Now, it isn’t totally that simple, but it really is that simple. This has been the general modus operandi for the republican party – at least over the past decade. Forget about governing, forget about issues, forget about any discourse or even heated debate. It is either you march lockstep completely on everything or your life will be destroyed.
This starts at the top and works its way down throughout the party apparatus – the administration, the Congressional leadership, mainline members of Congress, the “mouthpieces” like Rush, Hannity, Malkin, Coulter and the like, and of course the “keyboard kommandos” at LGF and at Freeperville. This is precisely why the level of discourse in this country has devolved to, well, next to nothing. This is why we ended up in Iraq and have the major issues with respect to all of the problems facing the country.
There is no “working with the other side” to republicans. That is “weak”. It is why those who spoke out against going into Iraq were “traitors”. It is why Michael Schiavo was demonized and his life turned upside down in the wake of a tragedy. It is why Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson’s lives and her career were put through hell. It is why Michelle Malkin gave out the phone numbers of anti-war protesters at a California University.
It is why, whenever there are issues that need to be addressed in this country, those who are not on the “side” of the republicans, the issues don’t matter – it becomes a race to destroy the person’s credibility, life, job and family before the actual issues are debated. It is why, instead of talking about the merits of SCHIP, the office of the Senate Minority Leader is involved with the smearing of a 12 year old and his family. It is why it was more important to protect Mark Foley than it was to protect the underage pages that he was having internet sex with.
It is why Brandon Friedman and the veterans who have served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan are being called traitors by those who have better things to do or are serving their country by, well, bravely staying here and harassing those who actually did serve. It is why Glenn Beck asks a newly elected Congressman who happens to be Muslim to “prove that he isn’t a terrorist”. It is why the people who were stranded in the Gulf Coast were “asking for it” because they should have known better when they lived in that area of the country.
It is how Karl Rove got George Bush elected at Governor of Texas and nominated by the republican party in 2000 over John McCain. It is why Dan Rather was smeared and fired for the Bush National Guard documents when the facts surrounding Bush going AWOL were never challenged. It is why Keith Olbermann was sent an envelope containing white powder by an Ann Coulter fan.
And it is why anyone (mind you that we have been very right on so many of the ISSUES) who points out the inaccuracies, the shortcomings, the problems or the flaws in a republican position that the issues are not up for debate – it is the smearing of the person raising the doubts, questions, flaws or issues that is personally attacked. These people are lower than the lowest form of scum. They are sick fucks who get off on swarming on people or politicians who raise legitimate questions or just don’t completely agree 100% with their twisted and hate filled world view.
Now, this isn’t new. But it is a way to further alienate the republican party from the independent or undecided voters. Which party is trying to look for answers, which party is trying to help the people of this country? Which party has consistently shown to attack the messenger, not the message? Which party is all about the politics of destruction? And which party is more concerned with ruining your life if you disagree with them?
Time and time again – it is the politics of personal destruction. Even when the person being destroyed is already a victim (as in the case of the Frosts). There are too many problems in this country facing too many millions of people for this type of behavior to continue driving the discourse (or lack thereof).
We need to move this country forward. And only one party has any interest in that (regardless of whether they are doing as much as we would like). The other party is only interested in tearing down the lives of those who don’t fall completely in line or dare to want things like affordable healthcare, help during a natural disaster or no wars based on lies.
It isn’t “a few bad apples”. It is a concerted effort at all levels of the republican party. And the American people should know what they are getting when they pull that lever or push that button next November.
And we should keep telling them what they get when they vote for or support the republican party.