Someone should ask McCain what he thinks of his former running mate.

Republicans right how have nothing — they're as dysfunctional as Albany, the capital of New York state (where “Albany” and “dysfunctional” are normally said in the same sentence; just ask Jazz Shaw). Nothing, except an uncertain future. If the Dems engage in excess or their Sixties-iodicy-legacy extremists push them into overreach, the GOP will then be attractive once more because of relative harm and odiousness. But even that, the GOP cannot count on right now, and certainly not in 2010. _Maybe_ 2012 (only fools believe Obama is guaranteed re-election in 2012 already; their cult-worship is showing).

Elrod, there's a curious analogy there that holds strongly in your part of the country, not for superficial Religious-Right-bashing reasons (the typical leftist bigotry we see) but just standing on its own as a fact of life. As with the GOP, there are some Religious Right preachers (as on the Left, but we'rel talking about the Right here for a _clear_ analogy and picture) who profess to live on the high ground morally, but are caught playing with prostitutes, spending money on lavish homes, jets, travel jaunts, and so on.

Sorry for any textual goofs; response is slow and text displayed currently is microscopic.

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As I wrote earlier, the real problem is our Socialism-Statism Lite US-style welfare state and replacement of constitutional federalism by a largely-de-facto unitary state with Washington changing from federal to national in governmental character, encroaching into more and more realms that properly state and local (our Totalitarianism Lite). The power conferred therein is corrupting Republicans as well as Democrats (who openly support and seek this trend). That leads to speculation and reflection.

We can't hope (the _real_ sense of the word) to fall back on post-1980 long-overdue reforms by the Reagan crowd that truly were successful and rescued as well as rtestored and revitalized this nation (deniers are liars!). In fact if anything, Reagan didn't go far enough (he was constrained by an over-spending Congress, who spent far more than the large increase in revenues resulting from the tax reforms as well as reductions) and I'd like to see more. But while it's more worthy and realistic than the most laughable far-left dreams (instant “free” “soft” politically-correct energy and feel-good food, clothing, and though politicies from Washington), it's not going to happen. Progress will remain elusive as an absolute thing; it will consist of a brake on downward sliding…

Dems Lite, indeed. That's what passes currently for GOP “coherence” and “definition.”

I don't know why ANYBODY takes the Republicans in Washington seriously when they claim to be principled defenders of small government conservatism.

And by the way, conservative Republican Congressmen love pork too…for their own districts. My own, Jimmy Duncan, rails against government spending and then steers millions to our district for a beautiful new Justice Center. I'm glad we have it. But to anybody else, it's pork.

Like I said, Republicans have no principles.

Then, Obama finds himself deeper in trouble than ever, being pathetically weak in insisting the House Dem stimulus bill (which the media calls “Obama's” bill) be passed, something worse than the bank bailout. Then Obama makes a truly lunatic remark about a strong middle class requiring a strong union movement (which was already untrue as of the 1960s and even the 1950s, for anyone competent willing to exert the minimum effort needed to grasp the obvious). (The only place where unions remain in a substantial position is, where else, government.) Now his beloved health care czar, Tom Daschle, has tax troubles that dwarf the embarrassing troubles earlier of Geithner. Talk about a honeymoon being shattered by the Dems themselves, faster than ever would be believed!

And what does the GOP do? Extend foot, shoot foot.

Of course, all these Governors would love to have the money to stimulate their state economies, which need help.

As long as they say the right things, it doesn't matter what they actually do. The base will let them off the hook.

Democrats are stupid and don’t understand how to fix the economy.
The stimulus proposal is faulty and will damage America.
When do we get our money and where do we sign for the checks?

To be followed by demonization of Blue-Staters who will end up paying for the bailout and a refusal to pay their fair share of the taxes that were needed to bail their sorry asses.