Republican Party has strayed from its roots
It is with a remarkable madness that the Republican Party, particularly its members in the Senate, continue to provide cover for the most incompetent and power-hungry administration this nation has ever seen.
Karl Rove may have envisioned a 100-year conservative Republican reign for America, but all of the lies and failures of government, the blatant disregard of international law and the systematic dismemberment of the Constitution are not passing unnoticed by the public eye.
It is painful to watch a once respectable political party that championed personal responsibility, accountability and the rule of law sink so low in its inordinate and emotionally crippled thirst for power.
Robert Porath, Boulder
robert they are following the lead of the dems and their god named clinton.
besides this is only in your extreme far left socialist liberal view. so far I havent heard any GOP person get in court and ask to have the word 'IS' defined for them, have you?
and ' thirst for power' you really need to get a life and stop repeating every thing you hear from the duocrat party leaders or moveon.org.
The roots of today's GOP, is steeped in pimping and exploiting our military units (3600+ dead targets and sitting ducks), for the financial gain of the oil companies. Bringing up the rear in Iraq-NAM, are our Judeo-Christian Taliban (Haggard, Dobson, Falwell, Romney, Perkins, Grahams, Allard, Tancredo, Musgrave, etc.), who want Arabs "vaporized and exterminated". They will go to any extreme to achieve their goals. I am simply stunned, "W" has used chemical weapons (white phosphrous munitions), just like Saddam did, on unsuspecting and innocent Iraqis, and we are letting "W" get away with these "war crimes", with his excuse of MY BAD!
Another reckless war crime is our Rx drugged (mind-altering PTSD suppressors)troops who are murdering Iraqis. One man's insurgent, is another man's patriot. "W", Lott, and lard-a$$es Cheney and Hastert, should be dragged into an international court of law, and prosecuted for their WMD lies, and in the style of Hitler, exterminating Arabs too.
Posted by 40acresandmymuleandNAMvetbennies on July 30, 2007 06:22 AMTo reply to the comments posted to the original letter: The Republican Party, as a political party, sold out over a quarter century ago, when they allowed themselves to be "taken over" by the theocrats without hearts. The party was so "hungry" for power that they sold out what was left of their integrity, that which the monied interests did not yet own. That is why they are in such disarray and are being rejected by those who bother to think for themselves. Their "base", as admitted to by Bush himself, is the monied interests and their representatives. They are "self-destructing" and some are, still consumed with their personal vitriol against Clinton, still unable to see it. Maybe they should just grow up.
Posted by Robert I. Laitres on July 30, 2007 06:41 AM5:34-
Let me get this straight. The GOP is now following the former president that they once spent 8 years bashing and trying to remove from office? That doesn't make sense. Its amazing how someone criticizing the current state of the GOP is automatically labeled a socialist. I think that type of mindset pretty much proves the writer's point.
I have been a Republican for many, many years and from what I see from the current slate of Republican presidential candidates, I choose "none of the above". The Republican Party (Are you listening Dick Wadhams) has forgotten us moderates (that goes for the Democratic Party and their moderates). We want solutions to problems not a party war where a party will not support a good idea because "it came from the other side". The other person I see right now who may be able to reach out to both sides and get something done is Barack Obama.
Posted by cheryl on July 30, 2007 07:21 AMBOTH parties have strayed from their roots.. Who think the Dems are still for the little guy? It's hard to claim a party these days when they are all staffed by politicos who don't give a crap about the people who got them into office.
Claiming party affiliation=sheep...baaaaa
Posted by on July 30, 2007 07:52 AMWhat has not been mentioned is the Republican party has always stood behind low government spending yet two of the biggest spenders in American history has been Ronald Reagan & George W Bush.
Posted by larry on July 30, 2007 09:30 AMBO,
They have to blame somebody. And few, if any, of them are willing to blame their own horrible examples. How can they? After all, they have the disciples and followers of the worst of them in office today.
The unindicted CRIMINAL co-conspirator, Nixon, and his gang of convicted felons - including the one who was, at the time, Attorney General of the United States - are still the role models for Republicans who want to hold office. And that's not likely to change in the lifetimes of even our children's grand-children.
Posted by Old Grouch on July 30, 2007 09:34 AMWhat I didn't mention is the dems have always been labeled as big spenders and one of the lowest spenders in history that left us with the largest surplus in history was Clinton.
Posted by larry on July 30, 2007 09:35 AMDarn Republicans....keeping us safe from terrorists....cutting our taxes....protecting the unborn....rebuilding our military that was dessiminated by Clinton....great economy with historically low unemployment...modernizing our intelligence system while preserving individual freedoms...keeping liberals in check (you think GOP spending is bad, check out the Dems proposed budgets over the last 6 years!). God help us if a left-winger is elected to the White House....
