
5/5/09
7:58 PM | But Artie, then Gil would have no 'shtick'
Gil actually does a rather good job when he investigates real issues. If Gil would spend less time on politics, and more time on issues that actually affect all of us in our daily lives, he could really make a difference.
Gil's problem is that everything he writes MUST be approved by his senior editor. And Marv Adams will NOT publish ANYTHING that does not fit his own personal agenda standards. |
Lancaster
5/6/09
4:07 AM | Gil actually does a rather good job when he investigates real issues. If Gil would spend less time on politics, and more time on issues that actually affect all of us in our daily lives, he could really make a difference.
Gil's problem is that everything he writes MUST be approved by his senior editor. And Marv Adams will NOT publish ANYTHING that does not fit his own personal agenda standards.
I agree with all of that |
UncommonSense
5/6/09
6:08 AM | Gil actually does a rather good job when he investigates real issues. If Gil would spend less time on politics, and more time on issues that actually affect all of us in our daily lives, he could really make a difference.
Gil's problem is that everything he writes MUST be approved by his senior editor. And Marv Adams will NOT publish ANYTHING that does not fit his own personal agenda standards.
Does this apply to the blog as well? |
ArtVandolay
5/6/09
7:21 AM | well my mother came to america from italy so your suggestion of bigotry is wrong if it is the italians you think i disparage.
(slap on forehead) gosh art..did i make you feel bad by poking fun at nazis?
you got me art. i think hitler was a madman. a conservative, to be sure, by your definition.
sorry if i offended you by mocking conservative nazis.LOL
So, Joe is the only Italian here and he mocks his own heritage and the sacrifice of his ancestors.
Guess it's not bigotry after all.
It's called self loathing. |
justplainjoe
5/6/09
7:36 AM | So, Joe is the only Italian here and he mocks his own heritage and the sacrifice of his ancestors.
Guess it's not bigotry after all.
It's called self loathing.
art you are going off the deep end. exactly who do you think the nazis and the italians were fighting in that wwII battle?
you do realize they were fighting americans, right?
ummm that would be us, art.
so being on the side of my country while mocking the enemy is somehow bigotry in your ever shrinking world?
or self loathing? is it okay with you if someone of german heritage mocks hitler?
referring to nazis and fascists trying to take over the world as "sacrifice" is about as weird as anything you have said since being trounced in november.
get some rest, maybe spend some time in the country. there are many sanitariums that don't require lengthy stays.
LOL |
ArtVandolay
5/6/09
8:26 AM | art you are going off the deep end. exactly who do you think the nazis and the italians were fighting in that wwII battle?
you do realize they were fighting americans, right?
ummm that would be us, art.
so being on the side of my country while mocking the enemy is somehow bigotry in your ever shrinking world?
or self loathing? is it okay with you if someone of german heritage mocks hitler?
referring to nazis and fascists trying to take over the world as "sacrifice" is about as weird as anything you have said since being trounced in november.
get some rest, maybe spend some time in the country. there are many sanitariums that don't require lengthy stays.
LOL
Have another drink, Joe. It's not too early. While you are at it, look over some of the old pictures of your ancestors. If you have not thrown them out. |
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