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You are here: Home / Politics / Republican Stupidity / The Silly Party

The Silly Party

by John Cole|  May 20, 200912:50 pm| 119 Comments

This post is in: Republican Stupidity, Clown Shoes

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It just doesn’t stop:

Members of the Republican National Committee appear to have reached a compromise that would let GOP leaders avoid a possible dispute over a controversial resolution that calls on Democrats to re-name their party the “Democrat Socialist party.”

Steele has come out against the resolution, calling it “not an appropriate way to express our views on the issues of the day.” One of Steele’s allies on the committee, Florida GOP chairman Jim Greer, told CNN the resolution is “stupid” and “ridiculous.”

However, New Jersey committeeman David Norcross, one of the sponsors of the resolution, told CNN the language is being massaged so that Steele and others on the committee will be more receptive.

Generally, when parties are out of party they do some soul-searching, and look inward and try to figure out who they are and what they believe in. Imagine if the Democrats had spent 2001-2006 arguing over what silly thing they should rename the Republicans. I just have no idea what these guys are thinking, what they think this will accomplish. It really does look like the only guiding principle they have is that anything that insults or pisses off Democrats must be good.

I don’t get it. I’d really like one of them to state what they think this would accomplish.

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Reader Interactions

119Comments

  1. 1.

    schrodinger's cat

    May 20, 2009 at 12:53 pm

    I’d really like one of them to state what they think this would accomplish.

    I think you have already answered your own question.

    the only guiding principle they have is that anything that insults or pisses off Democrats must be good.

    Besides it will get them air time for a couple of days on cable TV.

  2. 2.

    chrome agnomen

    May 20, 2009 at 12:54 pm

    when you got nothing…

  3. 3.

    InflatableCommenter

    May 20, 2009 at 12:56 pm

    I’d really like one of them to state what they think this would accomplish.

    Heh. They made you look.

    Heh. Heh heh.

  4. 4.

    Adrienne

    May 20, 2009 at 12:58 pm

    I don’t get it. I’d really like one of them to state what they think this would accomplish.

    Ummm. Duh. Piss off liberals. That’s the ONLY reason they do about 99% of what they do. If it doesn’t piss liberals off you ain’t doing it right.

  5. 5.

    Bootlegger

    May 20, 2009 at 12:59 pm

    I use to love silly putty. You could press into the comics and get a mirror image, a caricature if you will. Oh wait, you said silly party, not putty. Same difference.

    Didn’t Lord Limbaugh use to huff about “symbolism over substance”? That must have been in his pre-drug haze because he’s definitely all about the symbols now.

  6. 6.

    Vic

    May 20, 2009 at 12:59 pm

    For starters it will get a lot of reputable news outlets to report on a non-story and say “Democrat” and “Socialist” next to each other in the same sentence. I guess that’s all the Republicans can really hope for these days. Well, that and making Harry Reid dance like an organ grinder’s monkey.

  7. 7.

    Ripley

    May 20, 2009 at 1:01 pm

    …a controversial resolution that calls on Democrats to re-name their party…

    Um, go fuck yourselves? Notice it doesn’t say that the GOP will re-name the Dems as the Dem Socialist Party, oh no. Dems are supposed to re-name themselves.

    Reminder to the GOP: You’re not in charge of anything anymore.

    Seriously, who are these people???

  8. 8.

    Ugh

    May 20, 2009 at 1:01 pm

    Cleese: (talking very fast, as do all the commentators): Hello, good evening and welcome to Election Night Special. There’s tremendous excitement here at the moment and we should be getting the first results through any moment now. We’re not sure where it will be from, it might be Leicester or from West Byfleet, the polling’s been quite heavy in both areas. Ah, I’m just getting… I’m just getting… a buzzing noise in my left ear. Urgh, argh! (removes insect and stamps on it). And now let’s go straight over to Leicester.

    Palin: And it’s a straight fight here at Leicester and we’re expecting the result any moment now. There with the Returning Officer is Arthur Smith the sensible candidate and next to him is Jethro Q. Walrustitty the silly candidate with his agent and his silly wife.

    Idle: (clears throat) Here is the result for Leicester. Arthur J. Smith…

    Cleese: Sensible Party

    Idle: …30,612. (applause) Jethro Q. Bunn Whackett Buzzard Stubble and Boot Walrustitty…

    Cleese: Silly Party

    Idle: …33,108. (applause)

    Cleese: Well there we have the first result of the election and the Silly party has held Leicester. Norman.

    Palin: Well pretty much as I predicted, except that the Silly party won. Er, I think this is largely due to the number of votes cast. Gerald.

    Chapman: Well there’s a big swing here to the Silly Party, but how big a swing I’m not going to tell you.

    Palin: I think one should point out that in this constituency since the last election a lot of very silly people have moved into new housing estates with the result that a lot of sensible voters have moved further down the road the other side of number er, 29.

  9. 9.

    amorphous

    May 20, 2009 at 1:01 pm

    Please don’t let Harry Reid comment on this. I am begging you.

  10. 10.

    salaciouscrumb

    May 20, 2009 at 1:02 pm

    its not that hard to figure out, really. The Republicans have always believed that the reason the world despises the US is because the US has an ‘image’ problem. they for once do not believe that our foreign policy is the cause of much resentment. Which is why Bush hired that Beers lady to hop around the Middle East telling Arabs that the US just loves Muslims and that they dont ‘get’ the US. Its like that marketing concept. Take turd and put a nice package around it and people will buy it.

    same goes for now. The GOP thinks that because calling Democrats traitors and communists and pinko loving terrorists worked in the past and that Democrats cowered in fear back then, people will realise that if GOP just calls Democrats Socialists, then the good American citizenry will come back to their senses and start hating the Democrats again.

