Ace of Spades HQ

October 16, 2013

A Couple of Comments
— Ace

From "GWB:"

Ace, I disagree in one aspect - it wasn't mere apathy that helped to reduce political participation. It was primarily the elevation of so much to the national level, and the moving of so much power to the bureaucracy.

If your city council wants to tear down a beloved building and put up a carpark, you can mobilize and get a few hundred people to stop it - at least get it on a ballot. If the folks in DC want to close a national monument in a fit of pique, you have to mobilize thousands or tens of thousands and get them all to go to DC and make their message visible and dramatic. That takes a LOT more effort and money. So, if you want to take over the society and the nation, you nationalize everything, and run a crisis-centered, vastly populist campaign based on feelings and "doing something!"
You also hand over as much rulemaking to the mandarin class as possible, so you can shrug your shoulders and say "nothing I can do." You absolve yourself of responsibility, while still maximizing your power, and reducing responsiveness to the hoi polloi.
It was not an accidental thing that the populace began to feel apathetic about just how much it could change in politics and governance. It was the design all along - and globalization is the next step. The higher the level of government, the more technocratic and authoritarian it can become. Then your life can be ruled from conception to decomposition - all for your good!

I can't express how much I believe in this. I believe the Socialist Party has a strong interest in infantilizing the public -- and when you take responsibility away from the public, you make them irresponsible.

150 years ago fifteen year old boys got married to 14 year old girls and they ran farms together, in between raising children. Why did they grow up so fast? Because they had to, or they'd die. Responsibility for one's decisions makes one responsible in one's decision, and vice versa.

I became sold on this point of view considering the problematic politics in the Muslim world. Where the people actually aren't responsible for anything -- and are not forced to be accountable for their decisions -- it breeds the circumstances for a Comic Book Fantasy Politics centered on the Cult of the Warrior Hero, and all the Jewish and American Villains who must be vanquished.

And that goes double for a population in which many males are simply not working at all. Idle hands are the Devil's playthings; idle minds -- those minds which are not preoccupied by typical human responsibilities like rent, work performance, household chores, and so on -- are the breeding ground for conspiracy, paranoia, terrorism and evil.

And I see Americans' minds becoming more idle by the day.

I do not think that 200 years ago the public's reaction to the fact we were in $17 trillion in debt and rising faster would be "Bored now! Let's talk about something easy like Being Nice to Each Other!"

I think they would have been a bit more serious about it, and willing to work with some numbers on paper.

And speaking of this tendency: I really hate this kind of comment, and I do think it illustrates my belief that freedom from responsibility creates an irresponsible sort of thinking. I won't quote the comment, but I'll note the general gist of it:

We were totally right about Christine O'Donnell and Todd Akin and we could have won these elections if we had not been stabbed-in-the-back by The Establishment that engineered their failure.

The Establishment did not engineer their failures. The Establishment predicted their failures, which is not the same thing as causing them.

This sort of thing strikes me as sort of thing the Establishment types talk about when they suggest some in the Tea Party have a "reality problem." It's this relentless doubling-down and never admitting an obvious mistake, always looking for a scapegoat to justify one's own errors.

This is related to, I suppose, the incorrect idea that staking out the Hardest-Core Most Maximalist position in political campaigns shifts the Overton Window in your direction. Oh, it shifts the window a little if you win.

If you lose, it shifts it the other way. It shifts it away from you. It demonstrates, with rock-solid evidence, that you have reached the farthest perimeter of politically-viable thought, and thus sets an absolute boundary on such thought.

Prior to the experiment, one could claim there was no outer boundary on how Conservative one could run, and yet still win; after the experiment, that boundary is located.

One cannot win statewide in Missouri while advocating that abortion should be outlawed (even in terms of the 36-hour-post-sex Morning After pill) in cases of rape. One can also not win statewide in Indiana while advocating the same position, albeit without as much Biology Means What I Want It To Mean absurdity such as bodies "shutting that down" when they detect they've been raped.

Some people want to stick to this claim that there is absolutely no outer boundary of how far you can go to the no-exceptions right and still win, so rather than admitting the plainly obvious that such boundaries do exist, they simply claim the only reason for Murdoch's, Akin's, and O'Donnell's losses was the very convenient Stabbed In The Back theory.

This sort of reality-denying -- for purposes of Never Having To Admit, Not Even Once, You Got A Minor Political Calculation Wrong -- suggests to people that the speaker is simply not to be taken seriously, which is quite the opposite of what the speaker intends.

And quite opposite of what I think would be useful for this country, for I do think the Tea Party would do the country a service by dragging it, kicking and screaming, towards a more representative and smaller-government politics.

But this kind of thing? People shrug and just decide "Write those people off; they're crazy in the first place."

Well I don't think they're crazy. But I do think they're defensive and have a bit too much Ego riding on this proposition that they're Always right.

No one's always right. Einstein wasn't always right. He was famously wrong (we think...) to deny the implications of Quantum Electrodynamics.

Isaac Asimov wasn't always right. Asimov quipped that he could explain all principles of airplane technology to you, but still he disbelieved that something heavier than air could fly.

I think different cultures celebrate different aspects of character. I think people in the Tea Party celebrate a certain Get Your Back Up/Never Back Down spirit a lot.

In a lot of ways, this is very useful and praiseworthy. I'm sick to death of the dreary gray fearful ghostly presence of most Americans, a soft wet phantasm that jumps at the drop of a pin and is always ready to prostate itself before the Herd in order to swear its fidelity to the principles of Conformity and Social Invisibility.

But this can be taken too far too.

Todd Aiken didn't just lose; he was creamed. He was destroyed. He was destroyed, moreover, in a Red State. Not the Reddest of Red States, but a Red one, one that casts its ballots for the GOP presidential candidate every four years.

He lost against a horrible opponent, widely despised in the state, even by her constituents.

This was not "engineered" by the Establishment. He lost for the exact reasons they said he'd lose. His position, and his bumbling stupidity, was indeed too extreme even for Red, Republican-tilting Missouri, and even up against a horrible, unpopular ObamaCare-fan by the name of Claire McCaskill.

If people want to continue indulging in Fantasy Politics to spare their egos of having to admit just once "I might have calculated Missouri's statewide political make-up a little wrong," and instead cling to the I Was Right But The Conspiracy To Make Me Wrong won out, that's fine, but don't expect people to take you very seriously.

You're self-marginalizing as a True Believer who is impervious to all fact and who therefore should be ignored.

Posted by: Ace at 02:02 PM | Comments (568)
Post contains 1376 words, total size 8 kb.

1 ha

Posted by: Meremortal at October 16, 2013 02:05 PM (1Y+hH)

2 okay, now explain why you think women aren't funny

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 02:07 PM (U/ZJP)

3 so now we are back to claiming Todd Aiken was a tea party candidate.

Posted by: montel at October 16, 2013 02:08 PM (ZqWUF)

4 At what point are extreme leftist stupid statements disqualifiers for election?

Posted by: Mama winger on her iPad at October 16, 2013 02:08 PM (P6QsQ)

The post is fine except you still cling to the outmoded idea that if more Republicans win office, things will improve.

Some people's mood will improve (including mine), but that only takes us so far.

The inevitable is still inevitable and you had it right some years ago when you wrote that we should just enjoy ourselves with whatever little time we have left.

Posted by: Meremortal at October 16, 2013 02:09 PM (1Y+hH)

6 The shutdown was your last shot. Enjoy me and a lot of others voting straight Dem because it's pretty damn clear the GOP exists to provide cover for the democratic party. The country is going down the tubes and you all are too busy trying to stay in power instead of trying to save it. The GOP is finished and I for one will piss on it's grave.

Posted by: jack at October 16, 2013 02:09 PM (7us0J)

7 Well I don't think they're crazy. But I do think they're defensive and have a bit too much Ego riding on this proposition that they're Always right. I'll point back to what I said earlier. If you get called crazy and extremist and all those other names all the time, no matter what you do, then yeah, you get pretty damn defensive. I'm not saying it's the right thing, I'm just saying it's an understandable reaction.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at October 16, 2013 02:11 PM (GEICT)

8 Todd Akin was NOT the Tea Party's fault.

Christine was, yes. The Tea Party has to take responsibility for that. They should.

But the Establishment needs to take responsibility for Akin. He was theirs.

Posted by: Mr Estrada at October 16, 2013 02:11 PM (qmOgr)

9 This is *exactly*, *precisely* a case of two people doing the same thing and one of them points at the other and accuses them of being stupid for doing it. And it happens *every fucking day*.

Posted by: Merovign , Dark Lord of the Sith [/i] [/b] [/s] [/u] at October 16, 2013 02:11 PM (qyfb5)

10 Stupid lefties get elected all the time no matter what dumb utterances come out of their mouth. Case in point Gwen Moore.

Posted by: Mama winger on her iPad at October 16, 2013 02:11 PM (P6QsQ)

11 This is what your country voted for Ace, enjoy socialism.

Posted by: redenzo at October 16, 2013 02:11 PM (vx61Q)

12 Double digits, I'm sure. That's what I get for reading the whole thing before commenting. The ultimate question, ace, is what the becomes of a vehement, cognizant, political minority in such a situation. As much trouble I have with the, shall we say, less sophisticated members of my political cohort, conservatives are not simply a rump party. We are, by most accounts 30-35% of the population. A third of the population unwilling to accept the socialist drift and the mewling quims of moderation. What is left, but to become radical, and thence further isolated? The nation is fundamentally riven, and for conservatives, there is no accommodation. We will have to be eliminated or separated.

Posted by: imp at October 16, 2013 02:12 PM (L9AnB)

13 3 so now we are back to claiming Todd Aiken was a tea party candidate.

Posted by: montel at October 16, 2013 06:08 PM (ZqWUF)

The revisionism is ongoing.

Posted by: Temper Tantrum at October 16, 2013 02:12 PM (AWmfW)

14 Ace... you.are.killing.it. today!!

Posted by: Yip at October 16, 2013 02:12 PM (/jHWN)

15 Ace nice post. Akin made no sense. He was a five term Rep and backbencher who never said anything dumb until he ran for the Senate. I remember many on the right blogs were giddy he was running, because he in the House for 10 years. Just crazy, almost like he was hired by Claire M.

I was pissed Murdoch lost in Indiana, but I hated the Liberal Lugar, who pushed amnesty and was Obama's buddy. But even if we won these seats, it would not have changed the Shutdown

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:12 PM (wr5oB)

16 I never saw the breakdown but did Alin lose because women overwhelmingling turned on him?

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 02:12 PM (9XBK2)

17 Where do we find these political geniuses who know how to run up to the line and not cross it? Because those candidates who have beliefs that can't slide on any scale in order to be electable are running precisely because they have such strongly held beliefs. I do believe that a lot of dems will back or say they support anything they are told to to win. I like to call them scum. Others call them smart.

Posted by: furious at October 16, 2013 02:13 PM (A98Xu)

18 I'm rabid Tea Party, but Aikin, Mourdock, and "I'm not a witch" woman were just flat out stupid. I do wish we would get that "not the incumbent" > RINO is not the way to go all the time. Sometimes a kook is a kook and we should stick with what we have until not a kook comes along.

Posted by: Todd Wiley at October 16, 2013 02:13 PM (lrkg9)

19 I'm not saying it's the right thing, I'm just saying it's an understandable reaction. Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at October 16, 2013 06:11 PM (GEICT) It's almost like the people who are criticizing the Hobbits are doing exactly the thing they're criticizing the Hobbits for. Imagine That, people are fucking human. SHOCKA! You have to work with that, because it's all you have. But, you know, stupid, so that's off the table. WAR!

Posted by: Merovign , Dark Lord of the Sith [/i] [/b] [/s] [/u] at October 16, 2013 02:14 PM (qyfb5)

20 Explain Rehberg in Montana, and Rick Berg blowing a open seat in ND, where Romney won big time. They were not Tea Party. Either was Connie Mack or George Allen

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:14 PM (wr5oB)

10Stupid lefties get elected all the time no matter what dumb utterances come out of their mouth. Case in point Gwen Moore.

---

What a f*cking scrunt. I wish her and her wannabe thug son, Supreme Solar Allah, would disappear completely.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at October 16, 2013 02:14 PM (/Crba)

22 18. I agree Todd. Akin was a mystery, but blowing the open Seat in deep red North Dakota was the worst of the cycle by far

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:15 PM (wr5oB)

23 >>I'll point back to what I said earlier. If you get called crazy and extremist and all those other names all the time, no matter what you do, then yeah, you get pretty damn defensive. >>I'm not saying it's the right thing, I'm just saying it's an understandable reaction. Getting called an establishment RINO every damn day tends to raise one's hackles as well. The bad guys are over there --->

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 02:15 PM (g1DWB)

24 The Establishment did not engineer their failures. The Establishment predicted their failures, which is not the same thing as causing them.

But, the argument will go, by predicting those failures, they assured them.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 02:15 PM (6TB1Z)

25 8 Todd Akin was NOT the Tea Party's fault.

Christine was, yes. The Tea Party has to take responsibility for that. They should.

But the Establishment needs to take responsibility for Akin. He was theirs.

Posted by: Mr Estrada at October 16, 2013 06:11 PM (qmOgr)

COD was a gamble.

But like Skussifava ( spelling ? ) , the establishment worked to destroy the primary winning candidate because it was a teaparty candidate.

The same with Miller in alaska.

Posted by: Temper Tantrum at October 16, 2013 02:15 PM (AWmfW)

26 There is only one solution: SMOD

Posted by: dogfish at October 16, 2013 02:15 PM (nsOJa)

27 What you say is true about Akins et al, if and only if you take the MFM out of the equation. Me, a non-Missourian, finds a flawed Akin nevertheless preferable to McCaskill. The media excoriated and otherwise lampooned Akin. When did they ever do that to McCaskill?

Posted by: random idea generator at October 16, 2013 02:16 PM (EzRIp)

28 >>>I'll point back to what I said earlier. If you get called crazy and extremist and all those other names all the time, no matter what you do, then yeah, you get pretty damn defensive. I'm not saying it's the right thing, I'm just saying it's an understandable reaction. ... I can understand it while simultaneously insisting it's still wrong. Further, and this isn't directed at you, but while the establishment does a lot of condescending, eyerolling, and sneering, we can't pretend that the more aggressive members of the Red Wing of the party engage in their own casual pet slurs (coward, secret democrat, Beltway Cocktail Circuit). I've been on both sides of that, both getting as well as Giving. I think what I'm trying to say is that if this marriage is to be saved, we need what the Therapists call "communication" and "respect" between the parties. Right now, on both sides, it's nothing but grievances, resentments, and insults.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 02:16 PM (/IWYB)

29 Gwen Moore is in a VRA seat. Dems screw up too. Alexi G, the Mob Banker, blew the Illinois seat to Mark Kirk for the Dems

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:16 PM (wr5oB)

30 Supreme Solar Allah o_o *_* o . o o_o does not compute

Posted by: imp at October 16, 2013 02:16 PM (L9AnB)

31 Excellent post. I am guilty of all or nothing thinking. We need better candidates. But we aren't getting representation by the drones Rove shoves in our faces year after year.

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:17 PM (zOTsN)

32 Please do understand with Aiken was this. He was never the Tea party candidate. The reality was he was the weakest of the three candidates during the Republican primaries in 2012 and he was the one that the Republican establishment supported and Claire McCaskill openly supporting his candidacy knowing that she had a very good chance of winning against Aiken. The Republican party in Missouri chose Aiken than the Tea party candidate because they wanted someone that they can control. Aiken screwed up and McCaskill was re-elected and people blame the Tea party for the Republican Establishment's disdain of the Tea party candidate in 2012.

Posted by: Will at October 16, 2013 02:17 PM (M0NhQ)

33 The bad guys are over there --->

I think you meant:
<------the bad guys are over there.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 02:17 PM (6TB1Z)

34 Where do we find these political geniuses who know how to run up to the line and not cross it? Not possible. The line will be put behind them, one candidate at a time.

Posted by: t-bird at October 16, 2013 02:17 PM (FcR7P)

35 >>> But, the argument will go, by predicting those failures, they assured them. if these were close races I could see the argument that "Charles Krauthammer, who 10% of the population has even heard of, swung that 0.6% difference." They were drubbings. Maybe Lugar wasn't a drubbing (Can't remember offhand). It's time to put childish things aside.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 02:17 PM (/IWYB)

36 Mike Castle blew that seat, not COD. The dumbfuck said he would vote for leftist programs like Card Check and Climate change before the primary.

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:18 PM (wr5oB)

37 >>The bad guys are over there ---> >>I think you meant: <------the bad guys are over there. Don't you tell me what I think you socialist lite RINO!

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 02:18 PM (g1DWB)

38 The Airing of Greivances continues! Maybe we should work through this. Let US burn for a bit and then get over it. Flame war?

Posted by: Todd Wiley at October 16, 2013 02:18 PM (lrkg9)

39 The establishment also warned the teaparty not to run Mitt Romney.

ORCA?!

Posted by: Temper Tantrum at October 16, 2013 02:18 PM (AWmfW)

40 Ace of Spades - Gutless RINO or Secret Communist Mole? Discuss!

Posted by: packsoldier at October 16, 2013 02:18 PM (L9/C8)

41 A reason why some people are apathetic and don't vote is because they see what happens when they do vote!

They get guys like Jumpin Jeffords, and Benedict Arnold Specter. Even if they don't go full party flipper, they go ahead and vote for bigger government ANYWAY despite their campaign pledges. They also don't stand and fight, or they vote for cloture so a bill can pass, but vote no to be able to use for election time!

That pisses off the base, makes them not turn out, and not donate money they might have.

THOSE are the people we need to reach and bring back if we are ever to win anything again. (We, as in conservatives, not necessarily the GOP)

Posted by: JarvisW at October 16, 2013 02:18 PM (E7Iyp)

42 And that goes double for a population in which many males are simply not working at all. Idle hands are the Devil's playthings; idle minds -- those minds which are not preoccupied by typical human responsibilities like rent, work performance, household chores, and so on -- are the breeding ground for conspiracy, paranoia, terrorism and evil.

