Republican chaos in America
January 20th 2008 19:37
It is heartening to know that whoever the Republican Party nominates for president in 2008 will have little chance of winning. The debacle that is the Bush legacy, the lack of a singularly strong candidate, and the abject failure of neo-conservative policies have made a Democratic win a very safe bet.
How did the Republican Party get in it's current state? It's easy to blame Bush. And yes, he is the biggest factor. The man redefines incompetent and self righteous, while being wholly immoral. But he isn't the only reason. The integration of the economically and politically conservative with the socially conservative began in earnest Richard Nixon and accelerated under Reagan. The seemingly unlikely alliance of the building American aristocracy with the building evangelical movement surprised many.
On the surface, it wasn't a logical fit. The super-rich and the corporate multi-nationals in an alliance with the religious right? The vast majority of the religious right had nothing in common with the upper echelons of the movement, and had little to gain - but much to lose - in such an arrangement. But they, by and large, follow their leaders. And those leaders, for the most part, were becoming very wealthy manipulating their "sheep." Once the "powers that be" realized that to control the mass evangelical movement meant only that you had to control the leadership, it was easy. They made the evangelical leaders feel important, gave them perks, and made them feel like they had power. It worked marvelously. The people were "managed" into voting against their own interests. The rich got incredibly rich, corporate power and influence grew exponentially, and the slow but steady degradation of the American middle class began.
The interesting thing about coalitions is that they are often made up of groups that don't have much in common. They seek the power of an alliance to try to get something for them all. I can understand the corporate aristocracy wanting to marshal the voting power of the evangelicals. And I can understand the religious right working with the aristocracy to get it's agenda on the front burner. What is very hard to understand is the moderates in the party. If you aren't among the privileged few or the evangelical base, why would you even consider voting with them?
Of course, nothing happens in a vacuum. Without Roe vs. Wade, the civil rights movement, the women's movement, and the gay rights movement and the backlash against them there wouldn't have been anything to fire up the religious right. The very actions that brought more fairness, equality and justice to America enabled those who wish to take it away. The evangelical leaders that got involved in politics learned they could sway elections by inflaming prejudices and fears. And when they could sway elections, they became all the more powerful. The "sheep" were more than happy to fall in line.
But now the political powerhouse that helped get George Bush almost enough votes to win in 2000 and ushered in a rubber-stamp Congress is showing signs that it may splinter. The non-evangelicals can't embrace Huckabee or Thompson, the evangelicals are afraid of Romney and Paul, and none of them trust "America's mayor." The closest thing to a consensus candidate emerging may well be McCain. We will have to wait and see, but what is most heartening is that the infighting will help to ensure that whoever they nominate can't win. Most will never bolt from the party and vote for another candidate, but many will stay home. The inability for the right to come up with a consensus candidate will also help to bring more Democrats to Congress.
Once the neo-cons are completely out of power, we can begin to bring our country back. Back into the ranks of respected nations. Back to fiscal responsibility. Back to a policy that doesn't have room for wars for profit or pride. Back to a government we can expect to be there for Americans caught in a disaster. Sure, it's going to be a long road, and there will be missteps along the way - but at least we will be moving in the right direction.
How did the Republican Party get in it's current state? It's easy to blame Bush. And yes, he is the biggest factor. The man redefines incompetent and self righteous, while being wholly immoral. But he isn't the only reason. The integration of the economically and politically conservative with the socially conservative began in earnest Richard Nixon and accelerated under Reagan. The seemingly unlikely alliance of the building American aristocracy with the building evangelical movement surprised many.
On the surface, it wasn't a logical fit. The super-rich and the corporate multi-nationals in an alliance with the religious right? The vast majority of the religious right had nothing in common with the upper echelons of the movement, and had little to gain - but much to lose - in such an arrangement. But they, by and large, follow their leaders. And those leaders, for the most part, were becoming very wealthy manipulating their "sheep." Once the "powers that be" realized that to control the mass evangelical movement meant only that you had to control the leadership, it was easy. They made the evangelical leaders feel important, gave them perks, and made them feel like they had power. It worked marvelously. The people were "managed" into voting against their own interests. The rich got incredibly rich, corporate power and influence grew exponentially, and the slow but steady degradation of the American middle class began.
The interesting thing about coalitions is that they are often made up of groups that don't have much in common. They seek the power of an alliance to try to get something for them all. I can understand the corporate aristocracy wanting to marshal the voting power of the evangelicals. And I can understand the religious right working with the aristocracy to get it's agenda on the front burner. What is very hard to understand is the moderates in the party. If you aren't among the privileged few or the evangelical base, why would you even consider voting with them?
Of course, nothing happens in a vacuum. Without Roe vs. Wade, the civil rights movement, the women's movement, and the gay rights movement and the backlash against them there wouldn't have been anything to fire up the religious right. The very actions that brought more fairness, equality and justice to America enabled those who wish to take it away. The evangelical leaders that got involved in politics learned they could sway elections by inflaming prejudices and fears. And when they could sway elections, they became all the more powerful. The "sheep" were more than happy to fall in line.
But now the political powerhouse that helped get George Bush almost enough votes to win in 2000 and ushered in a rubber-stamp Congress is showing signs that it may splinter. The non-evangelicals can't embrace Huckabee or Thompson, the evangelicals are afraid of Romney and Paul, and none of them trust "America's mayor." The closest thing to a consensus candidate emerging may well be McCain. We will have to wait and see, but what is most heartening is that the infighting will help to ensure that whoever they nominate can't win. Most will never bolt from the party and vote for another candidate, but many will stay home. The inability for the right to come up with a consensus candidate will also help to bring more Democrats to Congress.
Once the neo-cons are completely out of power, we can begin to bring our country back. Back into the ranks of respected nations. Back to fiscal responsibility. Back to a policy that doesn't have room for wars for profit or pride. Back to a government we can expect to be there for Americans caught in a disaster. Sure, it's going to be a long road, and there will be missteps along the way - but at least we will be moving in the right direction.
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USA experiment Strausian myth making has too many parallels with fascism to be comfortable.
Other than that there are plenty other groups just as extreme as the religious right.