Know Thy Enemy: This Is Not Your Mother’s Democratic Party
by Andrew BreitbartThis week’s Washington Times column:
The Democratic Party’s attitude to elections is admirable: Win. And recent history has shown it will do anything to do so.
When, if not now, will Republicans develop such a fighting spirit?
Democrats invest – with taxpayer money, mind you – in groups like ACORN that, among other sordid tactics, seek out Skid Row bodies and wheel them to polling places. All the Democratic National Committee needs are vans and smelling salts. Pop culture and the “education system” have done the rest, making “D” the default choice on Election Day.
Democrats brazenly take policy positions – think government services and even amnesty for illegal immigrants – not because they are the right thing to do, but because they are time-tested demographic bribes. Forget cigarettes and beer, Democrats would distribute needles, methadone, medical marijuana and biscotti in voter goodie bags if they could get away with it.
Democrats long ago jettisoned America’s melting-pot ideal – E Pluribus Unum (“Out of Many, One”) – because it imperils their campaign for permanent rule. Splitting the country into separate identity groups and playing them against each other works a lot better. And anyone who disagrees is a racist.
Win. Win. Win.
One of the first things President Obama attempted to do after taking office was to take control of the Census Bureau, an act that could redraw congressional districts and ensure Democratic majorities for years to come. The new president also etched out an enemies list, focusing on conservative talk-radio hosts, including Rush Limbaugh. He also appears to have singled out Fox News. Comedians and mainstream journalists who are usually contemptuous of government bullying and First Amendment threats also continue to do the president’s bidding.
These overt political gestures were done amid economic chaos and mainstream media delirium to ensure permanent victory for a newly radicalized Democratic Party. Moveon.org, George Soros and the ghost of Saul Alinsky are in charge now. It’s not just “tea party” protesters who think we’ve tilted far left. Self-avowed anarchists and open socialists proudly brandished Obama placards at well-attended May Day parades.
When elected, the Democrats dole out billion-dollar bonuses to their core supporters at taxpayers’ expense. Witness the $787 billion stimulus package, an orgy of special-interest payback for labor unions, liberal activist groups and multinational corporations. One would be hard pressed to name a Democratic policy that is motivated more by principle than by winning.
Where is the media to expose this blatant corruption when the media are in the middle of the pile? NBC News, whose parent company General Electric is getting billions in stimulus cash to perpetuate Democrat-friendly “green” technologies and health care information systems, is at the forefront of a bizarre campaign to act as a check on the party that is out of power, not the party in power. NBC anchor Brian Williams bowed to the new president; MSNBC is a Fellini-esque exercise in liberal triumphalism.
You can read the column in full here.
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?
132 Comments
Exactly, Andrew. The Democrats of my mother's day (she was a Republican), are horrified at what the Democratic party has become. Today's Democrats seem to have moved so far left they've all but fallen out of the party–a shady, seedy bunch is this new Democratic party–in a word, they're simply thugs.
I agree. As much as I like the idea of gentlemanliness and mutual respect in politics, it seems those days are gone. Gloves off, call them on their BS, actually stand for something not just floating a "winning" candidate or platform. Stand for the Constitution. Stand for the ideals on which this country was founded. Stand up and fight when someone (s) tear those ideals to shreds. If I have to leave the Republican Party to find that then so be it. I'd prefer not to, but then again if the Republicans aren't defending the Constitution, why am I identifying with them?
there is a republican party in california. not so you'd notice. but it's there. a bunch of old guys in safe gerrymandered districts. who are content to collect their graft and just get along with the democrat majority. every primary season the make some noises about turning the state around. but everyone knows this is just posturing, and they will sell out when offered enough. witness the most recent budget fight.
look at schwarzenegger. one of the primary clues that he's not serious is that he has done exactly nothing to build the party or set up an heir to take over when he's term limited out.
i don't have any answers. just complaining. i'm to the point of voting libertarian again. just because it's pointless to vote republican in my district. and one futile gesture is as good as another.
As a lifelong Republican, you can count me among those who'd like to see us play to win for a change. I'm sick and tired of the Dems pulling crap like they did in Florida in 2000 and more recently in the Minnesota senate race, etc., etc., etc. and we sit politely by and let them. We will very soon no longer be able to count on SCOTUS to uphold the rule of law as a court of last resort.
You show me a gracious loser and I'll show you a LOSER.
"One of the first things President Obama attempted to do after taking office was to take control of the Census Bureau,…"
And the first legislation signed by Bill Clinton was MotorVoter–for the warm bodies. Not to mention, "Citizenship USA" (http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/special/0007/introductio... One more: Cloward-Piven Strategy will give you a very good understanding of the past 50 social years in this country and a window into its future: http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.a...
Glenn Beck synthesizes it here:
http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html?playerId=...
I have never been in favor of term limits, I always thought elections were meant to be term limits. I have now officially changed my mind. THROW ALL THE BUMS OUT!
John Sidney McCain
Harry Truman, and JFK were more conservative than the 'leaders' of the Republican party today. Obama would fall more along the lines of Nikita Khrushchev. Welfare and the public school system have trained America to look for handouts instead of work.
I get calls from the RNC quite regularly even though I changed my affiliation to Libertarian last election.
I get so hopping mad at them begging for money that the caller always gets a mini diatribe from me berating them for the mess that we're in. Sorry, all my money goes to Sarahpac.
You're exactly right, Andrew. Steele should demand Colin Powell's membership card on national TV.
Alas, it's not gonna happen.
Sure wouldn't want the media to bad mouth us any worse than there doing, God forbid.
Well I for one am completely fed up with the "We're the party of civility" hogwash. "Oh, we have to compromise so others see us as the 'big tent' party" Screw that hogwash! Millions of conservatives (myself included) are filled with hate and rage at the marxist/commie bastards that are destroying this country. Hate is a natural human emotion and no amount of legislation or phony attempts of shaming us by the other side is gonna change that.
