View Full Version : Interesting how things change
Some years back the republicans felt that a president should be impeached and removed from office for lying. Now, that same party has punished one of their elected representatives in Congress for telling the truth. I wonder what the future is of a political party that punishes honesty?
Electoral success, if history is any guide.
I was sad to see Cheney go. She’s in some ways one of the last links to the Reagan era. Back when “conservative” and “Republican” were more or less interchangeable terms.
Not that I approve of either party’s malarkey, but I think Stefanik was an especially bad choice to replace her with.
Electoral success, if history is any guide.
I suppose anything's possible, but it baffles me that the republican party has decided to hitch their wagons to the loser that lost them the house, the presidency and the senate in the span of 25 months. Sticking with a loser like that is certainly not standard political behavior but maybe they're playing some sort of 8 dimensional chess that I'm not understanding. But giving away their last shreds of dignity and honor to make the Big Lie a key part of their platform seems an awfully high price to pay.
it is ironic and illogical to me that Cheney, a true conservative who voted with Trump about 93% of the time, was voted out for telling the truth, only to be replaced by a not-very-conservative Republican, Stefanik, who only voted with Trump about 73% of the time. The phrase "cutting off your nose to spite your face" comes to mind.
Some years back the republicans felt that a president should be impeached and removed from office for lying. Now, that same party has punished one of their elected representatives in Congress for telling the truth. I wonder what the future is of a political party that punishes honesty?
I feel that their failure to oust Chester the Molester but kick someone out for disagreeing with them says an awful lot.
it is ironic and illogical to me that Cheney, a true conservative who voted with Trump about 93% of the time, was voted out for telling the truth, only to be replaced by a not-very-conservative Republican, Stefanik, who only voted with Trump about 73% of the time. The phrase "cutting off your nose to spite your face" comes to mind.
Wow, what an interesting turn of events, and yes, very ironic.
They know that a large portion of their base support Trump so they will do/say anything to regain their power. Every time I see Trump's smirking face, I think of the man behind the curtain in The Wizard of Oz.
It’s a conundrum for me. I can’t say I have much love for the Trump cult, but I’d also hate to see the left given a clear field for all the terrible changes they want to make to the country. Especially in light of the fact that their majorities are so thin there’s a good chance they could collapse at the next stiff breeze.
It’s a hard choice for me between hoping for a purge within the GOP and wanting a more unified opposition to the people who want to gain the centralized power to coerce a “fundamental transformation”.
catherine
5-17-21, 10:54am
It’s a conundrum for me. I can’t say I have much love for the Trump cult, but I’d also hate to see the left given a clear field for all the terrible changes they want to make to the country. Especially in light of the fact that their majorities are so thin there’s a good chance they could collapse at the next stiff breeze.
It’s a hard choice for me between hoping for a purge within the GOP and wanting a more unified opposition to the people who want to gain the centralized power to coerce a “fundamental transformation”.
Maybe it's worth the growing pains to transform. I'm not Republican, but I respect many of the old mainline Republicans. Maybe the party is a "push-down" at this point, and needs to carve out the sensible ones and let the others, like the old Tea Party (who?) fend for themselves.
I am not optimistic, though, about the future of being able to work together, as social media has made caricatures of us all. I read an interesting piece in the NYT today about how almost 600 former Jeopardy winners attacked one of the recent winners because of a hand sign that they misinterpreted to be a white supremacist code signal.
The extremism on both sides fueled by social media is as ridiculous as it is alarming.
Maybe it's worth the growing pains to transform. I'm not Republican, but I respect many of the old mainline Republicans. Maybe the party is a "push-down" at this point, and needs to carve out the sensible ones and let the others, like the old Tea Party (who?) fend for themselves.
I am not optimistic, though, about the future of being able to work together, as social media has made caricatures of us all. I read an interesting piece in the NYT today about how almost 600 former Jeopardy winners attacked one of the recent winners because of a hand sign that they misinterpreted to be a white supremacist code signal.
The extremism on both sides fueled by social media is as ridiculous as it is alarming.
I think that’s absolutely true. The internet allows people to let their nastier impulses out to play without exerting any real effort or take any real risk. And social media also facilitates the sort of snitch culture required to provide whatever real or imaginary transgressions are needed to fuel the outrage industry.
It’s easy to assemble a lynch mob if all they need to do is tap a phone.
It’s a conundrum for me. I can’t say I have much love for the Trump cult, but I’d also hate to see the left given a clear field for all the terrible changes they want to make to the country.
I'd hate to see the US turned into a shithole country like Norway, with all that stupid healthcare and happiness stuff.
I'd hate to see the US turned into a shithole country like Norway, with all that stupid healthcare and happiness stuff.I'm afraid our current progressive leadership wouldn't be satisfied with that, I think the goal is Venezuela or bust!
I'd hate to see the US turned into a shithole country like Norway, with all that stupid healthcare and happiness stuff.
I don’t think the legislation they’re talking about is aimed at creating the magical kingdom of Norway in these United States. I’m not aware that they were intending to institute a VAT or flatten individual tax rates.
My quarrel is with some of the stuff crammed into the PRO Act or the “For the People” Act. Funding “action civics” to create our own little Red Guard. Brushing back the Constitution to finally reverse Citizens United. Forcing organizations to cough up their donors lists (like a previous generation of Democrats tried doing back in the fifties to intimidate the NAACP). The de facto federalization of US elections. Eliminating right to work laws. And if that works out, they can move on to creating a new green economy designed by lawyers and political consultants.
And if that works out, they can move on to creating a new green economy designed by lawyers and political consultants.
Every 10 years my County reviews its charter. An elected group of citizens spend a year or so discussing/debating, then propose changes that the voters must approve.
They are just finishing up the work for this revision, and it'll come before the voters later in the year likely. The big-ticket change...wait for it...
Well, our County has a 3-person County Council, that is the legislative and executive body that runs the County. The County is "committed to being a leader in the climate change issue", but, apparently the current Council has been too hampered by law, procedure, and requirements for debate and public input to make as much progress on the issue as our more aggressive climate-change folks would like. (Even though, as a remote rural community, with very little industry, our climate impact is, well, not especially huge...)
They hijacked the current charter review process, and the Big Ticket Item they wish to roll out is: a single elected Climate Change Commissioner, who will report to nobody, and will also have the power to create legislation, and...override or change legislation passed by the County Council. They seem to be angling to give their new Climate Change Commissioner overall budget authority for the County too.
Fun times.
There seems to be a not uncommon sentiment out there that if something is important enough it should be put in the hands of a dictator.
There seems to be a not uncommon sentiment out there that if something is important enough it should be put in the hands of a dictator.
Indeed. A few months ago one of our major political parties felt that the presidency was one of those important things.
Indeed. A few months ago one of our major political parties felt that the presidency was one of those important things.
We certainly seem to be in a “chose your poison” era where civil liberties are concerned. Maybe the best we can do is opt for choices that do the least long term damage
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