The GOP’s History of ‘Hostage-Taking’

[marmar]

from Consortium News:



The GOP’s History of ‘Hostage-Taking’
November 6, 2011

Special Report: For more than four decades, Democrats have tolerated Republican abuses, claiming accountability wouldn’t be “good for the country.” But this softness has only encouraged the kind of hardball behavior that has now taken the U.S. economy “hostage,” writes Robert Parry.

By Robert Parry


Since the 1960s, the Republican and Democratic parties have diverged in behavior – as well as over issues such as war and social programs – with the Republicans sometimes called the “daddy party” and the Democrats the “mommy party.” But if that analogy is followed, you would be talking about a very dysfunctional marriage.

More often than not in recent years, the Republicans have played the role of “abusive husband,” arriving home angry, busting up furniture and slapping around the wife and kids – before passing out on the couch – after which the Democratic “abused wife” tidies things up and tries to conceal bruises from the neighbors. Then, hubby arouses and the process begins again.

One might find this analogy unsettling, even unfair, but there is truth in it. Indeed, you could argue that the metaphor has sometimes moved beyond an abusive marriage to hostage-taking, as the Republican-daddy essentially takes the kids (America) hostage and demands capitulation from the Democratic-mommy.

Recently, the hostage metaphor has become popular in discussing how Republicans have dealt with Democrats during the Obama administration – for instance, last summer’s debt ceiling showdown used to extract concessions on spending and the past month’s obstruction of jobs bills with an eye toward a weakened President Barack Obama in the 2012 race. The h-word has even been used on the Senate floor by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2011/11/06/the-gops-history-of-hostage-taking/

[Vincardog]

1. When the abusive husband is replaced time after time the fault ends up laying with the "wife"

[meow2u3]

2. Now, some of the kids have turned on the abusive father, i.e. Occupy

The kids have grown up and now see the abusive Republican-daddy as the bully he is. For years, Republican-daddy has turned the kids against Democratic-mommy when they were young. The kids are growing up, opening their eyes, and are escaping their captor, thanks to OWS. Now abusive dad is raging even more at the kids who refuse to obey his tyrannical orders and is sicking his goons on them.

[northoftheborder]

3. good analogy

[The Wizard]

4. Treasonous bigots

bent on imposing a fascist model on the United States by any means necessary. Treason is a capital crime. Will it take pitchforks torches and rope?

[meow2u3]

5. The major problem is conservatives' twisted idea of masculinity

They think a man is supposed to a bully, bigot, misogynist, child abuser, and self-centered egotist on a power trip, not to mention a criminal operating above the law. In other words, the conservatives' ideal man is a sociopath--a demon in human form.