Until I start seeing a lot of tit for tat from the Repubicans, they're not getting a dime!
Don't disappoint us, Sarah.
In order to win the Republicans are going to have to cultivate the rightful anger of white males at being made second-class citizens in the country their grandfather's built and sometimes died for. We are inferior as a de jure fact of life. The Republicans have to hammer that. Instead they make pathetic me-too gestures like putting an affirmative-action poster boy in charge of the party. What are they trying to say with that, "hey, we can stop caring about merit and just reward class membership, too!"
Obama is playing class warfare games, the Republicans can, too, and they have to. They have to tell the truth in clear terms.
But I believe many if not most conservatives have drank at least some of the koolaid without realizing it. Blacks commit 43 times as much violent crime on whites as the reverse on a per capita basis, and black on white crime is hidden in the media, but "conservatives" like Peggy Noonan write pathetic essays about "being there in 1964" as if any of that matters one whit. Peggy Noonan, Colin Powell, and others are on the koolaid and their Republican affiliation is simply a social afiliation and nothing else. They probably aren't even aware that the entirety of the social science research, the consensus views, entirely support the Republican position on, for example, the Great Society. Republicans let Democrats push them around like they actually *believe* Democrats are more secular thinkers than Republicans. Puh-leeze. The modern Democrat party is just a secular Islam. Republicans MUST call them on it and not stop calling the on it. They need to call these crimes against the rule of law what they are and hammer on them every day.
Why don't they? Are they actually the opposition party to the Democrats? Is there an opposition party now? I see no evidence of it.
Andrew,you are spot on.The republicans need to take the gloves off.The irony is that the elections in Europe looks like the people are throwing the socialists out.We can only hope that the republicans get the message and stand up to the democrats with a vengeance.In the meantime,I nominate Andrew to become the new,meaner Lee Atwater.
Let me just leave one more point here.
Please watch this political ad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIyewCdXMzk
This ad worked. Jesse Helms was losing, and this guy was winning. Helms whipped his ass.
Now, if you're on the Koolaid (and don't realize it) you might find this ad ugly or racist. But watch closely. This ad appeals straight to common-sense fairness and morality. "You needed that job, *and you were the best qualified.*" But they HAD TO give it to a minority, because of a racial quota system.
Notice that Helm's ad doesn't scapegoat blacks, it doesn't scapegoat business. It points out the FACTS of the situation and ordinary moral people can see what is wrong with it.
This is the absolute picture of what MUST be done. But these Koolaidster Republicans like McCain would never, ever do it, because they are Koolaid believers. We need people who actually believe in LIBERTY and are willing to fight for it, or you can stick a fork in this country.
Terrific stuff. This is what we need to hear — or what the "Republican establishment" needs to hear. Again and again. And again.
Just look at the recent Playboy article scandal(conservative women hate……(blank)… If that would have been said of Michelle Obama, Sotomayor, etc… The writer would have been canned, with the Dem's. NOTHING.. Not even NOW, or any of the feminist cried out about it… Now I see why Rush calls them Feminazi's..
The Republican party doesn't have what it takes. Here we are in Vietnam again fighting jungle guerillas using European battle plans and open field battle tactics. The Democrats are passionate, they have flesh in the game, and are willing to fight by any rules that win the game for them. Have you ever gotten the impression it's their America and the Republicans are an invading force? Their forte is 'organizing' and they have the Bible according to Saul Alinsky memorized chapter and verse. They're playing by a completely different set of rules and winning. They have enchanted the major media. Add to that a charismatic leader who is photogenic and well spoken and it's like trying to tamp down a turd fire with a toothpick. The Republicans need to figure out 'rope-a-dope' and come up with a better plan/process, even if that means usuing the Democrat's tactics against them and better than they do. The Democrats' greatest strength is also their greatest weakness.
Yes, I agree with you. CA is a lost cause. Perhaps we can serve as a wake up call for the rest of the US?
"Where is the media to expose this blatant corruption when the media are in the middle of the pile?"
You are the new media, Mr. Breitbart. Thank you, and keep it up!
Ah Andrew, where to begin? You are, of course, correct. This is much the same message Rush Limbaugh has been voicing so far during the Obama administration. I thought Karl Rove was the guy who understood this stuff, but maybe not. Republicans have always been better at the White House than Congress. Even when Bush briefly had Congress, it was a razor thin majority, and truth be told, there were more R.I.N.O's from blue states than there were southern "democrats." This kept anything major from happening plus Bush had 9/11 and both he and his father were not very interested in domestic politics anyway. Obama (with help from the media) is much better at countering every attack.
We can get back in this thing, but just like playing for keeps in the war on terror is crucial (water boarding my ass) we have to get very serious about Congress in 2010. This means identifying candidates who are good charismatic speakers who can get identified early and who will relentlessly attack the democratic incumbents. The more national attention and exposure we can get for guys like you Andrew to help even the media playing field is critical as well. When the impact of the taxes kicks in, that will help as well.
If you're going to be a bear, be a grizzly bear. If you're going to be a Republican, be a damn Republican. Half the fun is the fight! Let's ruin a few Democrats. It should be a lot of fun since they're soooo touchy and easily offended about everything that intrudes upon their little bubble world. Push the right button and they start screaming like a bunch of little school girls and make fools of themselves.
Dan – I've come to the same conclusion about term limits. This is true for both parties. The nature of our political system is such our representatives are forced to be more interested in keeping their power than doing the right thing.
Yeah Lance, I know what you mean. I used to contribute, but the more you gave the more they asked for. I still worry a little bit about it, because it does take money to win elections, but the Republican Party has hardly been a bastion of the ideals that are of interest to me.
