Posted on 11/20/2005 12:19:50 PM PST by summer
Illustration by Project Projects
...Democrats constantly lament their financial disadvantage - and in an era in which money speaks louder than ever (and is more unequally distributed), their worries are understandable. But money is just one Republican weapon among many. Over the last decade, Republicans have rewritten the rules of Washington. From control of the agenda to the design of policies to the use of legislative procedure, they have used their ideological unity and the growing powers of the majority to simultaneously pursue conservative aims and avoid electoral fallout. You might call these measures "backlash insurance," because they protect Republicans against political outcry for doing things that aren't all that popular with a majority of Americans.
Of course, politicians have always tried to maximize credit and avoid blame. But the modern G.O.P. has centralized political control, allowing it to dominate the national agenda and dictate legislation in ways that would have been unthinkable even a decade ago. ... One lobbyist reportedly complained: "I always thought my job is to look out for my clients. Suddenly, I'm working for the Republican Party."
The result is a coordinated political apparatus skilled at designing and presenting even unpopular policies so that they don't set off alarm bells. ...
The Republicans have also proved adept at pursuing an aggressive agenda while protecting vulnerable seats against retaliation from the median voter. Consider a G.O.P. tactic that has come to be called "catch and release." After the leadership has assured itself that a controversial bill will pass, moderate Republicans are released to cast highly publicized votes of "conscience." ...
The beauty of the Republican network is that it is stronger than the sum of its parts. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
However, I did find it fascinating to read an article without ANY talk of the "framing" problems of the Dem Party!
They *framed* it as a Democracy, not a Republic of states which are also republics...
Libs lie at the premise. Never forget! ;^)
The RAT party is on the endangered species list. Say goodnight, put one or two in a zoo for the sake of old memories. The rat has jumped the shark. Buh-buy.
--this "G.O.P." tactic was old when the Demotraitors practised it all the time on the assorted gun-control and assault weapon legislation--
Southack, your terrific Republican Accomplishments list would speak truth to a lying power about GOP 'bad times' ...
Isn't it laughable? I know a couple of drooling, raving libs in Austin who donated, between them, $40K (forty kay!) just to the Media fund.
Now, I donated a lousy $200 to the Swiftboats. I love this story--I get to laugh every time I tell it...Look who got their money's worth!
'Cause the mega-donations of liberals go where we would expect them to go. They buy entertainment for concubines, private jet rides, and the cash just gets snorted up some Ivy League gangster's nose!
Mainly because the article is just a rather lame, whiny attack on the Republicans. The "middle" this guy represents is really the Democrat mainstream, which appears to be increasingly unwilling to associate itself with the name "Democrat", much less the "L" word.
Ahhh elementary my dear Fish Hawk. Its because the party sold their testicles for power
Hey! I read lips (profile page) LOL
A brief summary follows:
Waaaaahhhhh, mommy! They're doing what we used to do!
Wahhhhhhhhh!
In children's literature, popularized for adults by Eddie Murphy, the little dog has to bark, bark, bark...but the really BIG dog doesn't have to say anything at all...he just does what he wants.
That Iraq vote was the big dog doing what he wanted. The rest is all yipping by Democratic Party little dogs.
And this is what that power has achieved:
Presidency of George W. Bush -- the first 48 months
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President Bush signing a federal ban on Partial Birth Abortion
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U.S. Forces In Baghdad
Broke the Chinese Yuan to Dollar currency peg
CAFTA - President Bush signing CAFTA
Bolton to the UN
Has CONSTRUCTION in process on the second group of eight ABM silos in Alaska and California so that America has a land-based defense (in addition to our sea-based SM-3 and AEGIS systems) of 18 ABM's against North Korean nukes (note: China itself currently only has 24 -out of several hundred- nuclear ICBM's capable of reaching the U.S.)
Energy Bill (new tax cuts...after 5 years of opposition)
Immunity For Gun Manufacturers From Crime-Related Lawsuits
5% unemployment
3.4% annual (after inflation, 5.5% actual) reported GDP Growth
Syrian Troops forced to withdraw from Lebanon
Russians Troops Peacefully Withdraw From Georgia
Brought North Korea to the Negotiating Table and won their agreement to dismantle their Nuclear Weapons Program
Chief Justice John Roberts
Dramatically improved U.S.-India relations via a breakthrough nuclear agreement
Signed Bankruptcy Reform Into Law
Waived Make-Work Enviro Studies For New Oil Drilling
Full Immunity From Frivolous Lawsuits For Our Domestic Gun Industry
Click Here
Fed Chairman Bernanke
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1518385/posts
Iraqi's Thank America (Wow, this is moving!)
The Times is always eager to make out the Republicans as tricky inventors of dishonest political ploys. What they call "catch and release" is as old as parliamentary politics and has been standard in American politics since the founding.
It has always been accepted policies to let RINOs vote so as to please their constituents, unless their votes are absolutely needed. Then the leadership quietly tells the required number or RINOs to get on board. Since they don't usually need all of them, they allow them to take turns, according to their constituent needs.
The only thing that's new, contrary to the Gray Lady, is that folks like Lincoln Chaffee and, increasingly, other RINOs are no longer playing the accepted game. Several times in recent years they have shot down important Republican bills or helped the Democrats block them.
Are the Republicans really that brilliant? News to me.
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