Frank Dwyer

Frank Dwyer

Posted: September 21, 2007 07:03 PM

More Republicans Like This Congress: Why Wouldn't They?


A new Gallup poll reveals that more Republicans than Democrats approve of the current Congress.

Why wouldn't they?

The achievements of this new Congress are almost all negative, Republican "achievements" (i.e., extending the FISA Act, voting to fund the war without any timeline for withdrawing the troops, voting against giving the troops sufficient time at home before they are sent back for another tour in that pointless bloody war, voting with true profile-in-cowardice pomp to censure free speech).

Why do Republicans approve of this Congress more than Democrats do? The conclusion, though heartbreaking, is inescapable: because Republicans still have a majority in both houses, even if some of the poobahs prefer to call themselves Democrats. It's true, they dispense their perks and handouts to different client-patrons -- Schumer and his hedge fund managers, for example -- but they are not what many of us meant or were thinking of when we joyfully voted for "Democrats."

We're a nation divided, and I don't understand the sanctimonious calls for bipartisanship, for reaching out to our brothers and sisters across the aisle. There were good Germans who reached out to Nazis, there were good Americans who reached out to the Southern slave-holders, but some evils don't lend themselves to feel-good compromise; they must be defeated.

Who are our enemies, those who feel the way I do, those who admire this Congress more than Democrats do: the Americans who prefer even tiny tax cuts for themselves to sufficient armor and equipment for our soldiers; who prefer preemptive, unending, unilateral war to diplomacy, international consensus, and peace; who prefer corporate bottom lines to the survival of the planet; who prefer breathtakingly reckless spending to fiscal responsibility; who prefer fear-mongering and O'Reilly spin to honesty and intellect; who prefer fake and illegal security policies to the Constitution; who prefer illegal detention and torture to the world's opinion and the Geneva Conventions; who prefer an arrogant imperial unitary Executive to the formerly equal, now dithering, inconsequential, and rubber-stamping Legislative and Judicial Branches; who prefer flat earth creationism and faith-based ignorance to evolution, stem cell research, condoms to prevent the genocide of AIDS, and science in general. For all those Americans this criminal, bully-boy president and his corrupt, deceitful, incompetent administration have been a series of mostly unalloyed delights. Nothing our brave new Congress has done, with its presumed Democratic majority, has even momentarily wiped the mean, privileged smiles off their smirking faces or dampened a whit their cloddish joy.

For the Democrats to approve of Congress more than Republicans do, we would have to elect some Democrats. Happy days. Then we would ratify the profound changes our Congress made as it reclaimed the country, restored the Constitution, ended the war, reached out to the other nations of the world almost all of whom supported us after 9/11 and fear and despise us now. Imagine, a Congress willing and able to make fundamental Democratic principles about fairness, decency, honesty, responsibility, and peace into the laws of the land.

Guess which party would like that Congress better, in those good times I used to believe were coming, those happy days I thought were here again.

 
 
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12:33 PM on 09/22/2007
And let's not forget all the Bush appointed district judges that they passed while we watched committee hearings about the big G.
The republicans were pissing their pants with glee and asking Bush to send more. And Leahy was saying we are not like the Republicans,see how we pass the judges. And on top of that we are going to have stiffer sentences for the brave heroes who blow them away.
AND WHERE IS MY PAPER BALLOT? Election reform?
11:09 AM on 09/22/2007
We need to clean house in BOTH parties! A good start would be a commitment now by the Democratic leadership to step aside in the new Congress and allow new blood to lead.
05:41 PM on 09/22/2007
Ockhams???

Now, just be patient.

It is kinda hard to know who is winning when FOX News is the announcer and referee, both.



Sort of like watching two Boy Scouts fighting in a zipped up pup tent.

You know there is lots going on, but you can*t tell who is winning.

I am putting my money on THE LAW!

Well, that and the American Constitution.

Oh, and remember all the ballot rigging in 2006? Well,,, we probably saw more Democratic votes than we will ever know. If the Boxes were stuffed by 20% by Rove, we are in for a landslide in 2008. Maybe even some GOOD Republicans!

The country wants their AMERICA BACK.
Business wants America Back.
Workers want America Back.


Heck, even Europe and China are rooting for us!

Iraq, Somalia, Iran, Turkey, France, Germany, Afghanistan, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Poland, Mongolia, Norway, Sweden, England, Argentina, Mexico, Chile,,,,

THE DREAM that,,,,, IS,,, America.

