The Republican Party's Makeover Is Going Well

It's going well if the goal is irrelevance.

Over the past week, Republicans have been busy self destructing and attacking one another. And I have to admit, it has been a joy to watch. The Republican base (the racists, the bigots, Southern White xenophobes, hate mongers, religious radicals, fiscal incompetents and the like) have been chastising a phony group of moderates who are at least attempting to appear reasonable and want to show that they are pulling the Party back to some sort of common sense position. The so-called Moderates, led by Congressman Eric Cantor, Sen. John McCain and Mitt Romney are calling themselves the National Council for a New America. The group wants to travel the Country (outside of the South) to get a sense of what Americans are feeling and thinking and to get ideas on what direction they should take the Party. It's all part of efforts by Republicans to re-brand. But Rush Limbaugh (the Republican Party leader) is having none of it. Limbaugh & Co. believe that racism, greed, Laissez-faire government, free markets, torture, war, Wall Street, corporate incompetence, John Wayne Foreign Policy, Confederate Southern ideology, the Party of the White- Rich- and elderly, and the Party of "no" is the way of the future for the Republicans.

Tricky Dick II reaffirmed Limbaugh's position as the Republican leader and his out of touch ideology over the weekend by saying that he would support Boss Limbaugh's Republican Brand over that of Colin Powell (a man who actually served in war and has a very distinguished career). Because Powell endorsed Barack Obama during the 2008 General Election Campaign, Cheney stated that he "didn't know Powell was still a Republican".

The Republican Party is now being consumed by the very monster that it created some 20+ years ago - the powerful Right Wing Media.... which believes in the Party's more hardline, radical ideology regarding governance and religion. Don't doubt the strength they hold. They were able to sell the Country a phony war and were able to get a buffoon elected not once, but twice. Now the powerful Republican/Right Wing media is targeting its own. The resulting battle is going to be ugly.... but quite entertaining if you are a Progressive or Democrat.

This is why I have suggested that this is the time to force Republicans to make a choice. Force Republicans (those who will even admit to being Republican at this point) to either support the ridiculous comments and beliefs of their leaders in the Right wing media, or reject & denounce them. But this is a big dilemma for Republicans (and this is where Progressives trap them in a corner) because they can't afford to accept either choice. The Republican Party dies if the ideology of Limbaugh & Co. (the vast radical Republican media apparatus) is accepted by the Party's rank and file members. Because the rest of America (Democrats, Progressives, Independents, etc) isn't interested in buying the racism, religious radicalism, backwards thinking, out of touch beliefs, failed policies, and Laissez-faire attitude that the Republicans are selling. On the other hand, Republicans can't afford to reject the Right wing media either.... because the GOP has always relied on its propaganda wing to sustain the Party. It has never been sustained by its ideas (not in modern times at least) it has always been the Party's ability to control the narrative, control information and distort its opponents that has sustained the Party. The Republican Party is just a shell without its media platform. Right wing media is essential for the Party to gets its message out, to raise cash, to mobilize voters, to agitate and anger its base with wedge issues, to run its propaganda.... to do everything. Right wing media is a well orchestrated machine.

The problem is... that the machine has gotten so big.... that it's now a monster that has taken on a life of its own. It is no longer an apparatus that the old traditional Republican political leaders in Washington D.C. can control. Thus, they lost the real leadership of the Party a long time ago. The huge network of Limbaugh and Co. represent the true leadership of the Party....regardless of how backwards that leadership is.

On Colin Powell

Colin Powell spoke on the campus of the University of Mississippi last night. I went with a couple of friends and we really enjoyed the speech. I had a couple of qualms, but overall it's hard not to be impressed by his consistency.

First, the man has a sense of humor. I'm sure the jokes were well-rehearsed, but he threw in a few zingers that loosened up the crowd. Second, he spoke extemporaneously as he walked about the state for nearly one hour. Impressive.

Third, while he extolled the virtues of volunteerism, civic engagement and being better all-around citizens, I was struck that he only mentioned in passing the America's Promise Alliance founded by his wife Alma and himself. It's a good outfit that deserves to succeed.

