Bush's "Surge" = I'll take the whole GOP down.... or go down swinging

[salin]

while trying.

Seriously.

As if Congressional (both houses) GOP and WH GOP relations were not bad enough when Bush waited until after the election to oust Rummy. Now, all for what appears to be his ego's sake, he wants to 'step it up' - but essentially maintain the same strategy. A strategy that the most of the country, including a big ole hunk of voters that regularly vote GOP, is against.

When the new Democratic Majority takes over in Congress - it is going to get much more interesting than even previously suspected.

Will the Senate and House Repub leadership continue to carry water for Bushco out of a sense of partisan warfare? If so, how many members will see images of their political epitaths flash before their eyes each time they are asked to vote "with the president" and against the wishes of their constituents. Not just on issues related to the War - but on a myriad of issues. How many, with those visions dancing in their head, will peel away from their leadership?

If instead the Senate and House repub leadership decide to diverge from the interests of bush - expect some serious battles - and I suggest those will emerge over some future signing statement where congress passes a law, bush signs it and attaches a signing statement. And congress - with support from some GOPers (perhaps even leadership) make a move towards a Constitutional showdown with the WH (in an effort to portray all perceived (by the public) bad actions as "bad apples bush and cheney" in order to try to salvage their futures and the future of their party. Somehow I don't see this happening - more likely the former (with the leadership increasingly unable to control its members.)

See, W is telling the party... "F U!" He is making it clear that HIS interests (his ego and his deluded sense that someday history will view him in a positive light) is far more important than the GOP's interests, and more important than the Country's interest.

Did we really used to think that Rove was some kind of genious strategist? Don't those days seem long passed?

Will be an interesting Congressional session - and Bush just upped the ante in a way that really is not likely to endear him to the GOP on the Hill.

[Tactical Progressive]

1. Give him a little more rope to hang the entire GOP

He's going to take it anyway.

[salin]

4. agreed... 74 to 80 wasn't long for the GOP to 'comeback'

if the GOP in congress plays it wrong - there won't be a comeback anytime in the near future.

Fortunately for us, the key players (at least the GOP leadership) has played "political warfare" for so long, that it is likely that instinctively they will tie their interests to the drowning bushco - and lead to further decimation of their party in terms of public support in the future.

[kentuck]

2. The Republican Party will not sacrifice itself further for George W Bush...

That is the batteground in the next year or so.

[salin]

5. I don't know that they can help themselves

(in terms of sacrificing themselves for W) - they have become pablovian in terms of partisan warfare I think to spite the dems in congress they (GOP leadership) will continue to do some of the bidding for bushco - and will either see "party unity" (in terms of holding votes) disintigrate - or will see the takedown of the party.

[kentuck]

7. I think it will turn into every man and woman for themselves...

They saw what happened in the last election and have no intent on repeating the mistake...

[salin]

9. True - which is part of what makes this interesting

The white house is of the mind that they can still "perception manage" we the voting public into supporting them again... I do think that the House, esp, no longer buys that.

Have to wonder how many GOP reps want to throttle Ken "we are Brand W republicans" Mehlman.

[gulliver]

3. Surge = "Stay the Course"

I don't see how it can be read any other way. It's stay the course and step on the gas.

I agree with you that it could take the whole GOP down. What the Dems have to do is get all GOP leaders on record pushing for Bush's modified "stay the course." McCain is already committed to more troops.

I also agree it is going to be very interesting.

[salin]

6. and the king of "it isn't that the message was wrong... we just

didn't get the public to hear our message"... Newt Gingrich... is one of the party's solutions for a comeback? Isn't that a hoot.

[tanyev]

8. I'm curious to see how the next SOTU address goes.

Bush needs to feed off of adulatory audiences to keep his energy going and his mood up. I'm hoping for a descent into incoherent babbling or a screaming hissyfit on live TV.

[salin]

10. The public meltdown will come a week or so after the SOTU

after he makes outlandish claims or says something ridiculously audacious (reviving the dismantling of social security, perhaps? war talk towards Iran or North Korea perhaps?) such that his handlers have to put him on one of the new talk shows the next week ... and then - when challenged... lets his deepend show.

[Kahuna]

11. I agree. Bush has shown that he has no regard for the GOP... Just

proves to me again that he stole the election with an agenda in hand, and everyone and any one that gets in his way, be damned. Some repukes are starting to wake up to this. They will be the ones to threaten him with impeachment.