  11. 11.

    noncarborundum

    May 20, 2009 at 1:03 pm

    Steele == voice of reason. Who knew?

    BTW, if their intention is to “piss off” liberals, they may well succeed — assuming their definition of “piss off” is “send into fits of derisive laughter”. Sort of like how the tea parties “pissed off” liberals.

  12. 12.

    donovong

    May 20, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    This is GREAT!</em
    Could I have more, please?

    I hope these knuckleheads keep up this ridiculous bullshit for the next hundred years, while they wander aimlessly in the wilderness. Serves the fuckers right.

  13. 13.

    Joel

    May 20, 2009 at 1:06 pm

    The goal is to expose the truth (as they see it). To get media exposure, the change the nature of the conversation. If one believes that raising the top marginal rate four percent is a dangerous experiment in socialism which will lead the country to complete ruin, one must take all possible steps to spread the word and avert the disaster.

    I think they–most of them–actually believe this. The Democrats are at best dangerously misguided, and more likely are in the clutches of evildoers who wish to sap our country’s strength.

    I’d accept the Democrat Socialist Party if they’ll take the Manichean Party.

  14. 14.

    C Nelson Reilly

    May 20, 2009 at 1:06 pm

    Must have tested well in a Luntz focus group

  15. 15.

    Persia

    May 20, 2009 at 1:07 pm

    Maybe it’s just a ploy to stop the liberal blogs to stop talking about torture and the rule of law.

  16. 16.

    MattM

    May 20, 2009 at 1:08 pm

    I honestly think they think this will influence people’s opinions of the Democrats. It’s like the Republicans put a 4 year old in a room with Frank Luntz for an hour and then hired that kid as a “messaging expert.”

  17. 17.

    Beauzeaux

    May 20, 2009 at 1:09 pm

    Is Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F’tang-F’tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel a Republican?

  18. 18.

    snidely

    May 20, 2009 at 1:09 pm

    i don’t really find it that surprising. john o’farrell said it well in the guardian a few years ago (talking about the tories’ choice of leader):

    When lunatics take over the asylum, they don’t reassure everyone by announcing a bi-annual audit and getting the photocopier serviced. They make the bloke who thinks he’s Napoleon head of carpet chewing and abolish Tuesdays.

  19. 19.

    jvill

    May 20, 2009 at 1:10 pm

    They should still go through with it.

    Hey Republicans, if you don’t rebrand the Democrats as socialists you’re a bunch of pussies!

    You need to pass the resolution, and get sandwich boards and walk the streets, shouting “Socialists!” at everyone (well, at 80% of everyone, anyhow). You need to climb into trees and occupy street corners and tell all those socialists in passing cars that they are.. you know, socialists! In fact, what would be really scary is if you got more of those hats with teabags! Go teabag some socialists!

    C’mon, ain’t you got no balls? Are you guys cowards?

    What would Jack Bauer do?

    That’s right! He’d pass the resolution!

    (C’mon, we need to egg on this stupidity. And if someone can explain to me how a third party logistically rebrands someone else, that would be great too. Can I rebrand Microsoft the Shitty Software Company against their will? How do I get their logos to spontaneously change on their boxes?)

  20. 20.

    NonyNony

    May 20, 2009 at 1:10 pm

    @Adrienne:

    Ummm. Duh. Piss off liberals. That’s the ONLY reason they do about 99% of what they do. If it doesn’t piss liberals off you ain’t doing it right.

    QFT.

    The antics of the modern Republican Party make a lot more sense when you realize that their agenda consists of finding the answers to the following questions:

    1) Will this piss off liberals?
    2) Will this make money for my buddies?
    3) Which version of this plan will piss liberals off the most?
    4) Will this convince the rubes that I really lurve Jesus?
    5) Is it better to piss of more liberals, or to piss off fewer liberals but make the ones who are pissed off REALLY FUCKING pissed off?
    6) Will this prevent people from realizing I’m a pants-wetting coward?
    7) If this only pisses off one liberal, but that liberal is either Ted Kennedy or Michael Moore, is it worth doing anyway?
    8) Will this distract people from the fact that I’m gay?
    9) When liberals are laughing at me and calling me names, does that really mean that they’re pissed off?

    That’s pretty much it for the modern GOP. All about pissing off the liberals. Pretty much the status quo of the majority of the party since AT LEAST Newt Gingrich’s Contract On America. Makes for a decent election-winning machine, but a lousy governing party.

  21. 21.

    Cruel Jest

    May 20, 2009 at 1:10 pm

    While it doesn’t surprise me that they would think of such a thing, I’m shocked that even one of them thinks it’s brilliant. I suppose the compromise language will be Stupid DemoRAT Poopyhead Party. I mean, may as well go all the way.

    That’s their version of compromise, right? Don’t like my fucking stupid idea? How about I throw in a kick in the balls? No charge. If you decline, that means you’re partisan and lowering the discourse.

  22. 22.

    cleek

    May 20, 2009 at 1:15 pm

    the intent is to keep the base fired-up so that they’ll keep donating.

    that’s what all this “start fighting back” and name-calling is about. it’s not an election year, so they’re going full-red-meat to keep the faithful in-line.

  23. 23.

    DougL (frmrly: Conservatively Liberal)

    May 20, 2009 at 1:17 pm

    Like Salaciouscrumb said, the Repugs are all about image. It ain’t what they or you actually are or what they or you actually represent, it’s what they want others to think about you (or themselves) that matters. Blue is red, up is left, down is frog, out is sunrise and in is milk.

    Somehow it all makes sense to them and in their tiny little minds world, that’s all that counts.

