The GOP Sets Its Priorities on Stupidity

Okay, so let me see if I've got this right.

The United States is in the middle of fighting two wars overseas.

The American economy is in its worst trouble since the Great Depression.

The national debt is $11.4 trillion.

The country is in the midst of a divisive debate on our national health care priority.

And Republicans want to make an issue of the president calling it stupid to arrest a man for breaking into his own house.

We can only hope Republicans no longer wonder why people are fleeing their party in droves.

But, hey, let's be fair. For the sake of argument, let's imagine the very worst and say they're right. Let's say it really, actually, truly does matter that the president called it stupid to arrest a man for breaking into his own house. In this very worst possible case scenario, conjure up all the horrible things this can mean.

Okay. Go. What next?

Honest, I'm waiting. Give me the worst. Just tread carefully, though, because you're up against some pretty big precedent.

Remember: after George Bush said something wrong, like, Iraq has yellowcake we'll be greeted as liberators we know where the WDM are buried bring it on Mission Accomplished the foundation of the U.S. economy is strong heckuva job Brownie -- America found itself mired in an unending, illegal war; had its economy destroyed, and a city was wiped off the map.

When Barack Obama (for the sake of argument) said something wrong, a police department got offended. For a day.

For a day. Because then Barack Obama acknowledged that he didn't speak properly and he invited the two parties for a beer. The police department issued a statement of appreciation. And Henry Gates accepted the beer.

When George Bush was asked to name just one mistake he'd ever made as president, he stood there silently, stumped.

By the way, Republicans were okay with that.

But calling it stupid to arrest a man in his house -- oh, my, horrors!

And this is assuming the very worst. Assume anything else, however, and the likely and rational not only open up before you, but the horror mongers suddenly reveal themselves for what they are.

After all, the 911-caller states that the men have suitcases. And might actually live there. Really!

There's an old rule for lawyers: when you have the law on your side, argue the law. When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. And when you have neither the law nor facts on your side, pound on the table and scream.

We are seeing a whole lot of pounding on tables and screaming by Republicans these days.

And all this pounding and screaming must be viewed in context with what the GOP has set as its Talking Points Priorities for America.

1. The president calls arresting a man in his house stupid.

Forget that the United States is fighting two wars. Forget that the American economy is the worst since the Great Depression. Forget the $11.4 trillion national debt. Forget health care in America.

1. The president calls arresting a man in his house stupid.

No wonder Republicans have decried the president taking on too many issues at the same time. Apparently all they can handle is the trivial.

Indeed, between being upset at the president for calling the arrest of a man breaking into his own house stupid (charges that were later dropped), and wondering if the president was actually born in the United States, Republicans seem to have their plate full. No wonder they couldn't deal with Iraq, the energy crisis, torture, Katrina and the economy. Teri Schiavo was their limit.

(GOP attention towards "birthers" speaks volumes. That some Republicans actually think Dick Cheney and John McCain didn't use the full investigative powers of the government to find out if Barack Obama was eligible to be president, but instead engaged in a conspiracy to allow him to be elected is at a comic level greater than The Hangover, though equally apt. Join the stupidity.)

How stupid is the Stupidity concern? There's one question in all this I've yet to hear addressed. How in the world could the 911 caller not identify one of the most renowned black scholars in the country who lives on her block?

If there was a national celebrity who lived on your block, I'm sure you would recognize that person. And I don't even know you and your powers of observation. The only alternative is that the caller doesn't even live there, and was making a random complaint.

It fits in with all the stupidity.

In the midst of all these serious problems the nation faces, the GOP has shown America where its priorities are. It's nothing more than trivial obfuscation by the politically desperate.

America is facing deeply crushing problems to its future -- and Republicans want to focus on the president calling it stupid to arrest a man for breaking into his own house. Republicans want to focus on whether the American president is American.

No wonder they think that blocking legislation to give Americans health care is their way to enthrall Americans.

Now, if you really want to talk about stupid...


