The GOP: They’re baaack
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“The upset of the century,” claims George Stephanopoulos of the loss of the Kennedy ancestral seat of Massachusetts in the US Senate. As I write, it is almost certainly lost. With it goes the Democrats filibuster-proof control of the Senate and, despite protestations, health-care reform. The market is already viewing Big Pharma and managed care as winners, while health-care stocks that have risen in expectation of reform look shaky. Wait until the deluge. But again the great divide is evident. While the mainstream media is busy inventing all manner of reasons for this unthinkable defeat — I expect the poor weather will soon join the list — the net-roots sees this as a simple rejection of the political class that rules the US. Which is why the mainstream media can’t see what’s happening as it, of course, is the ruling political class. The Kennedy heir Martha Coakley is already ducking bricks, including abuse for forcing President Obama from his desk to pound the Boston flesh when he should be saving Haiti and seeing the health-care package through. But, on the later count, there can be no package without that Senate seat. And the criticism of Coakley is thin. She is but an Attorney-General who was seemingly the right woman for the Kennedy mantle — cut from the cloth of the established establishment — the perfect loser in the current environment of a pox on all your parties. I suspect Kennedy himself might have had trouble holding his seat. Luckily for the Republicans, who doubted they had a chance at taking a seat Ted Kennedy had held for 47 years, they nominated a nobody called Scott Brown who drove a truck — a fact the Democrats somehow allowed to become an issue. Naturally Brown, equipped with political advisers as the Republicans smelled not blood but a bloodbath, drove at their behest to Wall Street, where he somehow managed to park. It wasn’t a huge issue but it played well — the message presumably was that sophisticated people from places such as Boston were not represented by folks who drove trucks. Kennedy sure didn’t drive a truck. The shell-shocked mainstream media better get used to it, for there are many shocks to come. That the Republicans had the sense to see “truck” and “Wall Street” and bring the two to one was clever indeed. But I suspect the election was long lost. The scattered polls — the ones with the little dots that seem the best gauges — already had Brown well ahead. Ten percent and climbing. Texas Congressman Ron Paul, a Republican of the grand old party tradition, explained what was happening in a speech he gave this week outlining what he thought of the current political and economic system. I saw no mention of it in the US MSM but it sure made the internet rounds. “A grand absurdity; a great deception, a delusion of momentous proportions,” said Paul. “Based on preposterous notions; and on ideas whose time should never have come; simplicity grossly distorted and complicated; insanity passed off as logic; grandiose schemes built on falsehoods with the morality of Ponzi and Madoff; evil described as virtue; ignorance pawned off as wisdom; destruction and impoverishment in the name of humanitarianism; violence, the tool of change; preventive wars used as the road to peace; tolerance delivered by government guns; reactionary views in the guise of progress; an empire replacing the Republic; slavery sold as liberty; excellence and virtue traded for mediocrity … “A central bank that deliberately destroys the value of the currency in secrecy, without restraint, without nary a whimper. Yet, cheered on by the pseudo-capitalists of Wall Street, the military industrial complex, and Detroit. “We police our world empire with troops on 700 bases and in 130 countries around the world. A dangerous war now spreads throughout the Middle East and central Asia. Thousands of innocent people being killed, as we become known as the torturers of the 21st century. “We assume that by keeping the already-known torture pictures from the public’s eye, we will be remembered only as a generous and good people. If our enemies want to attack us only because we are free and rich, proof of torture would be irrelevant.” Scott Brown, the apparent Senator-in-waiting, did not wax with such lyricism. Indeed he seems as startled by these events as any of the mainstream media. Somewhere between the doe caught in the headlights and Sarah “can this be happening to me” Palin. And it is happening to people such as Brown and Palin simply because they reflect the nation’s bewilderment at being delivered up to bankers they don’t trust by politicians who have been so shamelessly bought. In a few hours the Democratic Party will begin its post-mortems and blame will be parcelled out beginning with poor Coakley, whose campaign is already being picked apart by experts in the party that are paid huge sums to do just that. They won’t go near finding the cause for this catastrophe to their party and progressives across America. This is Ted Kennedy’s seat, for goodness’ sake.