---

Like Sudan, Somalia etc. etc.

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 16, 2013 02:19 PM (Hx5uv)

43 GWB's insight was brilliant. Bravo. It deserves to stand alone.

Now on to the movie review...

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at October 16, 2013 02:19 PM (eHIJJ)

44 Right now, on both sides, it's nothing but grievances, resentments, and insults.

Exxxxcellent.

Posted by: Zombie Alinsky at October 16, 2013 02:19 PM (6TB1Z)

45 This is happening here at the State level and has for sometime been trending this way. The Reps had control for the first time in over 40 years! And they actually shifted much of the funding burdens for schools back to the cities. The libs went nuts of course because the eeevil Republicans "cut funding for kids!" The dems are back and trying to reverse it again I was talking to a lib neighbor and said to him, look. I would rather our city be taking care of our own schools and roads. Just because the state pays it doesn't mean it's free! It's allot easier for me to go to the council meeting and organize others to effect change. Calling the governors office doesn't exactly get you patched right through. In short, libs LOVE big decentralized government for the exact reason you mentioned.

Posted by: Minnfidel at October 16, 2013 02:19 PM (S1X4V)

46 >>> Please do understand with Aiken was this. He was never the Tea party candidate i get that but he had tea party supporters and furthermore I just saw a comment blaming his loss on the Stab In The Back caucus. It's not just "Tea Party" stuff -- some people want to shake up the system and are not necessarily tea party. But Akin continued receiving comfort and support from people who really ought to have known better, which probably influenced his bad decision to let Claire McCaskill stay in power.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 02:19 PM (/IWYB)

47 Would global warming were true, then we would invade Canada and still enjoy winter. Mark Steyn cold be its first post invasion President.

Posted by: dogfish at October 16, 2013 02:19 PM (nsOJa)

Ted Cruz up next on a livid Levin:

http://bit.ly/LdTyjC

Posted by: RushBabe at October 16, 2013 02:20 PM (hrIP5)

49 Wasn't Huckabee,who we universally despise,the guy who really pushed Akin to stay in?

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 02:20 PM (9XBK2)

50 Yes steely Certain fucking doomaby

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:21 PM (zOTsN)

51 Here's a question that'll never be answered: What was gained by turning on Akin?

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 02:21 PM (U/ZJP)

52 I have not been reading this blog lately, but this is an interesting post. But are Ace and others here equating Ted Cruz with Todd Aiken, saying that Ted Cruz won when Aiken couldn't merely because Texas is redder than Missouri?

Posted by: Jane at October 16, 2013 02:21 PM (KDAAY)

53 The Airing of Greivances continues!
---

Next, feats of strength with 12 oz curls.

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 16, 2013 02:21 PM (Hx5uv)

54 Steely. Auto correct strong with the pimp hand today

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:22 PM (zOTsN)

55 What was gained by turning on Akin?

The ability to look in the mirror in the morning.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 02:22 PM (6TB1Z)

56 >>>xplain Rehberg in Montana, and Rick Berg blowing a open seat in ND, where Romney won big time. They were not Tea Party. Either was Connie Mack or George Allen i can't explain everything. I'm not saying "Tea Party always wrong" or "establishment always right." I'm saying what I'm saying-- this idea that there is NEVER "too conservative" for a given state, or that candidate quality just doesn't matter, is wrong.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 02:22 PM (/IWYB)

57 Steevy. Geeess

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:22 PM (zOTsN)

58 okay, now explain why you think women aren't funny

Because they're not, except when they fall down the stairs in heels. That shit cracks me up.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at October 16, 2013 02:22 PM (SY2Kh)

59 What did Peter King gain by dumping on Ted Cruz?

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 02:22 PM (U/ZJP)

60 I turned on Akin too,because I know how these things turn out for our side,red state or not.The Dems would have brushed aside a stupid comment like that,the media would have embargoed any mention of it and that would be tthat.

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 02:23 PM (9XBK2)

61 At what point are extreme leftist stupid statements disqualifiers for election? Posted by: Mama winger on her iPad at October 16, 2013 06:08 PM (P6QsQ) When the media stops being the rabid Left's lapdogsÂ…

Posted by: The Political Hat at October 16, 2013 02:23 PM (XvHmy)

62 What's to be gained by turning on Cruz?

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:23 PM (zOTsN)

63 I think what I'm trying to say is that if this marriage is to be saved, we need what the Therapists call "communication" and "respect" between the parties. Right now, on both sides, it's nothing but grievances, resentments, and insults. Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 06:16 PM (/IWYB) I agree, but I don't know if it can be saved. I'll be open and honest, if it's not already apparent that I'm a Tea Party kinda guy, well, I am. Here's my take. People saw the Republican party, really the political climate as a whole, sliding further left. Expansion of govt, more spending, etc. Eventually frustration and anger boiled over and you had a spontaneous pushback. Initial success. Then the response from...I dunno,the Establishment, the Old Guard, the Beltway, whatever...and it pissed off those already pissed of even more. So they dug their heels in. The more they dug their heels in, the harder the Old Guard denigrated them. Downward spiral. Now we're stuck. The Old Guard is fighting for their place at the table. The Tea Party is fighting for, in their opinion, a viable future. Neither is willing to blink. Did you ever think we would see Republicans on the floor of the Senate referring to other Republicans as "wacko birds"? Or go look at Pete King's twitter feed. He's crowing that the deal is a defeat for Cruz. I don't think it can be put back together at this point.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at October 16, 2013 02:23 PM (GEICT)

64 well done, ace.

Very cogent piece.
_

Though I like your earlier, funnier material.

quick question - do you outline a post like this before writing, or do you assemble it in your head and then "type it while it's hot"?
_

Posted by: BumperStickerist at October 16, 2013 02:23 PM (G7SkO)

65 S'alright,I kinda like "steely".

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 02:23 PM (9XBK2)

66 56. Fair enough Ace

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:23 PM (wr5oB)

67 Todd Akin was not a Tea Party candidate (Steelman and Brunner were) Please correct this lazy and oft used smear. It fucking pisses me off.

Posted by: Jose at October 16, 2013 02:24 PM (zc/sw)

We have the same BS going on here locally. The County DA says he will sue the County Commissioners if they cut his budget 5% due to low tax revenues.

So the dumb fuck will use county taxpayer money to sue the county commissions who will use county taxpayer money to defend themselves.

Guess the party affiliation of the DA?

Posted by: Infidel at October 16, 2013 02:24 PM (O/fK8)

69 @Soothie Any of you racists who oppose me are, in fact, Tea Partiers. Your gulag ticket will arrive in the mail.

Posted by: #OccupyResoluteDesk at October 16, 2013 02:24 PM (4lqiH)

70 But Akin continued receiving comfort and support from people who really ought to have known better, which probably influenced his bad decision to let Claire McCaskill stay in power.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 06:19 PM (/IWYB)

Huckabee.

Posted by: Temper Tantrum at October 16, 2013 02:24 PM (AWmfW)

71 Join The Cave Party. Where you wingnutz can dance around the fire with Todd Aiken in your loincloths while clubbin' your wimmens.

Posted by: ObamaNaut at October 16, 2013 02:24 PM (wAQA5)

72 All the immigrants to the USA will disappear if suddenly there are better opportunities elsewhere. Then birth control and abortion would be outlawed. If they don't get BO out and reverse his policies we could see this in less than ten years.

Posted by: Huggy at October 16, 2013 02:24 PM (uFuJv)

73 If the party, as a whole, would cease being stupid assholes, I think we'd start seeing more victories.

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 02:24 PM (U/ZJP)

74 IIRC, Todd Aiken was not the tea party candidate. And I think it is an over generalization to talk about *the* Tea Party. I regard myself as a tea party supporter, and I don't feel that any of your criticisms are personally relevant, you are talking about some oddball stranger I never met.

Posted by: chuck at October 16, 2013 02:25 PM (hUPCS)

75 King is a turd,I truly believe he did this knowing it will get him Sunday talk show slots and interviews,he did it for selfish reasons.And because he's an asshole.

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 02:25 PM (9XBK2)

76 >>>Here's a question that'll never be answered: What was gained by turning on Akin? ... for god's sakes. Before everyone realized what an egotistical cock he was, there was the hope he'd do the right thing and drop out so that an electable conservative could trounce Claire McCaskill. This is where the Never Back Down caucus really, really loses me and really, really makes me doubt their capacity for politics. Even in abject, embarrassing defeat, there's still this claim "Well we wuz right anyway, we don't care about your facts. Our hearts were in the right place!" Hearts were in the right place? Well, bully for you.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 02:25 PM (/IWYB)

77 "And quite opposite of what I think would be useful for this country, for I do think the Tea Party would do the country a service by dragging it, kicking and screaming, towards a more representative and smaller-government politics."

You can lead a country to facts but you can't make it think.

I wonder just how much bruising the TEA Party must accept before it says, "You know, fcuk all of you. You're on your own. And, no, you're not getting into our shelter, ingrates."

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at October 16, 2013 02:25 PM (eHIJJ)

78 We were totally right about Christine O'Donnell and Todd Akin and we could have won these elections if we had not been stabbed-in-the-back by The Establishment that engineered their failure.

The Establishment did not engineer their failures. The Establishment predicted their failures, which is not the same thing as causing them.

Ace, was it "We think they are going to lose" (a prediction), or was it
"We think they are going to lose, IYKWIMAIKTYD"

Posted by: rickb223 at October 16, 2013 02:25 PM (d0Dmj)

79 Legal separation works for me.

Posted by: Mama winger on her iPad at October 16, 2013 02:25 PM (P6QsQ)

80 Federalism is dead, replaced by late night ads for reverse mortgages, because "no fire in the belly" or some shit.

Posted by: wooga at October 16, 2013 02:26 PM (Fi00V)

81 Well our candidates did lack the charisma of Filner

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:26 PM (zOTsN)

82 >>I'm saying what I'm saying-- this idea that there is NEVER "too conservative" for a given state, or that candidate quality just doesn't matter, is wrong. A personal pet peeve of mine. I hate when people quote Limbaugh ( I think its Limbaugh) and say that whenever people run on conservative ideas they win. It just isn't true.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 02:26 PM (g1DWB)

83 But the IRS's phony lien, and the bogus ethics complaints by CREW had nothing to do with it, nor did the American Bridge's excerpting of part of that interview with Aiken, I mean no one would ever say anything like that, about
say 'the 47%' now that could only happen in Missourah,

Posted by: Jeffrey Pelt at October 16, 2013 02:26 PM (Jsiw/)

84 I have not been reading this blog lately, but this is an interesting post. But are Ace and others here equating Ted Cruz with Todd Aiken, saying that Ted Cruz won when Aiken couldn't merely because Texas is redder than Missouri?

---

No. I think we all have to agree that Aiken is an idiot. In truth, when he let his freak flag fly, nothing he said should have effected legislation. He wasn't going to legalize rape. But he revealed himself and idiot which always a problem for Pug but never for Donks. See, for example:

http://tinyurl.com/psjtxvx

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 16, 2013 02:26 PM (Hx5uv)

Except that he wasn't. He was actually McCaskill's fault. Yes, you read that correctly.

There were multiple (five, I think?) people running for the Republican nomination that year, but they were all relative unknowns. So they were all equally likely to get the nomination. McCaskill knew she'd be in trouble in the general, and decided that Aiken would be the weakest of her possible opponents. So she started running ads pushing his supposed Conservative bona fides. When the primaries rolled around, Aiken was the only name lots of people recognized (thanks to McCaskill's ads), and as a result more people voted for him than his primary opponents.

Posted by: junior at October 16, 2013 02:26 PM (UWFpX)

86 Ken Buck also in Colorado in 2010. another guy who seemed credible in the beginning like Aiken, and then implodes with Abortion rhetoric, and he was a DA

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:26 PM (wr5oB)

87 Just for the record: I won't stay home if Peter King is the GOP nominee. I'll vote Dem before I see him rewarded for his treachery. @reidpillifant: Pete King calls for a Republican war on Ted Cruz http://capi.tl/15IE5B6

Posted by: BornLib at October 16, 2013 02:26 PM (iUuDU)

88 Ace, because the Tea Party is so amorphous, ANYONE can claim they are a TP, but really only like part of it.

I never saw the TP as a "Christian" or SoCon movement at all. and those that advocated Aikn, were outliers to me. Even here in the comments (I lurk) I didn't take them as any kind of spokesmen for anything but themselves. Tea Partier claim or not.

Now, that also goes for some of the TP leaders. None of which were elected to their positions to speak in public.

I agree they were blind to his awful positions, but they still didn't represent anything but themselves.

Posted by: JarvisW at October 16, 2013 02:26 PM (E7Iyp)

"Responsibility for one's decisions makes one responsible in one's decision, and vice versa."

I deal with this every day regarding my kid and my ex wife. With me behavior has consequences.... with her.... when things dont go his way, its always the fault of anyone he can blame.

Did I mention she is a liberal public school teacher?

Posted by: AndrewsDad at October 16, 2013 02:26 PM (C2//T)

90 "Todd Akin was NOT the Tea Party's fault. Christine was, yes. The Tea Party has to take responsibility for that. They should. But the Establishment needs to take responsibility for Akin. He was theirs."

Actually, Akin had a lot to do with open primaries.

Team Air Claire _desperately_ wanted to run against Akin. They figured he would be the easiest to beat. And so they actively encouraged a lot of Democrats to vote for Akin versus his two opponents who both polled more strongly than Akin against McCaskill.

The thing of it is, McCaskill herself was _so_ weak a candidate that she was going to lose even to Akin -- until Akin opened his mouth. There was absolutely no reason for him to open his mouth. He had a double-digit lead on McCaskill. In that situation, if you know what you're doing and have competent staff, you clam up and you speak only in vague applause-line platitudes to friendly rallies. You get as far away from the press as you can.

Instead, Akin actively sought out the press. Because Akin had an IMPORTANT MESSAGE that he simply had to convey. What was that message? About abortion, rape, and magic evil sperm detectors in women's hoo-hoos.

Note: maybe it would be a good idea to encourage IMPORTANT MESSAGE people to go find a venue other than politics for their IMPORTANT MESSAGES.

Posted by: torquewrench at October 16, 2013 02:27 PM (gqT4g)

91 >>>They get guys like Jumpin Jeffords, and Benedict Arnold Specter. Even if they don't go full party flipper, they go ahead and vote for bigger government ANYWAY despite their campaign pledges. They also don't stand and fight, or they vote for cloture so a bill can pass, but vote no to be able to use for election time!

Saaaay whaaaat?!

Posted by: Kelly Ayotte at October 16, 2013 02:27 PM (7EoL1)

92 85. Junior, the mystery is why Akin did not drop out. The same with that fool in the CO governor race in 2010, Maes I think. Either they are Zombies or working for the other side

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:27 PM (wr5oB)

93 There's a simple question one needs to ask oneself before doing something. I call it the Soothsayer Test. What do I gain by doing this, and, conversely, what do I lose? Kelly Ayotte and Peter King are a couple of dumb shits. They both came out of this 'shutdown' looking as bad as they believe Ted Cruz looks.

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 02:28 PM (U/ZJP)

94 You can lead a country to facts but you can't make it think.

I wonder just how much bruising the TEA Party must accept before it says, "You know, fcuk all of you. You're on your own. And, no, you're not getting into our shelter, ingrates."

I'm already past that bruised point. And no, not only can the ingrates NOT get into my shelter, they can GET OFF MY LAWN!

Posted by: rickb223 at October 16, 2013 02:28 PM (d0Dmj)

95 >>>Todd Akin was not a Tea Party candidate (Steelman and Brunner were) Please correct this lazy and oft used smear. It fucking pisses me off. ... he was not the official tea party candidate but then he did get the dubious benefit of the Never Back Down caucus' support post-primary. And yes, I know this. I said this myself a thousand times during the controversy -- he's not even the Tea Party candidate! he's not even the one Sarah Palin endorsed! get him out and get someone real in there! But some people I think just want to keep attempting to prove the so-called Smart Set aren't all that smart at all, and so keep taking kneejerk positions against them. Worse than that, even when these positions fail, disastrously, they then blame the so-called Smart set for having caused htem.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 02:28 PM (/IWYB)

96
What did Peter King gain by dumping on Ted Cruz?

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 06:22 PM .........A few more cocktail party invites from the "cool kids" in DC. That's part of the problem. The congresscritters in DC live in a fucking bubble where they looks at anyone not in the good ol boys club as outsiders who are to be mocked and ridiculed.

Posted by: Minnfidel at October 16, 2013 02:28 PM (S1X4V)

97 They (Establishment) did not just predict their defeat. THEY ACTIVELY HELPED TO DEFEAT THEM IN THE GENERAL ELECTION! That is a huge difference. I predicted Romney's defeat a year in advance, but I never went on TV and trashed him using the LEFT'S talking points! That is what ROVE and the dickless republicans did. Do not rewrite history.

Posted by: Dan at October 16, 2013 02:28 PM (m3gf3)

98 for every O'donnell there is an Allen/Thompson/Mack/Rehberg/Burg/Wilson all establishment picks that severely underperformed in 2010/2012

Posted by: Jose at October 16, 2013 02:28 PM (zc/sw)

99 Responsibility for one's decisions makes one responsible in one's decision, and vice versa. Great line, Ace.

Posted by: rickl at October 16, 2013 02:28 PM (sdi6R)

100 59

What did Peter King gain by dumping on Ted Cruz?

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 06:22 PM (U/ZJP)

Graft in some form.

Posted by: Temper Tantrum at October 16, 2013 02:28 PM (AWmfW)

101 Stabbing fellow Republicans in the back pays off,there are numerous example,oh,you may get voted out of office but you'll get a cushy job somewhere.

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 02:29 PM (9XBK2)

102 Note: maybe it would be a good idea to encourage IMPORTANT MESSAGE people to go find a venue other than politics for their IMPORTANT MESSAGES.

