Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Senator Bob Dole Tells the Republican Party That They Need to Clean Their Political Latrine


I love the educational training videos from the 1940s to 1960s. They have a good "real America" vibe to them that would have pleased John Ford and Frank Capra.

Given the Republican Party's kitchen sink approach to political scandals--and now mainstreaming of the suggestion that Obama was using cocaine during the Benghazi tragedy--they too would benefit from watching some of those classic PSA's.

The films on dating, courting girls, and the dangers of "the homosexual" would serve to either clarify the Tea Party GOP's worldview or offer them some guidance on how to be better political partners who can answer the question "what have you done for me lately?" for a public beyond the Koch brothers and the 1 percent.

The documentary Crisis in Levittown would also serve as a potent recruitment video for the herrenvolk White Right who are the base of the Republican Party. With some snazzy computer graphics that added in some "Mexicans" and "Mooslems", a Crisis in Levittown could be a perennial classic for the Tea Party GOP.

Elder scion of the traditional Republican Party (what existed before the Tea Party GOP political meth was mainlined a few years go) Bob Dole also thinks that the Republican Party could benefit from watching one of those old educational videos from the World War 2 era.

On Fox News, Senator Dole dared to tell the truth as he suggested:
"I think they ought to put a sign on the [Republican] national committee doors that says 'closed for repairs' until New Year's Day next year and spend that time going over ideas and positive agendas," Dole said. 
Asked whether Republicans of years past, many of whom had a more diplomatic approach to compromise and governance than today's Republicans, would be able to make it in the modern GOP, Dole said, "I doubt it." 
"Reagan wouldn't have made it. Certainly Nixon couldn't have made it, because he had ideas," he explained. "We might have made it, but I doubt it." 
And much of the blame for the gridlock, Dole said, rests with a fractious Congress that seems more interested in partisan drama than doing its job. 
"It seems to be almost unreal that we can't get together on a budget or legislation," Dole said, comparing today's Congress unfavorably with the institution in which he served for decades. "We weren't perfect by a long shot, but at least we got our work done." 
The Senate, Dole said, is in particularly dire need of a fix. 
While it's not quite broken, it's "bent really badly," he said. "As [former Senate leader] Howard Baker said, 'Running the Senate is like herding cats.' But it takes leadership. Somebody has to stand up and say, 'We're going to do this.'" 
Dole said there is "no doubt" Republicans have abused the filibuster by erecting a record number of procedural hurdles during President Obama's tenure. "There are some cases we can probably justify it, but not many," he said.
Given that he was a military man during World War 2, Senator Dole was likely quite familiar with characters such as "Private Snafu" who exemplified exactly how a soldier, sailor, airmen, or marine was not supposed to proceed in their tasks. Dole knows that the Republican Party is a stinking latrine that needs to be cleaned properly so that it will cease to be a menace to public health. Unfortunately, its members, media elites, and party leadership are determined to pretend that everything is spotless and clean.

As Paul Krugman pointed out in the New York Times, there is no corrective for the Tea Party GOP's politics, and how they are hurting the American people (as well as the conservative "brand name") because its members exist in their own reality and self-sustaining media echo chamber wherein empirical reality is twisted and changed in the service of talking-points and other ideologically driven fictions.

What is a country to do with a political party full of zealots and Private Snafus? Is generational replacement the only answer, or will the adults in the room have to empty the Republican Party's political latrine for them?

29 comments:

Joyce M said...

As long as poor whites see themselves as temporarily embarrassed millionaires and their economic failures as the fault of "minorities", the republican party will not change. The republicans did not anticipate President Obama's re-election. Word on the financial message boards was that he would be allowed to "Carter" the country and take the blame for sorry state of Union. Then the republicans would send one of their robber barons in to take over, ie..Mitt Romney. But, something funny happened on the way to the forum--youth, women, Latin and black voters had other ideas. Since then, in collusion with the millionaire media talking heads, the republicans have tried to tar President Obama with one fake scandal brush after another. Have you noticed that Social Security is not called Franklin D. Roosevelt government pension plan or Medicare and Medicaid is not called Lyndon B. Johnson medical care plan? In time, what is now called Obama care will have a different name. The question is, will George Bush be our last republican president?

Vic78 said...

Bob Dole's one to talk. He teamed up with Gingrich to obstruct Clinton in the 90s. Dole should be proud that his seeds are doing what they're supposed to do.

Joyce M said...

Bob Dole didn't condemn Lee Atwater and his methods as long as the Republicans were gaining power.

chauncey devega said...

Politicians are still politicians...they find sainthood in their elder years.

chauncey devega said...

Did he apologize for the Southern Strategy w. Melman (I believe?) after the fact?

chauncey devega said...

The white working class and poor have been suckered in by race trumping class since at least Bacon's Rebellion. Ain't nothing changed. I consider them a lost cause; but again there is the old joke/truism that a Republican is a Democrat who was robbed; A Democrat is a Republican who lost their job. How will that play out long term w. the Great Recession and demographic shifts?


Will there be a politics of race and backlash that peters itself out or will there be a realignment? Some other outcome?

Joyce M said...

I have found that Dole asked Bush to apologize for harsh remarks. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19880206&id=jII1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ExQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6692,1612278

Ben Grim said...

