A Note on Why John McCain Should Be President
...a seasoned politician who has suffered great personal tragedy and been a strong (if sometimes foolish) leader of a nation through great and bad times [who is now] second fiddle to a vapid, messianic young fellow who dumps on progressives to suck up to the Religious Right, Israel, and global free-traders, has disastrously out-of-touch economic plans, and likes to have different names and citizenships depending upon what suits his needs.
It's a pity the Democratic Party thinks more of form than substance.
Perhaps this will work out, though: maybe Cheney has ensured that the Office of the Vice President is permanently more powerful than that of the President.
Big Brass Blog contributing writer Foiled Goil responded with the following comment: "The deal (for me) is: The Republicans HAVE to be voted out. End of story."
Below was my answer, which stands as my considered judgment in the matter of why Republican John McCain should be the next President of the United States:
...I would be more than happy to see the Republicans standing front and center as this economy collapses, which it will regardless of which man becomes President. Neither of them has even the slightest clue as to how to fix the mess, and even if they did, neither has the guts to do what has to be done. In that circumstance, I would be just giddy to see this mess come down all over the party that brought it about.
Unfortunately, the voters are going to be as fickle and clueless as usual, and they will blame the party in power and, more specifically, the President in office when this disaster hits the fan.
That's how it worked for Jimmy Carter. The only difference is that he had the intelligence to grasp what had to be done and he had the guts to appoint Paul Volker to head the Federal Reserve to take the awful, painful steps to deal with the mess that had been building for nearly two decades.
More importantly, Carter had the moral courage to face the consequences from voters, who ran in droves to a race-baiting, mentally diminishing, nasty man who dog-whistled his way into the Oval Office.
John McCain called Jimmy Carter a "lousy" President.
John McCain can go to Hell.
Better yet, John McCain should be the President when the house of cards that George built comes crashing down. In that event, McCain wouldn't have to go to Hell, he'd already be there.
Absent that happy ending, I suppose I'll have to content myself with a self-absorbed, messianic, vacuous rich-boy, globe-trotting Democrat taking the fall. In that event, maybe the Democrats will learn that turning their fortunes over to children in a nation of sick, vicious, cheating opponents and catastrophically failing circumstances isn't the answer.
Who knows? Maybe some of them will finally ask me what to do.
You know what I'll tell them?
I'll tell them, "Go to Hell."
The Dark Wraith has some blog posts they can read for free.
Comments
Wrote Weaseldog:
Wrote Dark Wraith:
Good evening, Weaseldog.
Nancy Pelosi, as is the case for many Democrats, has every reason to ensure that Mr. Bush goes gentle into that good night: as she poses in opposition to him, she knows very well that she was part and parcel of this Administration's mayhem. She was right there being briefed about how we were engaging in torture, as was Jean Harmon and as were other Democrats. Those "leaders" of the Democratic Party were following in the footsteps of their cowardly predecessors who let Reagan and Bush the First get out of town after their 12-year spree.
Sy Hersch reported on how the Democrats have handed Bush the authority and the funding to destabilize the government of Iran, and that includes acts of kidnapping Revolutionary Guard members in Iran (and taking them to be tortured for "intelligence" information), supporting terrorist activities in Iran, and applying other methods to the end of actively breaching that country's borders, security, and sovereignty.
Furthermore, as I reported in the sidebar last month, the Democrats lined up in droves to vote for an authorization that was literally written by the AIPAC giving Bush the authority to establish a naval blockade of Iran, which is without question an act of war; ergo, those Democrats once again handed Bush the authority to wage a war of aggression, and it would be those same Democrats who would, if war actually does ensue, swear on a stack of Bibles that they meant to have no such thing happen.
Good Lord, how many times do progressives have to see this before they answer the phone call from Clueville?
Grr.
The Dark Wraith is once again feeling that weird pain radiating down his left arm.
Wrote Peter of Lone Tree:
If McCain is elected, do you suppose Charles Keating will be named Chairman of the Federal Reserve, or maybe Secretary of the Treasury?
Wrote Minstrel Boy:
ah yes. there is a seminal moment in robert graves' i, claudius where the dedicated republican claudius realizes that by being a good and competant emporer he is forever dooming his dreams of restoring the roman republic. he then resolves to be "old king log" and do nothing. his motto from then on is
let all the poisons fester and hatch out in the mud.
the bankers had their big confab in wyoming. the one where they compare the various and sundry colors of their parachutes and regale each other with wonderful tales of turning widows and orphans out of their homes into the harsh night.
thing was, no news came out of that. maybe there's nothing to say on that front. the collapse and destruction of fannie and freddy is poised to add at least 5 trillion to the federal debt and deficit, and there simply ain't no money left.
the crisis fiscally appears to be moving from one of credit, to one of capital. that's going to suck out loud for a very long time.
even the smaller, well run banks, like our local argricultural bank down here, stand to be sucked into the soup when the 10 biggies who are flailing around trying to keep their leaky soccer balls inflated enough to kick around. it just ain't gonna be pretty or fun.
the only chance the dems have of any kind of survival is to make sure that the republicans get branded as "the party that wrecked america." but, then, having been part and parcel to the looting and thievery that has been a hallmark of every republican administration since eisenhower, maybe the dems deserve to go down too.
of course, when democrats go down there's always that unattractive whining and self-pity.
fuck it. pass the earplugs.