Scanning the Democrat sites, one small thing stood out. As the day wore on and the outcome grew more ominous, the party was desperately appealing for drivers to get voters and take them to the polls. Lotta old folk and the weather was poor. The sites stressed “we have cars” and that all that was needed were drivers. The cars are plentiful but the drivers missing in action. Tomorrow, as Obama considers his first year in office and surveys the shattered party he led to historic and magnificent victory, he might contemplate that there were drivers and voters a plenty just over a year ago and the Democratic vote smashed the Republicans. Today, cars sit idle while drivers and voters stay home. For some reason those empty cars haunt me. The message of the Republicans will now be all-out attack on everything Obama and his party are supposed to stand for. Now the Republicans will not be emboldened but pathological in their attacks. But apart from the must-haves, such as abortion and gay rights, with health care now in grave doubt, what does the party stand for? The banks? Last week Obama, or his aides, saw through the glass darkly and called for a tax on Troubled Assets Relief Program monies. For the first time, the party identified the economic problems the nation is facing and the anguish caused by the pillaging of America. It was not convincing, but it was a start. The party — both parties are rotten from the head down due to their acceptance of slush from the financial industry — but the Democrats are the ones who will feel the wrath come the mid-term elections, when it seems all the great victories of 2008 will be reversed. It is obvious to anyone in the net-roots of the party why the battle is being lost. People who once followed Howard Dean but found their home with Obama are again looking for salvation — through Dean. But Dean’s day has gone and he is best suited as an organiser — a vital task. Someone has to drive those cars. But someone has to want to get out in the snow and do the job — and they will not fill those cars with voters for banksters. Perhaps they should have borrowed Scott Brown’s truck. |
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Crikey's Guide to Julia Gillard
59 Comments
After reading Guy’s book I had followed the health care reform hoping form them that it would get through.
It probably is a pox on all your parties sort of result.
Now I think I will just give up on the US and pretend it isn’t there.
You are wrong about criticism of Coakley being thin. I am a Massachusetts Registered Democrat who has lived there for thirty years, at present in Sydney. I have NEVER voted Republican, but would not vote for Coakley. I voted for Mike Capuano in the primaries. He is my congressman, and has done a good job. Martha Coakley is a party hack (and when you think of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, think the NSW State Labor Party). Martha Coakley as Attorney-General angered many, particularly with her handling of the Amirault case, which was despicable. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704281204575003341640657862.html
And the assumption that the Kennedys and their surrogates deserve to win also irritates many Democrats.
Coakley, a Catholic, made a BEEG mistake in a Democratic stronghold that has a powerful Catholic presence that kept the Kennedys in for more than half a century. She wriggled on the Church-State Separation stick when it came to the Health agenda and she mightily offended fellow RCs by trying to have it both ways. Examples: she saw nothing wrong
with abortion being funded by the proposed care program whereas Catholics - and a lot of non-RCs to - believe abortion is murder and should not be financed by public money. And for a laeyer she compounded her two-bob each way stupidity
by alienating the medical profession - denying the Constitution while she was about it - by saying there was no place in
hospital ERs or anywhere else for medicos whose consciences wouldn’t let them abort or commit other debatable denials
of their professional Hippocratic Oath, consciences and the Constitution apart. The Obama government has driven this enforced secularisation of ethics with extraordinry vigour and while it isn’t common knowledge here - or to US run-of-the- mill media, it has caused massive offence and now a groundswell backlash amongst most religions, Jewish, Islam Protestant Evangelism and Buddhism amongst others, not just RCs is gaining impetus. The president wa aware of this enough to have assured Pope Benedict at their recent meeting that he would do his best to see remaining ‘anomalies’ in the Health Bill would be dealt with as it moved towards implementation - but he has made some pretty contradictory official appointments to key positions for a man who said that with his hand on his heart. The banks [the Devil] and
God aren’t onside for Obame right now; it doesn’t augur well for a two-term presidency that once seemed a shoo-in.
Oh well, let the Americans rot with their “health care” system. They have no one but themselves to blame.