I sent this to everyone at Fox Cable News! Glen, Sean, Gretta, Neil, Bret and more! I read about Janet Napolitano appointing an advisor that has ties to terror backers! Here is the link:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.vi...
I love Fox but where is the sirens here? Where is the outrage?
What the HELL is happening to our country?
We are putting in place the very people that will serve to mimic Hitler's rise to power.
We are committing suicide and there is no red flags, no outrage equal to the outrageousness of the people Obama is putting into place.
Has everyone lost their minds?
Tax frauds, leftists, terror supporters, pay to play, pay offs and denials and media corruption!
Dare to dream!
It's too late now. We have a new KIng. The White House is "occupied" by royalty and the members of congress are the royal couples knights. Protect the king at all costs………
There is no way in hell "Term Limits" will ever happen under one party rule
Tell your audience where what is happening here does not parallel what happened in Germany and many socialist, fascist countries. Tell me where the parallels end please!
I say we are in CREEPING TROUBLE!
The more time goes by, the more the pieces are being put into place. Our congress will be rendered meaningless within 8 years! Our constitution is being increasingly marginalized and our attitudes increasingly complacent!
Far fetched?
The power and voices of those that would stand in the way of Obama's ever increasingly transparent and insidious machinations are being methodically weakened through deliberately contrived tactics and we are all continuing to pretend nothing serous is happening!
Not only who is Obama placing in positions of power, and how many Czars, but who he minimizes and who he extends a olive branch to as well.
!
We are going astray. He is occupying us with a sideshows and slight of hand as he places his structural support apparatus in place. He is building an internal coalition that is not the America we know and admire!
The warnings are all around us and we are rationalizing why Obama's administration is doing what it is doing not to mention we are rationalizing why Obama is doing what he is doing.
With the pieces and people in place, should we face another crisis of national security his administration will be more powerful than any other before, and the pieces that would destroy our freedoms are not so quietly being placed into careful position like chess pieces ready to pounce when the opportunity arises!
Obama is looking for power plain and simple and we are failing and he knows it. We will wake up to an America that is weaker and slower than ever and less able to defend itself as well as our allied in a future conflagration.
Obama's policy positions are like announcements of weakness and tolerance for anything that seems a growing threat!
I sincerely wish you would all wake up.
I have never been as concerned for the direction our hypnotized nation is following
Vote Constitution Party. Read their platform.
Holy moly…that is one good diatribe! I love to hear someone finally saying they're mad enough to hate and if ya don't like it, that's just too damn bad. Besides, the leftists are pros on hate…..
Identifying the canidate will not be easy, but it can be done. Getting said canidate exposure and name recognition while the White House controls the MSM, that will simply be impossible!
The major networks (which unfortuantely are needed to promote a new canidate) will not bite the hand that feeds them. They will not disobey there master………
Great post! You're gonna get called a racist however. That's what happens when you point out the truth.
Yep, isn't that something?! Not a word from the 'womyn". Crickets chirping. Also, where are the feminists when Muslims stone women? Why don't they fly over there en masse and surround these women and say "over our dead bodies". Ahh…no way. They're too busy mouthing off and picketing a golf course that won't let women play in a men's tournament. Important stuff like that. My God, I detest them.
and the NRSC can't decide to have Sarah say a few words. What a bunch of losers. Newt was on offense and Tom Delay was on offense but nobody would stand with them. Sarah is standing now and none of these weenies will stand with her. scroom
I'm glad you mentioned the issue with the GOP, because it's got to take a major share of the blame. I see where they finally got party head Steele pointed in the correct direction to go after Sotomayor instead of Limbaugh. Way to go, guys! Another 4 years of Obama coming right up.
I was at a gun show this weekend and the Republicans had a booth there. Although this was the most crowded gun show I had attended in years, the GOPers were emulating the Maytag repair man – the loneliest guys at the show. They had to actually grab me as I was going by to try and shove some literature at me. I just told them I wasn't a Republican (I'm not – but usually end up voting that way ) and moved on. In retrospect, I wish I asked them if they thought that candidates who were "Democrat lite" was the way to go? Or if dissing Palin was the way to go, or if they were proud of Arnold Schwarzengger as a representitive of the GOP? Or if letting Democrats vote in your primaries is a good idea?
Maybe I should have told them that the GOP was going the way of the Whigs unless it remakes itself NOW to align with the Teaparty movement and start sending the Colin Powells, John McCains, Mike Huckabees and Mitt Romney's to the Democrats. They could use some good moderates. It's time for the Republicans to learn the meaning of "principles". The American people could use a change from Marxist principles to Jeffersonian principles. The question is will the politicians in charge of the Republican party allow that to happen?
Everyone has a breaking point.
You have hit yours. I'm not far behind you. I believe a large number of voters Republican, Independant and even some Democrats are pretty damn close to the point of meltdown too.
America has some problems but Obama appears to be finding (or funding) solutions to problems that don't exsist.
They thought they voted for change. What they are getting is the gutting of our country and Constitution.
I say take off the kid gloves, and when they aren't watching, kick them squarely in the nuts (repeatedly). I say Nancy Pelosi should be first.
I want to win but I don't want to let dead Republicans vote. Sorry, guys. You're dead. Stay down there.
i see the national party heading the same way. if the peggy noonans and the colin powells win, we're headed for permanent insignificance.
Brother Dave if it's any solace to you. Your not alone. Most of the good people that post on this site are very aware of the Naked Power Grab that's going on right in front of our faces. Only the Willfully Blind can't or won't see it. That's why this Dangerous Fraud and his ilk have got to be stopped in 2010. The parallels between us and Germany are scary. No question about it. Just read the RISE AND FALL OF THE THIRD REICH its all there. That's why the Germans didn't care for Obama when he was just there. They've seen this act before, his act, close and personal they're well ahead of him. Keep the faith talk to as many people as you can and spread your point of view around and pray that those who voted for him in good faith will Wise-Up before 2010, because it will get Worst before it gets Better. Keep Punching it's not time to Fix Bayonets…….Yet.
