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A Losing Argument
He says he’s only speaking for himself, but I’ve got to wonder:
Yesterday, Dan asked why no one had been slogging or commenting on the Massachusetts Senatorial race, which may de-rail HCR by cutting the Dem majority in the Senate to 59, if Republican idiot Scott Brown beats Democratic hack Martha Coakley.
I cannot speak for other crickets, but I know why I haven’t written about it: I am totally burnt out on politics.
Over the last 9 years, it’s been seven years of mostly simmering-to-boiling rage (from the judicial coup d’etat of Bush v. Gore through Iraq, Katrina, and the economic meltdown), leavened with a year of cautious optimism (might we do the right thing and elect Obama?) to a year of biting my nails and hoping that the Democrats might actually, you know, accomplish something positive. Anything.
Now, having to watch the Republicans simply refuse to play ball, the D’s desperately try to make nice and so accomplish nothing by watering down their bills, asswipes like Baucus and Nelson and Stupak hold their own party hostage, an MSM which is really more interested in Leno v. Conan than anything with substance (it took an earthquake in Haiti and maybe hundreds of thousands dead to drive two … late night comedians off the front page for the love of Christ), blogs with foci so narrow that you couldn’t get a needle through. . . I’ve lost the will to care. I’ve stopped reading the Op Eds in the NY Times, much less the coverage. I’m done.
The way to fight back its to claim burn-out and sideline yourself??? That sounds like an excuse a real loser’s argument to me. A more articulate losing rationale, from Tom Schaller at 538.
Meanwhile, Republicans are all fired up for a return to former days of glory: Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the party leader, is bringing back a “Contract With America” architect as his chief of staff to come up with a common document for Republicans to rally around as they did in 1994.
7 Responses to “A Losing Argument”
“Republicans are all fired up for a return to former days of glory”
I don't believe we should rush to conclude this, and I continue to risk being considered a Scrooge, but I repeat, this is not 1994. The GOP and its Contract were attractive (except to knee-jerk liberals) then. There is no such thing now.
The real question will be if the Dems learn from their mistake of rushing to yank the nation too far to the Left (even if the fringe left wants more extremism!), and correct their misbehavior. Will they learn, is the first part? So far, they and their peers on this site and elsewhere are failing to learn and making all kinds of bogus “explanations” and blaming others, mainly the Republicans, as well as the public.
I can appreciate why anyone would get burnt out on politics. You can ony bang your head against the wall of ignorance, stupidity and greed for so long until you get tired of it. Of course that only gives more power to the forces in our country who have have little use for our democracy and prefer instead an oligarchy, a plutocracy, a corporatocracy, a theocracy, or any other form of power grabbing that make the founding fathers of this country roll in their graves. What is especially ironic though is how middle Americans can be thrown so witlessly into harness for the very forces that are robbing them of their futures. It's quite amazing really, but giving up is (of course) the wrong reaction. Americans should be outraged, and they are, they just don't seem to know who is playing them and who isn't.
“What is especially ironic though is how middle Americans can be thrown so witlessly into harness for the very forces that are robbing them of their futures.”
The Dems have exploited this for ages. This past year, though, the Dems managed to abuse the especially strong position in which they found themselves, and even many previously fooled have learned.
Well I would say this: If the catholic church gets involved in this with their radio rhetoric, then there needs to be retribution.
However I don't fear a loss because the republicans will filibuster everything and I guarantee you that will add weight around their necks as they flounder in their sea of rhetorical BS.
This country is Left and as time passes more realize it.
Liberals burning out on politics?
How can we help?
” the republicans will filibuster everything and I guarantee you that will add weight around their necks as they flounder in their sea of rhetorical BS”
Actually, you make a good point here. We've been missing the filibuster and associated entertainment (99% of which will be howling in the liberal media and on line by liberals when this begins happening). Yes, it will put the GOP at risk of gaffes or poor PR, if they don't offer something constructive and also attractive. (That's what we'll be looking for; we discount the predictable liberal media and Net babble.) Opposition only for opposition's sake (without giving good reasons for the opposition) won't help the GOP.
You just made that point, even if you probably misjudge the quality of the rhetoric ahead of time.
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