“Texas Congressman Ron Paul, a Republican of the grand old party tradition”
With that one statement this guy loses all credibility as a political commentator. Ron Paul, the known extremist Libertarian who ran against the Republican Party for President twice is anything but “of the grand old party tradition”. The vast majority of Republicans think he’s a complete wingnut. This guy Hirst don’t know jack.
Progressives, look upon this as you will but be sure to allow the unfiltered message to sink in.
A sharp swing to the left will destroy the Left as much as a sharp swing to the right will always destroy the Right.
Obama is a dead man walking, long live the new President of the United States at the next election.
Ron Paul is certainly within GOP tradition, it’s just that the party has moved on to neo-conservatism while he’s stuck with his Goldwater-esque beliefs.
“A sharp swing to the left will destroy the Left as much as a sharp swing to the right will always destroy the Right.”
Or in this case a sharp-swing to absolutely nowhere will destroy the centre.
Daniel give the Bostonians a little credit. They’ve been in a Democracy a little longer than you have. There is nothing ambiguous about their decision. Read their lips ” WE DON’T LIKE OBAMA AND WE DON”T LIKE THE RULING CLASS”
I’m with GREGB. This is Australia; all the competition evident above between Australians to demonstrate their deep knowledge of the minutiae of US politics is sad. Very sad. Throw away your baseball caps, turn off The Simpsons and contemplate the Murray Darling basin, our coming federal election and get outside and enjoy fresh Australian food in our summer weather!
They sure don’t like the ‘ruling class’ but they keep voting different brands of them into power lol.
The ‘Tea Party’ has won. Expect Sarah Palin to be the next US President, God help us all!!
With the now-likely death of any reform on health care, and the entire financial/regulatory debacle, I am truly sad for our American friends. The system is broken.
For all the rhetoric of America being a beacon of freedom and democracy for the world, give me Australia any day; thanks to our superannuation, independent banks and RBA, manageable population, westminster system and so on.
The gap on Indigenous health and welbeing, and the Murray Darling Basin, show that Australia still has major issues of its own, but we are working from a far stronger foundation.
I wish the Americans the best, but I am now learning Mandarin.
Now if only we can destroy Rudds legislative agenda, it should put our country right also.
“…I wish the Americans the best, but I am now learning Mandarin…”
Nice sense of the dramatic.
For someone who so easily laments the democratic process when they don’t get their way (tissue?), Mandarin is the perfect language for you to be learning.
Good luck with that.
I love it Mama. That was very quick.
Where, pray tell was the ‘mighty’ Kennedy clan leading up to this shambles on behalf of the Democrats? Teddy must be doing revolutions in his casket while Jack and Bobby will be thanking God for the Dems getting their cumuppance for allowing them to be murdered in their prime, during their parties reign.
If they can let this Senate seat change allegiance then anything can happen in 2012. Obama beware, trust not thy mates for they are only interested in their own arses preservation.
Fox News will be totally unbearable.
Democrats and Republicans are ALIKE!!!
Never underestimate the Power of the People; “We, the American people.”
“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people… They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our Liberty.” —Thomas Jefferson.
To be continued…
Still smarting about your ‘majestic legacy’ MPM?
Most Ridiculous Mama: in none of the comments I read was anyone lamenting the democratic process, so another big strawman you’ve constructed. So predictable.
I believe the Americans will get the government they deserve. They voted for change two years ago and then, when the person they elected to deliver the change, delivers the change, they decide well actually they’d rather stay the same. Let them eat it up, then. When they’re spending half their income on health care, I don’t want to hear from them about how screwed their health system is. They had their chance and they blew it.
The best we can hope for is Congressman Ron Paul wins as a 3rd party candidacy…..
Now he would be change we can believe in.
” They had their chance and they blew it”
Blew it big time, God bless them. As Churchill once said, ” The Americans can always be relied upon to do the right thing, once they’ve explored all the other options.”
The sooner Obama is defeated and the Left-liberal agenda is consigned to where it belongs, the dustbin of history, the better.