Fourth, and what I appreciated most, was the focus of the speech. America, according to Powell (and demographers, for that matter) is a changing place. Americans need to recognize that this trend is not only good, but inevitable. Americans need to focus on making this a better country for all, not just a better country for some. It was fundamentally for this reason that he endorsed Obama over McCain last October.

A Discussion With Muslim Americans - Now That Election Season Is Over

Thanks Rikyrah for hipping me to this photo a few weeks ago.
NPR's OnPoint offers a great post-election discussion with Muslim Americans. They finally provide their perspective after they were slandered by Politicians and by the American media for the last 18 months. They discuss their disappointment with how Obama handled the fearmongering and the slandering by Republicans. But they also discuss their hopes.

Did Obama do enough to speak out for American Muslims? Could he have done more? Or was he in the best position to speak up? And can Obama help bridge the gap between America's various cultural, ethnic, and religious groups?

____________________________

Related Links

Hear about the experiences of a Muslim family living under the U.S. culture of fear after 9/11.

Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama

Powell's Comments Right After Meet The Press Interview

Colin Powell's Got His Black Card Back....LOL

I got the idea for this from over at Booman Tribune:

Colin Powell is Black Again
by BooMan
Sun Oct 19th, 2008 at 06:02:33 PM EST

The only reason Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama is because he's a racist, or, at the very least, because they're both soul brothers. After all, even though Powell served in the administration of someone who was totally inexperienced, he had never before endorsed an inexperienced liberal.
Colin Powell woke up this morning as someone that was reviled by the left and most of the world for his phony WMD presentation before the United Nations on February 5th, 2003. He goes to sleep tonight, reviled on the right as a racist who puts racial solidarity over principle. Colin Powell was respected by the Washington elite and much of the right. Now he's no better than Al Sharpton and Cynthia McKinney. I'm sure Powell knew this would happen. That's why I'm fairly certain he's sincere in thinking McCain-Palin will be a disaster for this country. If he didn't think that, why would he subject himself to this abuse?

The title alone cracked me up.

Booman is correct, though.



From everyone's favorite racist, junkie, right-wing radio host

At Politico.com:

October 19, 2008
Categories: McCain
Limbaugh: Where are the inexperienced, white liberals Powell has endorsed?

Rush Limbaugh said Colin Powell's decision to get behind Barack Obama appeared to be very much tied to Obama's status as the first African-American with a chance to become president.

"Secretary Powell says his endorsement is not about race," Limbaugh wrote in an e-mail. "OK, fine. I am now researching his past endorsements to see if I can find all the inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates he has endorsed. I'll let you know what I come up with."

As for Powell's statement of concern this morning about the sort of Supreme Court justices a President McCain might appoint, Limbaugh wrote: "I was also unaware of his dislike for John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy and Antonin Scalia. I guess he also regrets Reagan and Bush making him a four-star [general] and secretary of state and appointing his son to head the FCC. Yes, let's hear it for transformational figures."

From firedoglake:

George Will: Colin Powell Endorsed Obama Because He’s Black
By: Blue Texan
Sunday October 19, 2008 10:31 am

This morning on "This Week" George Will was asked what he thought about Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama.

His response?

Black, black, blackety-black black black blackety-black.

SNUFFLEUPAGUS: We just found out that former Sec. of State General Colin Powell has said he's going to vote for Barack Obama. Big impact?

WILL: Some impact. And I think this adds to my calculation -- this is very hard to measure -- but it seems to me if we had the tools to measure we'd find that Barack Obama gets two votes because he's black for every one he loses because he's black because so much of this country is so eager, a, to feel good about itself by doing this, but more than that to put paid to the whole Al Sharpton/Jessee Jackson game of political rhetoric.

WILL: Some impact. And I think this adds to my calculation -- this is very hard to measure -- but it seems to me if we had the tools to measure we'd find that Barack Obama gets two votes because he's black for every one he loses because he's black because so much of this country is so eager, a, to feel good about itself by doing this, but more than that to put paid to the whole Al Sharpton/Jessee Jackson game of political rhetoric.

Huh?

Excuse me, but what the fuck do Al Sharpton and Jessee Jackson have to do with George W. Bush's Secretary of State, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a lifelong Republican endorsing Obama?