Winner of the coveted "Good Sport Award" by the MSM.
Thank God!
Line from "Burn Notice" goes something like this, "Spies are not trained to fight fair. They are trained to win". Something the GOP might want to ponder.
Constantly trashing Palin, or those like Rubio and the others willing to take a stand against the Dems is not a winning strategy. The latest smooth move by one Pete Sessions from Texas was in a word… moronic. I sent him a charming email. Much sarcasm implied.
The one thing we might want to make clear is the definition of RINO. Our pal Arlen Specter, LOL!, recently said he was so happy to be back in the Democrat Party where he no longer had to pretend to be a Republican. THAT is a RINO. Control the language and hence the definitions. Conservatives do not dislike those who might not be total Conservatives, but if we are all to get along, and have a strong party we are not going to want those around or in the party which strongly desire our demise. Arlen, and others we call RINOS, strongly desire Conservative or any Libertarian types in the party to drop dead ASAP. The Left and media has taken our objection to RINOS as being we are narrow minded, Bible loons, bigots, racists, homophobes, knuckle dragging, morons. All of which is not true, but if we as Conservatives and Libertarians want to take back the party we are going to need to do a much better job in how we are defined.
What I wish is that we could keep our squabbles private or internal like the Dems. The media helps them, but all of our dirty laundry gets aired. Or we are shooting each other in public!
Problem is, we can fight back all we like, but the media will simply not show it. I often see good, strong statements by Republicans that are only aired on FNC. With the current onslaught for all things liberal on all levels of the media, we are being effectively silenced. We don't stand a chance of getting our message out.
Want to make an impact! First thing, cancel your cable.
Second, find the NGO's operating in your local area and work to shut them down. Think Acorn and it's many clones
Third, start you own local newspaper/newslettter.
Fourth, get on the local boards and councils.
Fifth get behind candidates for Mayor and council who support conservative positions.
Does all this sound too Alinsky? Well how do you think we got to where we are today. Leftists did all this after the 60's revolution sputtered-out. They flooded all areas of local government and especially school boards.
It's time to turf them out. Think of yourself as a community organizer motivated by principles not grievance.
You will be surprised. I sure was.
The "blue-dogs" are a dead breed.
To be a democrat now means to be a whiny, lazy, cowardly, ne'er-do-well, useless, socialist.
And we've got plenty of them.
I keep saying why McCain and Palin didn't get along is because Palin wanted to fight with honor but McCain would rather lose with diginty.
Fat lot of good 'diginty' does you when giving a concession speech.
But now Republicans (not Palin) are being bullied into being more like McCain! If not, they'll be demonized by liberals.
Here's a memo to the RNC as a whole. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO LIKE US. THEY NEVER LIKED US! THEY NEVER WILL LIKE US!
It's time to give up being liked, cause they won't ever like us, that's life. But, if they don't respect us, that's death! The death of the republican party. And you don't get repect by lying down on ones back.
Too True!
Sure seems that way. The era of Zell Miller seems to be over.
The Democrat Party has simply become what the Soviets spent decades urging them towards: stifling populist power-mongers whose monomania regarding their control of the domestic front and obsession with unworkable theories will leave this nation economically exhausted and wide-open to external threats.
Someone out there throw up an impressive website for a party with a declared socialist/communist agenda then fill it with "informative articles" nuanced towards anarchism. Sometimes you have to show people what is over the side of the cliff before they will back away from the edge. Feel free to accept donations.
If for some reason it becomes very popular as a party and makes gains against the Democrats, well that is enough said about Kalifornia.
How to take back our country? Counter strategize the BHO playbook by looking at his "heroes."
Among others, BHO's words/actions indicate inspiration from Sal Alinsky and "Rules for Radicals." However, the philosopher that inspired Alinsky, Georges Sorel and his theories of Syndicalism have far reaching impact. His view of political-social order seems to have inspired much of what happened politically in the 20th century into current world/US 2009…including communism, socialism, and fascism.
Sorel believed in power through such things as social scission, deception (lies are acceptable if they help achieve goals), and turning over control of all businesses to unions. Unions could call for a general strike to shut down the economy in order to leverage the direction of state decision-making. This is just the tip of the ice-berg but is alarmingly similar to current events. Please look-up for yourself.
As concerned-loyal-opposition-citizens, we need to exercise our first amendment rights and stand up…partcipate in making our parties stronger, write, talk, run for office, hold your representatives responsible….work within our opposition parties to define short and long term strategies and real distinguishable solutions. We need to start campaigning now….by the way, some optimistic signs! Poll numbers and results of some overseas elections — moving back toward sanity — let's help this momentum in or own country or there may be monuments to Georges Sorel and Sal Alinsky replacing the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials……Never, never give up.
Is it not possible to sue them? I am not a violent person, but if I met that writer in a dark alley I would, well, it´s too horrible to describe.
You know I adore you, Andrew, but I have to disagree with you on this one. If I have to become my enemy to win, then it really isn't a win at all. But as DM says, it's just my opinion, I could be wrong.
ACORN—BOO!
Okay, Brietbart, you can stop cowering under the bed now, I was just kidding…
We find ourselves increasingly in the predicament of Number Six from The Prisoner, slowly realizing that the only way he can advance against his enemies is to beat them at their own game — a game which his moral rectitude prevents him from participating in.
This is what the Left has done to us. The only way to beat them is to become them, and be better at it than they are. And I hate them for that.
