Intelligent Political Discourse in America - R.I.P.

I have to wonder, has some members of the Republican Congressional Delegation been taking some really bad drugs lately? Nutty right-wing conspiracy theories seem to me to be at an all time high. Some of the ideas being tossed about on the Internet make the whole business about President Obama's birth certificate look rational by comparison (and no, I believe that one is pretty insane too). Now we have Congressmen picking up the conspiracies and telling their constituents via town hall meetings and appearances on right-wing talk radio, that the Democrat's health care reform proposal will cause the government to talk to the elderly about how they want to die; and that the plan will end in the government putting seniors to death. Then the talk radio loonies throw about comparisons to Hitler and Mao (Godwin's Law anyone?).

Is this the way American political dialog should be conducted? I think not. If these Republicans could come up with a viable plan of their own, they could talk about that. But no, they would rather continue to purvey fear upon our senior citizens, and everyone else too. What is sad is that so many buy it. I never thought I would see this country on such a downward slide so as to reach this low point in political discourse.

Rachel Maddow on MSNBC has examples in the clip below.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Sauce for the Goose?

Remember all the wailing and crying from the GOP about giving President Bush's judicial nominees "an up or down vote"? Well, wouldn't you know it. A group of conservative luminaries are asking the Republican Senators to filibuster President Obama's nomination of Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. What a bunch of hypocrites! The shoe is on the other foot now, and it doesn't feel so good to them!

The Curmudgeonly Old Party

Will somebody please buy the Republican Party a Garmin? Seriously, the GOP has lost its way. After eight years of the Bush presidency, the USA is known for torture (uh...I mean "enhanced interrogation techniques"), warrantless domestic spying, and holding prisoners without charges. Rational Americans are appalled that these things are even open to debate. The misguided policies of the Republicans have lead to a major implosion that has left their party in major disarray.

Senator John McCain's daughter Meghan, made a good point in a joint interview with her dad on Phoenix's KTAR, when she said, “I just wish that moderates like myself — more moderate Republicans and more socially liberal Republicans — weren’t looked at as, ‘Get rid of the dirty moderates. Get rid of them.”

Then there is former GOP US Senator, Bob Barr, who told CNN that the the GOP is in deep trouble and lacks "any coherent philosophy, vision or leadership.” Barr's comments are followed by those of former Republican Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, who called several members of the Republican National Committee "a small bunch of egomaniacs who need to be coddled by the party chairman".

Finally, we have a move by some leading Republicans to attempt a makeover of the party's image. Perhaps this is a project for the TV show Extreme Makeover. It is an awesome undertaking, no doubt! The GOP's "Big Tent" has become a small pup tent occupied by a bunch of angry old white men and fundamentalist loonies; or as I like to call them...the Irrelevant Right.

The Republicans may be down, but I wouldn't count them out. Still, as long as they are the party of obstructionism, torture, and general curmudgeonliness, they will have a hard time rebooting their damaged image. In the meantime, it's time for President Obama and a Democratic Congress to get things done that are long overdue...starting with universal healthcare for all Americans.

Steele vs. Limbaugh and Paul Harvey

Too bad. GOP Chair Michael Steele leveled criticism at the character that MSNBC's Keith Olbermann calls "Comedian Rush Limbaugh", criticism that is well deserved. Steele mentioning that Limbaugh does not run the Republican Party called his rhetoric "incendiary" and "ugly". Absolutely true. Then when the porcine one fires back at Steele over the radio, Steele caves and apologizes. Why?

Steele has shown he is the weak leader of a failed party. He has let a radio blowhard, bully him into a corner, making Rush the de-facto leader of the wacky faction of the GOP (Is there any other faction these days?). It is unfortunate, as I had hopes that Steele would be able to help return the GOP to the center. It appears he has sold his soul to the nutty fringe.

---

On another note, it would be remiss not to mention the death last week of an iconic voice that has informed and entertained for decades. Paul Harvey's news and commentary, along with his vignettes on The Rest of the Story, have been a fixture on ABC radio for a long time. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native who started out at KVOO (now KFAQ), and went to Chicago to hit it big in broadcasting , had an unmistakable delivery that made you know immediately that he was on the air.

And what a contrast...Paul Harvey, the consummate conservative and his congenial demeanor, versus todays radio hatemongers. He was a gentleman and a perfect example of what radio should be.

Good day!