Oh, right -- they're all black.



Rikyrah here: Now, I know some of you are asking...how come Donna Brazile didn't speak up? Now, I can't begin to speak for Donna, but as my Daddy would say, " I'm just surmising" - that this was a
' Child, hush' moment.

What's that?

That'a a moment in every Black person's life when there are two options:

Speak up and say something you KNOW you won't regret, but you'll have to accept blowback about...

or

"Child, hush." - keep your thoughts to yourself, think happy thoughts, because the first words out of your mouth, if you opened it, would be - Mutherfucker, please.

But, my favorite, has to be MSNBC's Pat " Black people should be happy for slavery " Buchanan:

Buchanan: Alright, we gotta ask a question, look would Colin Powell be endorsing Obama if he were a white liberal democrat...

Walsh: Oh, Pat, I'm really sorry you went there.

Look, General Powell Started off by saying it would be electrifying an African American and it is naive Joan to suggest it had nothing to do with his decision.

Matthews: He said that if that were his driving motive he would have done it weeks ago because the guy looked African America weeks and months ago.
Walsh: And Obama's been courting him. He's been courting him for months.

Buchanan: This is why he threw in the whole kitchen sink. A lot fo things are silly and ridiculous. Economics and Supreme courts justices, it's...

Walsh; That's not silly...

Buchanan: All the motives except for the one everybody is wondering about.

Walsh: Which is what? Race, I mean Pat, you know Pat. this is beneath you.

Matthews: Why don't you go by what he said? Why do you have to attribute motives to people who don't say those things?

Walsh: And Sheila Jackson Lee stayed with Hillary and Stephanie stayed...

Watching what has happened to Powell, no wonder so many of the Black Conservative GOPers have turned on him.

Yeah, Powell's been kicked out the Big House, folks. To break it down in terms used by my fellow blogger, The Field Negro:

Powell, is now at best a Patio Negro. No more House for him. He's still not welcome to roam freely in The Field, mainly because we haven't forgotten about the U.N. speech. But, some in The Field are willing to talk to him now. And point out to him those in The Field that he should avoid at all costs.

On a serious tip, I believe Powell has sense. And, I believe his wife had influence. Never forget, Alma Powell grew up in the thick of Bombingham, Alabama, where her father kept weapons in the house, because he never knew when or where he might need one. You don't forget stuff like that. I bet John Lewis' remarks resonate CLEARLY with Alma Powell.

Colin Powell Endorses Obama

Picture of the Muslim Soldier Powell spoke about in this clip:

Colin Powell Discusses Georgia Conflict

Powell joins the World of the sane with his assessment of the conflict in Georgia. He hinted that McCain's response was hasty.

Colin Powell on Obama and Jeremiah Wright

Powell gave an interview to Good Morning America.

Here's the money section:

Returning to presidential politics, Powell condemned controversial remarks by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor of 20 years, as "deplorable" but complimented the Democratic candidate for his speech on race that followed in the aftermath.


"Rev. Wright is also somebody who has made enormous contributions in his community and has turned a lot of lives around," Powell said, "And so, I have to put that in context with these very offensive comments that he made, which I reject out of hand."

Powell added that he does not know Wright, and praised Obama's response.

"I think that Sen. Obama handled the issue well . . . he didn't look the other way. He didn't wait for the, for the, you know, for the storm to go over. He went on television, and I thought, gave a very, very thoughtful, direct speech. And he didn't abandon the minister who brought him closer to his faith," Powell told Sawyer.

Powell, who has been mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate in almost every election since he retired from military service and public life, expressed admiration for Obama.

"It was a good (speech)," Powell said. "I admired him for giving it. And I agreed with much of what he said."

The rest of the interview,which can be found here, talks about Iraq, Afghanistan, The Possible Olympic Boycott.

In the annals of ' What Ifs', one of my consistent ' What Ifs' goes like this:
WHAT IF Colin Powell had resigned, instead of gone up to the U.N. to lie for Bush? I know a lot of y'all will never forgive him for it, and I understand that, but even now....my head tells me one thing, but my heart...still has a soft spot for Powell.