    Oh, Al Gore is fat. Also. Ubetcha. Yup.

  24. 24.

    ChristianPinko

    May 20, 2009 at 1:17 pm

    I think they should refer to the Democrats as the Legion of Doom. Likewise, they should give the Democrats a cool new headquarters that rises out of a remote swamp.

  25. 25.

    sgwhiteinfla

    May 20, 2009 at 1:18 pm

    I am not sure about this but I believe I read last week that the RNC passed a resolution some years back to start using that bullshit “Democrat” Party moniker that you hear them using on cable news instead of “Democratic” Party. What it comes down to is that they believe their problem isn’t their message, its the packaging. So in their minds the only reason the majority of the country isn’t calling President Obama a socialist isn’t because he is not a socialist. Its just because the RNC hasn’t done its part to call him and the rest of the Democrats socialists enough. In their feeble little minds this is the key to victory. I honestly wish nobody had made a stink about this and let them go through with it. Let the whole country see just how batshit crazy they all are and then see who wants to vote GOP next year.

  26. 26.

    JenJen

    May 20, 2009 at 1:19 pm

    @MattM:

    It’s like the Republicans put a 4 year old in a room with Frank Luntz for an hour and then hired that kid as a “messaging expert.”

    Actually, I think that’s exactly what they did!

  27. 27.

    Aaron

    May 20, 2009 at 1:19 pm

    As much as I despise the current Republicans, a legitimate opposition party is a good thing. The problem is, the current crop of Republicans don’t stand for anything that more than 10% of the electorate would support: cheap labor, “free” trade, and social reactionary-ism.

    If it wasn’t for evangelicals and the importance of the party apparatus to fund campaigns, I think the Republican party would have split already. The one thing they can count on is that it is easy to frighten people.

  28. 28.

    dobrojutro

    May 20, 2009 at 1:21 pm

    Unlikely, but if the Repubs ever find themselves in power, what should Dems resolve to re-brand them? I’ll start – Eaters of Moosecock Party, the ‘ol EMP.

    Someone post a link to Bill Hicks rant about marketers.

  29. 29.

    MattF

    May 20, 2009 at 1:23 pm

    You know, I’m starting to doubt whether ‘piss off libruls’ can possibly be the motivation here. I think it’s more sophomoric– like hanging your naked butt out of a car window. Woooo hoooo– we’re Repuuuuuuublicans!!@!!!

  30. 30.

    TR

    May 20, 2009 at 1:23 pm

    It’s like the Republicans put a 4 year old in a room with Frank Luntz for an hour and then hired that kid as a “messaging expert.”

    Nah, Joe the Plumber looked older than that.

  31. 31.

    Tonal Crow

    May 20, 2009 at 1:25 pm

    Generally, when parties are out of party they do some soul-searching, and look inward and try to figure out who they are and what they believe in.

    Bush said:

    [I am] concerned that in the wake of the [2008] defeat that the temptation will be to look inward.

    Nice to see the GOP continuing to follow that particular Pied Piper. Please, oh please, let them spend weeks debating whether they should call the Democratic Party “The United Şoċialist Şoviet Party” or the “Hate America Party” or the “Terrorist Love Party”.

  32. 32.

    Ninerdave

    May 20, 2009 at 1:28 pm

    However, New Jersey committeeman David Norcross, one of the sponsors of the resolution, told CNN the language is being massaged so that Steele and others on the committee will be more receptive.

    NO, NO, NO!! Pass it as is, over the objections of Michael Steele. Do it NOW! So I can laugh at you all day.

  33. 33.

    Steve S.

    May 20, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    How about the rebranding the Republicans the Republic Pictures Party.

  34. 34.

    bloodstar

    May 20, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    It’s obvious what they want to do: they want to scare the public by using the word Socialist. After all, we hate those durned Socialists. I’m just waiting for the Republican to try to rename the Democrats the “National Socialist Fascist Communist Atheist Party” Just to hit as many scare words as possible.

    Republicans: All about the News Cycle and Tactical
    Obama: Long Game.
    Democrats (Sans Obama): *Hitches Wagon and rides*

    So long as the Democrats don’t fall off the wagon, and actually learn from Obama, there’s really nothing to stop them from expanding their majorities until the Republicans get a clue and Learn the new game.

  35. 35.

    Legalize

    May 20, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    They’re doing all they can do: (1) keep the knuckle-dragging fuckwits who make up the base of their party lathered up; and (2) hoping for Obama / America Epic Fail

  36. 36.

    SGEW

    May 20, 2009 at 1:32 pm

    Requisite Monty Python’s Flying Circus video for this thread (as quoted by Ugh, above) here.

  37. 37.

    gbear

    May 20, 2009 at 1:33 pm

    Better that they waste their time renaming the opposition than doing stuff like this. I think of this as peak wingnut, but it may have too much of a christianist twist to it. Whatever, they’re just doing ‘gods’ work.

  38. 38.

    kid bitzer

    May 20, 2009 at 1:33 pm

    “I’d really like one of them to state what they think this would accomplish.”

    yglesias quoted one of them the other day–i’ll find it if i can.

    here we go:

    Washington state’s Jeff Kent explains:

    There is nothing more important for our party than bringing the truth to bear on the Democrats’ march to socialism. Just like Ronald Reagan identifying the U.S.S.R. as the evil empire was the beginning of the end to Soviet domination, we believe the American people will reject socialism when they hear the truth about how the Democrats are bankrupting our country and destroying our freedom and liberties.

    http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/05/rnc-going-back-to-the-ussr.php

  39. 39.

    SpotWeld

    May 20, 2009 at 1:33 pm

    First a quick note: Typo alert

    when parties are out of party

    You meant “when parties are out of power“, right?