And no bunch of ROVIAN shysters are going to take it from them.

Bank on THE LAW!

All the best

Knute (Neo-LIB)
03:55 AM on 09/22/2007
Dear Frank,

This is a 6 year Horror Story, and I much prefer to pay close attention to the investigating and oversight committees.

The 6 year RAPE of America is not continuing, but a freight train at full steam is hard to stop, much less turn around.

Also, you can*t do it without proper evidence.

The people need to know the TRUTH.

I like watch the LAW at work, slow sometimes, but clear and dedicated in task.

Why do you think the Republicans brought in Fred Fielding, The Nixon Empire cleaning man?

WMDs, falsification of evidence for war before the world and UN and American people, lying under oath to congress, Scooter, the Wilsons and outing CIA/Embassy cooperation and denigration of the American Foreign Service by Bush/Rove/Cheney/Libby and, corrupting the Justice Department, illegal firings, warrantless domestic surveillance, torture, secret prisons, Abu Ghraib, No-Bid contracts, missing weapons, Blackwater, FBI, NSA letters, invasion of privacy library records, extraordinary rendition, violations of the Geneva Conventions and international laws, funding and fighting an illegal war of conquest and seizure of sovereign lands and resources multiple violations of human and civil rights and prisoner deaths while in Governmental custody violations of about every Constitutional protections there is and just being mindless, forgetful jerks.

Wait!!!!!!

Is that a run-on sentence?

I like to watch the LAW WORK!

We have learned a lot in 9 months.

Thank you Democrats!

All the best

Knute (Neo-LIB)
09:31 PM on 09/21/2007
Dear Frank,

What a excellent and eloquent rant, one of your best, I could feel the emotion, and agree with your sound reasoning. Blessings on ya! Agape.
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brwnizofmine
06:52 AM on 09/22/2007
I think that the reason why the poll numbers are so low for congress is because of the republicans. I think the country is in for a very large surprise next November. You can't fool people all of the time. I think people are going to let their votes do the talking. I for one, blame the republicans for nothing getting done in congress right now. Nothing is getting done because the democrats do not have enough of a majority and the republicans are still voting lock step with bush. It takes compromise right now for anything to be passed and republicans are still voting with their boss, therefore are being obstructionists. This war would be on it's way to being ended by now if not for obstructionists. What we have to do in November of 08 is get rid of some of the obstructionists and give the Dems more of a majority so that they can get some things passed. It's so obvious what the problem is. The problem is REPUBLICAN OBSTRUCTIONISTS! With a slim majority in congress, the Dems cannot get one bill passed without some GOP support. They are still throwing all of their support behind the failed policies of this president. What a joke!
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BillZBubb
It's hot in here: I need more fans!
09:05 PM on 09/21/2007
Great post. I've just about had it. I am looking for an alternative to the Democrats. They are an embarassment. We need a major splinter party similar to what the Republicans did to the Whigs. A real progressive party--no corporatist shills need apply.

The election of Lieberman in Connecticut last year just proves how weak the Democratic coalition has become. Too many so-called Democrats voted for that Bush-ass-kissing war-monger instead of the party's candidate. His election also showed weak-kneed Democrats that being weak on the war issue wouldn't hurt their chances for re-election. Had Lieberman been defeated by Lamont, Democrats would have been fearful for their own jobs and the war would be in its last throes now. Thanks a lot Connecticut.
07:20 PM on 09/21/2007
Republican Lite. The truth is EVERYONE likes the real thing better than Lite. The Dims look like they're gonna figure that out a little too late.
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peterg76
Freelance medical transcriptionist
03:17 AM on 09/22/2007
"EVERYONE likes the real thing better than Lite"

It's just not possible that people who make their living being politicians could fail to understand such a simple, obvious truth. They may have embarassed the Republicans, but they haven't made the slightest effort to stop them, and have in fact only added to their "legitimacy".

Some day the war criminals will be brought to justice and that will mean their enablers as well.
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LeftRight
TANSTAAFL
07:15 PM on 09/22/2007
I wish! Unfortunatly, there is no way under our current law structure to make an independant party, any more than we can take money out of politics. The dems and repubs in the past (and present) have practically made it illegal for a third party to get on a ballot, and when they do, they have to jump through mor than double the hoops. Ever wonder why almost any ballot will say (D) and (R) even when there's not somebody running to the anti-incumbent position? If you come up and the parties recognize you then you're on the ballot. If you're a third party candidate you've got to get everybody in the district to allow it, and still bribe the elections officers.