UPDATED

Comments

[DASChicago]

Nice Title, plain and simple. Oh, content too Mr. Enlisberg.

[CaveatMagnusFrater]

...conjure up all the horrible things this can mean....

OK. The guy with the gun and handcuffs will hesitate to taser you for acting like a free man in a free land.

[peterg76]

The problem is that the Democrats look at the Republicans and think they don't need to try. In terms of results, they're only marginally better.

[johnashman]

Exactly. We need to get over this idea, all of us, that the "carjacking party" is better than the "wife beater party" or vice versa.

Obama simply should have waited until he understood the facts *if* he bothered to get involved at all. Same as if it were Bush or anybody else. Even George Bush would have had enough sense in him to decline to comment on something like that. I'd expect better from Obama.

[Schalaine]

Your whiteness is showing. Did you get a discount on the sheet and pointy hat? The man was asked a direct question. He responded honestly. That was his problem-honesty. It was STUPID to arrest this man in his own home. Being in your own home while black. Wow, what a crime.

[darker]

REPUBLICAN = SHRILL, CHRONIC LIARS
groomed by Republican "think tanks" to spew misinformation, chaos and hate
while desperately trying to save their REPUBLICAN NANNY STATE
FOR THE RICH & corporate welfare queens from PAYING THEIR TAX DUE
while getting trillions of our tax money in perks and tax forgiveness and
hugely overpriced gov't contracts.

[johnashman]

DEMOCRATIC = WHINEY, GIRLIE CONNIVERS

How am I doing? Where am I in the name calling contest?

[bdaved]

Well, darker gets extra credit for the added content, but you get extra credit for leaving out the added content, so I guess it's a tie.

[lisakaz2]

They bank on the politics of destraction as well as destruction, appealing to the "southern strategy" with the lowest common denominator directing things. Look at the spin on the Sotomayor "no" voices. All emotion, no facts. It would seem suicidal given the changing demographics of this country...­unless these folks have their way about cultivating the ignorance of "abstinence only" so-called education. They are angling to raise the population of poorer, less-educated white ppl and stoke racial animus among that group. Its their strategy to power. Call it the "southern strategy" on steroids, or in this case fulfilling "birth derth" demagogary.

[johnashman]

Democrats? I know. Look at what they're doing to the Blue Dogs, just because they want some fiscal responsibility somewhere in the health care bill. Or Lanny Davis, just because he is standing up for Honduran law and self-determination.

[rkfdred]

I think as a whole police do the best they can in difficult circumstances but not every cop maintains the highest standards. There are some that go way beyond what is necessary to intimidate people. I was once stopped for speeding. My daughter and I were the only people in the car. My husband had recently gotten a DUI and his license was suspended. During the stop the officer firmly reminded me of that fact pointing out he should not be driving. Why? He wasn't even in the car. I believe in this case the officer took it too far. Perhaps Mr. Gates did get a little testy - who wouldn't if a cop was threatening to arrest you in your own home. Not to mention the fact that he has just gotten off a 15 hour plane trip and no doubt was very tired. I think "stupid" was probably a bit strong, I would have used a a term like irrational but then the republicans woudn't have liked that either.

[johnashman]

I don't believe there was any threat to arrest Gates in his own home. They simply wanted to verify that he was, indeed, the home dweller and not a burglar. This has happened to me several times, sometimes at gunpoint and I'm white. And I also cooperated and thanked the officers for being so vigilant.

If you expect racism, you are doomed to get it.

[thucy3]

"They simply wanted to verify" etc. This has been reported again and again and again, but evidently it needs to be repeated: Professor Gates was arrested AFTER he showed the officer his identication. He was arrested AFTER the officer radioed his dispatcher, verifying that he knews Gates' identity.

It amazes me that you say you've been asked for your ID "several times, sometimes at gunpoint..­." But this leaves you feeling nothing other than gratitude for the "vigilence" of the oficer[s] involved? "If you expect racism, you are doomed to get it." Yeah, well, you obviously must be expecting to be stopped at gunpoint, since it happens to you so often. How loverly for you, that the police so often oblige.