    Second:
    Republicans are now creeping me out more than Rocky Horror fans.

  40. 40.

    jon

    May 20, 2009 at 1:35 pm

    Steele is just delaying this fight, the people pushing this sincerely believe in this nonsense and will be back to fight it out with the supposed chairman.

  41. 41.

    IndieTarheel

    May 20, 2009 at 1:36 pm

    @Vic:

    For starters it will get a lot of reputable news outlets to report on a non-story and say “Democrat” and “Socialist” next to each other in the same sentence.

    Your logic is flawed. You would have to actually have a lot of reputable news outlets in order for this theory to work.

    Unless you meant to say “repugnant” news outlets; in which case, my apologies and carry on.

  42. 42.

    TenguPhule

    May 20, 2009 at 1:37 pm

    This is entirely too silly.

    Cue giant foot squashing the GOP convention

  43. 43.

    Tonal Crow

    May 20, 2009 at 1:41 pm

    Generally, when parties are out of [power] they do some soul-searching, and look inward and try to figure out who they are and what they believe in.

    Bush said:

    [I am] concerned that in the wake of the [2008] defeat that the temptation will be to look inward.

    Nice to see the GOP continuing to follow that particular Pied Piper. Please, oh please, let them spend weeks debating whether they should demand that the the Democratic Party call itself “The United Soviet Soċialist Party” or the “Hate America Party” or the “Terrorist Love Party”.

  44. 44.

    jenniebee

    May 20, 2009 at 1:41 pm

    Cheetoh Jesus will save the Republican Party!

  45. 45.

    Montysano

    May 20, 2009 at 1:41 pm

    It might be pure stupidity on the GOP’s part, but I doubt it. I think a large portion of it is an attempt at distraction. By flinging lots of shiny objects about, they’re hoping to drive the public’s attention away from the facts at hand, e.g. they started a wholly unnecessary war, they tortured people, they tortured people in an effort to justify said war, they let one of the great cities of the world drown on their watch, and in their spare time they let Wall Street run wild and wreck the world. As it has been for some time now, issues are the last things they want to discuss.

  46. 46.

    BruceFromOhio

    May 20, 2009 at 1:41 pm

    anything that insults or pisses off Democrats must be good.

    As a Democrat, I can assert that nothing pisses me off like a white male over forty sticking a fork in his eye, or jumping off a high roof onto pavement, or setting himself on fire. Or all three simultaneously! NOTHING!

  47. 47.

    TenguPhule

    May 20, 2009 at 1:42 pm

    “The United Soviet Soċialist Party” or the “Hate America Party” or the “Terrorist Love Party”.

    Dumbledore’s Army!

  48. 48.

    AhabTRuler

    May 20, 2009 at 1:43 pm

    OK, but here is my problem in a nutshell (don’t make me go all Hamlet!), as a lifelong liberal, I have always thought that R’s were the silly party; Reagan never did make any sense to me, anyway. If there is a difference between now and then, it is one of degree, not kind.

    I mean, I must be a Democrat, because they piss me off and it frustrates me to identify as one, but I almost1 always vote the big D.

    1. Apologies to Connie Morella. [back]

  49. 49.

    Persia

    May 20, 2009 at 1:45 pm

    @JenJen: I dunno, I think most 4-year-olds are smarter than this.

  50. 50.

    harlana pepper

    May 20, 2009 at 1:45 pm

    But, but it’s all about the branding, see? After all, this is a consumer-based society, marketing is everything, remember, huh? I mean it’s always worked in the past and, um, besides we have some really great ideas about how to get the country out of the shithole it’s in and

    DOH~!

  51. 51.

    freelancer

    May 20, 2009 at 1:46 pm

    This is obviously good news for John McCain.

  52. 52.

    Legalize

    May 20, 2009 at 1:48 pm

    It’s funny that Steele is probably the guy the GOPers should want running their party. It’s also funny that Steele is probably the last fella in the country the GOPers actually want running their party. What would have happened if the wingers elected the old, southern white segregationist like they really wanted to? I’d argue that we are witnessing actually more wingnuttery with a less wingnutty GOP chairman. It’s like they have to over-compensate to prove to themselves that, yes, we really are this bat-shitily-pig-stupid. Whatever the process, the result is horrifying and hilarious. I figure that the wingnuttery always balances out in the end. This is central to my point that we have always known peak wingnut. Also. And et cetera.

  53. 53.

    AhabTRuler

    May 20, 2009 at 1:49 pm

    This is obviously good news for John McCain.

    I have a premonition of what the dominant theme of posts will be on the unfortunate day when John McCain finally passes.

  54. 54.

    anonevent

    May 20, 2009 at 1:49 pm

    A black man became president, therefore the Republans (I like the no ‘ic’ version) never actually lost the election, therefore there is nothing they have to change about themselves since they are still in power.

  55. 55.

    Jon

    May 20, 2009 at 1:49 pm

    @TenguPhule: It is, but its happening because the leadership of the GOP thinks that the only problem is that they’re losing the newscycles and still think that the majority of Americans support Republican policies.

  56. 56.

    Dave S.

    May 20, 2009 at 1:50 pm

    @SpotWeld: I don’t know, if the GOP keeps it up they might actually run out of party.

  57. 57.

    Cruel Jest

    May 20, 2009 at 1:50 pm

    I changed my mind. The truly astounding part is that this used to work. It got Clinton impeached and got Bush elected twice. We’re about to find out if the nightmare is really over, or was it just the Doritos Halftime Economic Disaster Extravaganza?

  58. 58.

    Jay B.