I hate to say this, but the Bush's epitomize the kind of "soft" Republicanism that the GOP has become. Just because he fought a war, doesn't mean he knew how to run a campaign or even stick up for conservative values. How many times during the past 8 years did you want to yell to "W"–fight for the right for a change; take the media on! Yeah, yeah the media was against him–but smart strategists can get around that.
Now Reagan knew how to win an election. He was direct and to the point and charming and he had the best political minds backing him up. If Colin Powell is the best political minds the GOP has, I'll eat my hat!
From Rules for Radicals [cribbed from wikipeidia]:
"The ninth rule of the ethics of means and ends is that any effective means is automatically judged by the opposition as being unethical."
So when Fox "News" and Talk Radio unreservedly sing Bush's praises for 8 years–nothing to worry about. When MSNBC hires liberal hosts because it's raising their ratings, it's a sign that the government is taking over.
When the corporate media bring Republican/conservative spokespeople out in a ratio of 3-1 over Democrat/Liberals, that's okay. When the corporate media trumpet the opinions of Newt Gingrich ten years after he has left office, and Liz Cheney because, well, she's a Cheney, that's okay–no signs of bias there.
When the RNC sends daily faxes to Fox "news" and talk radio hosts, and they repeat those talking points, using even the same language verbatim, no problem. When Obama tells Republicans that they can't just listen to the man who openly wants him to fail, that's signs that the Democrats are trying to shut down talk radio.
When Rush says, "I'm tired of carrying the Republicans water," (which he said in 2006), no lights click on that hey–he has been carrying the Republicans water whether he believes what they're pushing or not!
When the conservative press, pundits, and talk radio unreservedly sang Bush's praises for 6 years (only starting to defect when it was obvious the public wasn't buying it anymore), no problem. Even though Liberal sites and pundits (like David Sirota, Glen Greenwald, Ted Rall, Paul Krugman, etc.) criticize specific areas where Obama is failing to meet his campaign promises or where he is adopting some of Bush's wrong-headed policies, Breitbart and his contemporaries continue to whine that the Left marches in lock step, assuming that the people who read Big Hollywhine and other such sites will blindly believe them. I dunno, is he right?
Dave, I can hardly watch the boob tube anymore but yesterday I saw a new commercial for FOX that had all the news-readers describing the philosophy of the station. One of those words was DIVERSITY!!! Now THEY are buying into this anti-intellectual, statist verbage!
BTW, Thanks Andrew, you covered ALL of it!
It's called hearing the other side of the argument. I find it amusing that the ONLY news station you can point to is Fox news when there are dozens of news outlets available. Please point to another news network that "sided" with the Republicans in anything..
You are the problem. It's better to go along to get along.
So with republicans like you, we better get ready for the U.S.S.A (United SOCIALIST States of America).
Just go ahead and switch to Democrat now.
I've come up with a rule to tell Democrats from Republicans:
Democrats put party/political power FIRST, personal ambition second and to hell with the country
Republicans put personal ambition first, country second and to hell with the party and political power
There are exceptions to every rule, of course. With Democrats, the Clintons and Obama put personal ambition/power first, party second. Nixon put the country first twice, when he refused to challenge the cheating that went on in Chicago and West Virginia because he thought it would destroy the country and later when the silent media coup led by Woodward and Bernsetin was about to bring him down — he resigned rather than put the country through impeachment.
No, Andrew, this is not our parents' Democratic Party. This is a new Social-Democratic Party more in line with European Social Democrats than the old HST party and, if we're not careful, the old USSR.
But the GOP has changed, too. Used to be the GOP was a political party concerned with national defense and the economy, now the party platform is more concerned with social issues like abortion and gay marriage.
MSNBC is DEAD LAST! It had a short burst during the election, but now reality set in and people ain't buying what Keith and Rachel are selling.
Try to get your facts right.
I was watching CNN a few years back, when they were an abortion cult without their current godhead Obama. They had gotten on their high horse and were giving grief to a dog catcher in rural Tennessee, about the way he did his job. The dog catcher's transgression was his policy regarding unwanted and abandoned dogs. The policy was for people to bring them to a designated place out in the country and chain them to a post and the dog catcher would come around once a week and put them down and dispose of the carcasses. He did the "put down" with a firearm. When they did that story, I realized that they were not sane as I understand sane; and yet they are on television telling everyone what's real.
You didn't read very carefully. How can you call it "listening to the other side of the argument" when all you do is listen to one side's description of the other side?
I pointed out that Republicans/conservatives appear on news programs (all networks) on a 3-to-1 margin versus Democrats/Liberals. I cited the fact that Gingrich and Liz Cheney are all over the media right now, despite their irrelevance.
It should also be noted that all the "mainstream" networks uncritically carried every Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld about how dangerous Iraq was, how they had WMDs, etc. IT was only the independent, liberal press that disputed those claims.
And why is Bill Kristol, who has been wrong about everything, still listened to?
I could go on and on and on…
Yes, FOX has the largest ratings (so much for the myth of the battered but noble news network fighting against all odds), but MSNBC has the fastest growing ratings for the past year.
In other words, instead of offering principled opposition, let's try to smear Obama by association. Nice.
It's called a free market. The media is still free for people to choose who they will tune in to see. If Fox has the largest ratings, it's because people see something there they like. It isn't because they're forced to see something there. Similarly, if Limbaugh has enormous radio ratings, it isn't because people's radios automatically tune to his program everyday when it's on; it's because a person's hand has to reach down and move to tuner to find the program and then let the station stay there. In other words, folks choose to listen to it – no force involved.
If CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS aren't getting as many viewers as FOX with their news offerings, then they must not be offering something in their news. And since when I watch those networks' news shows, I get pretty much the same news and the same angles and the Obama butt-kissing with the only real difference being the talking head delivering it, it seems to me that therin might lie some of the answer …
There's a reason why demographics are showing that Independents are the fastest growin ggroup of voters and actually outnumber both Democrats and Republicans in an increasing area of the country. I think a lot of people are dissatisfied with both parties and feeling disenfranchised by the power games in Washington. Now may be the time for an Independent candidate preaching the Constitution and founding values – conservative values of state's rights and individual freedom and responsibility – to come to power. With the current economic situation things are going to get much worse before they get better and the only way I see for the country to survive is for government to draw in its horns and trim a LOT of fat from the budget, including almost all of its social entitlements.
"When, if not now, will Republicans develop such a fighting spirit"?
We have a fighting spirit, what we don't have is a CHEATING spirit.
Great read Andrew! History is a good place to look, go back to the Republican convention in 1976 when Governor Reagan almost knocked off Gerald Ford the de facto incumbent, and exposed the continuing clash of the Rockefeller Republicans and the Goldwater Conservative Republicans. It was Gerald Ford’s turn, sound familiar. He lost in similar percentages to Jimmy Carter, as Obama/McCain. Move forward to 1980 and the Republican primaries the clash continued George H.W. Bush coined the phrase, “Voodoo economics, called Reagan, a war monger, to old, etc. Reagan went on to win 47 to 3 in states at a 9% margin in popular votes, and in 1984 49 to 1 with a 19% margin in the popular vote, “Landslide!” This has left the Blue Blood Republicans seething as they are liberal light and have diminished Reagan through both Bush’s. This country is inherently conservative espouse conservative ideals and win in 2010, 2012!
So wait–on one hand, conservatives are oppressed because what you call the "mainstream media" has the odds stacked against you. On the other hand, FOX is the top-rated news network and Rush and his ilk dominate the radio waves (which should actually make THEM the mainstream media) because the majority supports them. Seems a bit of a contradiction there.
I have no problem in a free market of ideas (although I'd argue that corporate ownership of the media prevents such a "free market"). What I detest is the constant whining from the conservative pundits who dominate the media that their voices aren't heard, that they're the poor and downtrodden, that they're being oppressed because Obama looked in their direction.
And of course they retreat to conservative-only television, radio, and Web sites so they can continue to whine in their own echo chamber, and pretend that somehow they've even paid attention to the "other side". (Another fallacy is that there are only two sides to any issue, but I digress….)
Let's see…since Obama's election, the Republicans (to be PC, I'm going to call them the "electorally-challenged") have voted on several major bills as a solid block with ZERO defections. They talked about filibustering Obama's SCOTUS pick weeks before Obama announced his selection.
You wanna say again that Republicans don't put party first?
I don't believe I've ever heard a Dem use the expression 'my good friend across the aisle' as Repubs constantly do. We are their enemy and they make no bones about it. We have three implacable enemies the Islamofascists, the Dems and the press. Any Republican who indicates that he doesn’t understand this is unfit for office. No more McCain-like cringers who want to make ‘friends’.
The Powells, and Ridges and the like can come into our ‘church’ if they’d like but we’ll be DAMNED if they’re going to give the sermon.
Let's face it, the GOP is intimidated by the Democratic media (or so called MSM) . Thank God for Andrew Breitbart and Joseph Farah et al. They're our only real hope for re-educating the left leaning young adults educated in our government schools and the "Bread and Circus" types who just don't give a s**t. Those in charge of the GOP need to heed the example of Cheney and grow a set and go on the offensive. Have some confidence, limited and principled government may not seem so nutty to people after the next four years.
Technically, the people who voted for the Dems are the problem, but don't let facts get in the way of your hissy fit. In-fighting with people who are on your side certainly doesn't help matters. The more people you exclude, the smaller your numbers get and then what have you got? Not that it matters, but I'm neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I'm a conservative, but I've been unaffiliated since my first vote. Thanks for sharing though. My life's complete knowing you have it all figured out and in hand.
Oh really. You honestly think the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfield news conferences were uncritical? Are you on drugs? Seriously.
My take is that the MSM has lost all credibility on the well-balanced and objective journalism front and they are now "importing" conservatives onto their newscasts: Cheney, Gingrich being two of them. It's l
Where were all the opposing viewpoints during the election? Oh yeah, they were being "teabagged" by the MSM…
The MSM is a joke, but it's trying to claw it's way back from total oblivion. Funny that they need to bring the Gingrich's and Cheney's into it right now. My hunch, their ratings rise when they do.
Logic-free zone. ^^^^^
"canned"? No, that writer, if talking about liberal ladies would be charged with attempted rape and terroristic threats.
But to the left, this guy is a hero.
I just don't understand.
The democrats are playing to win, it's time we do the same or shut up and let socialism rise.
A national poll confirms the current demographic divisions within America:
Conservatives – 32%
Liberals – 32%
Moderates – 36%
The moderates are a squishy lot. Those leaning right will vote conservative on fiscal issues and those leaning left will vote liberal of social issues. Like the Black vote, the soon to be legal Latino vote is just the opposite: they will vote liberal on financial issues and conservative on social issues. The Democrats know that in hard times most folks vote their pocketbook rather than their conscience.
Fox's new motto? or Bretbart's?
The spread and acceptance of the "becoming like my enemy" bogeyman is one of the great achievements of modern liberal preachment. It wasn't intended at first as a political strategy, but only as a kind of doctrine of self-doubt and as license to a tormented conscious, which liberals love and nourish each other on. If one starts paying attention, one will see it shot through liberal art and culture over the last 50 years.
In fact, we've never had to "become like" the enemy. We just have to destroy the enemy. This is an entirely different matter. It is, at least, to those few remaining souls on this earth who both see righteous and furious action in defense of great values as high duty, and also see how incredibly simple and moral it can be to expose and destroy the Left. The use of their tactics is never necessary.
It is Breitbart and pronounced "Bright-bart."