I'm thinking Saturday morning cartoons.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 02:29 PM (6TB1Z)

103 Well our candidates did lack the charisma of Filner

Ahhhh. Good ol' First Knuckle Filner.

Posted by: rickb223 at October 16, 2013 02:29 PM (d0Dmj)

104 What scares me is the Big Goverment RINO'd in the South like Corker, Alexander, Burr, Cochran, and Graham in the Senate.

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:29 PM (wr5oB)

105

Ken Buck also in Colorado in 2010. another guy who seemed credible in the beginning like Aiken, and then implodes with Abortion rhetoric, and he was a DA

Yea, I remember that. And I hear rumblings that he wants to run again. Geez. It makes my head hurt.

Posted by: Infidel at October 16, 2013 02:29 PM (O/fK8)

106 97 They (Establishment) did not just predict their defeat. THEY ACTIVELY HELPED TO DEFEAT THEM IN THE GENERAL ELECTION! That is a huge difference.

I predicted Romney's defeat a year in advance, but I never went on TV and trashed him using the LEFT'S
talking points! That is what ROVE and the dickless republicans did.

Do not rewrite history.

Posted by: Dan at October 16, 2013 06:28 PM (m3gf3)

Exactly.

Posted by: Temper Tantrum at October 16, 2013 02:30 PM (AWmfW)

107 Look at that fat bastard Chris Christie,he wont lift one pudgy finger to help Steve Lonegan.

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 02:30 PM (9XBK2)

108
Mike Castle blew that seat, not COD. The dumbfuck said he would vote for leftist programs like Card Check and Climate change before the primary.
Posted by: Jackj

Heavens, Mike would have been tots great as a Senator. A reliable vote. As fix'd as the North Star.

What is he doing now? Oh, running the "No Labels" uni-party movement. Just ignore that.

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at October 16, 2013 02:30 PM (kdS6q)

109 So boner gets a standing O ?? What the hell for. Their all freaking delusional.

Posted by: Spypeach at October 16, 2013 02:30 PM (10H0T)

110 98. Well said Jose

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:30 PM (wr5oB)

111 Filner the nickelfucker

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:30 PM (zOTsN)

112 So boner gets a standing O ?? What the hell for. Their all freaking delusional.

He'll be really thrilled with his participation trophy, too.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 02:31 PM (6TB1Z)

113 I'm sick of going around in circles with you, as I'm sure you are. But all we had to do with Akin was the same thing the Left does when one of their guys flubs: Ignore it; pretend it neverq happened. And if that doesn't work, say it's no big deal; Democrats do it, too.

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 02:32 PM (U/ZJP)

114 But Akin continued receiving comfort and support from people who really ought to have known better, which probably influenced his bad decision to let Claire McCaskill stay in power. Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 06:19 PM (/IWYB) steevy is right. Pretty much the only person of any stature pushing Akin to stay in was Huckabee. Akin had a few close advisers pushing him, but they were people you would never have heard of and were just hoping that McCaskill would do something even stupider and Akin would win the roll of the dice. They didn't have anything to lose and a lot to gain. Ditto with Akin himself. He only got some support after the deadlines had passed for him to drop out.

Posted by: AmishDude at October 16, 2013 02:32 PM (T0NGe)

115 Here's an idea. Graham, McConnell and Cornyn are up for reelection. Primary them. McConnell is sitting on a huge war chest. Give. Yes, give

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:33 PM (zOTsN)

116 Ignore it; pretend it neverq happened. And if that doesn't work, say it's no big deal; Democrats do it, too.

Really? Democratic ethics are now our polestar?

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 02:33 PM (6TB1Z)

117 63 Did you ever think we would see Republicans on the floor of the Senate referring to other Republicans as "wacko birds"? Or go look at Pete King's twitter feed. He's crowing that the deal is a defeat for Cruz. I don't think it can be put back together at this point. Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at October 16, 2013 06:23 PM (GEICT) McCain and King seem to have forgotten about Reagan's "Eleventh Commandment". I agree; it can't be put back together.

Posted by: rickl at October 16, 2013 02:33 PM (sdi6R)

118
I'm pretty sure Christine O'Donnell and Todd Akin were judged by the primary voters of DE and MO, respectively. Everyone else was a bystander, or a donor without a vote. COD primary: GOP voters IN DELAWARE hated Castle more than they wanted another RINO in the Senate. Looks to me like the Establishment GOP should have been listening to the primary voters. They could have helped pick a more presentable conservative alternative to COD. But they didn't. Same with Akin, who was Claire McKaskill's choice.

Posted by: mrp at October 16, 2013 02:33 PM (HjPtV)

119 Sorry but, while I believe Captain Sunshine is an incompetent boob who has abused his executive power, I can't go along with people who claim that we are really living under a dictatorship and that every fight over policy is Armageddon. If you really believe that, you should've gone full McVeigh already.

Yet I already read the posts of numerous people here who claim they no longer believe in the political process. It is the despair of the Sore Loser, it goes against republican principles, and it is a damned shame. If that's the spirit of the Tea Party, I want nothing to do with it.

Posted by: packsoldier at October 16, 2013 02:33 PM (L9/C8)

120 John McCain has lived off the POW issue for too long. He is traitor, going on the Floor citing bad polling numbers for the GOP.

Now why the fuck would a conservative voter ever donate $$ to a party that includes a traitorous fuck like McSenile? What is the point to bust ass to elect a GOP House, when the GOP Senate will kill any bill they pass?

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:33 PM (wr5oB)

121 Ted Cruz on Levin is blaming Senate Republicans for the loss.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 02:33 PM (QVC7W)

122

Jonathan Chait was on NPR Morning Edition Monday, opining about the "shutdown". He said it was okay for an opposition to try to thwart the government's agenda, but not by witholding raising the debt ceiling or something.

Anyway Steve Inskeep said "Hey Barack Obama voted against GWB doing it in 2006 (yes he really said that), so isn't that the height of hypocrisy?"

Chait answered basically, yeah but they were just posturing. Think about it - I guess to a liberal, posturing is fair ball, but acting on principle is playing dirty!

I think it explains a lot about how libs never see themselves as doing the bad things republicans do - they don't even take THEMSELVES seriously, and don't expect anyone else to either - except their LoFo base...

Posted by: Ray Van Dune at October 16, 2013 02:33 PM (Xq2WY)

123

What is he doing now? Oh, running the "No Labels" uni-party movement. Just ignore that.

Has anyone seen the pathetic commercial for No-Lables with Evan Bye and that other dickwad who's name escapes me now? (Rich daddy with the cancer treatment center in UT/ran for the Pubbie nomination.)

Posted by: Infidel at October 16, 2013 02:33 PM (O/fK8)

124
What did Peter King gain by dumping on Ted Cruz?
Posted by: soothie

His district got redistricted from safe R to toss-up, with significantly more Ds and minorities.

He was a douche before, but now he has an incentive to be more vocal about it.

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at October 16, 2013 02:33 PM (kdS6q)

125 At this point, D vs R is Yankees vs Mets, Dodgers vs Giants, Cowboys vs Redskins, Rangers vs Devils

We only share in the victories vicariously.

Posted by: kbdabear at October 16, 2013 02:34 PM (aTXUx)

126 "Here's a question that'll never be answered: What was gained by turning on Akin?"

I've argued that many in the rest of the GOP should have turned on Akin even earlier and more ferociously than they did.

Mitt Romney, for instance, should have instantly flown to Missouri and personally denounced Akin right there on the airport tarmac, and called for Akin to get out of the race.

The failure to react and contain the Akin disaster had echo effects all over the country, including in the top-ticket race. A shitload of moderate suburban soccer moms heard Akin's insane babble, and saw the GOP shifting and muttering uneasily instead of throwing his ass out of the party, and said to themselves, "Maybe there is something to this War On Women business," and voted Democratic. Simple as that.

Posted by: torquewrench at October 16, 2013 02:34 PM (gqT4g)

127 I don't get it , what movie are you reviewing here???

Posted by: The Garbone at October 16, 2013 02:34 PM (9dH/8)

128 Kelly Ayotte
---

Man, what a whiny statement she made about her children. How can adults behave that way?

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 16, 2013 02:34 PM (Hx5uv)

129 "But Akin continued receiving comfort and support from people who really ought to have known better, which probably influenced his bad decision to let Claire McCaskill stay in power."

Really?

Because that's not what I remember.

What I remember was Michelle Malkin, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Ann Coulter saying the dude to drop out. As far as I remember, the only person supporting him was Dana Loesch (sp?), but that only lasted about, oh, three days.

Posted by: Mr Estrada at October 16, 2013 02:35 PM (qmOgr)

130 125 Wait,haven't the Giants won like 2 of the last 3 World Series?

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 02:35 PM (9XBK2)

131 Hannity, I know I know, was calling out McCain and Corker. Had a guest who interviewed Boehner, and Boehner said off the record that Cruz was "on a fool's errand".

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:35 PM (zOTsN)

132 "Some people want to stick to this claim that there is absolutely no outer boundary of how far you can go to the no-exceptions right and still win, so rather than admitting the plainly obvious that such boundaries do exist, they simply claim the only reason for Lugar's, Akin's, and O'Donnell's losses was the very convenient Stabbed In The Back theory." I am pro-life. I believe life begins at conception. But I agree. Akin and O'Donnell tripped themselves up. They made mistakes. I think there is some justification in the idea that, when Democrats make mistakes - look at Filner - there's a tendency for the Democrats to rally around them, or at least not attack them. With the GOP, there's a tendency to pile on and attack. Bad idea. But still, Akin and O'Donnell and yes, even Mourdock, fucked up. That much should be admitted. They shot themselves in the foot. We should learn from our mistakes, not ignore them with the inane idea that ignoring and denying when we fuck up is somehow the right thing to do.

Posted by: Crude at October 16, 2013 02:36 PM (grXXA)

133 Ethics? hahahahaha In politics, ethics are for runner ups. No wonder why we lose elections; we have 'ethics' on the interwebs.

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 02:36 PM (U/ZJP)

134 Before this Faux leader retires the last of the first to form the new nation will be gone...

Posted by: Jet Built Around Cannon at October 16, 2013 02:36 PM (70CRT)

135 @82, Except that's not quite what he says. His argument is that conservatism (as a governing philosophy) works, every time it is tried.

But, yes, he does seek more conservative candidates, generally.

Posted by: A Balrog of Morgoth at October 16, 2013 02:37 PM (Q9qpj)

136 i get that but he had tea party supporters and furthermore I just saw a comment blaming his loss on the Stab In The Back caucus. Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 06:19 PM (/IWYB) Come on, Al Qaeda in Syra has some Republican supporters, that doesn't make Al Qaeda in Syria a GOP thing. If we could get past the name-calling and false comparisons and tendentious accusations for five minutes we could maybe settle *part* of the dispute but THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN it's becoming clear. Everyone's nerves are so worn any biased remark (or obvious bomb-thrower) just destroys the conversation. And there are plenty of bomb-throwers.

Posted by: Merovign , Dark Lord of the Sith [/i] [/b] [/s] [/u] at October 16, 2013 02:37 PM (qyfb5)

137 What did Peter King gain by dumping on Ted Cruz?
---

I imagine the theory is triangularization. Doesn't make it right, though, and he is still a dirtbag.

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 16, 2013 02:37 PM (Hx5uv)

138 I do not blame Boehner, I blame the Senate GOP for this mess. A united front could have given us at least some concessions. They freaked out when Reid threatened to bypass the filibuster.

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:37 PM (wr5oB)

139 Yes there are those who supported Akin to the end. But I think you are completely disingenuous when you characterize the whole of your more Strident opposition that way. Almost everyone including many of the most ardent Tea Party folks wanted Akin gone. And had we known that's what he thought, we wouldn't have supported him to begin with. Sure I supported Sharon Angle. I apparently overreached. I did not support COD, though more and more I wish I HAD knowing that she would lose.*

But here is where it seems you simply do not appreciate. Not everyone who says they are on our side actually is. In this environment where we *ARE* betrayed by the establishment. (Matt Kibbe anyone) It becomes *VERY* easy to assume those with soft sell opposition for moderation are part of that larger scheme of folks who betray us.

If the establishment *WONDERS* why we have a reality problem, they should go take a look in the mirror. It's not that we don't want to be realistic, it's that we can't trust them to tell us what real is, when they have abused that trust to betray our interests in the past. So yes bunker syndrome applies when you can't tell who your friends are and the tactic some of your enemy will use is to sell you as going too far and not being practical enough.

If you feel this directed toward you; I know you feel that you are just some guy with a blog, but to us you are 1000 times more "in the loop" than we are. I know it's hard to realize. But when you start towing the establishment line, EVEN THOUGH I'M ALMOST CERTAIN** you are not bullshitting me. I still feel the urge to lump you in with the opposition that pretends to be our friend. Because it just seems you are in the big loop.

Another thing I don't think you get is there is a "doing too little" cutoff for action where it really is just a waste. Most of us are sick of slowing the advance of euro-socialism. We want to at the barest minimum halt it. And then reverse it as stretch goals. Sometimes I get to thinking you just want to play the grinding game more or less like we have in the past 100 losing years. I don't want to be part of that kind of failed strategy anymore. So yes there is a minimum bar, below which I'm going to score irrational points* (which are very valuable) so our side continues to fear our capricious nature.

*In order to be effective at this point thanks to McCain et al we need the reputation to be able to act irrationally in the face of soft Republicans. COD really did help that cause.
**It's hard to be completely certain about someone.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 02:37 PM (0q2P7)

140 I think there is some justification in the idea that, when Democrats make mistakes - look at Filner - there's a tendency for the Democrats to rally around them, or at least not attack them. With the GOP, there's a tendency to pile on and attack. Bad idea.

The Dems do this because the know the media will cover up their lies. Republicans don't have that option. If they tried to act like Dems, they'd be in worse shape than they are.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 02:37 PM (6TB1Z)

141 Better to keep your mouth shut and be suspected an idiot than open it and confirm the fact.

Akin violated that basic rule.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at October 16, 2013 02:37 PM (l5zzX)

142 O'Donnell may have been doomed to lose in liberal Delaware, but that is no excuse for Karl Rove trashing her on TV on the very night of her primary victory. As many have pointed out, conservatives are always expected to suck it up and vote for the RINO, or else they are blamed for the RINO's defeat. It never seems to work the other way, though. Funny, that. Incidentally, I would appreciate a link to AtC's epic rant on this subject a few days ago.

Posted by: rickl at October 16, 2013 02:37 PM (sdi6R)

143 Boehner said off the record that Cruz was "on a fool's errand". ********************************** Cruz was the big winner. Next year at this time the average voter is going to see the Obamacare disaster and isn't going to remember any of the specifics about CRs and debt ceilings, but he or she is going to remember that the Republicans led by Cruz shut down the government for 2 weeks trying to stop it.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 02:38 PM (QVC7W)

144 I have no idea what is going to happen, but I'm tired of not having a small government, common sense spokesman that has the gift of cutting through the BS. Reagan was the last politician in my mind that could do that. And since I see this current generations being so "dumbed down" I don't see anyone on either side of the argument that has that "thing" to cut through the clutter/clatter of all the bullshit. Someone who can call people out on their stupidity but do it in a way they don't realize it. I thought Christie might have had a handle on it but he got springsteened.

Posted by: dixiegal at October 16, 2013 02:38 PM (d8l76)

145 There are some positions that need to be run out of on a rail, and the "no exception"abortion position is #1 on the list. It should be met like a politician advocating segregation. If some idiot wants to talk about what a wonderful bundle of joy an impregnated rape victim has inside her, you get bounced.

Women voters would prefer to have Hugo Chavez socialism in place of free market conservatism when you start talking about rape babies.

This is something WE need to handle in the primaries, we shouldn't have to go through a general election.

If people want to sit out elections or leave the GOP over it, fine, there's the door. I'd rather lose 2% of voters that want a Theocracy than lose another Senate seat in a deep red state by 20 points over this nonsense. We would have control of the Senate if it wasn't for that idiotic position being pushed.

No one is saying you can't have religious convictions and BELIEVE that a child from rape is innocent life, but you can't expect our politics to make laws around that belief.

Posted by: McAdams at October 16, 2013 02:38 PM (rWsoZ)

146 Shorter: We are all Julia.

Posted by: jakeman at October 16, 2013 02:38 PM (vH4YP)

147 This is related to, I suppose, the incorrect idea that staking out the Hardest-Core Most Maximalist position in political campaigns shifts the Overton Window in your direction. Oh, it shifts the window a little if you win.If you lose, it shifts it the other way. It shifts it away from you. History says the opposite. After relatively moderate Clinton the Democrats ran the more liberal Gore...who lost. And then the more liberal Kerry...and lost. And then they ran the extremely left Obama...and won...twice Over the same time span the Republicans lost while running more liberal candidates. So why then did the Overton window shift as leftwing candidates ran and failed?

Posted by: 18-1 at October 16, 2013 02:38 PM (uUvS8)

148

Even though Odonnell and Akin were bad candidates who ran terrible campaigns doesn't mean that the establishment didn't revel in glee at their losses and helped push them towards defeat by larger numbers by what the establishment did and said. Both things can be true.

The idea that "establishment big wig' Karl Rove didn't go on Fox news at least 3 times to spend at least 10 minutes letting every one know every bad thing about Christine O'Donnell would be incorrect. He wanted her to lose and lose badly. It helps with the establishment narrative of Bush's, Christies, Romney's and Mccains being the nominees. To deny would be silly.

Also, anybody that says that Bolling isn't at least partially responsible if Cuch loses Virginia is being dishonest.

And I am still happy Mike Castle isn't in the Senate stabbing conservatives in the back. I really like Scott Brown. He was a good NE Republican I can support. However, Castle was the most liberal Republican in the House. Also a weasel personality wise. The last thing we needed was a guy like him in the Senate.

