The Funny Farm
Where life is beautiful all the time and I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats...
Adventures of a Basic Force For Good in Our TimeTM
Saturday, 8 Gathring 2007
It seems the Republican't National Committee is beating the dead horse once again:
[snip]
The RNC blast-emailed a solicitation to party members across the country a little while ago in the form of a letter from the incumbent president and nominal head of the party. "In just over 13 months, Americans go to the polls to elect the next President," Bush writes in his "Dear Republican" letter. "We have an important mission: to keep the White House in 2008, and retake the U.S. House and Senate." Mission impossible? Bush doesn't think so, although he acknowledges that fulfillment won't come easy:
[snip] UPDATE: Danny Diaz, RNC spokesman, explains the elision of 2006 this way: "It clearly speaks to the stakes of the upcoming election and the significance of maintaining control of the White House and electing Republicans up and down the ticket." In other words (mine), for Republicans, the stakes of 2008 are higher than they were in 2006 because they stand to lose control of the White House as well as remain in the minority in the House and Senate. That makes sense. Diaz would never say this, but the GOP's chances of retaining the White House, while daunting, are better than its chances of winning back either house of Congress. |
But the best part is that they have sent variations of this email to (at least) a couple of bloggers possessing weapons-grade snark. Some brief samples:
From World O'Crap:
[snip]
Therefore, with no futher ado, allow me to present President George W. Bush's email, but with all the BS removed: Dear Republican't, [snip] Republicans have a solid record when it comes to protecting the United States of America. And we have been safe from tigers ever since he installed that special "no more tigers" rock in our front yard. We have reformed our intelligence services to make sure we can find the enemy before they strike. We have fought to deny them safe haven in Afghanistan and Iraq so they cannot plan and plot again. And that has worked out exactly how ….? The fight for freedom in Iraq is the fight for the security of the United States of America and we must prevail. If we leave before the job is done, the enemy that attacked us would be emboldened. Then why the hell didn't we fight that enemy instead of going to Iraq? Are you TRYING to make me want to smack somebody, George? [snip] |
From Halfway There
The president insists on sending me mail. He can't stop. I'm not sure exactly what I did to spark his obsession with me, but he keeps talking about our shared ideals and goals. If he keeps insulting me this way, I shall have to be curt with him. To date, I've contented myself with ignoring his ever more piteous pleas for attention. Today's missive is a curious amalgam of mendacity and chest-beating. In other words, typical of his ghostwriters.
Dear Republican't, Unless you live in New Orleans, of course. That "keep America safe" thing is working better, of course, what with the administration's willingness to send Americans overseas to be killed. It's not just about the oil, of course. That's a vile slander. It's all about plutocracy: no-bid contracts and no-oversight out-sourcing. That's the Republican way. [snip] Next year, Chairman Mike Duncan and the Republican National Committee (RNC) will have the job of organizing our Party's national grassroots campaign effort. Is that the same Mike Duncan who chaired the transition committee for Governor Ernie Fletcher of Kentucky? Boy, that was sure a successful transition! I presume Duncan carefully vetted all of those folks who went on to join one of the state's most corrupt administrations ever. It was clever how Fletcher issued pardons to several members of his administration to forestall further investigations into the criminal abuse of Kentucky's merit system. Now that Fletcher is running for re-election, I assume his campaign will be one of Mike Duncan's biggest priorities. Please pour lots of campaign funds into that rat-hole, would you? But we mustn't blame Mike for problems that are clearly Governor Fletcher's fault. That would be guilt by association. Mike Duncan no doubt gets enough of that just from being head of the Republican National Committee these days. Republicans have a solid record when it comes to protecting the United States of America. Well, we were denying them safe haven in Afghanistan, but our neglect of that operation has permitted the Taliban's resurgence. Would you like to address that little problem? At least we're keeping up the effort in Iraq, where it was Saddam himself who used to deny them a safe haven. Good thing we took him out and turned all of Iraq into a terrorist training ground. That's going to be part of your legacy, George! Republicans also have a solid record when it comes to growing this economy. The best part about our federal budget is that the war in Iraq is off the books! Thanks to Bush-style bookkeeping, we can continue to pretend to be good stewards of the nation's economy while maxing out our credit cards. Not to worry! The bill won't come due while Bush is still in the White House. [snip] |
Haven't we heard this song somewhere else before? That bubble must be getting pretty maddening with the echoes of the same old same old still not being bought by the rubes echoing through the halls. I wonder if he's talking to any of the portraits yet?
Apparently even the corpo-weasels are getting nervous about throwing away good money after bad, as far as the current crop of Republican'ts are concerned. I've been reading about other Rovian operations targeting Democratic contributors, but not enough to report on it. And, yes, I am still getting emails addressed to notrelevantto yourinquiry from John Kerry because I signed a petition once - so it's not like there's boilerplate mass emailing going on in both camps. But at least the Dem ghostwriters vary their message - with such as target-rich environment, how could they not? - and they generally don't lie their a$$es off every sentence.
Any others who have thoughtfully taken the time to respond to this propaganda piece (or anyone who has found other examples) please feel free to link to them in the comments.
Share and Enjoy!