    May 20, 2009 at 1:52 pm

    Seeing as how millions more Americans now consider themselves Democrats than Republicans, I’m not quite sure why they’re looking to further alienate themselves…Oh, fuck it.

    They lost the plot a long time ago, it’s FINALLY reality reasserting itself. The GOP is finally, finally exposed as so many of us saw them for so long — a fringe group of socially inept petty dictators. They have some power and “No” has resonance, of course, but they are morally, intellectually and, Allah willing, electorally, spent.

    Obama has been assiduously reaching out to the remaining adults and many, like Crist and Huntsmann, have accepted his hand. I don’t like it necessarily because I think that hurts the liberal platform to an extent, but I think it’s undeniably effective politically.

    The ones who stay behind to run the party are infants.

    On cue.

  59. 59.

    JenJen

    May 20, 2009 at 1:53 pm

    OT, but Atrios has two videos up of Glenn Beck caught in a bald-faced lie on The View today, followed by Baba Wawa and Whoopi calling him out on his lying-sack-of-horseshitedness. Or, as Whoopi says to his face, “a lying sack of dog mess.” Must See TeeVee!

    Love how they so effortlessly get him to admit he is not a reporter, and that he never, ever checks facts. :-)

  60. 60.

    Legalize

    May 20, 2009 at 1:53 pm

    We’re about to find out if the nightmare is really over, or was it just the Doritos Halftime Economic Disaster Extravaganza?

    I need Chris Collinsworth’s take on this before I decide.

  61. 61.

    J.D. Rhoades

    May 20, 2009 at 1:54 pm

    Who needs the Republicans anyway? Harry fucking Reid is doing a bang up job as the voice of opposition. That asshole needs to step down today and let the Democrats start acting like they won the goddamn election.

  62. 62.

    harlana pepper

    May 20, 2009 at 1:56 pm

    @J.D. Rhoades: Reid is clueless. I’m not sure in his case it’s treatable.

  63. 63.

    IndieTarheel

    May 20, 2009 at 1:57 pm

    @dobrojutro:
    Here you go.

  64. 64.

    Gus

    May 20, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    It’s a reflection of their constituency. Who wants to think about boring stuff like budget numbers when you can point and call people names?

  65. 65.

    Montysano (All Hail Marx & Lennon)

    May 20, 2009 at 2:05 pm

    @AhabTRuler:

    I have a premonition of what the dominant theme of posts will be on the unfortunate day when John McCain finally passes.

    That’s some funny shit right there.

  66. 66.

    kay

    May 20, 2009 at 2:08 pm

    @J.D. Rhoades:

    I felt as if I knew there was going to be a rebirth of Congressional push-back against executive power. I used to marvel during the Bush years, how all these powerful people with huge egos had let themselves be completely neutered by Dick Cheney. It didn’t even make sense in terms of human nature. The necessary (to our system) power struggle just ended. One side surrendered.
    Legislative, judicial, you name it. If it wasn’t the executive branch, it was powerless. They just handed it over, like sheep.
    It is infuriating to watch Reid and Co. attempt to grab back some of the power Congress handed out with such reckless disregard, and on an issue that is well within the executive sphere. Don’t they have legislation to write, now that they’re back to being a functioning branch? They figure NOW is a good time to horn in on the Justice Department turf?

  67. 67.

    Legalize

    May 20, 2009 at 2:11 pm

    Durbin (D-IL), Harkin (D-IA), Leahy (D-VT), Levin (D-MI), Reed (D-RI) and Whitehouse (D-RI)

    Who are they only 6 senators not scared of GOPers even when they have an overwhelming Congressional majority and a super popular president. The GOP doesn’t need to present any actual opposition. The Dems will fuck up Obama’s game without GOPer help.

  68. 68.

    AhabTRuler

    May 20, 2009 at 2:15 pm

    @Montysano (All Hail Marx & Lennon): I am actually not looking forward to it. After the way that Ronald Reagan was stuffed up our asses for, well, for what? Fucking us over, I guess, but anyway, does anyone doubt the amount of sunshine that is going to be launched at our anuses when McCain dies.

    OTOH, I am looking forward to Cheney’s death, just because and because i want to see what people say when the death of his heart catches up to the rest of his body.

  69. 69.

    Mike G

    May 20, 2009 at 2:16 pm

    In a compromise resolution, the Republicans voted to rename the Democratic Party, “The Poopyheaded Stupidheads Who Like to Smell Their Own Butts Party”.

  70. 70.

    PeakVT

    May 20, 2009 at 2:17 pm

    a controversial resolution that calls on Democrats to re-name their party the “Democrat Socialist party.”

    Are the Republicans offering to rename themselves the “Republic Corporatist Party” at the same time? Because that would be the bipartisan thing to do. And it would make Broder happy.

  71. 71.

    Dave L

    May 20, 2009 at 2:18 pm

    They are a party of opposition, pure opposition and nothing but. Their whole raison d’etre is bound up in the things they oppose, rather than the things they support, which mostly divide them.

    So this is part of the re-branding exercise we’ve been hearing about — they’re re-branding the party they oppose. This will give them a bit more leverage in upcoming elections, and avoids the awkwardness of changing their own brand (too many fights) or, worse, introspection (makes their heads hurt).

    If “Democrat Socialist” doesn’t work, look for “Ratface Maoist” in 2012 and “Projectile Vomiting Lizard-breath Party” in 2014.

  72. 72.

    vanya

    May 20, 2009 at 2:26 pm

    They are a party of opposition, pure opposition and nothing but.

    Good point. This is why they were such a disaster when they were in power.

  73. 73.

    Bill Belichick

    May 20, 2009 at 2:27 pm

    I’m sure Harry Reid will find a way to accommodate this reasonable request.