Posted by: Yoyo at October 16, 2013 02:38 PM (vd/hf)

149 Someone asked about primarying Cornyn. Cornyn is running nonstop adds trying to scare off any oppostion. The primary is in 5 months. So far no challenger has emerged.

Posted by: Jane at October 16, 2013 02:38 PM (KDAAY)

150 Akin was not a Tea Party candidate, he was a self-absorbed socon nutjob.

Pro-life politics is a losing proposition for the GOP. For every socon pro-life voter it gains, it loses more than one otherwise gettable swing voter who is strongly opposed to seeing abortion recriminalized. The Dems know that well, that's why they continually roll out the shopworn "War on Women" meme. Extremist pro-lifers like Akin and Mourdock play right into Donks hands and have a tendency to drag the rest of the GOP down with them.

Posted by: cool breeze at October 16, 2013 02:38 PM (A+/8k)

151 Akin would not drop out because his family would not let him. They felt it was a mission from GOD, according to his son

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:39 PM (wr5oB)

152 In politics, ethics are for runner ups.

No wonder why we lose elections; we have 'ethics' on the interwebs.

Right. And you'd be the first to complain that they don't stand on principle, but bend with the political winds.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 02:39 PM (6TB1Z)

153 What's to be gained by turning on Cruz? Posted by: Thunderb A certain minimal credibility with the New York Times, that quaint counter culture paper published in the wilds of New York. Peter King is a long time political animal, and he knows to get re-elected, he really can't offend the Media in the biggest Media town in Amurika. And that's all that really matters to Peter King. Getting re-elected so he can roll over the pork barrel. So Soviet style, he denounces Cruz. The Sulzberger family is chortling as he dances at the end of the string. He has no priniciples, except skimming it off the top for himself.

Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at October 16, 2013 02:39 PM (RFeQD)

154

92 85. Junior, the mystery is why Akin did not drop out. The same with that fool in the CO governor race in 2010, Maes I think. Either they are Zombies or working for the other side

------------

We know why he didn't drop out. And two specific reasons figured most prominently.

First is Huckabee. That idiot (who I hated even back in 200 publicly encouraged him to stay in the race.

The second is admittedly a bit speculative on my part, but I remember seeing enough pieces to put it all together (though I don't remember where all the info came from). iirc, Aikin was originally the underdog in the Republican Primary. Not by much, but enough to make it pretty likely that he was going to lose. And then he won. And he won in a state in which he was pretty much guaranteed to win the seat (aside from stupid things coming out of his mouth). So unfortunately, he went into the race with the underdog mindset... and continued to keep that mindset even after he managed to shoot himself in the foot and destroy his chance of winning. He'd already bucked the polls once to win the nomination. I'm firmly convinced that he had an unshakable belief that he'd do the same in the general. The fact that he'd probably never hold elective office again if he didn't win the race probably helped bolster his "resolve" to stay in the race.

Posted by: junior at October 16, 2013 02:39 PM (UWFpX)

155 ace: "i get that but he had tea party supporters and furthermore I just saw a comment blaming his loss on the Stab In The Back caucus."

Well that's an unfair charge against the TEA Party. It swallowed and backed the GOP like good little Republicans just as the Establishment wished. (The Establishment wants the support to go one way; but TEA Party candidates get raked over the coals by the likes of Rove who has commercial interests in seeing his version of the GOP win.) Just strike Aiken from your list.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at October 16, 2013 02:39 PM (eHIJJ)

156 no excuse for Karl Rove trashing her on TV on the very night of her primary victory.

Rove is no friend of the Republic, he's a friend of the Oligarchy.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at October 16, 2013 02:39 PM (l5zzX)

157 >>>O'Donnell may have been doomed to lose in liberal Delaware, but that is no excuse for Karl Rove trashing her on TV on the very night of her primary victory. and yet you retain the right to trash RINO candidates, right? Think about it. Yes, Karl Rove is more centrist than you. But he doesn't lose his right to speak his mind because of that. That would suggest you have Privilege he doesn't, which I personally reject. And "trashing her" meant saying "she can't win," which she couldn't. I'm sorry about this, but if we're going to be the party that makes fun of the left for not being math majors, at some point we have to accept Math ourselves.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 02:39 PM (/IWYB)

158 Little known fact: Men are more than half of America's rape victims. You do have to include prisoners to get to that number, but it is true. However, only about 1% of them get pregnant. Gender is a construct, after all.

Posted by: AmishDude at October 16, 2013 02:39 PM (T0NGe)

159 Boehner said it was a fools errand because they would never get the Senate Republicans help The one thing that gives me solace is that maybe Reid French kissing McConnell all day today will be the end of McConnell. Makes a great ad.

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:40 PM (zOTsN)

160 Lindsey Graham is who should be attacked. It would shut others up, especially McCain if he were defeated. Does anyone know if an opponent has a realistic chance in the primary? I would send money.

Posted by: Jane at October 16, 2013 02:40 PM (KDAAY)

161 McCaskill/Rangell 2016 Top that!

Posted by: DNC at October 16, 2013 02:40 PM (uNd+K)

162 what about the no name that ran against Manchin? The establishment selected him? they fed him the consultants that hired a Philly pr firm that put out an ad looking for "hick-y" actors for his poitical ads, which, once trumpeted enough in WV, torpedoed his campaign.

I dont understand the antipathy, the outright aggression against the TEA party? The dc establishment can try to marginalize the shape that the discontent takes, but the people are still going to be discontent, because the establishment is raping the wealth and power of this country, they are destroying the reserve currency status of the dollar, they are squandering the lives of America's soldiers' sacrifices of life and limb throughout America's history, while enslaving future generations to debilitating levels of debt.

So the discontent will continue to swirl, and grow, the pressure grows, change is coming.

Posted by: no one at October 16, 2013 02:40 PM (sY62r)

163 Where is the TLDR version?

Posted by: ThisBeingMilt at October 16, 2013 02:40 PM (7mQyC)

164 Bolling in Virginia is your typical RINO. He thought it was his turn to run, but Conservatives in Va hate him.

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:40 PM (wr5oB)

165 "Junior, the mystery is why Akin did not drop out."

Akin did not drop out because, God.

Simple as that.

He's just like the long, long, long line of religious fanatics before him who have gone down to defeats of various sorts that they were firmly convinced could never happen because God.

Akin was aided in this utter delusion by certain elements of the religious socon bloc. Huckabee was one of them. So was Tony Perkins of the FRC. These guys had Akin's ear, and instead of giving him sober, rational advice to get out of what he had made an unwinnable race for himself, instead gave him mystical Jeebus blather about how this setback was God testing his faith and how God would ensure his victory if only he remained unswerving in his commitment.

So much for that shit.

"Akin" should be a one-word contemptuous dismissal for certain socons from now until the end of time.

Posted by: torquewrench at October 16, 2013 02:40 PM (gqT4g)

166
O'Donnell may have been doomed to lose in liberal Delaware, but that is no excuse for Karl Rove trashing her on TV on the very night of her primary victory.
Posted by: rickl

No! It's her fault for losing a seat held by Democrats for almost 40 years. No excuses!

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at October 16, 2013 02:41 PM (kdS6q)

167 Does the Establishment get blame for Rehberg in Montana at all? Berg in North Dakota?

Posted by: Mr Estrada at October 16, 2013 02:41 PM (qmOgr)

168 Is it just me, or does Peter King look like a mid level Teamster official?

Posted by: A Balrog of Morgoth at October 16, 2013 02:41 PM (Q9qpj)

169 "Pro-life politics is a losing proposition for the GOP. For every socon pro-life voter it gains, it loses more than one otherwise gettable swing voter who is strongly opposed to seeing abortion recriminalized. " This is just wrong, or at least it's wrong once you realize that the options aren't 'all abortion outlawed' or 'all abortion legal'. There is plenty of support for more restrictive abortion laws than we currently have. The problem is when forces in the pro-life side regards, say.. wanting a ban on abortions after the first trimester, but not fighting for a first trimester ban, to be 'pro-abortion'.

Posted by: Crude at October 16, 2013 02:41 PM (grXXA)

170 Women voters would prefer to have Hugo Chavez socialism in place of free market conservatism when you start talking about rape babies. They do? I don't think anyone speaks for all women than I think a person can speak for all men.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 02:41 PM (a4Omg)

171 I think McConnell will lose the general in Kentucky. Conservatives will stay home

Posted by: Jackj at October 16, 2013 02:42 PM (wr5oB)

172 The Establishment did not engineer their failures. The Establishment predicted their failures, which is not the same thing as causing them. I havn't read the comments, but I read the post. witholding and redirecting campaign funds and shit talking candidates in the liberal media is a little more than watching them fail. It's a hit job and a warning to those that would step outside the statist GOP establishment. It's no different than McCain shit talking Cruz.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 02:42 PM (XIxXP)

173 Is it just me, or does Peter King look like a mid level Teamster official? No that you mention it......yes.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 02:42 PM (a4Omg)

174 I don't disagree with the point. I do disagree with Todd Akin as an example. He wasn't firmly establishment, but he was not tea party. He won the primary on the coattails of a steady steam of Huckabee ads that appealed to the strong fundamentalist strain found in the state. Palin got behind Steelman. Brunner drew a lot of the economic conservatives. The tea party could not coalesce around one candidate.

Posted by: Dave S. at October 16, 2013 02:42 PM (H0qOD)

175 What I don't understand are these constant threats by some to turn on and destroy the Repubs. The NRA, who has been extremely successful, never threatens to "destroy" the Republican party. Hell, they never threaten to destroy the Democrats. Because nobody wants to partner with crazy people who are constantly making threats. The NRA supports politicians that support the 2nd amendment. Pro-tip: Stop threatening to destroy people and organizations if they won't do what you want -- especially if you actually need to work with them to get what you want done. Crazy people do that. Psychotic ex-wives do that. Constantly threatening to destroy people and organizations who won't do exactly what you want is a good way of announcing to the world you are an unreliable, unstable person who shouldn't be trusted or partnered with.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at October 16, 2013 02:42 PM (ZPrif)

176 Cruz was the big winner. Next year at this time the average voter is going to see the Obamacare disaster and isn't going to remember any of the specifics about CRs and debt ceilings, but he or she is going to remember that the Republicans led by Cruz shut down the government for 2 weeks trying to stop it. Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon

You may well be right. We can hope.

Akin would not drop out because his family would not let him. They felt it was a mission from GOD, according to his son

Which should have been a disqualification from office in its own right. People of such intellectual caliber would be much happier running a taco stand.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 02:42 PM (6TB1Z)

177 Ace, I am afraid you are wrong on this one. Clair Bear spent the primary season promoting Akin, and the establishment liked him enough as well. Akin did say something stupid, but what he said was minor compared to what Obama, Biden, and Mccaskill have said in the past. But once it was said the national media and local media pounced. The Dems then poured it on, and the GOP quickly abandoned and beheaded Akin politically. Now compare that to the left's response to ...I don't know let's say a serial sexual predator that is the mayor of a big city. Your blog did not help the situation at all. Akin was not my candidate, but in the end that is all we had. And this is the difference between the conservative base of the GOP and the leftist base of the DNC. Our base hold politicians accountable where they can. Where the base is not strong we get the likes of McCain. So I had no problem with the blogging against Akin, but I did have a problem with the lengths at which he was demonized compared to his opponent's idiocy.

Posted by: Mekan at October 16, 2013 02:42 PM (zG16+)

178 I see McCain is excoriating the Republicans on NBC.

John....I respect your years of military service.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 16, 2013 02:42 PM (1fUOX)

179 Meant "now" that you mention it.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 02:43 PM (a4Omg)

180 I agree on generalities with everything in this post; I joined the herd of people yelling at Akin to drop out. But Akin was a real outlier. Where it gets tough are people like OÂ’Donnell and Romney. Many people on the insurgent side predicted that Romney never had any chance of winning. It could have come out that Obama ate a dog and Romney still wouldnÂ’t have any chance of winning. I was one of those; but when Romney won the primary, I got behind him. Just in case Obama ate two dogs and a cat on live TV. I didnÂ’t like it. And I expect to be embarrassed about it if I have any grandchildren. It would be nice for those who oppose candidates I support take the same risk for the candidates they donÂ’t like but who are not outliers like Akin, after the primary.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at October 16, 2013 02:43 PM (QF8uk)

181 This post is so good , I thought it would tip over.

Posted by: Hank Johnson at October 16, 2013 02:43 PM (5ikDv)

182 >>>Well that's an unfair charge against the TEA Party. It swallowed and backed the GOP like good little Republicans just as the Establishment wished. (The Establishment wants the support to go one way; but TEA Party candidates get raked over the coals by the likes of Rove who has commercial interests in seeing his version of the GOP win.) Just strike Aiken from your list. Akin was never the establishment's candidate; WTF are you talking about? Akin was McCASKILL's favorite candidate. You're trying to pin this one on the Establishment? This was actually a case where I think the Establishment went along with it until his disastrous "shut that down" comment, and then said "You gotta see this now, this guy is unelectable, get him out!" And while some tea party types did agree, others doubled down because this was now an opportunity to play their favorite game, Kneejerkedly Contradict The Establishment. Sure, about half of the Tea Party said 'get thsi guy out!" the other half doubled down, even the ones who didn't start out by supporting him. Either way this wasn't the establishment's fault. it was a bad circumstance caused by a close three way vote and some Strategic Deception by Clarie McCaskill in lauding Akin as "the most conservative candidate"... which all too many conservatives fell for.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 02:43 PM (/IWYB)

183 So why then did the Overton window shift as leftwing candidates ran and failed? Posted by: 18-1 Obama is popular, and the Democrats are crooked. Left-Right only matters to some of the voters. The Democrats did everything they could covertly to actually steal the last election. Obama MIGHT have won anyways, but Democrat machine politics were tilted to win for him. IRS suppression of Republican GOTV organizations, NSA feeding intelligence directly into the DNC, and the biggest un-investigated scandal was hacking voting machines in hugely Democrat precincts to run up the vote count.

Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at October 16, 2013 02:43 PM (RFeQD)

184

We got the House and Senate in '14, and we will shut his narrow ass down.

Repeal in '17.

Posted by: redenzo at October 16, 2013 02:43 PM (vx61Q)

185 This is a fucked up election her in NJ. First of all it is on a Wednesday instead of a Tuesday and there is a general election in 3 weeks. So nobody knows there is an election or is confused and the State is spending millions for no good reason. No one is voting in the Burbs. I don't know what is going on in the booker country, the cities, but this race is fixed and the fat man let it happen. Fuck him.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 16, 2013 02:43 PM (UbDLm)

186 150 years ago fifteen year old boys got married to 14 year old girls and they ran farms together

You know that's bullshit, right? They couldn't own property until they were 21.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs to skip the beer and go straight to tequila at October 16, 2013 02:43 PM (/kI1Q)

187 143 Boehner said off the record that Cruz was "on a fool's errand".

**********************************

Cruz was the big winner. Next year at this time the average voter is going to see the Obamacare disaster and isn't going to remember any of the specifics about CRs and debt ceilings, but he or she is going to remember that the Republicans led by Cruz shut down the government for 2 weeks trying to stop it.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 06:38 PM (QVC7W)

This! Provided O-Care is not a big hit with the LIVs.

Posted by: Sphynx at October 16, 2013 02:44 PM (OZmbA)

188 So why then did the Overton window shift as leftwing candidates ran and failed? Posted by: 18-1 at October 16, 2013 06:38 PM (uUvS

****************************** President Obama beat McCain in 2008 because of war fatigue and the timely collapse of Lehman. I'm not a conspiracist, but if the financial crisis had happened two months later, President McCain.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 02:44 PM (QVC7W)

189 You would think with so much self analysis we'd never lose.

Posted by: Dr Spank at October 16, 2013 02:44 PM (9jLim)

190 Someone asked about primarying Cornyn. Cornyn is running nonstop adds trying to scare off any oppostion. The primary is in 5 months. So far no challenger has emerged.

Posted by: Jane at October 16, 2013 06:38 PM

Does Louie Gohmert scare him? He should. I've wanted to vote for Louie for a long time. He's my congressional crush.

Posted by: huerfano at October 16, 2013 02:45 PM (bAGA/)

191 I see this was already covered now that I read comments so I guess I just said it again. Akin was a so con, and a damn bad one at that.

Posted by: Dave S. at October 16, 2013 02:45 PM (H0qOD)

192 ^This! Provided O-Care is not a big hit with the LIVs. Posted by: Sphynx at October 16, 2013 06:44 PM (OZmbA) ********************************* LIVs vote D anyway. We're working to win the hearts and minds of the persuadable.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 02:45 PM (QVC7W)

193 and yet you retain the right to trash RINO candidates, right? Yeah, but that's us. If you're Rove or McCain or Corker or Pete King, then you ought to refrain from trashing your own party members, especially by name, and never ever ever outside of the context of a primary.

Posted by: AmishDude at October 16, 2013 02:45 PM (T0NGe)

194 Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at October 16, 2013 06:43 PM (RFeQD) Don't forget the estimated 4 million conservatives that stayed home.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 02:45 PM (XIxXP)

195 No one is saying you can't have religious convictions and BELIEVE that a child from rape is innocent life, but you can't expect our politics to make laws around that belief.
Posted by: McAdams

Because they'll certainly be an "it's politics" exception on the way to the hell.

Posted by: DaveA at October 16, 2013 02:46 PM (DL2i+)

196 186 150 years ago fifteen year old boys got married to 14 year old girls and they ran farms together

You know that's bullshit, right? They couldn't own property until they were 21.

Posted by: HeatherRadishÂ™ needs to skip the beer and go straight to tequila at October 16, 2013 06:43 PM (/kI1Q)

Who said they had to own it? They worked their dad's "other" ranch or farm or sharecropped. I know the history of several who married at 15 to 17 and went right to work raising sheep, goats and cattle on their own, 40 miles from any town, 5 miles from nearest neighbor.