You do get one aspect of all this right, however. You don't believe "there was any threat to arrest Gates in his own home." True enough. It wasn't a threat. It actually happened.

[TheEmptinessOfTruthiness]

I'd like to give Reproblicans all the credit - but a lot of that has to go the the Reproblican-owned corporate media for giving legs to these trivial story turds.

[overcat]

"How in the world could the 911 caller not identify one of the most renowned black scholars in the country who lives on her block?"

A couple of factual corrections on this statement. The 911 caller did not live on that block, she worked nearby. Also, as the released recordings of the 911 call reveal, she, when asked, said one of the individuals "looked Hispanic" and could not be sure about the race of the other person as she did not see him clearly. She did not volunteer the racial information until prompted.

[onrecess]

I think the funniest thing is the republicans (most of whom will say they are "independent) Acting like sure the repugnant are crazy, destroyed the economy, lied us into wars BUT:
quote:
As bad as the Republicans are...and that's plenty bad...the Democrats are showing themselves as worse
I would hate to see republicans take over again, because they will make the President's life hell, but it's better to know your enemy than to deal with people who are supposed to be on your side!
Maybe the republicans, who myself do have disdain for (even though they are better than the demoncrats) are ...
Insane, huh? My fave is the, "... they will make the president's life hell..." Yeah, not one person in America gives two hoots about Obama's feelings being hurt. The country just wants the biggest mess since the great depression (caused by the repugs' whole philosophy or governing, regulating (not) and economics) cleaned up. Maybe we'll all forget what caused it all if the repugs manage to stop Obama and drive us the rest of the way off that cliff to the Great Depression II. Briiliant!

[johnashman]

Please explain how it was Republicans who caused the economic mess. I can rewind the video tape for you if you like. I believe Republicans were called 'racists' for trying to head off this problem. Barney sure thought everything was going peachy, despite all the Republican criticism.

Good God, have some balls, admit it when your party drops the ball.

[mattwg440]

ronnie ray-gun

[sviolette]

Please explain how the dems caused the economic mess.

I didn't think the republicans were capable of criticism.

Good God, have some balls, admit it when your party drops the ball.

We don't need a list of when your party dropped the ball do we?

[BlueFloyd]

where were you for the last 8 years? wolf-hunting in the great white north?

[Aaror]

Which party pushed laws to reduce oversight on banks?
Which party tore down the walls between banks and insurance companies and investment houses?
Which party gutted oversight agencies?
Which party pushed for invading Iraq even before 9-11, and used the attack on America by SAUDI's to justify attacking Iraq?
The Iraq war cost us at least 3 trillion, the financial mess cost us about the same. Bush spent us into the toilet, and the US is now a third world country, and you want explaination? Have you been paying any attention to any news outlet for the last 8 years? Or have you only watched Faux news?

[johnashman]

You might also consider voting libertarian. While it is, by definition, not socialist at the national level, it allows for socialism at the state and local level if that's what you want. They also have the balls to let people smoke pot or chop off their fingers if that's what they want.

[hollace]

I loved this article...­.in the last few days Ive started to seriously worry , how close the world could be to having people {unchecked by their own party ] , decideing National and international affairs.Or for that matter if they should nuke other countries to get rid off all foriegners.

I think john donne wrote 'Each man's death diminishes me for i am involved in Mankind"

It stuck has stuck with me for 40 years and so does wondering what the real motive is for the GOP to be distracting people with their Hatefilled comments. {and orange tans trying to look less white.}

what really kills me is I have no formal education and these guys who have risen to the level of their own incompetance sell theirs to the highest bidder what a waste of their lives..,an­d how damaging for Americans ...People fishing for food in polluted lakes ,how shameful

[ohboynotagain]

Yelling at a Police Officer according to Mass. law even if it creates a scene is not illegal. Arresting Professor Gates for this offense was therefore illegal because he broke no law. What do you call it when a person is arrested for breaking no law? FALSE ARREST.

