Republican Roundup

You know, I feel rather guilty that I’m not filling up my blog with diatribes about the right wing, as I used to do. It might be because moving to California helped me shake the political world of DC; but it is more likely that I am just burned out from seven years of insanity, that feeling that I’m living in bizarro world.

Call it what it is
The right wing is successful because they reframe every question, usually coming up with buzz words and phrases that sell well and divert attention from reality. We’ve seen this in action constantly since the Gingrich era, and it just exploded once Karl Rove occupied the White House.
Every time I hear one of these dubious phrases, I want to scream. Especially since the media has begun to parrot them, reading right off Republican press releases. From “death tax” to “PATRIOT Act” to the pejorative use of “Democrat”, the media just picks up these manufactured marketing phrases and sprinkles them through their “journalism.”
Just this week, I was startled and not a little pissed to hear NPR of all places parroting a patently ridiculous new right wing euphemism: “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques.”
Because, of course, they can’t defend “torture.”

Tap this, pal
I couldn’t believe my ears: On “News Hour” last night, the topic was the stalled legislation allowing wiretapping. When the right winger opened his mouth, he sounded like he was against illegal wiretapping, talking about the chilling effect on corporations cooperating with the government in spying, etc… but he was actually defending them. His argument, believe it or not, was that lawsuits against communications companies which voluntarily turned over wiretaps to the government without warrants could actually make them — get this — not want to do it.
I looked at the screen askance, like a confused dog. Huh? Here was a guy who was defending the indefensible by using the same arguments that would be used to argue against it.
Again, it all seems like it can’t be real. America uses torture. America illegally spies on its citizens. America is in grave danger if we don’t suspend our rights, if you’re not with us you’re against us, you are going to be a target of terrorism any moment now and if we can’t monitor your communications America will crumble under the might of terrorists any moment now.
Gah.

When you read a story like this, you automatically think, “He must be a Republican.”
The best part of this blurb is the quote at the end. Trust me.

GOP’s McKee Resigns After Home Is Searched

By Philip Rucker
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, February 16, 2008; Page B05

Robert A. McKee, a long-serving Republican delegate from Western Maryland, announced his resignation yesterday after authorities, who say they are conducting a child pornography investigation, seized two computers, videotapes and printed materials from his Hagerstown home.

First elected to the House of Delegates in 1994, McKee was chairman of the Western Maryland delegation and sponsored legislation to protect minors from sexual predators. McKee, 58, also resigned yesterday from his post as executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washington County, a child mentorship program where he has worked for 29 years.

“For me, this is deeply embarrassing,” McKee said in a statement. “It reflects poorly on my service to the community.”

Welcome to 2004
I assume I don’t need to point out the sudden and politically expedient revival of 9/11. After all, there’s an election this year, so this week’s rhetoric about how insecure we are, how we should expect a terrorist attack any moment, how we must surrender our rights to ensure our safety… well, it’s to be expected.
Love this sentence from a Washington Post story:

Bush left the country for Africa on Friday after declaring that “our country is more in danger of an attack.”

Fraidy cat.
Still, I can’t help wonder how many Americans still believe all of this and how it will play out in November. The Republicans realize that they can’t run on the economy, on health care, on excellent foreign policy, on education, on fighting child pornography (obviously); so they must turn to the only thing that gets them elected: fear. Fear of terrorists lurking around every corner; fear of gay people who might want to get married; fear of cheap gas.
Will it work? I hope not.

His own man
John McCain? Really? Isn’t he the guy who ran against George Bush only to be flattened into the ground by the Bush campaign machine with personal smears and horrific lies?
Who, despite everything thinks that we should keep fighting in Iraq for a hundred years? Who, despite this reprehensible treatment by the Bush cabal still allowed this obsequious photo to be taken?

You really want to vote for this guy?

A little prediction
How much you want to bet that sometime this week, President Bush will refer to the continent of Africa as a country?