GOP Fundraiser: "My God, what were we all thinking?"

[AndyA]

I can't believe it! A very powerful Republican in my area, known for her support of all things GOP, including big fund raisers, has finally been broken by the Bush Administration, and feels her party has misled her.

Upon seeing me yesterday, after the news of the latest NSA intrusion into our lives, she just smiled and shook her head. As we approached each other, she said, "You don't even need to say it, I just can't believe it. This has been the straw that broke the Camel's back for me. I've been willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, but now there are just too many indications that we've all been had.

This isn't just politics anymore, this has gone way beyond that. I can't believe some of the things that are going on in the name of the good of our country and supposedly by the grace of God. I guess it's a good thing that we have term limits, because Bush seems bound and determined to bankrupt the country."

After some general back and forth conversation regarding the lies leading up to the war in Iraq, the outing of Valerie Plame, the deficit, how the ceiling has been raised so many times to accommodate Bush's irresponsible spending, the cronyism, the spying, etc., etc., etc., the woman told me she could no longer support the Republican Party, because they are going against all the principles she believes in, everything she stands for. "I don't know what happened to solid conservative values, but they don't seem to exist any longer. My party has had the opportunity to do some really wonderful things since they've been in charge, and they've thrown that opportunity away by giving in to corruption, bribery, and outright theft."

This is the second or third time a longtime Republican has expressed their unhappiness for the Republican Party. I live in a very strong Republican area, and am getting lots of thumbs up and honks in traffic for my "Compared to Bush, Nixon wasn't so bad" sticker.

Today, Friday, May 12, 2006, this wealthy and powerful woman will be changing her party affiliation from Republican to Independent. She says the Democratic Party is still too fractured for her tastes, and if they could ever get together and form a unified plan and present a cohesive message that they all stand behind, she'd likely become a Democrat at this point.

"I've washed my hands of the Republicans, now. I feel like I've been used. All they wanted was my money, and they have demonstrated they have not been good custodians of the public interest."

It's happening, folks. WOW! The people are abandoning the Republican Party and the Bush Administration. No doubt the loss of this woman is going to cost the party dearly.

Isn't this a great way to end the week? :party: :toast: :bounce:

[Glenda]

1. That's good to hear - Thanks!

I still ask myself this question: "why did it take some people SO LONG?"

[Maru Kitteh]

12. I don't even care why it took so long anymore - even though I'll never

understand it. I'm just glad they're finally waking up and moving their feet.

[ixion]

2. cheers to that

there's a long way to go, but I'm glad to hear that 'real' republicans are finally ripping the velcro flags from their eyes and looking at what this band of thugs has done to our republic.

[fearthem]

3. Thank for sharing this encouraging story!

[Ian David]

4. Who cares how many Americans are dead, how deep our debt is...

and how many of our cities drown... at least them damn homa-sex-yew-alls ain't gonna get married!

:sarcasm:

[cpousnret]

5. this is someone deserving of a medal

[johnnie]

6. I'm glad she is finally seeing the light

But if she was paying attention, her party has been "throw(ing) that opportunity away by giving in to corruption, bribery, and outright theft" for quite some time now.

I truly believe that it has been pressure from groups like the people here at DU that has pressured certain people to expose the republicans for what they are and bring it to light.

Still, I'm glad to see that more and more people are waking up to this and it isn't all about politics for me, it is about the future of the country and what is right.

[Quakerfriend]

7. Nice story!

Did you know that Hillary and Teresa were both once Repugs?!

[AndyA]

8. I didn't know that! People change parties all the time, for various

reasons, but when someone who has done so much for so many years decides to make a change like this, it's a very clear signal to me that the core supporters are beginning to leave, and in the absence of news that lots of people are changing their affiliation to the Republican Party, it would seem to indicate an overall net loss, which cannot be good in an election year.

I haven't read any statistics about how many people are abandoning the Republican Party vs. how many are signing up for it, but I would think those numbers can't be very pretty right now.

[tblue37]

33. And Arianna Huffignton was, too.

She was all over TV in the 1990s pushing the Republican agenda--and look where she is now. And of course there is MediaMatters' David Brock.

People can learn better. It isn't easy, and it probably isn't common, but it can happen.

[seabeyond]

9. we allll havent been had. she was had. she was the sucker

not all of us. i jsut think it is important these people that come to their realizations understand they, as individuals allowed themselves to be suckered in for their own agendas. not all of us were fooled. many of us can now say i told you..... and you wouldnt listen

[Maru Kitteh]

13. "I told you so"

Does not encourage the path to enlightenment, it only encourages the continued petty and childish exchanges that have marked our divisions for years. The same goes for "they started it", and "it's not my fault" along with many other of our defensive reactions.