You are losing to Lola but go ahead b/c I've got my popcorn at the ready.
The other thing NOT talked about is the Banksters…….. Liberals & Conservatives have always been bankrolled by them but, Conservatives fall into the plot when Conservatives flob like Bush did, as soon as WMD was found out it was curtains for Bush… if Conservatives want to win they will have to forgo the banksters & get away from the FED's … we need an American Bank, like the one JKF, LINCOLN, McKinley, & all the others those Banksters finally had murdered….. Banksters have made us the slaves, since W.Wilson was blackmailed by them, to start the Goy Slave Trade for them with income taxs back in 1913… When it was finalized Wilson weeped to high heaven,,, not so much for his dead wife but, for the fact that sold America to the banks & all the turmoil & wars in future is & was for the banksters profit……….FACTS…Never in all of history has there been so many wars & upheveals then the time of western world being dependant of these monsters the BANKS……………….If conservative principles are ever to return they MUST get out of the evil clutches of the FEDS….. then the world would relax for a while but, until then we all are their slaves……..
Exactly. CA sets the trends for the country. But this may be good news for conservatives. Bankrupt and losing businesses and jobs, CA is a warning for what's in store for the country at large if we stay on this liberal path.
But, Republicans will have to organize and focus if they want to take advantage. That hasn't happened yet.
@Growltiger
"Used to be the GOP was a political party concerned with national defense and the economy, now the party platform is more concerned with social issues like abortion and gay marriage. "
In all fairness, one of the GOP's legends, Ronald Reagan, was a pro-life president was ALSO strong on national defense and the economy. If Reagan were alive, he'd likely oppose redefining marriage. Heck, after 9/11, al Qaeda didn't blow up anything on US soil thanks to a pro-life, pro-family president named George W. Bush.
So, it's a myth that a president who is socially conservative will be weak on national defense or the economy.
You have a very short memory, and I don't think "teabagging" means what you think it means (I can't actually tell what you think it means from your reference above).
Look back on the days of 9/11, and look at how the pronouncements were viewed. When Powell went in front of the U.N., his speech was hailed despite the fact that all the "evidence" he presented was either bogus or wrong, and would have been shown as such had anyone investigated. Rumsfeld asserted that he knew exactly where Iraq was keeping its WMDs, and went unchallenged. Cheney fed annoymous quotes to the NYT and then quoted himself in the NYT to bolster his own credibility.
Seems to me there were plenty of opposing viewpoints during the election. Or are you going to go back and say that nobody was listening to Rush or FOX news back then? Or that no one outside of Sean Hannity covered the Reverend Wright issue? Or that conservatives didn't dominate talk radio, network news programs, and the opinion columns of most major syndicates, just as they do now? Or that there were no conservative newspapers, and the Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Sacramento Bee (just to name a few) were all bastions of liberalism before the election?
My take is that the corporate mainstream media, to which Fox "news" and Rush Limbaugh belong, has always been dominated by conservative viewpoints, and lacks credibility. Fox "news" gets credit for having the cajones to claim to be both conservative *and* "fair and balanced" at the same time.
Andrew, as a "ranting Con" what would you know about the Democratic party??? The GOP establishes a $10T deficit and rides over the 2nd Financial collapse based on failed "trickle down policies (1987 S&L collapse, 2007 Wall Street collapse) and you want to divert attention from the cause by calling out the Democrats???
Why because Carter REDUCED the Deficit while Reagan TRIPLED it? Why because while in 8 years Clinton grew the deficit by just over $1T while W in eight years grew it by nearly $6T???
Ignore that Obama has included multiple Republican's in his Cabinet, ignore that he has shown pragmatic responses to the Gitmo and Afghanistan situations and keep the masses ranting about pointless rhetoric.
You can lead a Con to the facts, but you can't make them think…
Yet after the GOP continues to exhibit in ACTIONS that they are the party of Big spending, shipping of US jobs over seas (even with Union membership at an all time low since the sweat shops of the early 1900's, the voice of Corporate America still works to eliminate all Worker rights!!)
It is not by coincidence that there is a direct correlation between shrinking Unionization and increased Manufacturing moved to China, India, Philippines and Korea…
I prefer "Breit-brat", given all his whining.
I'm not sure how I'm losing to Lola when she's not even making much sense, but then, I think in this case the ref is biased…
Once again…please site news outlets other than Fox.
Rush Limbaugh is classified under entertainment–kinda like Hardball with Chris Matthews.
You're in college (or highschool)…am I right?
This is where we differ. I am not interested in my News siding with either party or as you all wish the government! That is what the Comrades in Russia call State Run Media.
The most important tool to a free and open Democracy is the Press.
Let's discuss Deficits, but let's discuss them IN REALITY! Post President Ford, we had Carter and Clinton from the Dems, Reagan, Bush Sr. and W for the GOP. Clinton and Carter grew the deficit by $1.4T….Ron, Bush Sr. and W grew it by $8T!
Yet to listen to the Conservative State Run Media, this $10.8T deficit inherited by Obama is all Obama's fault!
While Conservative State Run Media continues to spew GOP talking points about the "liberal" Obama, the real press is covering the facts…He has filled his cabinet with the GOP and Democrats, he sent a $98B War funding bill to Congress, sent 20K more troops to Afghanistan and refused to release more Gitmo pictures, even though that's what the Liberals wanted!
The one thing I have always taught my children is there are two sides to every story. What I realize, is Cons are only interested in one side.
Yeesh. I cited many other news sources, several times. If you aren't going to read, I'm not going to bother. Please go back to sipping the Kool-Aid.
Comparing Rush to Matthews just shows how little you are interested in facts….
While Rush never finished his multiple shots at College, Matthews graduated from Holy Cross.
