Wednesday, January 18, 2012

GOP bares its loathsome fangs in South Carolina

Playin' to their audience
Take a good look, America!  Take a good look at the people rallying in South Carolina.

No matter how you feel about Barack Obama, do you really imagine that these people offer a viable alternative?

Check out how Republicans talk when they get to the heart of Dixie; the very state that first seceded from the Union in 1860:
  • Rick Perry:  "I'm saying the state of Texas is under assault by federal government. I'm saying also that South Carolina is at war with this federal government and with this administration."



  • Newt Gingrich:  "President Obama is the most successful food stamp president in American history."



  • Rick Santorum:  "I don't want to give black people someone else's money. I want to give them the opportunity to make money."

Rick Perry once again flirts with treason (because, you know, that's what they call it when you advocate war against the Federal Government).  Newt Gingrich gives a blow on the old Southern Strategy dog whistle.  And Rick Santorum does Newt one better, disposing of all pretense with some overt race-baiting.

President Carter named the beast two and a half years ago, but it never fails to shock and appall when it rears its ugly head.  For anyone who wasn't sure, this ought to lay to rest any lingering doubts, eh?

Most appalling are the responses of the audiences.  They ate that stuff up!  Santorum made his remarks in Iowa, but Newt and Rick Perry were speaking to a fired-up Fox News audience in Columbia.  Man!  They loved it when Newt talked down to Juan Williams (who, by the way, is African-American).

And it seems to be working.  Mitt Romney, who has notably refrained from participating in the ugly rhetoric, is watching his lead in the polls shrink as South Carolina's primary nears.  Gingrich is coming on strong.  Gingrich!

I know plenty of good people who call themselves conservatives; who are registered Republicans. Why aren't they speaking up?

Appalling, I tell you.  Disgusting.

1 comment:

  1. DavidJanuary 21, 2012 at 3:44 PM

    "I know plenty of good people who call themselves conservatives; who are registered Republicans. Why aren't they speaking up?"

    They aren't speaking up because they know that the bottom line is to win the 2012 election.  Conservatives have an agenda, and to enact that agenda Republicans must be elected.  To make that electoral omelet, some eggs must be broken.  Appealing to the racist segment of the base is simply an unsavory yet unavoidable necessity.  The alternative - to allow a liberal Democratic victory - is too threatening to the agenda.

    Likewise, "liberal" Democrats engage in exactly the same hair-splitting.  The ignoring of blatant violation of the War Powers Act, codification of indefinite detention into law, allowing the President unchecked power to murder American citizens deemed to be enemies of the state and increasing collateral civilian deaths from drone strikes is an unsavory yet unavoidable necessity.  The alternative - to allow a conservative Republican victory - is too threatening to the agenda. 

    I know plenty of good people who call themselves Liberals; who are registered Democrats.  Why aren't they speaking up?

    ReplyDelete

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