Monday, January 17, 2005
Days of future past
Do you remember the second Bush Administration? I do, like it was yesterday.
Despite the warnings of 2 or 3 ultraconservativerightwingnut doomsayers, Conservative Republicans turned out by the millions on election day 2004. Although Bush had treated them like $2 hookers during his first term, social conservatives were energized by the movement on one of their bread-and-butter issues: gay marriage. Faced with a choice between Bush and Kerry, they convinced themselves that the lesser of two evils wasn't really evil, and actually began to get energized by Bush's conservative rhetoric.
After their tremendous victory, Conservatives lined up with their collective faces pressed against the Oval Office screen door, begging for a glimpse at what glorious legislative goodies awaited them. What would the first priority be? The FMA? A balanced budget amendment? Perhaps a cut in the capital gains tax? No, it was Social Security reform. While not sexy, thought the conservatives, it is extremely important and necessary for the long-term fiscal health of the country. "Huzzah!" they all shouted, or at least said loudly, "we'll have some entitlement reform." They even allowed themselves to dream that, unlike Medicare "reform," this reform might not cost them billions of dollars. Unfortunately, due to "moderate" Republicans' attempts to out-liberal the Democrats, true reform was doomed to failure.
But just when the sky seemed to be clearing, the President stepped forward and announced that the social Conservatives' biggest legislative target, a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage, was dead in the water, before he was even sworn in for a second term.
Having no accomplishments to tout or distinctions to draw, the GOP lost seat in both chambers during the midterm elections. This downward spiral continued until the 2008 elections in which a disillusioned populace surrendered to the fire and elected Hillary Rodham Clinton and a majority of Democrats to the House and Senate. Taxes and regulation began strangling the economy, unemployment and inflation began to rise, terrorism flourished, then came the wolves . . .
All because Republicans always forget the first rule of politics: Dance with the one that brung ya.
Despite the warnings of 2 or 3 ultraconservativerightwingnut doomsayers, Conservative Republicans turned out by the millions on election day 2004. Although Bush had treated them like $2 hookers during his first term, social conservatives were energized by the movement on one of their bread-and-butter issues: gay marriage. Faced with a choice between Bush and Kerry, they convinced themselves that the lesser of two evils wasn't really evil, and actually began to get energized by Bush's conservative rhetoric.
After their tremendous victory, Conservatives lined up with their collective faces pressed against the Oval Office screen door, begging for a glimpse at what glorious legislative goodies awaited them. What would the first priority be? The FMA? A balanced budget amendment? Perhaps a cut in the capital gains tax? No, it was Social Security reform. While not sexy, thought the conservatives, it is extremely important and necessary for the long-term fiscal health of the country. "Huzzah!" they all shouted, or at least said loudly, "we'll have some entitlement reform." They even allowed themselves to dream that, unlike Medicare "reform," this reform might not cost them billions of dollars. Unfortunately, due to "moderate" Republicans' attempts to out-liberal the Democrats, true reform was doomed to failure.
But just when the sky seemed to be clearing, the President stepped forward and announced that the social Conservatives' biggest legislative target, a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage, was dead in the water, before he was even sworn in for a second term.
Having no accomplishments to tout or distinctions to draw, the GOP lost seat in both chambers during the midterm elections. This downward spiral continued until the 2008 elections in which a disillusioned populace surrendered to the fire and elected Hillary Rodham Clinton and a majority of Democrats to the House and Senate. Taxes and regulation began strangling the economy, unemployment and inflation began to rise, terrorism flourished, then came the wolves . . .
All because Republicans always forget the first rule of politics: Dance with the one that brung ya.
Centinel 1:45 PM #