Point 1. Asking the GOP to resolve this mess and rid us of this awful and incompetent administration is ignoring the fact that it is the responsiblity of the opposition party to lead such an action. We have just witnessed two years of the worst sort of rubber stamping and complicity from a GOP majority Legislature and now we should expect these same complicitious and duplicitous politicos ( or those that survived the election) to reverse themselves and ask a leader of their own party to resign? Even should they request the departure of Cheney, a more likely scenario is that Bush will do this in order to position the replacement VP as a leading candidate in the coming Presidential election. If this should happen my money is on Giuliani. Point 2. We already see the departed GOP Congress has set up the incoming Democratic majority by failing to act upon some serious and important spending bills thus enabling them to point to the expenditures ( and they will be massive) as typically Democratic actions, wasting billions. This indicates to me that the Rove machine is already in high gear and set to demolish the typically silent, morose and far too passive Democrats so that, by the advent of the '08 campaigns they (the GOP) are poised to return to power. Some folks, among them some rather inciteful types, have posited that the GOP intentionally gave up their majority in order to avoid being in charge when the bills come due. This I do not know to be true but who really knows? Anyhow, what I do know to be true is that the fate of the Democrats is entirely in their own hands, and, if you supporters of this party are convinced they are correct in their platform and their intent, you should worry less about what the GOP will do and focus intently upon convincing the Democrats to do what you all know to be the correct course.

by ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments) on Friday, Dec 15, 2006 at 9:25:23 AM

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First note I am not an American so my opinion is only that, but it is one of the United States as seen from "outside the field" ("You cannot see the Field from within the Field") so sometimes that can be a more 'clear' viewpoint.... Personally I think that the GOP and the Democrats should work together in getting them out, as that is how you 'cure' your mistakes in such a situation, especially mistakes (or 'errors') such as the "rubber stamping" that he was originally given as admitting to error tends to re-instill faith in the one(s) who made the now, 'admitted to' ...error. We, as people, tend to follow better those we see as 'Honest' especially honest about making certain kinds of Trust/Trusting Mistakes/Errors, as in having trusted the wrong person or persons' advice ....as was/is the case with Bush and the Iraq war. Think about it....

by Mr. Robin Parsons (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 64 comments) on Friday, Dec 15, 2006 at 10:46:25 AM

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Hey, Rob, I love your far-out "what if - ?" scenarios, Naturally, I'd enjoy the tiger getting his tail really twisted, but don't you feel Nancy would make a fine female first fiddle, a commendable, callipygian coryphaeus? Nels W

by nelswight (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 13 comments) on Friday, Dec 15, 2006 at 10:48:15 AM

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I do hope that Ron's blog reaches the GOP's establishment [Whomever fills the place left by the death of those who decided that Nixon/Agnew had to go, got Agnew to resign when his past caught up to him & he faced charges of corruption, got Jerry Ford to replace Agnew as VP & got Nixon to resign.]. Now is the time for all Republicans to come to the aid of their party & nation. I would ask that the designated nonentity to replace VP Chaney be defanged & declawed so he/she/it wouldn't give any pardons to any of the culprits to avoid a repeat of Jerry Ford's pardon of Nixon. There is a tale that Jerry Ford thinks he's hell bound because he pardoned Nixon before Nixon could be tried.

by larry278 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 47 comments) on Friday, Dec 15, 2006 at 1:19:02 PM

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...actually take the very out of character step and call for the ouster of their "men"? You know, that's a hard question to answer. If this question had been asked in '04, obviously the answer would be a resounding "NO!", bordering on "FUCK NO!". However, with the election of '07, we saw many Republicans moving away from DUBYA like residents of Krypton would move away from Kryptonite (if they could move after being weakened by it in the first place.) There have even been one or two turncoats that have sprung up as a result of the revulsion to DUBYA and his actions. As you said, it is in the better political interest of honest and non-corrupted Republicans (if such things exist) to provide the sternest rebuke of DUBYA and Dick(LESS) they can. However, I just can't see that many Republicans actually working to remove the Dud-namic Duo from their White House posts. It has been shown throughout history that few indeed are politicians who will stand against their party or its "principles". Now if the Republican Party were made up of more men like Lincoln Chaffee, that would change things considerably. However, with ass-kissing duds like McCain and his ilk still clogging the ateries of the Republican heart, I think it's more likely that it will take We The People spearheaded by "Courageous Democrats" (if such people exist...debatable, very debatable) to get said job done. In a righteous, ideal world, there would be no question that Republicans would not only be completely horrified by the damage dealt to their party by the actions of DUBYA and Dick(LESS), they'd be chomping at the bit to flush these two turds out as quickly as possible. However, need I point out that the world in which we live is anything but righteous or ideal? Blessed be! Pappy

by Pappy (61 articles, 0 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 860 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Dec 15, 2006 at 2:25:47 PM

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Obviously, I meant the election of '06. oops... Blessed be! Pappy

by Pappy (61 articles, 0 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 860 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Dec 15, 2006 at 2:29:37 PM

