Losing with Grace
We have to accept the fact that the conservatives we sent to Congress in 1994 became the bloated, earmarking, tone-deaf toads of 2006. They thought they could do whatever they wanted, regardless of what their constituents think, and now they have been reminded of just who is working for whom. Remedying that sense of isolation and disconnect and unchecked power is why we have elections in the first place, and as to the consequences of it, we have no one to blame but ourselves. That imperial attitude is not unique to Republicans or Democrats. That is human nature, and correcting the excesses of human nature only becomes more costly and painful the longer it is allowed to go on. Democracy is error-correcting. Ask John Kerry.
I voted straight down the Republican ticket tonight. I am not happy about this, but I'm determined to take it like a man and use this occasion to let the opposition see what it looks like to lose with honor and grace. That they have needed a lesson in this goes without saying, and a lot of us mean to see that they will need additional instruction along these very lines in the near future. But right now that is bluster; a check folded and stuffed in a shirt pocket for cashing at our leisure. This is their night.
The Congress that the Republicans lost they lost because they abandoned the ideals that elected them in the first place. We must learn from our mistakes. We will have two years to do so.
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
16 Comments:
Limbaugh got it right? Wait... didn't he admit that he feels "Liberated because he no longer has to carry the water for the Republican party", where in the past he has always denied being a water carrier?
I mean it is just like with Hannity... for months before the elections he was touting that PITIFUL immigration reform act as a reason to vote for them, and wouldn't tolerate much negative talk about it at all. All of the sudden, when the election is over, and they lose, he starts trashing them for only being able to do that.
The before and after doesn't mesh. I would put some of the blame for the condition of the Republican party on people like them. People who sat there and defended them to the hilt, even when it was obvious that they had no clothes.
Yes, the Democrats ran on nothing (and don't get me wrong, I wouldn't vote for one of them if I had to), but the Republicans were worse...
They ran on lies.
They've said for ages that they would lower spending... well, military stuff aside, they increased it. They have ran for ages on limited government... and yet the passed entirely new entitlements. And they run as people who uphold the law, and yet (the House aside), they want to do nothing more than hand out Amnesty.
In fact... don't expect vetoes or anything from our President... without the House to fight with him and hold him in check, expect to see more passed. He was practically salivating at the thought of working with a Democratic power in order to get his "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" passed... better start learning Spanish, they will start FLOCKING here even more now. He may have an R next to his name, but (while not the communist nutcases many Democrats are now), he is an old-fashioned Liberal in terms of philosophy and actions.
But yes, in that one sense, they do have no one to blame but themselves. Hopefully they REALLY learn this lesson, and not just give it lip service.
As one who is a Republican, I must say that we blew it. Several things went wrong. We claim to be the party of morality and family values, yet our leadership looked the other way while Congressman Foley was hitting on male interns. We are sending our brave service men and women to Iraq ill equipped to do their job. The Humvees don't have enough armor to protect our troops from roadside bombs. It is sad that our troops don't have proper body armor for themselves, and have to fabricate armament for the Humvees. Bush Jr. should have listened to some of his fathers advisors such as Brent Scowcroft who urged him to not to carry out the war in the way we are doing it. We got fat and complacent, and got away from our principles that less government is better government. Many of our people once they went to Washington became what they campaigned against.
Hopefully this will be a wake up call for us, and we will be able to turn it around in two years before the Democrats do too much damage.
Hey, Whittel, don't forget to forward your "lose with grace" and "like a man" message over to the loser for the Cook County Board President position. What a sissy!! Sorry I voted for Peraica, he was a post election embarrassment.
You know...I watch O'Reilley just about every night. Countless times he has shown links between Al Qaeda and Sadam. He has shown that this or that type of lab was found...a bunch of other things. You never heard about it from the White house or Congress. Why wouldn't they plaster this stuff all over the place. I don't care how insignificant or trivial these things seemed. It would have been better than just sitting back and letting these Leftists call the Administration inept and underhanded. Now we will all pay.
I also voted a straight republican ticket. Zero incumbents and only 2 retentions. The 2 judges I voted to retain were only because I had been in front of both of them. Those cases were on signed complaints so I didnt really care about the outcome cause I was there to suck up court time. I beleive both of those judges were extremely fair. THATS ALL YOU CAN ASK FOR.
I also voted NO on both of the referendum. .50cal/assault rifle ban? Saw one SKS, and one M4(basically a shortened M16 with a collapsable stock) in all the time I worked in 011. The M4 was an IAD set up. I called ERPS & the Crime Lab, and they said they had no record of it. Later I found out that the inventory number was voided.
Also raise the minimum wage? The family has 5 Mexican women or should I say (politically correct?)south of the Texas border immigrant women sorting objects by color. 7.50 an hour to sort?