  74. 74.

    Digital Amish

    May 20, 2009 at 2:29 pm

    Stephen Colbert came up with the answer last nite. If they want to rebrand the Democrats with a name that will make them repugnant to the general public just call them “Republicans”.

    Here’s Steele from his speech yesterday

    “We are going to challenge those policies that we believe are wrong, and we are going to do so without apology and without a second thought.”

    Perfect. That should be their 2010 campaign slogan —“Governing America without A Second Thought”

  75. 75.

    Tax Analyst

    May 20, 2009 at 2:31 pm

    Well, this is certainly good news for John McCain!

    Outside of that I can’t see this doing much for the Republican Party, outside of subjecting them to an extra helping of well-deserved ridicule and scorn.

  76. 76.

    Tara the antisocial social worker

    May 20, 2009 at 2:34 pm

    I hear they took a second vote, and re-renamed the Democratic Party:

    The Ones Who Cleaned Our Clocks in the Last Election, and will Keep Doing So Until We Stop Doing Crap Like This.

    (Still working on the abbreviation.)

  77. 77.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    May 20, 2009 at 2:34 pm

    It occurred to me today that they’ve actually been hurt by the sycophantic corporate media that fawns all over what they do far beyond what their numbers merit.

    This report just came out showing that the party has been in rapid decline over the whole decade, and well, did it seem like that was the case to anyone around say 2003? The noise machine would have you think they were strong and dominant around then, nothing about people abandoning them in droves, which in fact people were.

    Too many in the media willing to take them seriously even when they’ve gone totally insane has kept them blind, in other words. The voters are tossing them out now but FOX keeps telling them they haven’t become quite insane enough.

    So of course in that sense FOX does the work for us.

    Which was our cunning plan all along.

    That’s the ticket.

  78. 78.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    May 20, 2009 at 2:35 pm

    And if someone can explain to me how a third party logistically rebrands someone else, that would be great too. Can I rebrand Microsoft the Shitty Software Company?

    I hereby introduce a resolution to rebrand Jessica Biel as “Mrs Notorious P.A.T.”.

  79. 79.

    Rick Taylor

    May 20, 2009 at 2:38 pm

    Generally, when parties are out of party they do some soul-searching, and look inward and try to figure out who they are and what they believe in.

    You heard Steele’s address to the RNC. The Republican party has spent literally months in introspective soul searching and recognizing their mistakes. They’ve done that now, and it was healthy, but it’s time to move on with the business of preventing the Democrat Soc ia list party from destroying America.

  80. 80.

    sleestak

    May 20, 2009 at 2:40 pm

    I don’t want to give tips to Republicans, but I don’t think they will survive unless they cede the culture wars. I’m not a fan of big business or anything, but I think the Republican party’s only chance for survival as a viable party and not just something like the Libertarians is to shift back to being the party of business. That’s why stuff like this is so insane. Why would business come back to a party that acts like this? It’s a party claiming to stand against red tape and bureaucracy, but it wastes its time discussing and possibly even passing childish and symbolic measures like this. Sure, perhaps it’s a “strategy” of theirs to rebrand the Democrats, but does ANYONE think this will work? It’s so transparent that it can’t possibly work. It only highlights how amateurish their strategies are. They really have no talent or intellect left in the party.

  81. 81.

    asiangrrlMN

    May 20, 2009 at 2:41 pm

    @gbear: Good grief, gbear, I hadn’t heard about that one. I bet Michele Bachmann will defend the guy, too. I think he needs mental help, obviously, but it’s all about the politics, isn’t it?

    I like the Democrat Soci a list Party. I agree though, that we should formally request they change their name to the Greedy Assholes Ludicrously Toxic Party. They are full of the stupid shit, yes they are.

  82. 82.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    May 20, 2009 at 2:41 pm

    As much as I despise the current Republicans, a legitimate opposition party is a good thing.

    Yes, but the Republicans have not been that for a hundred years. They were wrong about the economy leading up to the Great Depression, they are wrong now, and they were wrong about everything in between. Hell with ’em. When we think “opposition party” we should be thinking of a liberal party to try and balance out the cowardice of the Democratic Party, not a roomful of dinosaurs trying to rebrand the asteroid that’s coming to wipe them out.

  83. 83.

    jwb

    May 20, 2009 at 2:41 pm

    I vote we just ignore the GOP until they can prove they can act like adults. I like a good show and everything, but the spoiled brat act is really getting old.

  84. 84.

    Comrade E.B. Misfit

    May 20, 2009 at 2:43 pm

    So then the Dems will start referring to the opposition as the “Republican-Fascist” Party. Then the GOP will start yammering about the “Democrat-Communist” party and the response will be the “Republican-Nazi Party”.

    And we will be no closer to addressing any of the real problems facing this nation.

  85. 85.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    May 20, 2009 at 2:44 pm

    Someone post a link to Bill Hicks rant about marketers.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDW_Hj2K0wo

    Awesome, classic bit. “Kill yourself. Kill yourself, kill yourself, kill yourself.”

  86. 86.

    nicteis

    May 20, 2009 at 2:45 pm

    It’s no great mystery why they fall back on such stunts. They’re trying to shore up their base. Why that rather than try to broaden their appeal?

    For one thing, it would feel just terrible to fail and have nobody at all love you. But more important, they look back with nostalgia at Rove’s success with his 50% + 1 strategy, a success they hope to replicate with a 20% + 1 strategy.

  87. 87.

    Napoleon

    May 20, 2009 at 2:56 pm

    @Bill E Pilgrim:

    This report just came out showing that the party has been in rapid decline over the whole decade, and well, did it seem like that was the case to anyone around say 2003?