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The GOP solved the Bush-Cheney mess back in the 50s when they amended the constitution to limit the President to two terms. The GOP has already begun positioning itself for 08. They are taliking about Bush's historical perspective extending beyond historians now living. They are intent on regaining the ground lost in 06 and retaining the Presidency with a good old values campaign in 08. Democrats might also want to get the Iraqi expenditures into the regular appropriations channel and force the Administration to publicly justify, in detail, its plans and spending for the war. This will publicize the futility and incompetency of the Administration and serve as historical counter point to the GOP campaign of hagiography surrounding this President. It is time for the Democrats to accept that Bush is irrelevant and to put forth a progressive agenda for 08. Bush is not a lame duck he is a cooked goose and it is time to stop obsessing over him and devise strategies for Progressives to gain control of the government. Robert Chapman Lansing, NY

by Robert Chapman (28 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 556 comments) on Saturday, Dec 16, 2006 at 12:41:41 PM

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The Democratic Executive Committee of Pinellas county, FL, will not call for the for American withdrawal from Iraq. Can you begin to believe the Republicans in congress would call for withdrawal?

by GitarChris (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 142 comments) on Saturday, Dec 16, 2006 at 4:11:20 PM

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So after reading a number of these comments as to the best way to end the disaster that is the George W Bush & Dick Cheney Administration,therefore I still conclude that the Immediate Impeachment of both President George W Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney is the most urgent and most pressing issue that faces both our US Congress and the American People today! However,this will definitely require the forced resignation of Democrat Mental Midget Gutless Wonder Nancy Pelosi and her Mini-me Shadow Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harebrain Harry Reid,since those two gutless wonders have already sold the American people out by taking Impeachment off the table, and which Pelosi & Reid donot have the legal or Constitutional authority to do so! And quite frankly it scares me to even think about this looney toons Nancy Pelosi being Third in Line of Presidential Succession just as much as does leaving both Bush & Cheney in office for two more years! Furthermore,personally I donot feel that just Impeachment of Bush & Cheney is punishment enough for their crimes against humanity,so I strongly suggest both Bush & Cheney should be arrested and turned over to the Interantional War Crimes Court to be tried as War Criminals,and sentenced to the gallows just like the Nazis War Criminals after WW2,in order for the United States to ever restore it's place as a world leader!

by Ralph (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 74 comments) on Sunday, Dec 17, 2006 at 3:19:15 PM

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Rob, how could you? How can you still characterize Olympia Snowe as a moderate? Snowe voted for the Iraq War, for the Patriot Act, twice against habeas corpus rights for Guantanamo Bay detainees. She issued a statement that, had she been in DC instead of at her aunt's funeral on Sept. 30, she would have voted for the Military Commissions Act -- you know, the one that lets Bush determine what constitutes torture, grants him the authority to declare "enemy combatants," etc. She voted for Judge Alito. She voted for the Bankruptcy Bill, after she voted against an amendment to that bill that would have granted some leeway for families of military deployed overseas. In fact, according to Congressional Quarterly, Olympia Snowe voted with the Bush agenda 82% of the time in his first term. That's not moderate. The Brunswick (Maine) Times Record in an Oct. 27, 2006 editorial, had this to say about Olympia Snowe: "she has voted to strengthen the president's power, thereby weakening the role of Congress. Specifically, through her support of the Iraq resolution that gave President Bush virtually a blank check to wage war, and the Military Commissions Act that suspends the right of habeas corpus for anyone deemed an 'enemy combatant.' Also, she is co-sponsoring the Terrorist Surveillance Act (S2455). Not yet passed, this bill would make the Bush administration's secret, warrantless, domestic wiretapping program legal after the fact. It seems to us a pre-emptive strike to put the matter to rest before there's been a successful investigation into the National Security Agency program....[Snowe] has enabled his [Bush's] agenda in ways that are detrimental to a free people. When defending the U.S. Constitution, moderation can become capitulation." So please, PLEASE, stop referring to war-hawk Olympia Snowe as a moderate. She's a bonafide right-winger, and she's cast the votes to prove it. I'm Jean Hay Bright, the Democrat who ran against Snowe this year, and I lost that race because I couldn't over-ride this misconception of who Olympia Snowe really is and what she really stands for. I thought you, Rob, of all people, got it. I guess not. Jean Hay Bright Dixmont, Maine www.jeanhaybright.us

by Jean Hay Bright (5 articles, 1 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 4 comments) on Tuesday, Dec 19, 2006 at 11:27:43 AM

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And I appreciate your correcting me. I guess I have thought of her as a moderate as compared to the far right extremists who are worse than her. She's pretty bad, but not horribly bad. Or maybe you disagree with that too. I'm willing to listen. Actually, it would be great if you could write up an article discussing how the failure to characterize the "relatively" less extreme right wingers still in the Republican party are still very right wing. It's a good time, as congress has moved left, to make the point that you are making.

by Rob Kall (952 articles, 4177 quicklinks, 374 diaries, 2087 comments [45 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Wednesday, Dec 20, 2006 at 9:00:55 AM

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