We have to welcome people like this into the fold and teach them how to keep their eyes open, a skill they've put away for some time.

[seabeyond]

14. i agree....

i also feel with my people whether they acknowledge it out loud or not..... that what i said 5 years ago, 3 years ago, a year and half ago,.... is

and not for a satisfaction for me, but more for an understanding in their own self growth or understanding how they really had to turn a blind eye to so much.... it was there for so many to see, yet some had to work really hard not to see to support bushco. i think that is what is the lesson. and it isnt about the party, it just happens to be this party that had the lesson presented to them, that so much bad can happen because they consciously ignore the facts in front of them

i wanted soemthing more to come of this. if you look at the repug party, though dems arent squeaky clean, the repugs term after term have sat in lawlessness and only their people can do something abot that. the only way they can is quit making excuses, justifying, validating behaviors like nixon, reagan with iran contra, bush 1 part in it and now bushco.. only they can say,... no more. to do that, they have to see, that they missed all the signs that told them they were going ot get this. and ignoring the facts early on emboldened bushco to go further and further. ultimately it was the party of their people that has allowed all this. at any point if they had stood up to bushco and not allowed the corruption, bushcos wouldnt have felt they had free hand

if they dont own their part in it, then it is not lesson learned. and what a waste. i am all for not beating self up, not feeling shame and guilt, but in my perception the only way to avoid that is be honest with self. cause spirit knows. cant hide from that, so if lying to self, results will come back one form or another

[AndyA]

15. I remember thinking at the time that she should have known better,

but I didn't want to kick her when she was down. I was nice to her, of course, and understanding of her newly found anger, but I was not terribly sympathetic. I did tell her that she surely now must understand some of my anger and frustration I've felt over the past 6 years, and she said that she certainly could understand it now.

I'm not close friends with her, but I do want to stay on friendly terms, because I believe she is in a good position to do good things now. Who knows, she might even turn out to be another Arianna Huffington!

[Chimichurri]

10. what else is she going to say? It's impossible at this point to defend the

indefensible. Plus she's campaigning - it's amazing how people suddenly become enlightened when they need money from you.

[leftchick]

11. Has she read about the PNAC?

If not you should expose it to her. That and watching Farenheit 9/11 would explain a lot to these folks.

[AndyA]

16. I think she's seen F/911, I remember talking to her about it

when it first came out. We commented that it was unusual for the audience to stand up and applaud the way they did.

I don't know if she's aware of PNAC, but that is an excellent suggestion, and I'll be sure to mention it to her next time I see her. Thanks!

[havocmom]

36. Then, get her a copy of OUTFOXED

and let her get used to seeing all the subtle tools they use to brainwash the public

[ComerPerro]

17. She is most likely full of shit. She won't go Dem, ever.

and I suspect that this is just insincere BS that, if nothing else, will try to bring the Dems even more to the middle and even farther to the right...

She may not vote for Republicans this November (although I bet you anything she will), but she certainly won't vote Democratic.

[AndyA]

19. I suppose you could be right, but I didn't get that impression at all.

She could very well be an excellent actress, but I really felt like she was angry, upset, and frustrated with what has been going on. She's always been a moderate Republican, I seem to recall she was very much for smaller government, bringing back integrity to politics, etc., all of which we know is a joke.

She has no problem with gays, she doesn't believe that what goes on in a bedroom between two consenting adults is anybody else's business, and definitely NOT the government's business. She has felt that way for a very long time, so no recent changes there.

I really think she was sincere, she's never been the type to beat around the bush. (Pardon the pun...)

[ComerPerro]

21. But all the "dissenters" always say the same thing, which is

"The Democrats are just as bad" (or worse)

[progressoid]

30. Yep - that delusion is their last bit of security & comfort.

In their minds both parties are the same, so in the end these diehards will go back to their GRAND OLD PARTY.

But I think we will make gains with two groups. 1. The centrists that actually vote both parties & 2. The thousands of fair weather Repubes that will just stay home out of disgust - they can't bring themselves to vote for a Democrat so they won't vote at all.

[Seabiscuit]

22. Sincere, maybe; constructive, no way.

She's still anti-Dem. Her statement that she can't support Dems until they have one unified message is dismissive - the Democratic party has always been diverse. She's not on our side. She's just a bit disappointed that Bush didn't live up to her conservative fantasies.

There is no way anyone who calls themselves "independent" is ever going to contribute to the healing of the wounds inflicted on this country and the world by the PNAC.