    This book called it.

    PS – I think your comment on the media has a lot to it. Don’t forget 9/11 also. I truly think it was such a breeze at the back of the Republicans that they mistook that breeze as some across the board embrace of Republican positions. The book I link to came out shortly after 9/11 and somewhat makes this point toward the end that 9/11 could twist normal political reality for a bit and “artificially” put off the Democratic majority they predicted, but nothing more.

  88. 88.

    Napoleon

    May 20, 2009 at 3:11 pm

    A PS to my PS.

    There have been several threads in the last few weeks here on the demographics of the Democratic electorate the last two elections, which is more or less predicted in the 2002 book I link too. I know in one of them I pointed this out but one of the authors of that book, Ruy Teixeira, was quoted in some article I read in the last week or 2 saying something to the effect that people still do not really understand how bad it is for the Republican party. Whereas in 2002 he was willing to say in a book that came out when a Republican president was at about a 70% approval rating and the Republicans were a few months from increasing their margins in congress that the tide would sweep them out of the majority in just a few years he is now saying they are facing a dooms day scenario.

  89. 89.

    torrentprime

    May 20, 2009 at 3:18 pm

    @J.D. Rhoades:
    Amen.
    @Legalize:
    Drum hit on this yesterday:

    And I realize all over again just what Obama is up against. His own party won’t support him against even the most transparent and insipid demagoguery coming from the conservative noise machine.

    If the Ds showed half of the efficiency and ruthlessness of the GOP did in 94, we’d have healthcare through the House and DOMA and DADT repealed by now.
    Speaking of things rainbow, Prop 8 decision tomorrow?

  90. 90.

    Xecklothxayyquou Gilchrist

    May 20, 2009 at 3:19 pm

    You’re all forgetting that the purpose is not *only* to piss off the liberals, it’s to appease Rush Limbaugh.

  91. 91.

    Pangloss

    May 20, 2009 at 3:19 pm

    The Republican party needs to go to a pier and stare out at the water during a flashback montage while Lionel Richie’s “Hello” plays. The flashback should feature slow motion clips of Katrina, the Mission Accomplished photo op, Sarah Palin, Dick Cheney shooting his friend in the face, Trent Lott toasting Strom Thurmond, Jack Abramoff’s perp walk, Michelle Bachmann’s insane eyes, people panicking in the economic meltdown, Mitt Romney singing “Who Let the Dogs Out,” Larry Craig, graphs showing debt piling up, Scooter Libby, coffins returning from Iraq, Colin Powell at the UN, Alberto Gonzalez, Harriet Miers, Monica Goodling, Tom DeLay, Dick Armey, etc.

  92. 92.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    May 20, 2009 at 3:25 pm

    @Napoleon:

    Oh I’m sure someone knew what was happening if they just looked at the figures, I meant “anyone” in a very broad sense of how it seemed to the general public, the atmosphere around then that the Republicans were strong, dominant, and headed for a thousand year etc etc.

    It just had never occurred to me how dangerous an overly-sympathetic press can be to a party, giving them a false sense of strength when they were in fact bleeding out the whole time, badly.

    When people ask “how could they possibly be so blind?”, e.g in thinking that they just have to become more right wing, that’s what comes to my mind. They’re being mirrored back to themselves with false distorted images, by a mirror that seems friendly but in the end has sapped the life from them.

  93. 93.

    Calouste

    May 20, 2009 at 3:29 pm

    @snidely:

    I can recommend to everyone to read that article. The similarities between the Tories in 2001 and the Republicans in 2009 are uncanny. Of course it took the Tories 4 years after they lost power to sink to that kind of level, so the Republicans have a bit of a head start.

  94. 94.

    JGabriel

    May 20, 2009 at 3:38 pm

    John Cole @ Top:

    Imagine if the Democrats had spent 2001-2006 arguing over what silly thing they should rename the Republicans.

    I’m not sure that would have been such a bad idea. One does wonder what the general outcome might have been had the Democrats held an official vote to rename W. as Clusterfuck.

    .

  95. 95.

    Napoleon

    May 20, 2009 at 3:46 pm

    @Calouste:

    There was actually a pretty interesting articles I read about the Tories in something like Washington Monthly or The American Prospect a few months ago about them trying to come back, but the main focus was more recent then the article he linked to. The part I found most interesting, and I would be willing to bet we are rapidly reaching the point where this will become true for the Republicans, is that the Tories ineptitude and antics were so bad that Tories polling showed that a particular proposed policy could poll extremely well in the abstract, but if they then polled it as being a possible proposal of the Tories the numbers went in the toilet. Literally the public came to not take the Tories seriously at all, and even if subconsciously must have concluded that if the Tories advocate something then it must be bad.

  96. 96.

    stinkwrinkle

    May 20, 2009 at 3:51 pm

    @AhabTRuler:
    I hope I live long enough to see that day. Nothing personal against my chowder-headed senator, it’s just that, his mom is still lively and coherent, and she’s sixty-some years older than I am!

  97. 97.

    Skip Mendler

    May 20, 2009 at 4:00 pm

    If the Dems are “Democratic Socialists,” are the GOP therefore “Republican Fascists”?

  98. 98.

    Skip Mendler

    May 20, 2009 at 4:09 pm

    Or maybe “Republican Plutocratic Party” would be more accurate? Maybe “Republican Christian Crusaders”? Ah! How about “Republican Libertarian Anarchist Party”!!

    Actually, some time ago I suggested they change their name to “Capitalist Christian Conservative Party” – or CCCP…

  99. 99.

    asiangrrlMN

    May 20, 2009 at 4:32 pm

    I actually liked Colbert’s suggestion to the Republican Party–make the Democratic Party call itself the Republican Party (as a widely-loathed brand name). Ha!

