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Edited on Wed Jan-02-08 04:14 AM by Mythsaje
I've said something like this once or twice before, but I think it could stand to be reiterated.
Republicans are not tame. They're barely housebroken. Every notable Repug, from the President to Congress to those wacky fellows at FOX News, are like a feral dog just waiting for the scent of blood in the air.
Right now they seem subdued, but that's because we haven't yet chosen a target for them. They're playing at choosing one out of half a dozen barking mad motherfuckers for THEIR nomination for POTUS, but, bear in mind, they've got one eye on our side of the fence just waiting to see what kind of meat we're going to be throwing their direction.
As soon as the nomination is announced, the savage beasts are going to be crawling out of the woodwork, claws and fangs ready to tear into his or her tender flesh. What the Repugs will bring to the fray will make the mudslinging of the Democratic primary look like the games of preschoolers.
We already know they'll go after Hillary. They HATE Hillary. But she's gone through it before and I truly think she can ride out the storm. Not to mention that there's some evidence that she's made alliances with certain parties that will do their best to blunt the attacks. She's shown that she's willing to drag a metaphorical pine bough over the Republican tracks to help hide the evidence of their crimes.
There's no point in denying it. She's said as much. She's more interested in looking forward than looking back. Which is precisely what quite a few of us were worried about. As Bill Clinton did when he took office with regards to the crimes of Reagan and Poppy Bush, she will do with the crimes of Bush Jr. and Company.
So we'll end up with a placeholder President. Someone who might tackle some of the social issues of the day and possibly help balance out the Supreme Court again. But not someone who will do anything to change the current dynamic in Washington. If she's not owned by corporate America, they've certainly acquired a short-term lease.
But, honestly, I didn't start out planning to talk about Clinton. No, I meant to tackle my issues with Obama in this post.
His strength has always been in forging alliances, and finding common ground. This isn't a bad thing, ordinarily. But what he's been through so far has in no way prepared him for what will come if he gets the nomination. Maybe he'll be able to fight them off, but the one thing we know is that they CANNOT be ignored. Kerry tried that and they ate him alive.
Obama has more charisma than Kerry, which might be to his advantage when the chips are down. But my biggest fear is that he'll underestimate the rancor that will be directed in his direction, their willingness to do or say anything to destroy a Democratic rival. And in the race for President, all his "friendships" and alliances with the folks on the "right" will be of little or no value whatsoever. His Republican friends will not step up to defend him against the vicious tongues of Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Hannity, Coulter, or any of their ilk.
Being a Republican means you never have to say you're sorry. That's for Democrats.
So will he be shocked? Disappointed? Will he know how to fight back effectively? What he's gone up against so far isn't even a preview. He will be attacked 24/7 on FOX, hit with every smear imaginable. And his "friends" will stand by silently while it happens.
Like Hillary, he may be able to weather the storm. But he won't be the same man who entered the race. He may come to the realization that the "unity" he seeks isn't something the Republicans would ever want. They want to eliminate us entirely or, barring that, want to dominate us completely. Their stated goal is a "permanent Republican majority."
How do you compromise with such people without sacrificing your own ideals?
I don't think you can.
And what if he wins? Will he choose to look forward like Hillary, leaving the Republicans behind him dragging their skeletons back into the closet and throwing on a new paint job to ready themselves for their next attempt to give that permanent majority another shot?
I certainly hope not.
Fact is, we don't need a nominee who's making deals with the current Administration. We don't need a nominee who doesn't seem to know what he's up against. We don't need a nominee already set to help sweep the Republican crimes under the rug where they can grow and fester until they become an even bigger monster the next time around.
Me, I'm rooting for someone I think has some serious fight in him. Because that's what we need. A fighter. Not an appeaser. Not a deal-maker.
But, hey, we get what we get, right? We'll just have to make the best of it.
edited for punctuation
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