Wrote Dark Wraith:
The Dark Wraith dearly loves this blog.
Wrote Weaseldog:
The Weaseldog is thinking he needs to get off his butt and plant his fall garden...
Gasoline prices will be going up soon. Rumbles of war are growing louder.
I predict that victory gardens will make a huge comeback.
Wrote Moody Blue:
The side bar "mission statement" over at Big Brass Blog says:
The mission of this collaborative effort is to stand as the premiere forum where strong, enduring voices of Progressivism provide what liberal politics has been missing: the unapologetic, unrelenting voice of liberalism in the darkness visited upon our world by Right-wing extremists, their ruinous policies, and their hypocritical beliefs.So Wraith, it seems to me that Foiled Goil is doing what was asked of her. And in all fairness it would have been nice to also indicate Foiled Goil's response showing her agreement with you, and also her reply that she understood the point of what was being said: the idea that the perpetrators and traitors who have the trashed this country should be the ones to bear the wrath of the people for their incompetence is a fair one. And that goes double for the DLC, Blue Dawg, Dixiecrat, DINO ... and every other fake Democrat that stands with them.
The "new world order" gang has hijacked America. The PNAC neo-con "republicans" of this administration wreak havoc every chance they get, constantly make things worse for "we, the people" of this country, stuff their bank accounts with money taken out of the pockets of the "little" people, run away from any responsibility, make no attempts try to fix what they've screwed up, and by setting up someone else to deal with impact of the messes they made they leave it all for someone else to clean up. They have the anti-Midas touch: everything they touch turns to crap. And that has been their damn track record since St. Ronnie Fricken Reagan.
We know all too well that fairness is a rare commodity in these times. If there were such a thing as real justice, these criminals, and the traitors who support them, would get locked away from the light of day until they see the light from the fires of hell. In the olden days, they'd be hung from the gallows, or drawn and quartered and their body parts mounted on pikes, and left to rot as a warning to others. Since these neo-cons are so intent on moving this country back to the middle ages, maybe the punishments to them should be likewise.
My POV of this political situation is: when someone is not physically capable of driving well, someone needs to take away their keys, because it is a public safety issue as well as a common sense one.
If anybody thinks four more years of this kind of insanity, with another foolish befuddled twit behind the wheel, is going to work out for the betterment of our country and to the benefit of We the People, or that a third fricken party stands a better chance than a snowball in hell in pulling off winning the White House, well, then pass me over some of what you're smoking, cuz it sure must be some good stuff.
And good fricken luck with those delusions. Ain't gonna happen.
Wrote Lisa Ranger:
Minstrel Boy brings a great analogy from I, Claudius.
When he says, "The only chance the dems have of any kind of survival is to make sure that the republicans get branded as 'the party that wrecked america,'" I say, with the Democrats I see, who cares? He continues, "but, then, having been part and parcel to the looting and thievery that has been a hallmark of every republican administration since eisenhower, maybe the dems deserve to go down too."
We need some hard and uncomfortable truths, and neither candidate today is willing to deliver. Pelosi and posse have been dismal disappointments.
I nominate Dark Wraith!
Wrote Dark Wraith:
The Dark Wraith is planning an acceptance speech that will bring down the house.
Wrote Peter of Lone Tree:
"The Dark Wraith is planning an acceptance speech that will bring down the house."
Mr. Fawkes had similar ideas as I recall.
Wrote Minstrel Boy:
if i had my way
if i had my way
if i had my way in this wicked world
i would
tear this whole building down.
the rev. gary davis
Wrote Phydeaux Speaks:
"The Dark Wraith is planning an acceptance speech that will bring down the house."
Mr. Fawkes had similar ideas as I recall.
As our descendants rebuild from the ashes of this current nation, will they celebrate Dark Wraith Day?
I agree that the American Public - aka sheep - will lay all the blame at the feet of the incumbent Administration when the bovine excrement strikes the air circulation device, but...
I think that another Republican administration will herald the complete and utter destruction of Murrika, whereas a Democratic admin will be... less totally destructive.
I prefer bread and water to just water. Your mileage may vary.
Wrote ddjango:
Well, you know my take on this: it just doesn't matter which one gets the job. One Party; No Vote. Might as well write your candidate's name on a post-it note and toss it down a wishing well.
I will not be surprised if HillBillary throws the ultimate hissy-fit abd signs on as McShame's Veep.