So you gotta be kidding me.
This was the first year I didnt get any-zip-zilch-nada in the way of political mail or phone calls.
I think I did more work for the Republicans than they did.
Will I vote Republican again- yep
I live Clearing/Garcia Ridge, and as I understand it my neighborhood votes blindly democratic. So they would vote for a Chimpanzee if run and endorsed by the City Democratic Party or HDO.
Sorry this is long but I needed to vent!
Hmm. All this public remorse and introspection the day AFTER the election is a little unconvincing. A few more Republicans publicly assailing their elected officials BEFORE the election would look a lot more like principles in action.
As it is, this just looks to me like Republicans saying, "Gee, I didn't care about the corruption until we got our asses handed to us. Maybe we should change it after all."
funny how the voting system does not "fail" when dems win, only when they lose. Republicans did lose with grace. (except tony) Never will see that from psycho socialist dems. would not expect to see it.
Political gridlock isn't so bad. The more time the Houses spend jacking each other off, the less time they have to screw things up.
Yes, Republicans lose like adults. I believe this is exactly what the party needed to get back on track. Also, for the next two years Democrats will be forced to take a position. Doing so will give the Republican nominee for prresident the edge (because their ideas are pitiful), and not doing so will do the same. I for one hope Nancy Pelosi tries to shove her San Fran politics down the throat of middle America so we can get back on track in 2008.
OFF TOPIC- Hey Malcom-can you explain why black "leaders" are so afraid to face the real problems facing blacks? Mary Mitchel has gone on and on about this kid who was railroaded in 021 and then A1 because he was wearing green sweatpants. She would like to blame the police. Why can't she look to his community, fatherless family, and friends? 5 of his friends beat the shit out of some guy, they were all wearing green pants too. He was with them, then ran when the police came, but is being railroaded? Why don't you get a column, Malcom, and write about the fact that blaming whitey does a disservice to the real problems the blacks need to overcome? Adults take responsibility. The longer blacks clame to be victims, the longer their children will be victims of their parents failures.
Republicans say;
Sometimes you win,
Sometimes you lose,
Sometimes you break even!
But in Chicago,
No Chance Baby!
Sorry, "Murphy40Pct," and I know you won't agree with this, but far too often, blacks ARE victims of the criminal justice system. No argument from me that far too many people of color are victims and offenders, but far more innocent people of color are railroaded down the criminal justice system.
When things like education, employment and housing opportunities truly become "equal" in ths country, then your argument will hold much more water than it currently does now.
Response to (11/9/06-6:07pm) I guesss free housing, free education,affirmative action, isnt enough maybe we should give disadvantaged people free money too, disreguard we do its called a link card. They have all the opportunites given to them a on silver platter but would rather put themselves in postions to be arrested by us. For example: selling dope, committing robberies, burglaries and homicides to name a few. If they are a victim of the criminal justice system it is because the criminal justice system was working. So go cry somewhere else
and speaking of losing, goodbye and good riddance Capt. Anderson. Now, take your porno/stalker husband and put him somewhere else.
"Right on SCC. I'm no fan of Rush Limbaugh (we share the same philosophy though not the same style)" (?!)
- Doubter
Aww!
"Better start learning Spanish, they will start flocking here more than ever now...He may have an R next to his name...(but) he is a liberal in terms of philosophy and actions"
- 11/09/2006 7:05:16AM
Awwww!
"As one who is a Republican, I must say that we blew it"
- 11/09/2006 8:14:51AM
Awwwwww!
"Sorry I voted for Peraica, he was a post-election embarassment"
- The View
Awwwwwwwwww! (this generalizes to the entire GOP ticket)
"Yes, Republicans lose like adults. I believe this is exactly what the party needed to get back on track"
- Murphy40pct
Awwwwwwwwwwwww! (Murph, they were never on track).
"Blacks this....Blacks that"
- Murphy40pct
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! (Your white sheet is showing Murph. Try to pull yourself together).
For a slightly DIFFERENT perspective, visit my site for The Aftermath. Stay safe.
Coldtype, Malcolm: Sad but true, the only racists on this post are you. Until black "leaders" face the real problems facing them they will remain victims of their own design. Your reasoning is so anti-black, I really think Malcom is a racist white man just pretending to be black. After all, the best way to keep blacks undereducated, fatherless and in prison is to ignore the problems that cause these conditions. Yes Malcolm, you are anti-black. UNCF? Good cause. Blaming the police for crime? Bad. Liberals need to stop keeping the black communitty down...but they won't while it motivates their base. The truth hurts-Democrats thrive off of percieved racism (Jesse and Sharpton have made careers from it). Stop your racism. Blacks have suffered enough.
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