  100. 100.

    S. Fisher

    May 20, 2009 at 4:48 pm

    Maybe the Democrats could re name the Republican Party “The Republican Reactionary Paranoid-Delusional Party.” Pretty much sums them up.

  101. 101.

    CalD

    May 20, 2009 at 5:37 pm

    You have to admit that Republicans had a pretty good run as the party of tough talkers. I’ve heard it presented as a political axiom that it’s better to be “strong and wrong” than to be right but appear weak and often enough it arguably works — Bush’s campaign against Kerry in 2004 might be an example.

    The problem is that over time, when adopted as a party’s central message and defining philosophy, that mindset tends to select for bullies. And bullies tend not to be the most adaptable creatures. Republicans may be out of power, but bullying worked well enough for them for long enough that they’ve ended up all staffed up for bullying and not much of anything else. When all you’ve got is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

  102. 102.

    reid

    May 20, 2009 at 5:39 pm

    Issa on Hardball just said “Democratic party”. Matthews and Barney Frank burned him pretty badly on that idiocy and seem to have fixed him. Bravo.

  103. 103.

    harlana pepper

    May 20, 2009 at 6:00 pm

    @reid: Issa must have choked on that like a golfball, nice

  104. 104.

    M . Bouffant

    May 20, 2009 at 6:12 pm

    Sez on the telebision that they just passed their silly resolution.

    I’m so angry now! Ha ha ha.

  105. 105.

    Comrade Luke

    May 20, 2009 at 6:36 pm

    One big thing it would accomplish would be to paint the current Dems as the far left of the spectrum, reducing any attack from “the left” of the current Dems as being REALLY wacko.

    It moves the whole political system to the right. Mission Accomplished.

  106. 106.

    Little Dreamer

    May 20, 2009 at 7:15 pm

    @Bootlegger:

    Limbaugh figured out that pushing the symbolism pays well. People who don’t know how to think through logic have to rely on symbolism to give them a sense of reason for doing what they are doing – they call it patriotism, what it really seems to be is just a dysfunctional p-e-n-i-s measuring contest.

  107. 107.

    Little Dreamer

    May 20, 2009 at 7:19 pm

    @Comrade Luke:

    How do you figure? It’s a propaganda tool, it doesn’t change anything. People still believe the exact same things they did before the sun came up this morning, the only different is the fucking name.

  108. 108.

    Little Dreamer

    May 20, 2009 at 7:21 pm

    @Skip Mendler:

    Well, yes, of course, but we’re not going to argue semantics.

  109. 109.

    Little Dreamer

    May 20, 2009 at 7:25 pm

    @Pangloss:

    I believe you left out Terri Schiavo. How could you do that? It was John Cole’s moment of clarity.

  110. 110.

    Comrade Darkness

    May 20, 2009 at 7:28 pm

    Republic Crony Capitalist Party

    RCCP has a nice ring to it…

  111. 111.

    Little Dreamer

    May 20, 2009 at 7:31 pm

    @nicteis:

    But more important, they look back with nostalgia at Rove’s success with his 50% + 1 strategy, a success they hope to replicate with a 20% + 1 strategy.

    Well of course, it’s a value with +1 after it, it’s the same damned formula! ;)

    Love that new math concept, don’t you?

  112. 112.

    Little Dreamer

    May 20, 2009 at 7:36 pm

    @Comrade Darkness:

    Sounds so Russian and Communistic. ;)

  113. 113.

    Stephen1947

    May 20, 2009 at 7:42 pm

    I thought I remembed a poll from a few months ago showing that socialism is getting more popular in this country largely because of this Publican nonsense. People are thinking that if what the Dems are doing is socialist, socialism ain’t so bad after all.

    But I was too lazy to google for more than 3 minutes. I did find a recent Rasmussen that shows that socialism, capitalism and no opinion are roughly tied with each other – each getting 30+% among the under-30 population.

  114. 114.

    The Moar You Know

    May 20, 2009 at 9:10 pm

    SNORE

  115. 115.

    oh really

    May 21, 2009 at 4:23 am

    Generally, when parties are out of party [sic] they do some soul-searching, and look inward and try to figure out who they are and what they believe in.

    I’d call that a hopelessly naive and idealistic take.

    I think what you meant was:

    Generally, when parties are out of power they do some soul-searching, hire strategists, and try to figure out how to pander their way back into power.

    If Harry Reid looked inward, he would choke to death on his own vomitus. Introspection is an unlikely trait for a member of either party — in or out of power.

  116. 116.

    TenguPhule

    May 21, 2009 at 4:41 am

    If Harry Reid looked inward, he would choke to death on his own vomitus. get lost in the empty space and never find his way back out

    Fixed.

  117. 117.

    party

    May 21, 2009 at 10:06 am

    looking forspace to arrange a
    Party?

  118. 118.

    Ktd

    May 26, 2009 at 3:01 pm

    what a joke! Look I may disagree with Republican voters 85% of the time but I don’t think they are stupid….well I don’t think the majority of them are stupid every group has a bell curve. But my point is the GOP needs to stop looking down on its constituancy, they need to stop assuming that their posturing and distortions aren’t completely transparent. I reject the cynicsm that causes them to win votes by preying on the uninformed. All this in-fighting:
    Is killing the party, and these frivolous votes are, killing public discourse.

Comments are closed.

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  1. rochesterturning.com » Blog Archive » My Wife, On Renaming Parties says:
    May 21, 2009 at 9:18 am

    […] to me, “What’s all this about the Republicans wanting to rename the Democratic party to something like Democrat Socialists?” […]

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