Some of you can defend Sgt Crowley if you want to but the reality is, he arrested someone for a charge they were not guilty of according to the laws he is sworn to uphold.

[johnashman]

Incorrect. He has the right to make the judgment call. It is for the prosecutor or his superiors to decide to go forth or drop the charges. If it were a white person saying these kind of things, he'd probably been charged with a hate crime. Arresting may have been going too far, but it was legal to do so. Gates needs to take a sensitivity and tolerance course. Maybe a course in R-E-S-P-E-C-T. If it Crowley were 10% as bad as claimed, Gates would have had the bruises to show for it with that mouth. Crowley showed a LOT of tolerance for his behavior before making the call. What he really deserved, white, black, yellow, whatever, was an old-fashioned ass-whupping.

[cheeriogirl]

What exactly did you hear out of "that mouth" on Professor Gates? Or are you simply drinking the Kool-aid?

[thucy3]

"What he really deserved..­.was an old-fashioned ass-whuppi­ng."

Yeah. Nothing says "civilization" and "freedom" like uniformed and armed police officers beating an unarmed elderly disabled college professor for being "uppity." Especially one who has the temerity to protest an intrusion into his own home.

[celloswiss]

I consider myself to be very supportive and sympathetic to the police but officer is completely out of line. It is completely acceptable for a citizen to be upset at being interrogated in his own home. While I appreciate the Massachusetts police for intervening in this presumed break in, once the facts were known the right thing to do was to withdraw from the scene.

[justoverit333]

I smell total and absolute desperation coming from the
Party of No. They have no solution for health care, they
encourage the birther loons, and even criticized for the
POTUS taking his wife out on a date in NYC when this
country is facing so many problems. How could he take
the time to go on a date? I mean seriously. They're having
a meltdown.

[johnashman]

Democrats were the Party of No during the 8 Bush years. It's the Republican's turn for Obama's 4 years.

[Eoin45]

Democrats were routinely excluded from partcipation by Republicans. They had no chance to say no. Obama's 4 years? You're going to live to eat those words. It's gonna be 8 easy and at the end there'll be something more to show for it than over 4,000 dead troops - all for a lie.

[warriorwoman73]

Democrats were "the Party of No" during the Bush years for good reason, as it turns out.

[bccmeteorites]

That's not true. The Democrats caved in to almost all of the Republican demands. They were the party of "we don't have a choice". Lets go along with it and blame them later.

[roxsteady]

I also recall that the attorney for this woman claims that she didn't see the race of the people but, Crowley claims that the woman told he once he arrived on scene that they were black. Which one of them is lying? Not that it makes a difference. I'm an African American female and I don't know if race played a part in this but, I do know that stupidity played a huge part in terms of Crowley. He arrested a man in his own home knowingly. Short of physically attacking Crowley, he was wrong and clearly the DA thought so or the charges would NOT HAVE BEEN DROPPED!

[roxsteady]

Bocamom! THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS IMPOTENT. Which is exactly how we like it. Despite the Blue Dog Dems who we'll take care of, your party has now power, no juice, no pull, no LEAD IN THEIR PENCILS if you get my drift. The Dems have all the power now and we're going to keep it because letting the party of klansmen run this country won't happen again in my lifetime and probably not youre. DEM DON'T VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS! Got it sugar?

[Soulmentor]

**********There's one question in all this I've yet to hear addressed. How in the world could the 911 caller not identify one of the most renowned black scholars in the country who lives on her block? ********

In all the commentary and opinion about this incident there was one reference to the "neighbor" that caught my eye. I cannot quote it now or even remember the article to link it, but if I recall correctly, the caller was a woman and the reference came thru her attorney. (She needs an attorney for this already?!?!) The attorney said that her client, the woman who called 911, was not a resident of the neighborhood. There was no further explanation but, if true, that would explain the failure to recognize Prof. Gates. And so much for investigative reporting.