Posted by: Sphynx at October 16, 2013 02:46 PM (OZmbA)

197 >>>Everyone else was a bystander, or a donor without a vote. COD primary: GOP voters IN DELAWARE hated Castle more than they wanted another RINO in the Senate. Looks to me like the Establishment GOP should have been listening to the primary voters. if you remember, the Tea Party lodged no objections to Mike Castle until Joe Miller defeated Lisa Murkowski in Alaska, and then the Hype Machine started for the next scalp. Yes, perhaps there could have been found a better candidate than Castle. But that would have had to have happened a year before the election, not two weeks before the primary, where the only challenger to Castle was a dummy over-bothered by people's masturbation habits.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 02:46 PM (/IWYB)

198 The Establishment did not engineer their failures. The Establishment predicted their failures, which is not the same thing as causing them.

Obama's Favorite Republican Dick Lugar--who lived in DC as long as I've been alive, you can't get more Establishment than that--was a total shithead after losing the primary, withholding endorsements and infrastructure report.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs to skip the beer and go straight to tequila at October 16, 2013 02:46 PM (/kI1Q)

199 You would think with so much self analysis we'd never lose.

don't confuse flagellants with philosophers

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at October 16, 2013 02:46 PM (l5zzX)

200 Bolling in Virginia is your typical RINO. He thought it was his turn to run, but Conservatives in Va hate him.
Posted by: Jackj

Putting paid to the BS about how the Establishment (cue ominous organ music) picks every candidate, regardless of what the people want.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 02:46 PM (6TB1Z)

201 and yet you retain the right to trash RINO candidates, right? Only when they take sides with the Democrats. Then, and only then, do I turn on them.

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 02:46 PM (U/ZJP)

202 Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 16, 2013 06:43 PM (UbDLm) I don't think it was the best choice for the date, but if they're not voting in the burbs chances maybe-hopefully-they aren't voting for Booker. I don't know where you are, but I see Lonegan signs everywhere and NO Booker signs. NOT one. The Lonegan signs clearly say the date. People are a little stupid if they couldn't figure it out, IMO

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 02:47 PM (a4Omg)

203 This! Provided O-Care is not a big hit with the LIVs. With $12,000.00 co-pays? LOL.

Posted by: rickb223 at October 16, 2013 02:47 PM (p9JxP)

204 Louie Louie!!
Oh-O
Cornyn GO!GO!!

Yeahyeahyeahyeahyeah yeah!!

Posted by: JarvisW at October 16, 2013 02:47 PM (E7Iyp)

205 >>>ace: "i get that but he had tea party supporters and furthermore I just saw a comment blaming his loss on the Stab In The Back caucus."

You're never going to reach that lot. You can safely give up on them. That's not insulating yourself from reality. That's building a 50 ft double wall, with interwall patrols, armed snipers in towers, and attack dogs between you and reality.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 02:47 PM (0q2P7)

206 Lindsey Graham is who should be attacked. It would shut others up, especially McCain if he were defeated. Does anyone know if an opponent has a realistic chance in the primary? I would send money.

Posted by: Jane at October 16, 2013 06:40 PM (KDAAY)

If the TEA Party conglomeration did only one thing and that was to primary and unseat Miss Lindsay, that would be a boon for the entire country!

Any opponent of Graham is worth a few $ of my hard earned savings (I hope I have the chance before Obama steals them).

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 16, 2013 02:47 PM (XdnQT)

207 I don't want McConnell to lose the general. I want him to lose the primary. We need the Senate back, and packed with reliable conservatives

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:47 PM (zOTsN)

208 >>I havn't read the comments, but I read the post. witholding and redirecting campaign funds and shit talking candidates in the liberal media is a little more than watching them fail. It's a hit job and a warning to those that would step outside the statist GOP establishment. It's no different than McCain shit talking Cruz. What's your take on the Senate Conservative Fund? They are pretty much Tea Party aligned and right now they are spending real money to take on McConnell in a primary fight. Fair for the "establishment" to strike back or not?

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 02:47 PM (g1DWB)

209 Support.

Fuck it. I've been at this desk for 11 hours.

I know the history of several who married at 15 to 17 and went right to work raising sheep, goats and cattle on their own, 40 miles from any town, 5 miles from nearest neighbor.

And they're outliers. Average age for first marriage 150 years ago was over 21 for both men and women.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ needs to skip the beer and go straight to tequila at October 16, 2013 02:48 PM (/kI1Q)

210 People are a little stupid if they couldn't figure it out, IMO

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 06:47 PM (a4Omg)

Well, it is New Jersey!

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 16, 2013 02:48 PM (XdnQT)

211 "I don't think it can be put back together at this point." --- I don't think it should.

Posted by: ThisBeingMilt at October 16, 2013 02:48 PM (7mQyC)

212 a RINO in MD is acceptable. A RINO in South Carolina is not. Again this is just reality. if people want to continue pretending that the northeast is JUST LIKE the reddest areas of Kansas, and we have to make no strategic compromises in such hostile terrain, whatever. But don't call yourself a patriot for doing so. Denying reality is never virtuous. It's irresponsible.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 02:48 PM (/IWYB)

213 150 years ago fifteen year old boys got married to 14 year old girls and they ran farms together You know that's bullshit, right? They couldn't own property until they were 21. Posted by: HeatherRadishÂ™ needs to skip the beer and go straight to tequila at October 16, 2013 06:43 PM (/kI1Q) Actually that's not. My Grandmother was 12 and my grandfather16 when they got married. Yep, had a farm, yep, had her first baby, my dad, at the age of 14.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 02:48 PM (XIxXP)

214 Also yes, I'm SICK of Cornyns ads already!

And I've only seen it ONCE!!

Posted by: JarvisW at October 16, 2013 02:48 PM (E7Iyp)

215 Obama's Favorite Republican Dick Lugar--who lived in DC as long as I've been alive, you can't get more Establishment than that--was a total shithead after losing the primary, withholding endorsements and infrastructure report.

I hated Lugar as much as anyone. The fact that he behaved like a petulant dick after losing doesn't mean the Establishment controls everything. He still lost.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 02:48 PM (6TB1Z)

216

Heh. Cornyn has been running ads already.

I don't think it will save his career, but who knows?

Posted by: Invictus at October 16, 2013 02:49 PM (FBkKA)

217 A little intellectual honesty would go a long way on both sides.

The mythical "Establishment" did not kill Christine O'Donnell. How many voters in Delaware do you really think chose not to vote for her in the general election because of what Rove said as a contributor to Fox News? It's delusional to think these people have so much power.

No, Rove shouldn't have trashed O'Donnell after she won the primary, but he was right about her all along. She was a con artist and she handed the seat over to a Marxist that now has a seat for life.

And I'm sure no Tea Party group has EVER trashed an Establishment Republican that was in a tough election fight.

Posted by: McAdams at October 16, 2013 02:49 PM (rWsoZ)

218 Someone explain Peter King dicking Ted Cruz? This is what infuriates conservative republicans, you have a guy trying to hold the line and then "the back (and front) stabbing goes full throttle. This marriage cannot be saved. I will NEVER like Peter King.

Posted by: furious at October 16, 2013 02:49 PM (A98Xu)

219 "67 Todd Akin was not a Tea Party candidate (Steelman and Brunner were) Please correct this lazy and oft used smear. It fucking pisses me off. --- It's quite annoying, but never let the facts get in a way of a intraparty rant.

Posted by: ThisBeingMilt at October 16, 2013 02:50 PM (7mQyC)

220 I don't think it was the best choice for the date, but if they're not voting in the burbs chances maybe-hopefully-they aren't voting for Booker. I don't know where you are, but I see Lonegan signs everywhere and NO Booker signs. NOT one. The Lonegan signs clearly say the date. People are a little stupid if they couldn't figure it out, IMO Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 06:47 PM (a4Omg) Bergen County. I voted at 3:00PM and was #55. Just took my wife, she forgot to look at her number, but the place was empty. No signs for either up here. Some local council and assembly maybe, but no Senatorial signs.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 16, 2013 02:50 PM (UbDLm)

221 Is this the "I feel dead inside" thread?

Posted by: Methos at October 16, 2013 02:50 PM (hO9ad)

222 If the TEA Party conglomeration did only one thing and that was to primary and unseat Miss Lindsay, that would be a boon for the entire country! Any opponent of Graham is worth a few $ of my hard earned savings (I hope I have the chance before Obama steals them). Posted by: Hrothgar at October 16, 2013 06:47 PM (XdnQT) We are working on it. There are 3, we'll keep you posted.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 02:50 PM (XIxXP)

223 "I don't know where you are, but I see Lonegan signs everywhere and NO Booker signs. NOT one. The Lonegan signs clearly say the date."

Mentioning the date is actually smart tactical messaging in an oddball special election.

I doubt it'll work, but it's smart stuff.

Posted by: torquewrench at October 16, 2013 02:50 PM (gqT4g)

224 As far as Mr. Todd Akin is concerned, I don't agree that he was the "Tea Party" candidate per se. If I remember correctly Gov. Palin endorsed a Missouri state senator in the race. Mr. Akin lost because he had a wacky idea that rape victims could not become pregnant (as far as I know this is not a Tea Party position). As far a political participation is concerned, I think the majority of the public is bored by politics (they are busy living their lives raising kids, etc). Voter participation only increases when things are going badly, i.e. great depression, war, etc. If the country is having good times then a lot of people have better things to do with their time.

Posted by: mild cigar at October 16, 2013 02:50 PM (EGU2p)

225

As to the first portion of the post -- detailing the apathy-through-centralization problem, spot on. That is a design feature, not a bug. It's also part of the reason we were supposed to be operating under a small federal government with the heavy lifting done locally.

As to the second portion of the post -- the Establishment versus the Tea Party Wingers, I'm torn. I understand that many times the TP comes across as know-it-alls and conspiracy-laden regarding the Establishment. And there have been mistakes. Some really, er, interesting ones. (Hi Christine!) Tea Partiers should acknowledge these. (Akin was actually *not* a TP candidate and makes a poor example. But you could substitute several others in his place and the point remains valid.) And, at times, the smash-mouth politics the TP seems to demand may not be the best way to move forward. All true.

However, the conservative side has its back up because we seem to get attacked and marginalized from the Left and the Center (that's the Republicans to me, but I'm slightly to the right of Attila the Hun). TP issues *never* seem to be on the Republican's radar. Oh, sure, occasionally, they will roll their eyes, sigh heavily, and pronounce publically that "it won't work" and then proceed in some weak-kneed Kabuki. This will quickly be abandoned at the first sign of resistance with the "I told you so" quickly and publically forthcoming. But actually full-fisted fighting on an issue? Never. For that, we must wait until we have all three branches including a filibuster-proof Senate.

Yet, across the aisle, the more rabid, leftward members of the Democratic caucus get their issues addressed, sometimes even with Republican support (Hi Marco!). It seems the Democratic party actually cares what the Leftys think, which is bad enough, but when our supposed partners in this political alliance are joining them, it's difficult not to feel like a co-dependent spouse who keeps believing the lies that "next time will be different." Meanwhile, we are given the message of "what're going to do? Vote Dem?"

The House controls the purse strings. The Republicans have the majority there. They were given that by a fiscal conservative TP push. Under the Constitution, they have the check-and-balance function. When asked to exercise this Constitutional authority and power, the Republicans shrink and recoil in horror. "We can't do that!" If that's the case, then why are fiscal conservatives helping you out?

Who doesn't want to work with whom? I don't know. But the TP gave the Republicans a house majority with a mandate to fight. And the so far, the Republicans don't seem interested. So, some TP folks are talking about walking. It may seem immature, not politically smart, etc., but, if you are not being taken seriously, leaving is the only real threat you have left. Sometimes you have to leave before your partner understands that you are serious.

If the Republican Establishment is interested in keeping this thing together, they need to identify some real issues to bear down on for the TP. Not Kabuki. Real fights. That might start to establish some trust. If they continue to act as if the fiscal conservatives are extra votes that should require no effort to keep, this thing will continue to unravel.

Posted by: Professor Peabody's Throwback Apparatus at October 16, 2013 02:51 PM (LNYzO)

226

I don't know let's say a serial sexual predator that is the mayor of a big city.

---------------

And was a sitting Congressman when a lot of it happened. Don't forget that part.

Posted by: junior at October 16, 2013 02:51 PM (UWFpX)

227 221 Is this the "I feel dead inside" thread? Posted by: Methos at October 16, 2013 06:50 PM (hO9ad) hahahaha...yes, yes it is....because I do.

Posted by: furious at October 16, 2013 02:51 PM (A98Xu)

228

Exhibit 1 of what Dems want for us???

See the Europeon Union.... (note... peon... union)...

Where even the National Governments have little if any say in the laws and rules being put forward.

THIS is the plan.... make is to you literally can't fight... because the Government is not only too large... but it is treated as a Person, with RIGHTS unto itself.

(IMO Governments have no Rights, but has Powers, and Limitations, that we the People give it.... it can't be a Right as it is not granted by either God, nor Nature....).

Posted by: Romeo13 at October 16, 2013 02:52 PM (lZBBB)

229 Like Copeland, Ting and a whole host of others, who hadn;t been able to defeat neither Biden, after his plagiarism, in law school and as a candidate;
or Carper.

Posted by: Jeffrey Pelt at October 16, 2013 02:52 PM (Jsiw/)

230 osted by: Hrothgar at October 16, 2013 06:48 PM (XdnQT Now. Now! ;^) I'm sure they'd be equally stupid in some other states if it were on another date. Anyway, Nevergiveup and I and I expect CBD, as well as some others knew that the election was today and-of course I'm rather baised here-but I think all of use are smarter than your average bear. :^)

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 02:53 PM (a4Omg)

231 Yeah, but that's us. If you're Rove or McCain or Corker or Pete King, then you ought to refrain from trashing your own party members, especially by name, and never ever ever outside of the context of a primary. Posted by: AmishDude They are doing what has been "suggested" by the large monied interests that support the Republican Party. The Tea Party insurrection is a political and FINANCIAL challenge to the people who actually control the Party. They want that sweet election consulting cash, the influence peddling, the K-Street Lobbying jobs, etc. etc. to keep going forever. Because they are making a lot of money off of the present situation, as it exists. Winning or losing elections at this point is almost secondary, as there are a certain amount of safe seats and states in both parties to prevent one side from really making revolutionary changes. That's want "THEY" want, and these pip-squeak Tea Party hobbits, with their whimsical civic notions of popular government are de classe. Their icons and ideals must be squashed and they must be made to accept the standard Republican brand. Lindsey Graham, Bob Corker, John McCain, Susan Collins, etc, etc. That's what these orchestrated Soviet denunciations are about. Wooden, rote, repetitive denunciations, a warning to others that might start to think like Ted Cruz of what they face.

Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at October 16, 2013 02:53 PM (RFeQD)

232 O'Donnell was a terrible candidate and never had any shot of winning but that was never her function IMHO. If I had been in Delaware I would have supported her wholeheartedly as anything that was neccessary to insure Castle never got promoted to the Senate was gold in my book. There was no legitimate candidate willing to take on Castle. Mike Castle was functionally no different from a Democrat. Just his being in the GOP corrupted it as far as any sort of conservative policy is concerned.

But I would say Ace is wrong about the Establishment, being the state GOP in Maryland, not engineering her failure. The engineering was not needed but they did it none the less out of hatred and spite. The state party filing election violations and suing the winner of their own primary is just flat out wrong in my book and indicative of some really crappy people.

Posted by: Rocks at October 16, 2013 02:53 PM (vR0sZ)

233 185 I think the fat man fixed it himself. He didn't want Booker running on the same day he does - it would increase dem turnout.

Posted by: Jane at October 16, 2013 02:53 PM (KDAAY)

234 The Democrats don't take a crap without a Journolist focus-grouped set of phrases they (and John McCain) all repeat. We are still trying to sort out Perfesser Akin and the witch.

Posted by: Beagle at October 16, 2013 02:53 PM (sOtz/)

235 Brisket with sauce and egg noodle, challah bread pudding with whiskey sauce. Taking the night off from politics. Stay out of circular firing squads. Be good to each other

Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 02:53 PM (zOTsN)

236 This post is a racist as the American flag on Mars.

Posted by: Sheila Jackson Lee at October 16, 2013 02:53 PM (5ikDv)

237

Can we go back to paper ballots?

Posted by: Invictus at October 16, 2013 02:54 PM (FBkKA)

238 ^This! Provided O-Care is not a big hit with the LIVs. Posted by: Sphynx at October 16, 2013 06:44 PM (OZmbA) Obamacare was never meant to be a hit. Like all mandated programs, it was meant to be a fact. You're not supposed to like it, you're just supposed to not be able to imagine life without it. That's the situation with the NHS. Brits don't really like it, but they like the idea of it and just can't imagine that weird American system where 90% of the people get the health system of a fabulously rich person and the other 10% get cared for in the way an NHS patient would.

Posted by: AmishDude at October 16, 2013 02:54 PM (T0NGe)

239 Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 06:37 PM (0q2P7)

Good rant.

Posted by: Temper Tantrum at October 16, 2013 02:54 PM (AWmfW)

240 186 150 years ago fifteen year old boys got married to 14 year old girls and they ran farms together You know that's bullshit, right? They couldn't own property until they were 21. Posted by: HeatherRadishÂ™ needs to skip the beer and go straight to tequila at October 16, 2013 06:43 PM (/kI1Q) You're right, but 15 and 14 year olds were doing important chores, helping with child care, and even working jobs to earn money to help support the family. By the time they turned 21 they were already raising families. 14 and 15 year olds back then had more adult responsibilities than many 24 and 25 year olds today.

Posted by: rickl at October 16, 2013 02:54 PM (sdi6R)

241 And they're outliers. Average age for first marriage 150 years ago was over 21 for both men and women.

Posted by: HeatherRadishÂ™ needs to skip the beer and go straight to tequila at October 16, 2013 06:48 PM (/kI1Q)

Are we discussing overall statistics for first marriages or are we trading points on how youngsters in the last century took on the mantle of adulthood much earlier that today's bong-hitting, video game playing 26 year olds do?