"the republicans have tried to tar President Obama with one fake scandal brush after another"



The scandals aren't fake. Just because they're out to get you doesn't mean you can do no wrong.

Ben Grim said...

Dole's point is that in his era the GOP acted as a legitimate, fairly operating opposition. Not an immutable obstruction, as it is today. It is now an aberrant monstrosity in which, as he indicates, even Nixon and Reagan would be rejected as too far to the left.

Joyce M said...

Where has Dole been the past two presidential election cycles? The republican party nominated John McCain, who is often labeled a RINO by reactionary people and Williard "Romney Care" Romney. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9IJUkYUbvI

Ben Grim said...

"As a conservative democrat, I don't have any complaints with the president"
Sorry. Can't read any further...
That explains everything you've said or are likely to say. True believers UNITE!!!

Ben Grim said...

He popped up once http://www.politico.com/blogs/on-congress/2012/12/dole-makes-appearance-on-senate-floor-151034.html but the NeoRepubs shoved him back in the box.

chauncey devega said...

Real scandals. Come now. Do you want to know if Obama was on the potty during the faux Benghazi scandal? Or this IRS mess--where they were doing their jobs? Let's spend time on serious and real matters such as targeted killings, spying on citizens, and the roleback of posse comitatus, etc. etc.

chauncey devega said...

Obama derangement syndrome has got you again.

Dick Destiny said...

One of the big shocks to Dole re his party was when he found the GOP torpedoes ratification of a simple treaty to give people worldwide with disabilities the same "general rights" as those without. He had labored and campaigned for it, obviously felt there was nothing insane or offensive in the matter and even appeared before the Senate in his wheelchair to give a speech in support. The GOP immediately voted it down under the harebrained Tea Party world belief that every treaty, or anything from, the UN, is something to undermine American "freedom." In this specific case, that the UN would interfere in the lives of disabled Americans at the state level. Even when he was crippled and implored them in person, they were without mercy.

Joyce M said...

What you can't read is the truth! You don't want to see white people in European society doing the same irresponsible things that some black people here blame on racism.

chauncey devega said...

I remember that. They are cruel even to their own, eating the weak to feed the others.

Ben Grim said...

To insane people sanity looks like derangement. I truly would be insane if I had no complaints about dishere:

OBama 'convinces people that imperial wars are liberating ones... Bailing out Wall Street lifts all boats...He went where no administration went before. He sold millions on shared sacrifice. He wants them sacrificed. Doing so gives rich elites more to share... He governs lawlessly. He convinces people might is right. He's money power's point man. He dismisses popular needs. They've gone begging on his watch.

He mocks legitimate governance... He reflects its dark side."



No pun intended.

Ben Grim said...

Irony thy name is devega.

Ben Grim said...

The irony is that this is exactly what Obama and the Foe Dems are doing. Phony (pro-corporate) sick-folk-eating healthcare reform; cutting SS and food assistance programs for the poor; refusing to help the people losing their homes through the massive forclosure swindle while bailing out wall street. You must be craning your neck into a knot avoiding to see the glaring irony. I don't think I was out of line in pointing that out.

chauncey devega said...

That is a fine observation; I also argue with it and have something for tomorrow or Thursday on just that matter already written up.


I am staying closer to my comment policy as we deviated from it a bit too much as of late here on WARN, i.e comments about the host that are not moving things forward.

Ben Grim said...

I understand. I just thought that was a way of pointing out the irony without getting into the specific issues. I meant no offense, really. Just jabbing you a little bit. One thing I like about you is you can take a punch. Feel free to return the favor.

Joyce M said...

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chauncey devega said...

As a general rule I am game for fun. As of late that has been distracting though so I am trying to keep things closer to the topic at hand. But again, always have fun :)

Joyce M said...

Do research before making broad generalizations. I might as well watch Fox News, if I am going to read your misstatements. Byeeee

Joyce M said...

Half of the stock markets value was achieved since Obama took office. Since my family is invested, we are happy to have the money that comes from the doubling of our 401K and the increase in one of our bank stocks 30 times over. Me and my husbands dream of moving to acreage will become a reality. We are not rich elites, but the presidents investment in government infrastructure has put more money in our pockets because we work for a living. It's easy to focus on one man instead of the 434 members of the house of representatives and the 100 senators and the 9 people on the Supreme Court. It's also easy to blame one man for the decisions that people make about their lives. We are consumers and we create jobs. If we choose to spend all our consumer dollars on foreign goods, then we are the ones creating unemployment in this country--not the president. I don't own anything made by Apple and my computer was manufactured 18 miles from my home. When I shop, I look at country of origin because food is still grown in the country and many products are still made in the country. I shop at stores where at least some of the employees look like me. What do you do?

Joyce M said...

I heard the exact same thing from my 65 year old white, republican neighbor just before she voted for Romney.

Joyce M said...

While you are looking at Obama, the state legislatures are doing this: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/in-north-carolina-unimpeded-gop-drives-state-hard-to-the-right/2013/05/25/a9c9ccd2-c3c7-11e2-914f-a7aba60512a7_singlePage.html?tid=obinsite

Ben Grim said...

I think for myself and don't get distracted by non sequiturs.