[Editors' Note: this entry has been cross-posted at the American Street]
Posted by (: Tom :) at October 3, 2007 09:53 PMDoes it really matter who is in control of either house? Our side has been in the majority since November of last year and what do we have to show for it?
I am sick to death of hearing the fake opposition Dems in Congress moan about not having enough votes to end the war in Iraq. They give lip service to the myth that the only way to end the war is to write a bill saying "the war is now over" and send it to Bush for a prompt veto, then override the veto. They then throw up their hands, saying "Well, as you can see, we don't have the votes to override any veto, so there's no way to end the war. Sorry folks."
This is disingenious and vividly illustrates who the Dems are really serving: the establishment, not their constituents.
Here's how to end the war: No bill specifically ending the war is even necessary. Remember those supplemental funding bills the Cheney regime has to constantly ask for, to continue funding the Iraq war piecemeal instead of in yearly lump sums attached to the actual defense budget? That's the achilles' heel of their war effort. The next time Bush asks for another $80 billion or whatever to keep the Iraq bloodbath going, all the Democrats have to do to end the war is to say: NO. To say "We won't allocate one more penny for your illegal war". Last I checked the Dems have a wafer-thin majority in both houses. With no Dems voting for the next spending bill it won't be passed and thus it won't make it to Bush's desk for signing. Bush (and especially his puppetmaster Cheney) may have concentrated an inordinate amount of power in the hands of the executive branch, but even they can't send spending bills to their own desk. That necessarily has to come from Congress. If it never reaches his desk he can't sign it, and will have 2 choices: 1.pull the troops out while there is still enough money left in the pipeline so to speak to allow an orderly withdrawl (and anyone who has five or more brain cells knows that the money isn't going to run out the next day, that's a non-issue that the right wing tries to use as a scare tactic but it is ridiculously dumbed down and simply not true; they don't wait until they have $5 left before asking for another supplemental OK?); or 2.don't pull them out right away, and leave them to wither on the vine in Iraq until the money DOES completely run out and they have to withdraw from Iraq chaotically, burning their supplies and vehicles. Either way the war will end pretty soon if the Dems refuse to vote on supplementals. They don't have to write a bill saying they are cutting off funding; this is only a fig leaf so they can pretend to be doing something to end the war when all they are doing is purposely spinning their wheels. All they have to do is to NOT VOTE ON SUPPLEMENTALS. Pretty effing simple. The people NOW need to DEMAND in so many words that if the Democrats are a genuine opposition party that they will carry out the will of the people and NOT VOTE on supplementals. If they are a fake opposition party as I feel they are, and are acting not in the people's interest but playing for the same team as the Republicans, then continue with more of the same hand-wringing and impotent nonbinding resolutions that resolve nothing. Decision time Democrats. Which are you? Genuine? Or fake opposition? I think I already know the answer to that one but why don't you surprise me?
Surprise!
I'm not a Democrat. I tend more towards the guy who said "I am not altogether on anybody's side, because nobody is altogether on my side."
And I largely agree with you, and wonder why the spineless Dems don't just pull the plug. I think they're scared senseless, and that there are things that can't be revealed without another Wellstone or two taking place. Rich elite people tend to be somewhat more concerned with their personal safety than people like you and me.
But, as to what the difference is with the Dems in control of the House (remember, that's all they have. The Senate is dead split with DeadEye GoCheneyYourself as the deciderer in case of a tie):
1. No war with Iran. Yet. Caving is still a distinct possibility, and with the elite pushing the middle class and below into the military (does it feel drafty to you of late?) the 20 percenters are feeling cocky in their mommy's basement pushing Terra Iran: The Sequel. What will happen when Putsch taunts us into open revolt? But the end result is that the Dems are running out the clock, too. I don't think america will tolerate another BFEE member leaving another war for the next prez*.
2. The tax giveaways of the early millennium are set to expire, and all the rich people are pissed that they might have to give back some of the loot they stole over the junta's reign. Some are even sweating it a bit. Again caving could take place, but again for now it ain't happening.
3. Henry Waxman. Tripled his staff to handle the low hanging fruit (to date). Haven't seen much caving from that zone - maybe we found a Dem with a spine?
4. War money. Pelosi and Reid could still pull the rug out. Hope springs eternal, dude!
5. Six years - no more! - of the Putsch Dynasty running roughshod over everything. Caving again a possibility, as is spine infusion. If the Republican'ts were still large and in charge things would be much worse (a scary thought in and of itself). They are also a much more well known entity and scrutinized entirely too much for their liking. Their kimchee isn't selling in Peoria so much any more either. The sheeple still cling to their superstitions with fervent devotion for the most part, but there is still hope.
That's for starters. And pretty much as much as I want to get into it with my limited resources and very limited time. But I think there's more, and I still hope for the best and expect the usual. Time will tell.
I am neither genuine or fake opposition. I am powerless, as are you. It would be nice to think otherwise, but I tend to lean towards reality based solutions as much as possible. Thanks for the comment, though. I appreciate your perspective and your arguments. Take care!
* - I know, I know - Afghanistan and Iraq are still going concerns. But (hopefully fourth time lucky) - most people see the pattern.
Posted by: (: Tom :) at October 25, 2007 06:54 PM