Regardless, still willing to bet census figures prove you wrong, especially for rural residents, which most were, even willing to bet such up to WWII. I'll wager 18 or 19 was the average age. Not willing to find and wade through statistics though, sorry.

Posted by: Sphynx at October 16, 2013 02:54 PM (OZmbA)

242 Actually; I'm wrong, I don't think CBD lives in NJ. He lives in NY. However, there are several other Jerseyites here and I expect they voted. In fact, one guy was going to drive in out of state while on the road to do it.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 02:54 PM (a4Omg)

243 The Establishment did not engineer their failures. The Establishment predicted their failures, which is not the same thing as causing them.

It does contribute. Another doubt, another head turned in the herd and FLEE!

Posted by: DaveA at October 16, 2013 02:55 PM (DL2i+)

244 What's your take on the Senate Conservative Fund? They are pretty much Tea Party aligned and right now they are spending real money to take on McConnell in a primary fight. Fair for the "establishment" to strike back or not? Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 06:47 PM (g1DWB) Thats why they are there. McConnel needs to go. If there is a primary and McConnel wins it fair and square, then you vote for the lesser of the evils. There are reasons they are being primaried, that's not a bunch of disgruntled asses or bored church ladies. These are real patriots with real ideals and real money wanting something better for the country than the same ole ham sandwhich.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 02:55 PM (XIxXP)

245 a warning to others that might start to think like Ted Cruz of what they face. Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at October 16, 2013 06:53 PM (RFeQD) ************************* Ted does not care. He will be reelected in Texas forever as long as he wants to be a Senator. (Unless there's a live boy or a dead girl, of course).

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 02:55 PM (QVC7W)

246 Actually; I'm wrong, I don't think CBD lives in NJ. He lives in NY. However, there are several other Jerseyites here and I expect they voted. In fact, one guy was going to drive in out of state while on the road to do it. Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 06:54 PM (a4Omg) Nope, CBD lives in NJ not far from me.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 16, 2013 02:55 PM (UbDLm)

247 237 Seriously,I want an end to all early voting and all but the most necessary absentee ballots(like overseas military).

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 02:56 PM (9XBK2)

248 If it was just a disagreement about policy, then the two sides could work it out. But, the RINOs are actively sabotaging conservatives and Tea Party. dede scuzzyfuza waited to the last minute to withdraw and then endorsed the dem. McCain's team undermined Palin with their nonstop leaks to justify their miserable campaign. The same people are doing the same thing to Cruz.

And don't get me started on Karl - anybody against amnesty hates brown people- Rove. Rove spent $400 million dollars and had a 1.9% success rate. Why should we be forced to listen to him bloviate about anything?

Finally, the only people the RINOs are willing to fight and destroy are conservatives. They pile on in public and stab conservatives in the back in private. At least the dems are smart enough to keep that backbiting bs in private and present a united front in public. You can dump on Pelosi all you want but when push came to shove, she got all her people to vote yes on Obamascare. Dems don't tolerate that maverick nonsense and everyone who didn't tow the dem party line was shoved out.

Like Dennis Praeger, I value clarity over agreement. If the RINOs hate their base, then stop lying to the base. Man up and say what you stand for, or if you stand for anything at all. Then, the base can chose to stand with them or go their own way. If the RINOs have no intention of fighting for anything, just let us know and we will make other plans. Instead, Boehner said if we gave him the house, then he would fight Obamascare, stop billions in spending, etc. We gave him the house. Then, as soon as he had the house, it was all "we only control 1/3 of gov" and so we can't do nutin'. WTF!

Posted by: Black Redneck at October 16, 2013 02:56 PM (bib2h)

249
Cruz was the big winner. Next year at this time the average voter is going to see the Obamacare disaster and isn't going to remember any of the specifics about CRs and debt ceilings, but he or she is going to remember that the Republicans led by Cruz shut down the government for 2 weeks trying to stop it.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 06:38 PM (QVC7W)

He can say he told them , for 21 hours!

Posted by: Temper Tantrum at October 16, 2013 02:56 PM (AWmfW)

250 ace: I'll note the general gist of it: "We were totally right about Christine O'Donnell and Todd Akin and we could have won these elections if we had not been stabbed-in-the-back by The Establishment that engineered their failure." The Establishment did not engineer their failures. The Establishment predicted their failures, which is not the same thing as causing them. = Predicting failures may not be the same thing as causing, but may be the same thing as promoting failure. Advertisers, media mouths. Ex: take Noonan v. Palin, whether Palin "deserved" the knife in the back. Those two candidates Akin and O'Donnell are worlds apart in who supported and who detracted from within the GOP. The "establishment" supported Akin, as his position reflects the standard Republican platform on abortion. That he stumbled all over his dick tongue, that's on Akin. The "establishment" went after O'Donnell with the same fervor they took against Palin on McCain's ticket. The anti-corruption voters, aka Tea Party protesters, chose O'Donnell on their primary ticket because they KNEW the old fart was already part of the corruption, in on the abuses of office for his own power and personal profit. They plugged their nose and voted for new blood that swore to vote against Obamacide, O'Donnell despite her baggage. She'd be easier next round to primary out than re-electing the old gopper fart asshole (a la McCain's re-election -- good luck getting rid of that rubbish, too, next round).

Posted by: panzernashorn at October 16, 2013 02:56 PM (MhA4j)

251 Is this the "I feel dead inside" thread? If nothing else, it could also use a little moar Robin Thicke chicks with a Kate Upton chaser.

Posted by: jakeman at October 16, 2013 02:57 PM (vH4YP)

252 The 1st person who brought up O'Donnell should be banned. Who's next, Sarah Palin?

Posted by: Dr Spank at October 16, 2013 02:57 PM (9jLim)

253 Since you're hitting Todd Akin so hard...I don't recall him being a Tea Party creation. And didn't the establishment pull funds and support from Akin and O'Donnell? I haven't searched the AOS wayback machine but I seem to recall that being the reporting here at the time. The Tea Party is about individual responsibility, individual liberty and checking the state's overreach. Correct me if I'm wrong there. But I honestly don't see anything there that 'We' are wrong about there.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards at October 16, 2013 02:57 PM (3Znbm)

254 Since ace went pervy first, what the fuck is this freekate bullshit? She entered a fucking plea bargain. She is not getting out. She only got 79 days in a jail - not prison. When she gets out she will be under house arrest and she will undoubtedly violate it and be thrown back in the klink. The idiot and her supporters think she is above the law and they are doing her no favors.

Posted by: Jesse Pinkman, PhD Bitches! at October 16, 2013 02:57 PM (shXYq)

255 Face it, our candidates have to be smarter and more articulate than theirs. We are held to a higher (or impossible) standard.

However, I am still not convinced that Berg and Allen lost their races. The others did, but there were some very questionable results in ND and VA. Same with West in St. Lucie County, and Romney also won Florida. 70,000 GOP voters from 2008 in Miami-Dade mysteriously became Dem voters.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at October 16, 2013 02:57 PM (LxcRK)

256 Peter King hates Cruz because Cruz voted against the big, fat Sandy relief package that King wanted for his ~~cronies~~ constituents.

Posted by: huerfano at October 16, 2013 02:57 PM (bAGA/)

257 Seriously,I want an end to all early voting and all but the most necessary absentee ballots(like overseas military). Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 06:56 PM (9XBK2) In the continental US MIlitary also. Many are posted on a base not in their home States. And especially the Younger Officers and Enlisted do not change their voting district so they need absentee ballots also

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 16, 2013 02:57 PM (UbDLm)

258 "And while some tea party types did agree, others doubled down because this was now an opportunity to play their favorite game, Kneejerkedly Contradict The Establishment."

Ace . . . it just didn't happen that way. Other than Dana Loesch, can you give any examples of the Tea Party backing Akin? Everyone on the planet other than Loesch, Huckabee (not a Tea Partier by any measure), and Democrats wanted Akin out of the race.

Posted by: Mr Estrada at October 16, 2013 02:57 PM (qmOgr)

259 "109 So boner gets a standing O ?? What the hell for. Their all freaking delusional. ---- IKR... It's so fking pathetic.

Posted by: ThisBeingMilt at October 16, 2013 02:57 PM (7mQyC)

260 >>>If people want to sit out elections or leave the GOP over it, fine, there's the door. I'd rather lose 2% of voters that want a Theocracy

Pretending this is an issue for only 2% of your voters is laughable. If you tolerate abortion of late term anything you must then admit that the value of human life is arbitrary and subjective. If that's true I don't have to give a damn about anything but myself and I should go be liberal, because that's where the easy money and easy women are. If it isn't true then I have to try and save the innocent life. There isn't a defensible middle ground there. So let's start with that. Late term abortion should be completely illegal, unless, for physical (not mental, not threats of suicide, pure pathology which says we can't c-section this kid and you live) health reasons it is absolutely necessary to save the life of the woman. If we can't support that, I don't want anything to do with this little endeavor. Mankind doesn't deserve freedom and should be herded, shorn, and slaughtered by the smarter members of his number.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 02:57 PM (0q2P7)

261 Are we discussing overall statistics for first marriages or are we trading points on how youngsters in the last century took on the mantle of adulthood much earlier that today's bong-hitting, video game playing 26 year olds do? Posted by: Sphynx at October 16, 2013 06:54 PM (OZmbA) ******************************** My Depression-era father was in school until he finished 8th grade, then at 13 he picked up a hammer and went to work as a carpenter. I think that was pretty normal back then.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 02:58 PM (QVC7W)

262 Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 16, 2013 06:55 PM (UbDLm) Sorry; I don't know whom I'm confusing him with. All you people from that part of the state sound alike to me. J/K. Really ;^) But I bet you HE also knew the election was today.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 02:58 PM (a4Omg)

263
I need a beer, a date, and a pack of condoms.

Posted by: Sphynx at October 16, 2013 02:58 PM (OZmbA)

264 One cannot win statewide in Missouri while advocating that abortion should be outlawed

Please correct me if i'm wrong, but wasn't Akin leading in the polls until his idiotic rape comment?

Posted by: booger at October 16, 2013 02:58 PM (xRDdL)

265 >>Thats why they are there. McConnel needs to go. If there is a primary and McConnel wins it fair and square, then you vote for the lesser of the evils. There are reasons they are being primaried, that's not a bunch of disgruntled asses or bored church ladies. These are real patriots with real ideals and real money wanting something better for the country than the same ole ham sandwich. You mean guys like Marco Rubio who was a darling of the Conservative Fund and then proceeded to go all amnesty as his first act in the senate? That kind of true patriot? The point is it's totally hypocritical for Tea Partiers to whine about the establishment for not embracing them when the Tea Party is all about destroying the establishment. And there aim is not always true.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 02:58 PM (g1DWB)

266 255 McCotter was also set up.

Posted by: JarvisW at October 16, 2013 02:59 PM (E7Iyp)

267 This "Lugar's, Akin's, and O'Donnell's losses was the very convenient Stabbed In The Back theory" should be" "Mourdock's, Akin's, and O'Donnell's losses was the very convenient Stabbed In The Back theory". Ligature was a real pro. He would never have let himself get baited that way. Thanks Tea Party for giving me Joe Donnelly

Posted by: john at October 16, 2013 02:59 PM (5N45w)

268 But I bet you HE also knew the election was today. Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 06:58 PM (a4Omg) He did

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 16, 2013 02:59 PM (UbDLm)

269 Avg age of first marriage in 1850 America. White men 27 White women 23 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002115/table/T1/

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at October 16, 2013 02:59 PM (ZPrif)

270 257 Yes,of course.

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 02:59 PM (9XBK2)

271 I wish anyone would primary Peter King, that POS has been blaming republicans & on television, since Super Storm Sandy.

Posted by: CarolT at October 16, 2013 02:59 PM (z4WKX)

272 Yes, perhaps there could have been found a better candidate than Castle. But that would have had to have happened a year before the election, not two weeks before the primary, where the only challenger to Castle was a dummy over-bothered by people's masturbation habits.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 06:46 PM (/IWYB)

They were never going to find a better candidate than Castle. Castle WAS the Delaware GOP. Anyone going against him was going to be destroyed, personally, and that is why no one stepped up. O'Donnell only got through because they didn't take her seriously till it was too late.

Posted by: Rocks at October 16, 2013 03:00 PM (vR0sZ)

273 Rocks, I like you, but this is crazy: >>>O'Donnell was a terrible candidate and never had any shot of winning but that was never her function IMHO. If I had been in Delaware I would have supported her wholeheartedly as anything that was neccessary to insure Castle never got promoted to the Senate was gold in my book. Delaware is one of the bluest states in the country. It is super-liberal. Castle was not just a popular politician because he was a RINO; he was popular because people just liked him, and he's run statewide, so he was familiar to the exact constituency he was courting for the Senate. This was a once-in-a-lifetime political gift. When you spite a gift, you deserve what you get.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 03:00 PM (/IWYB)

274 Lugar...stupid autocorrect

Posted by: john at October 16, 2013 03:00 PM (5N45w)

275 Like several other morons said, Akin post the "legitimate rape" interview wasn't a Tea Party thing, he was a social conservative thing, and not even all of them, just a certain group that wanted to

Posted by: Rich Fader at October 16, 2013 03:00 PM (o8MPf)

276 @231 Yes, the opposite of debate between coequal representatives of the people. Rote denunciations of anyone who might cut a penny from Leviathan. We are all Emmanuel Goldstein here.

Posted by: Emmanuel Goldstein at October 16, 2013 03:00 PM (sOtz/)

277 Even Romney wanted Akin gone and alot of people got angry at him for it.

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 03:00 PM (9XBK2)

278 256 Peter King hates Cruz because Cruz voted against the big, fat Sandy relief package that King wanted for his cronies constituents. Posted by: huerfano at October 16, 2013 06:57 PM (bAGA/) huh, makes sense

Posted by: furious at October 16, 2013 03:00 PM (A98Xu)

279 269 Avg age of first marriage in 1850 America.
White men 27
White women 23
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002115/table/T1/

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at October 16, 2013 06:59 PM (ZPrif)

OK. I stand chastised. Still need a beer.

Posted by: Sphynx at October 16, 2013 03:00 PM (OZmbA)

280 ObamaÂ’s Liberal Hometown Paper Pens Scathing Editorial Ripping Obamacare, Calls For One-Year Delay of Individual MandateÂ… hum? Curious timing

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 16, 2013 03:01 PM (UbDLm)

281
she handed the seat over to a Marxist that now has a seat for life.
Posted by: McAdams

Yep. Just gave it away. Hers to lose. It's like she intentionally tanked the game.*

*In the previous six elections for that seat, no Republican did better than 41%. Christine got 40%.

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at October 16, 2013 03:01 PM (kdS6q)

282 Ted does not care. He will be reelected in Texas forever as long as he wants to be a Senator. Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon I am not criticizing, praising or accusing Ted Cruz of anything. He can think and do as he will, because he has a set of beliefs. Not every politician does. They are up there to do a job, and will go along to get along. If this "Tea Party" think looks popular, then they will go along with that (see Kelly Ayotte). Convictions, that's for a judge and jury. They are warning people off from Cruz and thinking and acting like him. The Soviet Denouncers of Ted and others like him self-identify as Democrat - Lite, and willing puppets of the Organizational Republicans.

Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at October 16, 2013 03:01 PM (RFeQD)

283 I heard Atotte in FNC, but shut it off because she's a turncoat.

Posted by: CarolT at October 16, 2013 03:01 PM (z4WKX)

284 Just fall in line, wingnuts.

Posted by: Senator John McCain at October 16, 2013 03:01 PM (5ikDv)

285 I'd give my pinky finger to find out who's whispering in these senators ears. For Kelly Ayotte to go out of her way not once but twice to dump on Cruz and lobby for obama's whimsy is quite odd. I'd love to know who is advising her to be self-destructive and counter-intuitive.

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 03:01 PM (U/ZJP)

286 I heard Atotte in FNC, but shut it off because she's a turncoat. Posted by: CarolT at October 16, 2013 07:01 PM (z4WKX) She's a McCain sycophant.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 03:02 PM (XIxXP)

287 First of all, Akin was not a Tea Party Candidate. The Tea Party candidate lost to him in a mulit candidate primary. There is some evidence that Democrats helped Akin because they thought he's be the easiest to beat. What the Tea Party did was support him after his primary win.

One look at Akin's district goes a long way to explain why he was a bad candidate for statewide office. It is heavily gerrymandered to help create a district for the corrupt Democrat St, Louis machine candidate and therefore is not competitive. Akin had probably said stupid things before and gotten away with it.

Second, it would be nice if Ace also turned his venom on a couple of establishment candidates for the US Senate who were multi-time losers in attempts to win state wide office. Why in 2012 did the powers that be think that retreads John Raese (WV) and Dino Rossi (WA) were worth supporting? Both men had lost more than one state wide race in recent election cycles. The voters had already made up their minds about these candidates and weren't likely to change it. This was, by the way, a major shortcoming against Christine O'Donnell before her witchcraft statement. She was known to and had been rejected by voters before. Raese in particular was a terrible choice as a fresh face might have had a real chance in West Virginia.

Losers are losers but the Republican establishment seems to embrace losers like Raese and Rossi. The message I get is that it is perfectly OK for a Republican candidate to be a perennial loser so long as they are a meek loser who doesn't rock the establishment boat

Posted by: NC Mountain Girl at October 16, 2013 03:02 PM (RHmFh)

288 >>ObamaÂ’s Liberal Hometown Paper Pens Scathing Editorial Ripping Obamacare, Calls For One-Year Delay of Individual MandateÂ… >>hum? Curious timing In the last 2 days I have heard Alan Colmes and neck fat Beckel both calling for a 1 year delay. Liberals can see the train wreck coming and they know it is going to be devastating. Don't fall for it. Obamacare, full speed ahead. Bring the pain.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 03:03 PM (g1DWB)

289 Just wanted to say the OP was great, Ace.

Posted by: AMinVA at October 16, 2013 03:03 PM (KaofE)

290 I would have voted for Satan over commie Mike Castle. We sent a message, and we're about to send a bunch more.

Posted by: Purity Republican at October 16, 2013 03:03 PM (9jLim)

291 Just fall in line, wingnuts. Posted by: Senator John McCain at October 16, 2013 07:01 PM (5ikDv) Fuck that thing in particular.

