GOP Rep Thomas Davis III: Bush "Has Killed The Republican Brand"

Washington Post :

While all eyes were on the presidential campaign and the demise of New York Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer (D) last week, Republicans on Capitol Hill were suffering a run of bad news that could hold dire implications for the campaign season.

It started with the loss last weekend of the seat held for two decades by former House speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). It got worse when Republicans lost potentially strong challengers to Democratic senators in South Dakota and New Jersey, and failed to field anyone to oppose the reelection bid of Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.).

The latest blow came with the revelation that the former treasurer of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) had allegedly diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars -- and possibly as much as $1 million -- from the organization's depleted coffers to his own bank accounts.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[bick]

the bush legacy: decline.

[ArchAngel]

The one really beautiful thing about the Bush years will be this:

The Republicans got to do the things they said that they always wanted to do.

And the whole world got to see the complete evil and total disastrous results.

So what possible thing is left for them to do?

Pretend to be Democrats of course! The wealthy establishment is already working 24x7 to firmly own and control the Democratic party.

[nellie]

He didn't ruin the brand. He brought it to it's logical conclusion.

[tbone99]

GOP Rep Thomas Davis III: Bush "Has Killed The Republican Brand"

Yeah- who cares about 4000 plus Americans (in the whoops!, wrong country) ,the 100,000 plus Iraqis and Afghanis killed, the 2 million refugees, the destruction of the constitution amd American world standing and an economy in the tank.

Just because Bush did everything we paid him to do,we've got a problem here , folks we LOOK bad.

[exile]

what ??!!?

bush actually gets paid to f up our country ???

[intuition]

Just what can he put in his Presidential Library????? One thing that will not be there representative of HIS war: photos of Americans coming home in flag-draped caskets -- like a dictator, that has been hidden from the public.

[bikerdude]

Bush didn't kill the republican party, he is their ultimate extension. At their very best, with both houses of congress, the supreme court and the executive branch in republican hands they have created the biggest, most chaotic mess ever in the history of the United States of America. At any time, if the Republicans thought these guys were headed in the wrong way they could have stopped them. If they are blaming Bush, why not start impeachment proceedings? Clear their "reputation". Make ammends.

[wmbear]

KILLING THE "REPUBLICAN BRAND"...

Is kind of the LEAST of Bush's murders, I would say. How about the hundreds of thousands of innocent (and, granted, a few not-so-innocent) Iraqis, the responsibility for whose deaths one hopes will sink Bush's soul down to the lower depths of hell....

[AguynamedWayne]

And Obama and his right racist Reverand are trying their level best to destroy the Democratic Brand.

[AmericaIsATerroist]

Of course he's enhanced the Repuglican brand, not killed it. Were it not for Dumbya, Americans would never had seen the GOP as the corporate whore, pocket lining,MALE prostitute fucking, douche bags that they are in the number that we see today. Thanks to George W Bush, Americans can sleep soundly in the knowledge that there won't be a Republican ANYTHING for at least a generation. Legacy secured, congrats Chimpy.

[oneeyedodin]

A reply to GLB and his or her reference to Masters of War.

He's the universal soldier and he
really is to blame
His orders come from far away no more
They come from him, and you, and me
and brothers can't you see
this is not the way we put an end to war.

From Buffy Ste Marie's Universal Soldier which in essence we all are. We are all responsible for the good and bad actions of our countries.
Time to stop blaming the 'others',

[ArchAngel]

Republicans of the early 70's protected and ultimately grew their brand by impeaching Nixon.

That simple kind of common sense does not exist today.

[nunzia]

In response to the headline - Thank you, Jesus!

[abbiehoffmansghost]

As much as I despise Bush and the Republicans( and I do), certainly a lot, maybe even the majority of today's current political and social disarray are the result of the Ronald Reagan ideology. I even think that Reagan was nothing more than a puppet to a higher ruling elite. With that said, I think that history bears out that this country was set up to head in its current direction from day one. Our founding fathers set about forming a nation that was predicated on favoritism for its wealthy, especially its landed gentry, with an eye toward using freedom as a keyword to mean their freedom from taxation from their home country, imperial England. The freedom that they really had in mind was that of the freedom to build their own fortunes by growing and legitimizing their wealth through legislation on the state and federal level, through land grabs based on nationalism, and worst of all, one of the more complete acts of genocide in human history. What they didn't foresee is that their legislated freedom to exploit the poor and minorities left in place the ability of the citizens to turn America into a more egalitarian society based on social justice and the freedom from exploitation that was the basis of their idea of a good society. This current administration is the newest and most overt group to realize this and make wholesale attempts to remove the citizen's freedoms and reinforce their freedom to rule with an iron fist and a firm thumb to keep its people in financial chains and subservient to the ruling class. They will not succeed unless we let them.

[lornejl]

repubs use to be so nice, and thoughtful before dumbya, they fought for the good of the country at all times.,never thinking of themselves..remember that big softy McCarthy ? and Nixon, and Newt, and Dick Army, and, I can't go on , so many wonderful repubs to mention, too bad dumbya ruined the good name of conservatives.

[SouthpawSass]

Trying to find a Republican with integrity and morality is trying to find a needle in a haystack. In all my life, there hasn't been one Republican I've been able to admire. George Bush didn't bring down the Republican party, he just exposed them.