Tony Mora - so it was another US election decided on abortion. Good for the consciences of those who’ve now guaranteed that health care reform won’t go through. Not so good for those who’ll continue to die for lack of medical care from the terminally broken current US system. Great thing this religious morality, eh?
‘Read their lips ” WE DON’T LIKE OBAMA AND WE DON”T LIKE THE RULING CLASS” ‘
So we want that man of the people George Bush back!! Right-ho.
Happy days.
Well stone the crows, the return of John James the original remnant of a Geo W Bush blow job.
along with the usual right wing idiots
@ gregb
“…in none of the comments I read was anyone lamenting the democratic process…”
Not reading real close then are you?
Do try and keep up.
What is with some of the laughable comments attributed to this article? David Hirst’s contention is not that Obama (Democrats) is bad and Bush is good (Republicans). Throughout his writings he makes the point that America’s ruling class is so out of touch with the man in the street that it doesn’t matter who runs the country. Bush and Obama represent the same ruling class which is doing its level best to enrich themselves at the expense of ordinary Americans. Arguments about the right or left are irrelevant. Whether Obama/Palin/Bush the 3rd takes over do you really think the banksters will stop gouging the tax payers, the wars will stop, healthcare will get better? Patrick Baume how does Ron Paul get to be a complete wingnut?
What part of Ron Paul’s comments are that of a mad man?
Bringing home all the troops and stopping the wars.
No torture.
Getting rid of the Fed (which is run by the big US bank - remember the bailout).
Sound money. Reducing the debt Standing up to Wall Street/Military/Big Corporates.
I would have thought people like Obama, the Kennedy’s, Bush’s & McCain’s who are part of the status quo are the truly scary ones!
Aletheia, you are correct.
Ron Paul for the next US prez.
“Bush and Obama represent the same ruling class..”
Talk about return of the Zombies!
Honey, a guy called Gorbachov consigned that class warfare nonsense to the historical dustbin ages ago.
You must be an academic or a journalist with The Age.
We see DAVID a classic Democrat and a superb exponent of why Obama and the Dems got warned tonight.
I suspect it won’t be enough.
They will still try and jam Obamacare thru’, entertain KSM in NY and lawyerup the pantybomber and provide with the ‘right to remain silent’.
Like David they’re clowns and very very ugly ones at that.
Brown was magnificent, Coakley poor but that’s not the reason he won and she lost.
Nice to see the CEC popping in at 1503.
Sorry John just because a politician says it is so doesn’t make so.
Ah, nothing much new from the United States of Paranoia.
Not much new really from the United States of Paranoia.
@Pete WN, well said mate…
I actually watched a 1 hour doumentary special on the BBC (I think) last night, titled something like “Obama, 1 year on..”. The special was based on following up people that voted for Obama (and the Democrats) 1 year after his inauguration to get their thoughts on progress etc.
At the end of the day it was just another documentary, but one of the last quotes was something like “oh, hmmmmmmmmm…… well……… he has just turned out to be another politician hasn’t he?”.
Apparently Jasper copped a severe ass kickin’ when Lu Kewen heard the result…run Abby run!!!
CCP or CEC, Sancho.
Communist Party of China/Totalitarians/Lyndon LaRouche/Wazddiff
Obama’s been in town fifteen months, the buzzards are circling and Limbaugh is happy in his work. God help America!
Hirst writes: “[There] goes the Democrats…health-care reform.”
But he doesn’t discuss the option of the House agreeing to the Senate bill, thereby bypassing another Senate vote on the matter.
entertain KSM in NY and lawyerup the pantybomber and provide with the ‘right to remain silent’.
lollin
@Daniel
Would you be laffin’ if your mum died mid-air on New Year’s Eve because Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s classmate in Yemen was not named as some imbecilic US President stupidly decided an enemy combatant should be read his Miranda rights.
Wha clowns you both are.
Al Franken has pointed out the laws will pass one way or the other. Obama has had all the votes required in the senate, the house simply has to vote for the senate bill and it will be law.
One way or the other they will get health care reform.
The House of Reps won’t vote the Senate bill thru’ but the Dems will try.