Posted by: Merovign , Dark Lord of the Sith [/i] [/b] [/s] [/u] at October 16, 2013 03:03 PM (qyfb5)

292

Texas needs to kick in to hire Cruz bodyguards.

Not Cornyn, though. If that worthless fuck stepped in front of a bus, Perry could name a real conservative.

Posted by: Invictus at October 16, 2013 03:03 PM (FBkKA)

293 btw, if this post is mostly about electing a majority to the Senate, it could not be more wrongheaded. McConnell is on board with obama, through and through. And the rest of them? They'd still side with Harry Reid. Because...big govt graft and power.

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 03:04 PM (U/ZJP)

294 One cannot win statewide in Missouri while advocating that abortion should be outlawed

__________________________

Sure you can. You just can't say "legitimate rape." It's also probably better if you don't insist on abortion being illegal even in the case of rape.

In Mourdock's case, he just should have remembered that you can't utter a sentence that, when taken at face value, indicates that you believe that God wills some women to be raped.

Posted by: Mr Estrada at October 16, 2013 03:04 PM (qmOgr)

295 @AmishDude 238

Dead on target, good post!

Posted by: cool breeze at October 16, 2013 03:04 PM (A+/8k)

296 Doesn't Joe Manchin actually vote more conservative than any of the female Republican senators?

Posted by: Invictus at October 16, 2013 03:05 PM (FBkKA)

297 re: hobbits.

I know that's based on something some idiot senator said, but I think it's inaccurate.

The Tea Party is more like the transition from Numenor to the Dunedain.

Posted by: Methos at October 16, 2013 03:05 PM (hO9ad)

298 I sort of picture the political spectrum as a giant pendulum, currently swinging far left. The establishment Republicans are hanging on to the pendulum like a kid in the playground, hoping that the pendulum will swing back the other way eventually. The Tea Party on the other hand is standing on the ground, trying to hold the pendulum where it is and start it back in the other direction. It may just be that the inertia of the pendulum will carry it until the counter forces equal or exceed the current impetus. We may have further leftward to go.

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon at October 16, 2013 03:05 PM (N/Sup)

299 Greta showed Ted Cruz on senate floor speaking. Now she has media whore McCain on! He has to go off into the sunset, with McConnell.

Posted by: CarolT at October 16, 2013 03:06 PM (z4WKX)

300 And on the SMOD front: we have 2013 TV135 to cheer for. This is a rock about a quarter of a mile in diameter that has a one in 63,000 chance of hitting us on August 26, 2032. The resulting explosion would be equal to 2500 one Megaton H bombs going off at the same time - or enough to get the attention of even the LIV/FSA types.

After one week of observation the asteroid has climbed to the Torino scale ranking of one. For those who don't know - the Torino scale has ten steps - One is "Oh that's interesting" Ten is "Oh God - Oh God were all going to die". Only one asteroid has ever reached level two - which is the "Hmm - what's this shit?" level. Less than one asteroid in 100 new discoveries ever reaches level one on the Torino scale.

Posted by: [/i] [/s] [/u] [/b] An Observation at October 16, 2013 03:06 PM (ylhEn)

301 Fuck it anyway, math is going to win.

Posted by: Merovign , Dark Lord of the Sith [/i] [/b] [/s] [/u] at October 16, 2013 03:06 PM (qyfb5)

302 14 and 15 year olds back then had more adult responsibilities than many 24 and 25 year olds today.

Posted by: rickl at October 16, 2013 06:54 PM (sdi6R)

Geo Washington was offered the lead of a surveying party in his late teens if memory serves (age 17).

But he turned it down because his parents health insurance covered him until he was 26 so he didn't have to work for a living!

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 16, 2013 03:06 PM (XdnQT)

303 I think we might be getting too hung up on the establishment vs non-establishment narrative. To me it's a bit more ideological, as there is a real divide between neoconservatives and traditional conservatives. I know the neocon term got abused during the Bush years, but it is a real ideology, even if there is not one unifying principle. Generally speaking neocons are more favorable to big government, and they still have a leftist belief in the power of government to effect positive change. So while there is something to the whole establishment mindset, it actually goes deeper than that. It's not just about tactics, as there is a true ideological rift in the party.

Posted by: Paul Zummo at October 16, 2013 03:06 PM (caPl0)

304 I am so pissed, went outside bare foot to yell at my dogs and stepped in dog shit, yeah, I tracked it through the house. AAARRRRRGGGGG!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 03:06 PM (XIxXP)

305 Let me distill it for yous: Republicans arw big govt fans because Big Govt = Influence + Power. Small Govt? Not so much.

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 03:06 PM (U/ZJP)

306 I can't find when Akin's rape comment went viral, but this RCP chart - http://tinyurl.com/7xhntb7 shows Akin tied or ahead until August 23rd, so i wouldn't be surprised to find out that's when that vid went viral. So yeah, while his loss wasn't engineered by the establishment it was pretty clear that he could have won on outlawing abortion (if that's what his position was), he just can't win with idiotic views on rape.

Posted by: booger at October 16, 2013 03:07 PM (xRDdL)

307 I'm just wondering, on what normal planet not inhabited by retards, that the absolute (and inevitable) failure of ObingaJunta Care somehow negates the desire for single payer? We now live in a country of rocks. Boxes of rocks, rock outcroppings, rock ledges, rock sculptures, ..... .....these people are fucking stupid. Far beyond the capacity of common sense to reign it in ...because FrEesHit!!111!!!11 and everyone that doesn't give me shit for nothing is racist. Fuck this shit..............

Posted by: 98ZJUSMC Waiting for the Sun at October 16, 2013 03:07 PM (pidOQ)

308 Just fall in line, ~~wingnuts~~ whackobirds.

Posted by: Senator John McCain at October 16, 2013 07:01 PM (5ikDv)

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 16, 2013 03:07 PM (Hx5uv)

309 Btw SEC Witchunt agents Mark Cuban is over.

Cuban won, and said the prosecutor was trying to bully him and the jury, and when she failed she shrived, started to shake, and almost cried.

I hope this sinks in to the Billionare wingnut, that this is what the left are all about.

Posted by: JarvisW at October 16, 2013 03:07 PM (E7Iyp)

310 The whole "they were stabbed in the back by the establishment" argument is also eerily reminiscent of the "Dolchstoss myth" the Nazis used to explain the German loss in WWI. Completely stupid, but allowed the German people to blame a boogeyman for their ills instead of themselves. Not that the two are equivalent, of course.

Posted by: nate the great at October 16, 2013 03:08 PM (/s2Hi)

311 Ace, I agree with everything you wrote, but I think it bears repeating that conservatives have ZERO room for error, whereas liberals can get away with saying or doing about anything. You mention Aiken, but Connecticut (now Senator) Chris Murphy said he believes human life begins AT BIRTH and won easily. It was not applied more broadly to some Greater Narrative about Democrats and infanticide. There was never any Media Narrative speculating if most Democrats behaved like Spitzer, Weiner or Filner. They were never asked to answer for them or differentiate themselves from them. That was assumed. Corey Booker exaggerated his hero stories, keeps an imaginary friend and may actually be another Anthony Weiner (or perhaps Jim McGreevy), but I'd wager that most of his voters today don't know any of that. Terry McAuliffe, unfortunately my next governor, just admitted that he opposes ANY restrictions on abortion. But, most voters will go into the ballot box thinking that KC is the extremist. We're fighting an unwinnable information war, IMHO. To use your old pitching metaphor, unless every one of our candidates is Justin Verlander, we're going to lose. Even worse, if he gives up a "cloud-f*cking home run", he might even somehow cause our other Verlanders to lose.

Posted by: RJ Wagner at October 16, 2013 03:08 PM (X0SQb)

312 as others have pointed out Akin was not a TP guy. He had been a congressman since 2001 and long been involved in R state politics. MOGOP pretty much screwed everything up in 2012. They waited until very late to have their primary (having discarded the results of a state-wide primary).

MOGOP was under attack from the Paul.bots who would disrupt cactus meetings, which would have to be re-scheduled. (i think lots of paul.bots were anti-war leftists...but they were not Rs).

The three-way race in the primary was between Atkin, a no-name business guy, and Steeleman...who had lost previous state-wide races. This was what the MOGOP had to offer. All three got about a third of the vote.

I know the RNC anxiously put out an autopsy report much to the cheering of the left...but they should be doing a deep dive on MOGOP and other state organizations to see why they have no bench strength...no infrastructure. Same with Thompson in WI,, Allen in VA, and others.

the GOP is non-existent in many states...and rotten in many others.

Posted by: rk at October 16, 2013 03:08 PM (2A0SC)

313 The thing that makes me despair is that (assuming Akin was a good candidate other than the stupid rape remarks - and I don't know him, so I can't say) even if he believed his Stupid with all his heart, he wasn't going to be able to change anything. There was no way that abortion would be eliminated, no matter what he thought, said, or did. So then, what if he was the very best fiscal candidate? Small government candidate? People essentially said, "He can't do anything about the statement I didn't like. He *can* do something about other things that I agree with. But I'll vote against him anyway, 'cause he said something I didn't like."

What if RR had believed/said that he didn't think interstate highways were a good thing? When there was no possibility of their going away? Should I have voted against him because I love the interstate system?

Posted by: Pentangle at October 16, 2013 03:08 PM (Kpb43)

314 NC Mountain Girl ha. Blessed are the meek losers for they shall not rock the establishment boat.

Posted by: panzernashorn at October 16, 2013 03:08 PM (MhA4j)

315 Just fall in line, wingnuts.

Posted by: Senator John McCain at October 16, 2013 07:01 PM (5ikDv)

Fuck that thing in particular.

As I posted that, McCain was blabbing about a "terrible way to do business" on Greta.

It pretty much amounted to "fall in line".

Posted by: noone, really at October 16, 2013 03:08 PM (5ikDv)

316 My life was not disrupted at all by shutdown, McCain! STFU!

Posted by: CarolT at October 16, 2013 03:09 PM (z4WKX)

317 281 Yep. Just gave it away. Hers to lose. It's like she intentionally tanked the game.* *In the previous six elections for that seat, no Republican did better than 41%. Christine got 40%. Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at October 16, 2013 07:01 PM (kdS6q) Shh. Don't contradict the RINO narrative. People could get the idea that she might have done better if she hadn't been sabotaged.

Posted by: rickl at October 16, 2013 03:09 PM (sdi6R)

318 Earlier today I thought nothing bigger than a church council could get things right. I'm hoping its a council of 3. I still hold that view. GWBs comment is pretty point on. Getting into the Akin mess now isn't the time nor place. But hey it's Ace's podium

Posted by: Misanthropic humanitarian, now with 50% more sensitivity at October 16, 2013 03:09 PM (HVff2)

319 Ace: "Akin was never the establishment's candidate; WTF are you talking about?

Akin was McCASKILL's favorite candidate.

You're trying to pin this one on the Establishment?"

I'm saying the TEA Party ended up backing up the GOP representative of the day. It wasn't who "they" wanted but it did ultimately fall in line because that's the army that it had, not the one it wanted. That's what grassroots conservatives are expected to do. Without fail.

It stands as a poor example to pin Aiken on the TEA Party, though. He was a poor choice among a heavily divided field; but the grassroots were obligated to support him (according to Establishment Rules) because he was the lesser of evils.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at October 16, 2013 03:09 PM (eHIJJ)

320 301 Fuck it anyway, math is going to win. Posted by: Merovign , Dark Lord of the Sith at October 16, 2013 07:06 PM (qyfb5) **************************** ^this The credit markets are going to start dismantling all this within the next few years. It is going to get ugly.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 03:09 PM (QVC7W)

321 Ace, I think you can make the argument the Akinesque losses were the fault of the establishment because no would have ever heard their crazy theories if they had been establishment candidates.

Posted by: Huckleberry Finn at October 16, 2013 03:09 PM (s1YqG)

322 Thorazine for McCain, stat. Ted Cruz lives in his head rent free.

Posted by: Beagle at October 16, 2013 03:09 PM (sOtz/)

323 I said this last week, but if you want some shadenfreude, go to McVain's Facebook page, and check the comments.

I looked thru about a thousand, and only found THREE that weren't negative or hostile lol

Posted by: JarvisW at October 16, 2013 03:10 PM (E7Iyp)

324 Ye gads, they can't even do a budget deal without pork. http://tinyurl.com/naefqxc

Posted by: Chris at October 16, 2013 03:11 PM (aBOfW)

325 Just watching Greta. Who needs enemies when you have McCain? He's now rubbing salt into the wounds. I expect that from a Dem but not a Republican, even a RINO.

Posted by: Decaf at October 16, 2013 03:11 PM (BAPj3)

326 Just fall in line, wingnuts/whackobirds. Posted by: Senator John McCain and WalrusRex That would require a willing suspension of vast right wing conspiracy disbelief.

Posted by: What difference does it make? at October 16, 2013 03:11 PM (MhA4j)

327
Greta's takin' it the lying asshole McCain. He pretends to be a helpless prick who was unable to effect any change, and simply bent over and took it up the ass for the team.

If that's the case, he should simply sit down and shut the fuck up!

Posted by: Doctor Fish at October 16, 2013 03:11 PM (pJF+c)

328 We may have further leftward to go. I remember seeing an etching of the Wheel of Fortune in some old book in high school English. The face of the guy on top was pure terror, the only person smiling was the one being ground down at the bottom.

Posted by: jakeman at October 16, 2013 03:11 PM (vH4YP)

329 27 What you say is true about Akins et al, if and only if you take the MFM out of the equation. Me, a non-Missourian, finds a flawed Akin nevertheless preferable to McCaskill. The media excoriated and otherwise lampooned Akin. When did they ever do that to McCaskill?

Posted by: random idea generator at October 16, 2013 06:16 PM (EzRIp)

Isn't that the point, though? Our candidates need to be a lot more appealing to the voting public than Democratic candidates do, because our candidates don't have the media to prop them up and tear down our opponents.

Posted by: Joshua at October 16, 2013 03:11 PM (oCZ4e)

330 Since ace went pervy first, what the fuck is this freekate bullshit?

***

There is no question that I would prosecute her. And she repeatedly violated court orders. Hard to feel sorry for her.

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 16, 2013 03:11 PM (Hx5uv)

331 he just can't win with idiotic views on rape.

if you're too tone deaf to dodge sucker questions enticing you to touch the 3rd rail, you have no place in DC

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at October 16, 2013 03:12 PM (l5zzX)

332 One good thing. When Booker wins he won't have to keep up the pretence of tweeting a stripper to make a point about his sexual orientation

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 03:12 PM (a4Omg)

333 301 Fuck it anyway, math is going to win. Posted by: Merovign , Dark Lord of the Sith at October 16, 2013 07:06 PM (qyfb5) It is. It always does. Math cannot be bought by political whimsy. It can only be obscured by lies. Wake up, idiots.

Posted by: 98ZJUSMC Waiting for the Sun at October 16, 2013 03:12 PM (pidOQ)

334 >>>The Establishment did not engineer their failures. The Establishment
predicted their failures, which is not the same thing as causing them.

That may be true. But. There is this thing that happens. When a candidate like say McCain wins the primary. Where, we get the, "Well we had the primary fair and square, our guy won, we would have supported you, but now you have to support us"

100% True COD went down in flames, was destined to go down in flames. So was Romney. That didn't stop me from supporting Romney once he was nominated. However despite the fact the establishment wasn't the engineer of the utter failure that was COD, they demand our loyalty when we lose and yet were quite willing to undercut her when she won. That lack of reciprocity is a valid bitch. No she always would have lost, but what was done to her during the campaign was a highlight of selective party loyalty that's good for thee but not for me. That sort of one way action is another problem that leads us to distrust the establishment. Because it *COULD* have made the difference, and they didn't seem to care.

If the establishment *wants* our trust they need to stop stabbing us in the back. Even if the stab wounds aren't what kills a candidate.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 03:12 PM (0q2P7)

335 and, btw, I have lots of issues with the GOP, but Akin could have won had he received the slightest bit of media training....and the smallest bit of professional campaign coaching. But, no, they were spending it all on Rove

Posted by: rk at October 16, 2013 03:12 PM (2A0SC)

336 We need the Senate back, and packed with reliable conservatives Posted by: Thunderb at October 16, 2013 06:47 PM (zOTsN) Timing, timing, timing.......a cold bucket of reality will do that. It depends on if that bucket hits soon.

Posted by: 98ZJUSMC Waiting for the Sun at October 16, 2013 03:14 PM (pidOQ)

337 Akin and O'Donnell were bad candidates, no doubt there. But what defines "extreme"? I think many Democrats that have been in office for decades are extreme, does the media characterize them that way? No.

They are operating from a different point of reference and they have an agenda to keep like minded people in power. On the flipside, a Republican candidate doesn't have to BE extreme to be CALLED extreme by the media. Paul Ryan was proposing some modest entitlement reforms as was basically being slandered as a murderer.

So, we can run all of the mainstream candidates we want, but don't believe for a second that the opinion makers are going to give them a pass.

Posted by: Ken Royall at October 16, 2013 03:14 PM (h+2SD)

338 149 you are incorrect, check out http://www.texansforstovall.com/

Posted by: no one at October 16, 2013 03:14 PM (3ky+E)

339

I've always contended one of America's strengths is also among its greatest weakness: the ego of Joe Sixpack.

Joe has confidence found nowhere else on this planet that enables him to accomplish amazing things. This ties in with Ace's spot on take on responsibility. Whether born of need or good parenting, responsibility demand action. Action produces result; repetition breed confidence and the knowledge one CAN do amazing things grows the ego. And, it's a wonderful thing. You cannot have one without the other.