America has a 2 party political system. End of story. Independents (Greens, etc.) simply detract from one party and contribute to the other by their fence-sitting.

[AndyA]

32. I really didn't get the impression she was anti-Dem, but I could be wrong.

I'm going to try to keep the lines of communication open. I sent her a note today, telling her I enjoyed speaking with her yesterday. I gave her my contact information and asked her to contact me in the future if she had any local fund raising functions planned.

I figure at least that way, if she does begin to support Dem candidates, I'll be one of the first to know. I can't see her not being involved in something going forward, but at this point it's just speculation. It will be interesting to see what transpires as we move closer to the elections.

Thanks to everyone for the great ideas and thoughts. Seeing someone go through "the change" is intriguing.

[Seabiscuit]

38. Well, good luck.

[havocmom]

35. You know her too?

:shrug:

I know many life-long Republicans who voted DEM in 04. A few even voted Nader. I know because I counted the votes.

[Hissyspit]

18. What "wonderful things" the party had the opportunity to do is she talking

about? It's all crap and it's all been crap. I, for one have not been had. I didn't trust these bastards from before Day One.

[Arugula Latte]

20. I guess some Republicans actually DO care about the public interest.

I really doubted such Republicans existed anymore. Well, now they're ex-Republicans I guess. Lol.

Sad it took them six disastrous years before the scaled fell from their eyes ... but, still.

[FredStembottom]

23. I work in a real "nest" of Republicans

of the modern, mean, delusional kind.

They have been so totally gone - disappeared into the Kool-Aid - that all I have been saying to them for about 3 years now is: You have SO MANY rude shocks coming your way.....I feel sorry for you."

And I do. They were as far gone as any cult member waiting for a comet. Now the "de-programming" is setting in. And I welcome them back to earth :hi:

[habitual]

24. these stories are indeed very inspiring

but i have had my hopes up before and we are still in the woods, not out of them yet.

I just can't wait til this is all over for real, right now it seems this man cares little for laws, and one of the laws says he can't stay after two terms, but he might have to in the interest of the war on terror or something. i love all the signs that people aren't buying their crap anymore, it is satisfying in it's own way, but the real goal is to be done with these monsters and get on with the business of repairing all that they have broken. right now we are still in the breaking things stage and that scares me.

thanx so much for sharing that story, it is great to hear, and like i said it is inspiring.... i want so much to believe that things are on the verge of changing substantially....

[Love Bug]

25. Rats deserting a sinking ship

Glad to see she's finally "seen the light" but instead of walking away from her complicity, what is she going to do about it? Is she going to contact her republican congress critters and ask them to FINALLY do their job re: checks and balances? Why does she get to support such venality for so long and not feel any responsibility to make it better? Yeah, she says she's an independent now because she's embarrassed by Bush but I'll bet if the repukes run a candidate she likes in 08 (like McCain) she'll run right back because the Democrats are too "disorganized." Whatever.

Sorry, but as much as I like it that the Bush enablers are finally seeing him for what he is doesn't mean they should get a pass from the mess they helped create. They broke it, they should fix it, goddammit, and stop complaining about the Democrats. Either support the Dems or work to change the Republican party. Becoming an "Independent" doesn't cut it.

[nolabels]

26. Exactly

:yourock:

[RedEarth]

27. I had a similar conversation with a guy at lunch today...

A life long republican, he apologized for voting for Bush. He said, "you warned me, but I wouldn't listen." The NSA data mining put him completely over the edge. What's great, he was comparing Bush to Hilter....he went on a rant, he wouldn't stop talking....lol.

[progressoid]

28. Boy I wish I could meet some R's like that.

The last one I talked to went on and on about the Kennedy/Ambien affair. Rather than deal with the reality of their fuckup party, they focus on the really earth shattering scandals like that instead.

[azmouse]

29. I wonder how bad it has to get in this country before

the rest of the RWers wake up!

[ComerPerro]

31. I guess they got too caught up in race baiting and scapegoating gays

[Media_Lies_Daily]

34. IMHO, the worst about the NeoCons has yet to be made public.

[EC]

37. This is what gulls me about Republicans...

She says the Democratic Party is still too fractured for her tastes, and if they could ever get together and form a unified plan and present a cohesive message that they all stand behind, she'd likely become a Democrat at this point.



HOW CAN A PARTY THAT REALLY BELIEVES IN PERSONAL FREEDOM do that? When a party is completely uniform, it's fascism, isn't it?



Anyway, yesterday my Republican boss said, he gives up, he's voting for Hillery and everything will be better...and he wasn't being sarcastic (he's Republican, he doesn't know how to be sarcastic).