While Rush was languishing around in dead end jobs as a back office TV guy, Matthews served as a Capital Police Officer, then served on the staffs of 4 Congressmen, ran for Congress himself and served as a Presidential Speech writer for Carter.
After which Matthews served 6 years as the top aide for Tip O'neill Speaker of the House.
Not to mention his 13 years as Washington Bureau Chief for a National Newspaper.
Rush's credentials other than being insecure and figuring out how to tap into Suburban hate and fear?
When the RNC calls for money I tell them no. Then I tell them why; because Newt and the republicans we voted into power (remember the "contract for America"?) welched on their promise of term limits. It was our last best chance to make congress the weigh station, of public service, our founding father intended it to be. So, form 1994 until they won back the congress in 2006 the drum beat of the democratic party was, "win, win, win." And of the republicans was, "I'm gonna make mine while I can."
Now what? We are left with a party which puts more importance on what happens in a person's private life than our country's future. If you are against abortion then don't have one and if you believe them immoral then sway others to your beliefs through your words and deeds. The man who murdered Dr. Tiller was every bit the fascist terrorist that any jihadi ever dreamed of being. So no, winning at any cost does not make us or our country stronger or better.
It will take a long time but we must work through the same small steps the democrats have undertaken. We must put like minded people into the education system (to many smart conservatives look at where they can recoup the most money for their educational dollars i.e.; business, law, engineering and not where they can make a s), and as an earlier commentator said, city and county government, volunteering for campaigns and more protests like the recent tea parties.
BigHollywood is a great start as well. I am telling everyone who will listen (and even those who don't) to check it out.
or Miss Congeniality.
Love the post, but again I am compelled to point out that the GOP is not anything without the people. I ask you, why should Republican politicians take any chances? Has the party left the people or have the people left the party? Are Conservatives Republicans? Conservatism is a set of ideals it isn't a party, and nobody knows that better than we Conservatives. We spent our time debating ourselves over Libertarianism, paleo and new conservative, social vs fiscal conservativism while the left who is the ULTIMATE factional movement continued to provide Homogenous support for Democrat candidates. Despite the Left's belief in victim status and Identity politics we find ourselves here, with "Liberal" stranglehold on our entire society. What were Conservatives doing? What we do best, complaining about McCain and undercutting his campaign, allowing Palin to be demonized, and making sure our "Tea Party" movement is APOLITICAL!! Republicans get enough marginalizing from the democrats and the leftists, so it sure doesn't help when the ONLY PARTY that could POSSIBLY appeal to a "real" Conservative is cut out of a movement that speaks to the very heart of its Platform!!! Yep, us idealists were busy paying the bills, and we will continue to pay the bills for the entitlement society or as grandly proclaimed by Wired Magazine: "the NEW Economy!" (and its GREEN!)
How are Republican politicians supposed to appeal to the voters with "their own" solutions (as put by many pundits) when the agenda is set by the Dems/leftists? Here's the thing, most Conservatives don't want a priority on " Climate change" when it is an utter crock of crap, yet that is what continues to dominate the headlines and business world, yet we are spending TRILLIONS on it! FLUSH! (sorry Kids!) We don't want to talk about "Universal Healthcare" because we know it is terrible and unnecessary, yet that is tops on the list in the new admin! We don't believe in bowing to terrorists and dictators, yet that is our "new" foreign policy! Somehow, I am pretty sure that Republican politicians don't care about that either, but somehow without our support and without our voices and without our BIGGEST MOVEMENT IN YEARS (tea party) they are supposed to FORCE THAT out there. oh, and WIN! (PS: you can't fight a WAR without TROOPS)
Our country is apparently in the grips of brainwashing provided visa vis' ancient radio technology, thus REGULATING Conservative ideas is manifest in the witch hunt on Rush. Yet, most of us if asked will hem and haw about how we don't really agree with him ALL THE TIME! (PS, when they get Rush we are done, end of story) Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you deserve this or not, because I say that every day to my own reflection. Unlike most, I am NOT a victim.
Mr Breitbart, you aren't a victim either, and I admire you for that. However, our fight is not with Republicans its with EVERYONE ELSE.
Rush and Matthews are both "Political Pundits." Like Olberman. None of them could be considered News reporters. I don't give a damn where they went to college. Do you even read what you write? just curious…
The Founding Father's of this once great nation were not conservatives, they were revolutionaries. And while there was in fact a Continental Congress, the revolution was not the result of any democratic process. If you people really care about the American Experiment, you will have to be willing to fight and die for it. If not, then please shut the hell up. I'm getting sick of the whining.
Good points. You are to be commended for your knowledge of Chris Matthew's
But, it does not change the fact that Matthews is a "Political Pundint". He changed careers from reporter to pundint when he had that "Thrill run up his leg"….
Rush is a "Conservative Rebulican" and makes no bones about it…
Matthews is a "Socialist Democrat" but denies he is biased in any way…….
Final thought on Matthews. Nothing you have cited above changes the simple fact the Chrissy Baby is an Imbecile!
" THEY ARE NOT GOING TO LIKE US. THEY NEVER LIKED US! THEY NEVER WILL LIKE US! "
That's part of the problem. People don't vote for people they don't like. If the Republican party doesn't distance itself from the loudmouths and buffoons claiming to be it's leaders it's doomed.
"Look back on the days of 9/11, and look at how the pronouncements were viewed. When Powell went in front of the U.N., his speech was hailed despite the fact that all the "evidence" he presented was either bogus or wrong, and would have been shown as such had anyone investigated. Rumsfeld asserted that he knew exactly where Iraq was keeping its WMDs, and went unchallenged. Cheney fed annoymous quotes to the NYT and then quoted himself in the NYT to bolster his own credibility."
Please cite your sources that prove your accusations in the above statement. MoveOn.org or HufPo are not news sources
You must be logged in to post a comment.