Posted by buff driver on July 30, 2007 10:04 AMIt's true, the economy is great. I just got a full time job with no benefits for 8.00 an hour. Now I can contribute to the GOP!
Posted by Rick on July 30, 2007 10:12 AMCriticize the G.O.P. and you are automatically labeled a "socialist". If that is the best defense the Republicans can come up with, and it seems to be the only defense, it is no wonder the party is in the express lane towards obscurity.
Six years ago the Republican Party was sitting on top of the world. They controlled the White House, Congress, and they had sky high approval ratings.
It is a testament to Republican incompetence, greed, arrogance and stupidity as to how far they have fallen in such a short period of time. But I like to look at the bright side, the decline of the Republican Party is great for America.
Buff Driver says, "[Republicans are] modernizing our intelligence system while preserving individual freedoms."
Come again?! Buff-- have you not been following any of the stories about Alberto Gonzales, the Surgeon General, illegal wiretapping, setting up an illegal wiretap network seven months BEFORE 9/11, voter caging in Florida and Ohio, renditions, secret prisons, the suspension of habeus corpus, etc.?
Seriously-- you Bush supporters have the worst head-in-the-sand syndrome I've ever seen. George W. Bush has no interest in protecting our individual freedoms.
Posted by Dan on July 30, 2007 11:29 AMNeither party has the best interests of the country as their primary concern. They only want to be the one "in power". They both cater to the well-heeled special interest groups and corporate money machines.
The best thing that has happened so far in Congress is the current balance of power between the two parties. Neither can run roughshod over the other. The next best thing would be removing (via elections) a lot of the ancient incumbents and under-performing run of the mill seat holders next election. It doesn't matter which party has the majority so long as the current tight ratio is maintained.
By removing a lot of the old guard from both parties it would send the message to the surviving and new members that the electorate expects them to work together for the countries benefit. Failure to do so based on partisanship or kowtowing to special interests, as is currently the case, will result in another wholesale change at the next election.
Take away the congressional assumption of "elected for life" based on a mythical sense of entitlement would force these clowns to work together in a manner beneficial to the country, not themselves.
Posted by Trinity on July 30, 2007 11:43 AMFasten your seat belts. We are in for a bumpy ride ensconced within the confine of America's Constitution. It is just "a goddamn piece of paper," says W. Bush, so its protection may not shield; for example:
Bush can now do what Congress cannot ~~ use federal tax dollars to promote religion reducing Founder Madison's not "three pence" in support of religion to trash.
Pilgrims came to the colonies to escape the tyranny of being taxed and tithed to support a state-established religion in which they disbelieved. W. Bush is now taxing those to give to a religion he believes. Neuter the imperial presidency.
Deicide Corner: Creationist Museum in Ky. Exhibit A: "And, behold, on the Sixth Day, the Lord God created dinosaurs and people." This way to the Flat Earth display >>>
If you are a republican you are a moron,
and if you are a democrat you are a moron of equal level as the repuplican.
no wonder americans are retards of the highest order!
Posted by Fresh on July 30, 2007 01:06 PMNo, Fresh support for any Democrat is support for Socialism. And to the other writers who say we label Democrats as Socialist, your right ! Your own candidate Hillary Clinton proudly announces her Socialism, yet the run of the mill Democrat pays no heed. One can only assume that the vast majoritiy of Democrats are Socialist, or
complete naive.
Another writer, apparently whos I Q equals his
streets speed limit, says Bush has taken away all of our rights. Really ! I sure havent been bothered by bunch of jackbooted Feds,,yet.
My point is, any political affiliation is riddiculous and utterly stupid.
there is NO reason to have any political parties at all. all it does is seperate us all .
and we are falling for it
Posted by Fresh on July 30, 2007 01:56 PMFresh, we do not live in a Democracy.
America is a Republic,, that is,, we choose as to whom we wish to represent us.
A failure you may reply. To some extent, I would agree. The current failed Democrat congress is proof to that. Whenever any elected official ignores the will of the people, as such the case with the Democrats, its time for a change. Your voting privilages insures this.
Buff driver and DB Coffman ably exemplify the Republiscum love for storing their craniums up their rectums.
Posted by on July 30, 2007 04:25 PMDB - Come on, of course we've had our rights trampled. We can't even make an overseas call to our terrorist friends anymore without fear of wire taps.
It's appalling I tell you... Utterly disgraceful!
Posted by KW on July 30, 2007 04:38 PMRepublicans are Facists.
Posted by conservative media on July 30, 2007 04:58 PMHouse..gone, Senate...gone, Presidency...going, governorships...going to the Dems - the long abysmal Republican slide is well underway - greased by lies, deceit, corruption, dishonesty, graft, war profiteering & bribery.