[lornejl]

Romanticism the history of the GOP makes me throw up a little bit.

[Rog49Thomas]

I remember when Harriet Myers was quoted as saying that President Pan was the smartest man she had ever met. My initial reaction was that the poor dear needed to get out in the real world a bit more.

It's a rather broad statement to make that so few Republicans have integrity and morality that looking for them is like a needle in a haystack. And it's unclear just how old you are since you refer to this condition during your entire life.

Some names to consider. Chuck Hagel, Lincoln Chafee, Christine Whitman,

One of the problems in our country is the tendency to demonize one's opponents as being intellectually or morally flawed as opposed to disagreeing with policies and debating philosophies.

[TLV]

I agree. It's as if that silly mask of virtue that Newt The Adulterer wore while saying Bill Clinton was a sinful man has fallen clean off.

The Republicans were slaves to both the neo-cons and the far right evil-gelicals to the point of dissolution. It's not just Bush's fault. They are all responsible for their dismal failings. He just pushed it a bit farther to the point that if not stopped, he will bring down more than just his party. The entire nation is in peril.

[chronic5]

You are so correct and exposed them so throughly that even the last Republican die-hards I know have renounced the party and the economic policies and the gd tax breaks they continued to vote for. It's not worth the price to see how badly it has hurt the planet, other friends and members of their own families.

[kenlog]

You forgot about Larry Craig, Lorne.

ROFL :

[oneeyedodin]

Each wing of the party is as bad as the other.

In any of America'a wars of aggression has the 'opposition' ( knowing full well that such wars are illegal or unjust) voted to cut off the funds for said wars?
Oh they bluster and may loudly remonstrate for the 'audience' but have they ever had the courage to act?
From the Whigs to the Democrats to the Republicans tell me who actually voted to cut off funds for an illegal war. Any time?????

[lornejl]

America has gone from right to far right, to right, to far right, to right, to far right ,as long as I have been alive. Give left a chance !

[bikerdude]

Same mentality, different suit. A hateful bunch of self-serving, arrogant incompetent liars.

[WilliePilgrim]

I think he's actually enhanced the brand, in a modern manner of speaking. And what He has also done is foster a movement to oust the philosophical conservatives, or paleo-conservatives, and replaced them with ideological and neo-conservatives. Many conservatives whom I know and respect, even when in disagreement with them, agree that this is the case (what do they know? They're old and full of experience and knowledge). They likewise saw the same thing happen to the Democrats/philosophical liberals years ago. Indeed the true dynamic of conservative versus liberal which once upon a time took place in a multidimensional world that sought balance has been replaced with a 2 dimensional spectrum that is really just a shadow the fully dimensional world, and the focus has gone from appreciation and understanding to one word "winning", for to the victors go the spoils. Bankrupt of real value and subsequent appreciation for our own freedoms and obsession over the having of things as an expression of self-worth, the laurel wreath of the olympian instead of the lyricism of Homer. An ageless dichotomy, which suggests it's not over and chaos will yet again appear and there will be many painfull lessons ahead.

[Rog49Thomas]

The more egregious destruction is of the "American" brand as country is always more important than this or that political party.

Today many fondly remember, President Reagan as the man who brought down the Evil Empire of the USSR.

My prediction: future generations will remember Pan as the one who brought down our own domestic Evil Empire.

[oneeyedodin]

Both claims are disengenuous.

Reagan's contibution was neglible while Bush had the overwhelming support of Americans to carry out the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq and to murder, maim and injure tens if not hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and Afghanis. The blame is as much on the governed as those who govern.

[Rog49Thomas]

I don't follow your riposte.

Frankly, I think you've missed the point of my original post. Perhaps, you're replying to something else?.

First, I did not say that Reagan brought down the USSR but merely that many believe that this is the case. The point here was to set the stage for the comment that Pan through his bone-headed policies and flawed execution has undermined the Republican/Neocon brand. In so doing, future commentators may look upon him as the man who singly did the most damage to this political cult.

If you are commenting on this point, it would seem most logical to agree or disagree. In the latter case, you might object by showing that another person has discredited the Neocon movement more and therefore deserves the Reagan "mantle". Or you might advance a contrary view - that Pan has indeed promoted the Neocon brand and burnished its appeal and credentials.

Second, re my comment about the fundamental damage he has done to our national security, again you might disagree or agree. The point here is whether or not his policies have caused fundamental damage to our country or not - not the level of support.

Whether he enjoyed support, manufactured support or had no support, Pan set the course in Iraq. His and his Administration's planning was fatally and fundamentally flawed in the conceptual stage. He then went on to demonstrate an almost flawless incompetence in pursuing the war.

But the war is only the tip of the proverbial ice berg of damage to our national security.

The damage he has done to our economy is the more insidious danger as undermines our political and military strength.

[whimsicalpig]

exactly.

somebody voted for this moron, more than once!

I think anyone who supported this cabal of fascist neo-con,evangelical bigots should have to wear a tatoo on their foerhead stating: IT'S MY FAULT- KICK ME

[rollingdivision]

The Bush has been an inept leader blaming him for the Republicans problems is like blaming only the quarterback for a bad team effort. Too much of the credit and too much of the blame goes to presidents. The congressional Republicans need to look at their actions first.