Have at it.
Exit stage right
Predictably enough, the Spector defection has given rise to a lot of speculating about the future of the Republican party. Getting down to brass tacks, Steve Benen finds yet another poll indicating that the percentage of Americans who call themselves Republicans is at a historic low.
Also predictably, Adam Nagourney lets the Meet the Press wing of the party have the last word in the debate over what to do next. In fairness, Huckleberry Hound makes a lot of sense when he says:
Do you really believe that we lost 18-to-34-year-olds by 19 percent, or we lost Hispanic voters, because we are not conservative enough? No. This is a ridiculous line of thought.
That’s the real bottom line. Unless the Republican finds a way to clone Lou Dobbs on a mass scale, and quickly, there just won’t be enough cranky white bastards to build a coalition around. Of course, that’s not really relevant to a party that doesn’t think it’s becoming less popular, just that their audience is being more selective. Meghan McCain can talk all she wants to about loosening up on social issues, but here’s the stark reality (from Ben Smith and Jon Martin):
The party will be shaped most clearly, however, when its presidential hopefuls begin their early state pilgrimages after the 2010 midterms. And they’re unlikely to emerge convinced that courting gay and Hispanic voters, in particular, is politically saleable within their parties.
“John McCain found out the hard way that being where he was not an asset,” Reed recalled of last year’s presidential primary, noting that the eventual nominee either shifted or downplayed some of his unpopular stances, including on immigration.
A presidential candidate’s arrival in an Iowa or South Carolina, Reed noted with a chuckle, offers “what I like to refer to as ‘a dramatically clarifying experience.’”
Expect to see a lot of hot air from “wise moderates” like Lindsay Graham and Olympia Snowe as the Republican party exits stage right. It’s Ralph Reed’s party, they’re just living in it.
Cliff May Declares That America Tortured The Crap Out Of People
Paraphrasing Cliff May on Jon Stewart, sincerely and not in the satirical ‘shorter’ style:
The so-called “torture memos” are actually anti-torture documents. They accomplish this because they establish a bright, shining line that we must not, under any circumstances, cross.
Emptywheel captured this key point from Stephen Bradbury’s 2005 memo.
…where authorized, it may be used for two “sessions” per day of up to two hours. During a session, water may be applied up to six times for ten seconds or longer (but never more than 40 seconds). In a 24-hour period, a detainee may be subjected to up to twelve minutes of water appliaction. See id. at 42. Additionally, the waterboard may be used on as many as five days during a 30-day approval period.
Needless to say, waterboarding Khalid Sheikh Mohammed 183 times in one month broke even the insane guidelines of Stephen Bradbury’s memo. Id est, even according to Cliff f*cking May America went too far.
What ever. I am so sick of these people. My uncle declared the other day that we should not prosecute torture because it would “tear the country apart”, and he was confident that America would never torture again. If prosecuting torture would ‘tear the country apart’, that pretty much takes for granted that a lot of people think that America should use torture.
Thus, the next time someone to the crazyward of Obama wins office torture will come right back. Every country always faces one existential threat or another. The only meager chance we have is if future George W. dumbasses think that the next guy might prosecute them for it.
Anyhow, here’s the vid.
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | M – Th 11p / 10c | |||
Cliff May | ||||
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Artists In Our Midst
It occurred to me that besides Laura W. (whose ads are prominently on display) and August J. Pollak, there are a number of artists who frequent this website. Let’s have a roll call, and put your links to your wares in the comments. The best way to support the arts is not more funding for the NEA, but for buying art that you like.
Let’s help our own.
Presser Open Thread
Smoke ’em if you got ’em.
Hoot Smalley and Other Such Things
This album artwork was emailed to me to commemorate Michelle Bachmann’s latest round of nonsense:
If you don’t understand, read this.
Once We Take Out the Judean People’s Front
Bradley Smith might be on to something here:
Now that Specter’s gone, we can turn to the real enemy – Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe! Then the only thing between us and victory will be Graham, Lugar, McCain, Murkowski, Grassley, Hatch, and some of the RINOs in the House. And the Governors, like Crist and Douglas and Lingle and anyone not named Palin or Jindal. And the Supreme Court Justices like the radical Kennedy. But time is on our side. If we get small enough, voters will finally see true conservatism, and then we’ll have to win.
Go read Red State and Hot Air and other “conservative” bloggers and tell me Smith’s sarcasm is wrong.
*** Update ***
The anti-Snowe movement gains momentum:
But while she wants the Republican party to be accepting of her positions on the other issues, she seems to forget that often she doesn’t even pass the “litmus test” of core economic issues. She, like Specter, voted for the stimulus bill package.
I don’t understand well all the consequences of Specter’s defection to the other side, but it seems to me that no matter how painful it might be, that’s probably what the Republican party needs.
She’s a witch!
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