The Senate won’t get cloture on a new conferenced bill.
Obamacare under either bill version is dead short of the Dem doing unethical rule bending.
They are capable of unethical behaviour but they would then be totally oblierated mid-terms.
The American people 2:1 hate this.
That’s one of the main reasons Brown created history today.
You are wrong Marilyn.
@ Aletheia
“how does Ron Paul get to be a complete wingnut?”
Paul is an interesting one. On the one hand he’s been setting the common man’s standard, demanding protection for the common man against an overwhelmingly large and corrupt State. Fair enough.
But on the other hand he’s a conservative’s Conservative, who will look to a less international America if he gets in. Withdrawal from trade agreements and ceasing interaction with NGOs like the UN being prime targets.
He’s also a free market man. For Paul, the global financial crisis (what a ridiculous phrase that is, but you know what I mean) was helped on by the existence of the SEC and its regulations. Remove the SEC, and it wouldn’t — couldn’t — have happened. I’m not sure I agree wholeheartedly with that stance.
Aletheia, 5.57pm totally agree. Ron Paul’s the good one.
Hitler Finds Out Coakley Lost Massachusetts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4aQCiRjvZY&feature=player_embedded#
Ron Paul is about as right wing as you can go.
A couple of things he believes in:-
- Isolationism…i.e no UN/World Bank/NATO etc
- No Federal Government Departments
- No Federal Income Tax
- No Federal Spending
- No Federal Reserve
- US dollar should go back to the gold standard (based on the value of gold rather the strength of the US economy)
- Individual rights, not group rights (except in regards to opposition to abortion, gay marriage and gays in the military…funny that)
- No legislation unless its based on the US constitution.
So you can understand why he is nicknamed “Dr No”
“So we want that man of the people George Bush back!! Right-ho.”
Mate I didn’t like Bush much but the idiot they have now is going to end up making W look good.
Obama is completely out of his depth. A knob!
I just can’t see how this:
- No Federal Government Departments
- No Federal Income Tax
- No Federal Spending
- No Federal Reserve
Can work at all? Would there even be a President? What would s/he do?
No Government departments? None at all?
This is why he is regarded as a “fringe dweller”, politically.
As for the government departments, he believes that these things should be left to the individual states to administer rather than the Federal Government.
For mine, I think he just wants Texas to be it’s own country.
You see Marilyn, JamesK the Liberal stooge must be honoured and obeyed at all times. It is not for us to dare question or comment on matters of the day unless his rightousness has given his stamp of approval. JamesK, never wrong, a forgettable piece of surplus pompous procrastination. Another goose.
Thanks DAVID. The gift that just keeps givin’.
Yeah right all you political experts. Speaking of tossers, wasn’t it Poppa Bush’s decision to bomb the crap out of the planet because God told him to do it?
I’m pretty certain thatt his is not a vote for the Republican Party.
This a vote on the Harry Reid/Obama/Pelosi jam-down of Obamacare Christmas Eve with the billion dollar bribes to Nebraska and Louisiana.
The Cornhuskers themselves told Ben Nelson where he could shove his deal which greatly enriched their state because as Americans they were deeply ashamed.
The other reason is Obama’s treatment of the Pantybomber on Christmas Day.
According to dingbats like Obama and Daniel, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab a member of Al Queda has the right to remain silent.
Coakley went from a 30 point lead before Christmas to a 5 point loss.
Really…. what’s the surprise?
David Hirst is reading way too much into this.
Obama is a jerk. It’s not complicated.
It seems a lot of commenters in here do not understand the concept of a majority. The American Democrats now have a 59/100 seat majority in their senate. To infer this equates to losing control of the senate says something about the dysfunctional American political system.
JamesK - the truth becomes you.
Mark my words, Obama will end up making Jimmy Carter & George Doubya look like brilliant statesmen.
He is a complete halfwit with a dulcet tone.
“According to dingbats like Obama and Daniel, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab a member of Al Queda has the right to remain silent.”
You’re literally a child.
A child need not be a fool.
But a fool like you Danny requires no age barrier.