The DNC is already a side-show: 200 anarchist wannabes showed up for a "Reconstruct 68" demo and got peppered; four speed-freaks got picked up with weapons, ammo, and 40+ grams of meth for plotting to shoot Nobama from 100 yards away at his acceptance speech.
And we're not even to the real fun part yet.
Wrote Lisa Ranger:
"an acceptance speech that will bring down the house"
BTB--your double entendre is fully appreciated.
Wrote Dark Wraith:
Sheesh.
The Dark Wraith can't get away with much these days.
Wrote trog69:
The party faithfuls remind me of abused spouses and compulsive gamblers.
My stolen sig on emails: Republicans love America like an abusive husband loves his wife: He'll promise to be better, but he keeps throwing her down the stairs.
I don't think we can take another 4 neo-con years, but I'd like to see all the incumbents in Congress moved out for the next 4 or 5 cycles, just to be sure we get'em all.
DW, I'd pay-per-view that speech, brother!
Wrote Wild Clover:
DW et al....
I will say that many years ago, my general view of voting was simply throw the rascals out any time I had little info (as in the local elections) or the candidates were flip a coin as far as views were concerned. I spent several years simply voting against the incumbent. If a few hundred thousand folks had done the same, the course of the nation would have been different.
As of right now, I will not vote for a republican again in my lifetime. While the dems have been complicit in various matters, the blame must lie squarely in the laps of the majority party during most of this administration. I don't expect great political courage from career politicos when it comes to things like being bullied into supporting abortions like the patriot act....at the time, ANY question of the Great Shrub brought down the wrath of all the flag pin patriots. It does one no good to commit political suicide and lose to a flag waving republican when the alternative is to hope to hang in there to make things better. I do wish the dems had called the repug's bluff about the "nuclear option"... It would have served them right once they became the minority party again, which was inevitable.
But to vote McCain in order to completely destroy the republicans for a generation isn't an option. My kids are screwed enough as it is. 4 years of McSame will complete the destruction and extend the pain. At least Obama and the dems leave me hope I will get both bread and circuses, not just the circus.
I will also say, my own voting picks tend to be visceral-an intuitive judgement-one that has left me pleasantly surprised only twice-Reagan made a better president than I expected (though once the full effects came about of his tenure, he still stunk), and Billy was MUCH more effective than I anticipated, though I still can't stand the man. My gut instincts, after finally having time this evening to watch part of the convention, tell me Obama and Biden are to be trusted. Not saying that they can accomplish even one tenth of what needs to be done, or deliver on one quarter of the grand plans speechified about this evening, but they will do good, which will be a refreshing change after the evil of Bush/Cheney. Watch the candidates wives when their husband's speak...both show the kind of pride and love that is way beyond the kind of poised "candidate's wife" veneer you usually see. Watch Hillery and Bill when the other is speaking...there's a critique and checklist behind their facade more suitable to the campaign manager than the spouse. McCain's wife looks brittle and plastic, which is far more common. Biden's brood (a small army) also looked , for lack of a better term, "real". Somehow I can't imagine any of his brood acting like the infamous Bush Twins-I saw genuine respect there. So I'm quite comfortable with the nominees as people. I don't expect miracles. Hell, I don't expect anyone to be able to undo Bush's damage in 4 or 8 years, even you, our own prophet of economics.
There is also this bright spot IMO- both Biden and Obama are senators. Govenors have more administrative experiance, true, but only a senator knows how to get shit done. I'm hoping that Biden at least knows where the bodies are buried, which is how LBJ was so effective. (Well, buried bodies _used_ to be effective...have you seen the speaker's line-up for the repub convention? Frist, of all people is one of them. The values party seems not to care about scandals anymore.)
Anyway, part of me does agree with your option of totally killing the republicans, but I think that was actually why Kerry and Edwards had such a lacklustre finish to their campaign...either the conscious or unconscious choice to let Bush mire his whole party even deeper, as well as the desire to not be the ones blamed when the shit hit the fan (which any reasonable person would have seen happening 2 years ago, except the propping up of stuff by the fed was hugely more than any sane person would have anticipated)
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The party faithfuls remind me of abused spouses and compulsive gamblers.
No matter how many times their party screws them over, they are every ready to try again and go one more time. Each time, laying their hearts on the line, firmly believing that this time, will be different.
Every two years, the election will change the world. Every two years, promises are broken, and we lose another bit of our souls and our country.
The only thing that can turn this around, is if people leave the parties. If they quit being Democratic or Republican Party worshipers.
And so long as there is hope, they won't do this.
Nancy Pelosi said that in 2006, she hoped that Bush would change. That was her grand strategy. That is the strategy from the top to the bottom, the hope that psychopaths will grow a heart.
Neither party will change. We must hit bottom before we can talk of recovery. And the bottom is still a long way down.