It's just delicious - now if we can just get a little impeachment action going!
Posted by drew on July 30, 2007 05:07 PMDB says, "Whenever any elected official ignores the will of the people, as such the case with the Democrats, its time for a change."
And the Bush White House is NOT ignoring the will of the people??I'm seriously amazed by the partisan blinders I see on this forum.
DB, the Democrats in Congress are not popular with Americans because they have done little to halt a defiant and reckless president (whose approval rating, mind you, hovers barely above Congress' mudpit ratings). The American people are sick and tired of being ignored by BOTH worthless parties.
Posted by Dan on July 30, 2007 05:12 PMDan: AMEN!!
Posted by carl on July 30, 2007 06:01 PMFollowing are examples of freedoms which President Bush and his fellow Republicans in Congress have already expunged. Although these "restrictions" were voted into being under the guise of fighting terrorism, any law enforcement agency can elect to declare ANY situation terror related. If it is later determined (admitted) that terrorism was not a factor, the use of the election is nonetheless upheld as lawful.
FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION: Government may monitor religious and political institutions without suspecting criminal activity to assist terror investigations.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION: Government has closed once-public immigration hearings, has secretly detained hundreds of people without charges, and has encouraged bureaucrats to resist public records questions.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Government may prosecute librarians or keepers of any other records if they tell anyone that the government subpoenaed information related to a terror investigation.
RIGHT TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION: Government may monitor federal prison jail house conversations between attorneys and clients, and deny lawyers to Americans accused of crimes.
FREEDOM FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCHES: Government may search and seize Americans' papers and effects without probable cause to assist terror investigation.
RIGHT TO A SPEEDY AND PUBLIC TRIAL: Government may jail Americans indefinitely without a trial.
RIGHT TO LIBERTY: Americans may be jailed without being charged or being able to confront witnesses against them.
These rights have already been lost. Whether individual Americans have been personally subjected to the resultant tyranny or not doesn't change the fact that they have already lost these freedoms. This fact, alone, should be enough for any studious lover-of-liberty to be more than mildly concerned.
That good citizens are compliant and unconcerned regarding G.W. Bush's propensity to trample constitutional freedoms bespeaks a great ignorance or a great apathy, or both.
And, if that's not enough to raise concern, under the "Patriot Act" the president has the right to declare Marshall Law suspending the balance of the Bill of Rights, AND ELECTIONS, and Congress is not allowed to review it for six months. All it takes are a couple of low level "terrorist suspected" acts to invoke this clause. (Interesting that as we move closer toward elections we are being warned of upcoming attacks over the next several months.)
Posted by Trinity on July 30, 2007 06:25 PMAmerica was (was) a Republic until the 17th Amendment that changed the way Americans became Senators.
Americans were appointed to the Senate; now they are elected. America has evolved into a Democracy from a Republic by virtue of Constitutional Amendment.
Posted by jvd on July 31, 2007 09:44 AMThere have been serious studies done which claim proof that the 17th Amendment was never officially ratified. The president and congress jumped too soon in declaring it ratified only to have three states expected to ratify, not ratify.
Apparently, the legal arguments for a case are being pulled together now to pursue this. Be interesting to see if this boat will float!
Posted by carl on July 31, 2007 10:06 AMWe remain a Republic today, While the office of Senator became open to election by the public, the format of Government was not changed.
Except for such as New England Town Meetings - which still exist in some areas - in which all Civil business is both discussed in open meeting, and voted upon by all eligible electors, ours is that form of Democracy, a Republic, in which the functions of Government are in the hands of elected Representatives, who have fixed terms of office.
Posted by Old Grouch on July 31, 2007 03:12 PMThe Inner Party believed they were free, the Outer Party knew better but wisely declared their freedom, while the Proles had no say whatsoever.
DB Coffman, your Hillary hate shows your talking from what you've heard on radio and FAUX NEWS.
Hillary is more centrist slightly left. The political spectrum spewed by hate radio places anyone left of Barry Goldwater in the extreme left borderline Kommie territory, AKA socialist.
Rest assured Hillary is just as much a closet fascist as any other candidate, save Ron Paul and Denny Kucinich, the two whacko nutjob candidates according to our Ministry of Propaganda, AKA MainStreamMedia.
You are absolutely correct describing our nation a republic. Our constitution is in danger, always. The price of liberty is not soldier's blood, rather eternal vigilance. The oath of office taken by all politicians includes defending the constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic.
The greatest current threat is from within, Bush has maneuvered himself into dictatorial powers, one declaration of emergency from martial law.
Fearmongering over Islamist jihad distracts the loyal Bushite, America is home of the brave, or at least used to be.
Even if he were to relinquish power at the inauguration, how comfortable are you with the words; President Hillary?