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Will A Good Purge Save the Dems?
Slate ^ | December 7, 2004 | Mickey Kaus

Posted on 12/07/2004 4:14:40 PM PST by RWR8189

For Peter Beinart, it's 1950.

Beinart-Skipper: TNR's Peter Beinart argues that, just as liberals needed to purge non-anti-Communists from their ranks in the late 1940s, Democrats need to purge today's "heirs of Henry Wallace"--specifically, Michael Moore and MoveOn--who do "not believe there is a terrorist threat." It's a powerful analogy, and running Moore out of the party might well give any Democratic candidate an essential anti-Souljah credibility. But!

1) Beinart says

The left's post-September 11 enthusiasm for an aggressive campaign against Al Qaeda--epitomized by students at liberal campuses signing up for jobs with the CIA--was overwhelmed by horror at the bungled Iraq war.

There are two rhetorical tricks at work here. First is the conceit, among Iraq war supporters, that what's gone wrong in Iraq must be the product of administration "bungling." There has been bungling, of course. But it's not at all clear that a lot of the problems we've encountered could have been avoided by the best planning and diplomacy in the world. Maybe there were big problems inherent in the whole project. This is the possibility--that the decision to go to war itself was wrong--that vehement talk of bungling conveniently excludes. Was what we've faced in Iraq really what even the editors of the New Republic thought we'd face?

2) The second trick is the cunning exclusion of a sensible middle position--the anti-terrorist, anti-Iraq War position. Beinart supports

(Excerpt) Read more at politics.slate.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: beinart; democrats; dems; dissaray; dnc; kaus; kerrydefeat; purge
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To: RWR8189

TURBO LAX !!!!

6 Beers, 6 Hard Boiled Eggs, 6 Chili Dogs w/kraut ==

Mark of the Beast!!


21 posted on 12/07/2004 5:05:29 PM PST by 26lemoncharlie (Defending America)
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To: RWR8189

It is difficult for me to understand all of the articles and posts designed to point the democrats to a comeback trail. Screw them. Let them writh in their inadequacy.


22 posted on 12/07/2004 5:12:04 PM PST by billhilly (If you're lurking here from DU (Democrats unglued), I trust this post will make you sick)
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To: FormerACLUmember

They've also quite effectively purged any significant pro-life voices from the Democratic party.


23 posted on 12/07/2004 5:12:53 PM PST by Unam Sanctam
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To: crazyhorse691
"There ain't enough of you out there to make me give the M&Mboy a fleets. Disgusting."
Well, maybe a raffle could be held to accumulate the necessary funds, with the grand prize consisting of actually administering that enema? Say, half a gallon of turpentine - and then the onlookers would be treated to a rare sight of him scratching himself in two.
24 posted on 12/07/2004 5:27:51 PM PST by GSlob
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To: RWR8189

I can't wait to read Katrine vanden Heuvel's reply to Beinart's article...


25 posted on 12/07/2004 5:30:47 PM PST by ken5050
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To: FormerACLUmember

MoveOn.org and Michael Moore aren't going anywhere. The party leadership understands quite well that their base consists of brainless human wreckage.


26 posted on 12/07/2004 5:38:14 PM PST by Reactionary
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To: RWR8189
"purge non-anti-Communists from their ranks in the late 1940s, Democrats need to purge today's "heirs of Henry Wallace"--"

It is more likely that they'll end up purging the few remaining heirs of George Wallace, Sam Nunn and Zell Miller.

27 posted on 12/07/2004 5:39:16 PM PST by Meldrim
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To: RWR8189

Only if everyone to the left of Joseph Lieberman is sent to a Gulag!


28 posted on 12/07/2004 5:42:21 PM PST by reg45
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To: RWR8189

"What Would Uncle Joe Do?"


29 posted on 12/07/2004 5:51:00 PM PST by sheik yerbouty
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To: OpusatFR

i think a full box enema of alumn after the POS ate his fill of the new 1495 calorie monster burger.
i know, it would take soros to fund the dinner but the image adds new meaning to "the squirts".


30 posted on 12/07/2004 5:54:49 PM PST by 537cant be wrong (no kittie! thats my pot pie!)
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To: KoRn

Go over to the DU and check this thread out: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2798390. The left is already fighting amongst themselves over whether Howard Dean is a good thing for the Democrats. Hilarious! It will only get better as 2006 gets closer. The extremists already control the Democratic base, and they will lead the liberals off another cliff in 2006.


31 posted on 12/07/2004 6:20:36 PM PST by VikeFan
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To: VikeFan

Looks like another episode of the DUmmie Funnies LOL.


32 posted on 12/07/2004 7:30:25 PM PST by KoRn
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To: RWR8189

Hillary needs the current crop of dem leadership, to make her look like a moderate to voters. She is right of Ol'Feckless Kerry, but that still places her left of Mars.


33 posted on 12/07/2004 7:34:28 PM PST by MHGinTN (If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote life support for others.)
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To: RWR8189

Sure, the Democrats will purge their rank and file of people with moderate, pro-market leanings...and then die.


34 posted on 12/07/2004 10:22:47 PM PST by dr_who_2
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To: RWR8189
Will A Good Purge Save the Dems?

Only if the purge relates to a breach of the oath of office for all three branches of government, AND BOTH major party office holders are 'purged'. That should rid us of the legislative, judicial and administrative branches.

President Jefferson said we should clean house every twenty years. We're way overdue.

35 posted on 12/08/2004 1:35:47 AM PST by Robert Drobot (God, family, country. All else is meaningless.)
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