And, since there was only ever one that was perfect; and He doesn't troll smart military blogs- we're gonna disagree in a very excited manner. But, at least we get to do that in a semi-private environment.

So, good so far? Now, regarding the festering scab that is the O'Donnell campaign: these element are very much a part of the debate. Did the RNC "predict" or "cause" the loss? Fuck no. The establishment can't predict shit, nor do I be there was a conspiracy to lose. There were spirited debates, as there should be, but we did that shit on TV- and that was remarkably unhelpful. And, since Rove is so fucking smart, he should've known that shit.

It's time to rip off that scab, squeeze out the puss, let the wound heal, and drive the fuck on. Let's keep yelling at each (as its unavoidable), but let's do it in private. And, when the primary is over- STFU, line up, and go kick some ass.

Posted by: Beefy at October 16, 2013 03:15 PM (bUmSq)

340 Losers are losers but the Republican establishment seems to embrace losers like Raese and Rossi. The message I get is that it is perfectly OK for a Republican candidate to be a perennial loser so long as they are a meek loser who doesn't rock the establishment boat Posted by: NC Mountain Girl Win or lose, money is raised and spent, and a small handful of political consultants and advisors make a lot of money. These are the permanent foot soldiers of the Republican Establishment. They recruit and groom and send these guys out as hired guns, to make money, and sometimes win elections. If they find out they have some real brains, then they get promoted into something less public but more lucrative. Ideology? It's money that moves BOTH parties. The Democrats just like to use YOUR money to buy votes and power to make more money for themselves. That's why they are significantly more corrupt than Republicans. But the Organizational Republcans are corrupt also. They have no First Principles, and they like it that way.

Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at October 16, 2013 03:15 PM (RFeQD)

341 This was a once-in-a-lifetime political gift.

When you spite a gift, you deserve what you get.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 07:00 PM

Primaries are strange things. Joe Miller wins the Republican primary and sore loser Murky runs a write-in campaign and beats Miller. Mike Castle loses to COD and the establishment goes ballistic. Ted Cruz won both his primary and the general. Whom does Mitch McConnell love most - Ted or Murky?

Posted by: mrp at October 16, 2013 03:15 PM (HjPtV)

342 "Terrible Way to Do Business?"

How about " No Negotiations"

Is that GOOD BUSINESS, Senator Psycho?

Posted by: noone, really at October 16, 2013 03:15 PM (5ikDv)

343 I am tired of the constant snipping at the Establishment and the Tea Party who share common goals (smaller govt., lower taxes) but disagree mightily on how to get there and what constitutes a win. Yep. Me too.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 03:15 PM (a4Omg)

344 Did someone already say Joe Manchin? He's looking pretty good. Skeletons?

Posted by: Grandmalcaesar at October 16, 2013 03:15 PM (l6Vxv)

345 if you're too tone deaf to dodge sucker questions enticing you to touch the 3rd rail, you have no place in DC

Oh i agree, just pointing out that whatever platform he was running on before, and i really have no idea what he was running on, isn't what caused him to lose, it was those idiotic rape comments.

Posted by: booger at October 16, 2013 03:16 PM (xRDdL)

346 295 @AmishDude 238 Dead on target, good post! Thanks. I am still amazed at the health care that I get. It's a top-notch service, far beyond my house, food, computer, TV, car, etc. Of course, it is expensive and done through my employer (so I don't see the cost) but it's pretty well true elsewhere. And look at Obamacare. The one thing that middle-class people complained about was the expense of healthcare. Everybody doesn't get covered? Well, there are consequences to being poor. That's what being poor means. When the care is needed, you can get it. But you can't come into the doctor everyday because you have no job and are a hypochondriac. So what does Obamacare do? Makes it more expensive. I mean, how the hell is that possible? We were told that American healthcare is some of the most expensive on the planet and impossible to imagine anything more expensive. And yet Obama managed it.

Posted by: AmishDude at October 16, 2013 03:16 PM (T0NGe)

347 338 Hell yeah,Obama voted for live infants to be allowed to die!That's pretty extreme.

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 03:16 PM (9XBK2)

348 >>>>Either way this wasn't the establishment's fault. it was a bad circumstance caused by a close three way vote and some Strategic Deception by Clarie McCaskill in lauding Akin as "the most conservative candidate"... which all too many conservatives fell for. You know ace you're very quick to correct that akin was not really an establishment choice, yet you have no real problem calling him a tea party candidate even after admitting you know that it is not true.

Posted by: Buzzion at October 16, 2013 03:16 PM (TOyy4)

349 (crap...) ...try to guilt the national party into supporting him and push him to the win to stick it in the eye of the pro-abort crowd. Of course, the win with him was never going to be an option post "legit rape", but that appeared to be the strategy such at it was. And I would have thought the Missouri party had other viable candidates available who were just as social-conservative and pro-life as Todd but not as inept of tongue who could have stuck it in the eye of pro-aborts by winning, but what do I know, I live in California. Incidentally, care to guess which popular female GOP/Tea Party politician endorsed one of the other candidates in that race in the first place and was upset enough about the "legit rape" thing to float supporting a write-in run?

Posted by: Rich Fader at October 16, 2013 03:16 PM (o8MPf)

350 Also, isn't it clear to everyone that Ace is not a bomb-throwing, apocalyptic, revolutionary type? How many times does he have to say it? He likes dirty jokes and dark humor and gets frustrated and depressed about the path his government and fellow citizens keep choosing. But I think some of the more Eschatonic End Times proponents ehre are fooled by the masthead and dark humor into thinking he's one of them. There are some people here who seem to actually want some sort of cataclysmic purifying fire to engulf the nation. And they seem surprised when Ace doesn't join them in their desire for the Cleansing Fire of Armageddon. For one thing, it's pretty clear that Ace isn't very religious. And the whole purifying fire talk is super religious. It's the type of talk that doesn't appeal much to the irreligious. It's the type of talk that actually puts off the irreligious cause it sounds so culty, in fact. It's interesting to see a huge divide between the blow owner and many of the most passionate and prolific commenters. Seems like if a lowly commenter said what Ace has said he'd get pilloried as a RINO traitor troll and told to go back to DU or KosLand. At least that's how it seems to me.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at October 16, 2013 03:16 PM (ZPrif)

351 if you're too tone deaf to dodge sucker questions enticing you to touch the 3rd rail, you have no place in DC Posted by: Purp at October 16, 2013 07:12 PM (l5zzX) Exactly right. In a way I blame the RNC for a failure to coalesce behind issues with clear and concise messaging, you know, like the winners did. Every candidate should have received an all expenses paid trip to a three day STFU class.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 03:16 PM (XIxXP)

352 >> and, btw, I have lots of issues with the GOP, but Akin could have won had he received the slightest bit of media training....and the smallest bit of professional campaign coaching. But, no, they were spending it all on Rove The dude spent a decade in Congress and needed training to understand you don't say stupid shit about rape? Free campaign training from a moron, don't say stupid shit about rape. You're welcome.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 03:16 PM (g1DWB)

353 Here is what I know about the last few weeks. The repukes have no ideological purity in their party. The dummycraps do. Therefore, although I do consider the dems a minority party, they are starting to dominate. Along with their accomplices, they are driving the country to ruin.

Posted by: Truck Monkey, Gruntled New Business Owner at October 16, 2013 03:17 PM (jucos)

354 Senator Psycho. LOL They should make a movie.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 03:17 PM (a4Omg)

355 show me evidence that the establishment wants smaller govt, plz

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 03:17 PM (U/ZJP)

356 infantalization you say? like this? Â“We, as custodians of this great nation, members of the United States Congress, are like parents,Â” [Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas)] said on the House floor. Â“And therefore I ask any parent that is listening: How long do they wait before they see a toddler fall, or do they leap toward that toddler so that they know the strength of that parent is always there?Â”

Posted by: Running Hobo at October 16, 2013 03:17 PM (l1oyw)

357 "blog owner", not "blow owner".

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at October 16, 2013 03:17 PM (ZPrif)

358 Though I agree about O'Donnell and Akins, what was slightly infuriating was not so much people on the right warning others off off them in the primary, or asking for Akin to withdraw, but rather their continued badmouthing during the General election season. Instead of just dealing with the respective candidacies, it seemed they were actively rooting for defeat. It's akin to what we are seeing with King's little victory dance. The establishment (ok I said it) preaches moderation and party unity, yet they are perhaps even more spiteful when they don't get their way- and even when they do.

Posted by: Paul Zummo at October 16, 2013 03:17 PM (caPl0)

359 >>>When you spite a gift, you deserve what you get.

I used to think Castle was probably the way to go. But the more I hear this the more I believe that losing was necessary.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 03:17 PM (0q2P7)

360 Man, I type for shit.

Posted by: Beefy at October 16, 2013 03:17 PM (bUmSq)

361 The credit markets are going to start dismantling all this within the next few years. It is going to get ugly.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 07:09 PM (QVC7W)

Unpossible. Fantastic Joe promised me there wouldn't be any consequences of continuing down this path.

Posted by: Methos at October 16, 2013 03:18 PM (hO9ad)

362 Again this is just reality. if people want to continue pretending that the northeast is JUST LIKE the reddest areas of Kansas, and we have to make no strategic compromises in such hostile terrain, whatever.

But don't call yourself a patriot for doing so.

Denying reality is never virtuous. It's irresponsible.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 06:48 PM (/IWYB)

Yup. The terrain analogy is a good one. Sometimes you're presented with an open field and sometimes there is a castle with a moat and the draw bridge is up. Sprinting straight ahead is not the answer to both of these scenarios.

Posted by: The Obsidian Owl at October 16, 2013 03:18 PM (ZoXtL)

363 Speaking of Booker...what's going on in NJ? Polls should be closing soon.

Posted by: Bosk at October 16, 2013 03:18 PM (n2K+4)

364 Delaware is one of the bluest states in the country. It is super-liberal. Castle was not just a popular politician because he was a RINO; he was popular because people just liked him, and he's run statewide, so he was familiar to the exact constituency he was courting for the Senate.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime political gift.

When you spite a gift, you deserve what you get.

Posted by: ace at October 16, 2013 07:00 PM (/IWYB)

Yes, Delaware is that. But Castle was worse. He wasn't just a RINO, outside of finances where he was moderate to right, he was flat out liberal. More liberal than the state of Delware itself on some issues. Delaware is fairly conservative on gun laws for instance. Castle had an F from the NRA and bragged about it. That's just the beginning. Castle wasn't popular, he just had great name recognition from being around forever. It likely he would have lost the general election anyway as he was an arrogant prick and that quickly came out once he was challenged and he would have had a strong challenge from any Democratic candidate.

Regardless, I would still say that, unless you want the GOP to split, keeping guys like Castle out of the leadership is was more important than giving up a seat that was probably going to stay blue anyone. The exposure of the sick tactics of the Delaware GOP during that election proves it. Castle was damaging enough to the GOP as a House member. To make him a Senator would be catastrophic.

Posted by: Rocks at October 16, 2013 03:18 PM (vR0sZ)

365 Chistine O'Donnel is not the creation of the Tea Party. The De State GOP had seen fit to have her run for Senate more than once when they didn't care to run a real campaign against Biden.
And the State GOP actively worked for her defeat.
And Mike Castle refused to endorse her.

Lastly, this was an anything goes race between to lightweight candidates, so the idea that it was foreordained that she lose is false.

And I freely admit she is a bad candidate. That is called hindsight.

Posted by: Typo Dynamofo at October 16, 2013 03:19 PM (FtCW+)

366 Erastus Corning (a former Dem mayor of Albany NY) perfected the art of talking for an hour to reporters and saying absolutely nothing at all. He could deftly dodge the trap questions like a Heisman winner and burn up precious time like a team up 10 points with 60 seconds left on the clock.

He'd spend 10 minutes just avoiding an inconvenient question and leave the reporters not even realizing they were being played.

All politicians should study his old tapes like they were the freaking dead sea scrolls and learn from an old world master at the craft.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at October 16, 2013 03:20 PM (l5zzX)

367 O'Donnell may have been doomed to lose in liberal
Delaware, but that is no excuse for Karl Rove trashing her on TV on the
very night of her primary victory.

Posted by: rickl

No! It's her fault for losing a seat held by Democrats for almost 40 years. No excuses!

---

Yeah, that anti-witch platform she ran on was out of the mainstream. You don't Hillary! or Pelosi denying that they are witches, do you? We need to reach out to the black magic-American community.

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 16, 2013 03:20 PM (Hx5uv)

368 Stupid lefties get elected all the time no matter what dumb utterances come out of their mouth. Case in point Gwen Moore. Posted by: Mama ----------------- Because, media.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at October 16, 2013 03:20 PM (aDwsi)

369

I still remember Rove on FNC with his frigging poster boards, night after night, hanging O'Donnell (and other TPr's) out to dry. I don't care if it was O'D or not, the Repub Establshment lost me forever that night.

As some on mentioned above, TP should tell the Repub party eff off.

Posted by: odd at October 16, 2013 03:20 PM (kduZC)

370 >> show me evidence that the establishment wants smaller govt, plz They say they do all the time, particularly in the even-numbered years.

Posted by: Andy at October 16, 2013 03:20 PM (0ZQCB)

371 Posted by: Bosk at October 16, 2013 07:18 PM (n2K+4) Polls close at 8:00. I was wondering what was happening too, but I don't have a TV that gets anything but DVD reception and the internet has been useless for info.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at October 16, 2013 03:21 PM (a4Omg)

372 The credit markets are going to start dismantling all this within the next few years. It is going to get ugly.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 07:09 PM (QVC7W)

Years?

Nah.

Posted by: Amnesty! at October 16, 2013 03:21 PM (5ikDv)

373 The establishment GOP wants a smaller gubmint? Yikes, just spewed liquid everywhere. Ha ha that there be funny. John Mc Cain would have us in every 3rd world country where there is a disagreement for 1 example

Posted by: Misanthropic humanitarian, now with 50% more sensitivity at October 16, 2013 03:21 PM (HVff2)

374 Posted by: Buzzion at October 16, 2013 07:16 PM (TOyy4) You noticed. Optic nuance...

Posted by: panzernashorn at October 16, 2013 03:21 PM (MhA4j)

375 Free campaign training from a moron, don't say stupid shit about rape.

You're welcome. Posted by: JackStraw

If you believe life begins at conception, which it does, why is what he said stupid?

Posted by: Dr Spank at October 16, 2013 03:21 PM (9jLim)

376

----------------

There are certain times at which some of us say, in essence, "This guy's just too big of an idiot to vote for." Someone who interspersed his or her speeches with discussion about his weekly fairy hunting expeditions would probably generate this sort of a reaction from me. Additionally, Aikin's story as reported came across as insensitive toward rape victims. And that's one group of people that pretty much everyone agrees needs all the sensitivity that it can get.

Posted by: junior at October 16, 2013 03:21 PM (UWFpX)

377 this is the same establishment that voted for Fin Reg reform, Cash for Clinkers, etc. the same group of assholes who have rubberstamped every single obama nomination you want to send MORE of these jerkoffs to the Senate??

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 03:21 PM (U/ZJP)

378 This sort of thing strikes me as sort of thing the Establishment types talk about when they suggest some in the Tea Party have a "reality problem." It's this relentless doubling-down and never admitting an obvious mistake, always looking for a scapegoat to justify one's own errors. -------- Meanwhile, I've yet to see the Establishment apologize and admit their mistakes with Romney and McCain. This street runs two ways. The Establishment loses elections too. Yet, instead of using the Tea Party excuse, that they would have won had they not been stabbed in the back by conservatives, they use a different one. "We chose the best possible candidate, objectively speaking, and because he lost, we therefore conclude no one could have won. So you can't blame us for losing an election where no one could have won."

Posted by: Rich at October 16, 2013 03:22 PM (EaFK8)

379 honestly if they can run on aborting kidss why can't others run on life?

oh and little forgotten teatards, wackos, terrorists, anarchists, racists, kkk's.

and some get a sting on being called rhino?

Posted by: willow at October 16, 2013 03:22 PM (nqBYe)

380 "This is where the Never Back Down caucus really, really loses me and really, really makes me doubt their capacity for politics.

Even in abject, embarrassing defeat, there's still this claim "Well we wuz right anyway, we don't care about your facts. Our hearts were in the right place!"

Hearts were in the right place? Well, bully for you."

I'm not sure what you mean by "Never Back Down." People defending Aiken or Palin or George Allen are not saying that people don't make mistakes. They are saying that if you don't stand up to a bully you will find yourself on the ground eating dirt. They are saying don't let the dems define you or accept their premises. George Allen got taken out over "macaca." Palin is mocked for things Tina Fey said.

Instead of calling BS, you can always count on the GOP to start bellycrawling and coming out en masse to say "I'm not like her/him. I'm not an oogedy-boogedy conservative. They're an embarrassment to the party." If the GOP stood their ground and punched back twice as hard, they would win some of these fights. Not all but enough of them to make the dems find a new tactic. But they don't. So Reid feels free to stand in the senate and lie "Romney doesn't pay any taxes."

I will back fighters. Back their play every time. I will not take crap and stand with crap weasels who spend all their time calling me a 'wacko' bird but don't forget to send my money to the GOP.

It's not like being democrate lite and sucking up to Barry, the MSM or the dems is working for the GOP. hello, Rove backed 1.9% of the winners last election. he blew $400 million and is doubling down on his losing strategy. Christine O'donnell didn't cost us $400 mil.

Posted by: Black Redneck at October 16, 2013 03:22 PM (bib2h)

381 The Chinese have quietly been unloading treasuries since the start of the year. If they're not in a buying mood anymore, we're gonna start seeing failed auctions

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at October 16, 2013 03:22 PM (l5zzX)

382 There are some people here who seem to actually want some sort of cataclysmic purifying fire to engulf the nation. And they seem surprised when Ace doesn't join them in their desire for the Cleansing Fire of Armageddon.

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.

Oh, yeah, that's the good stuff.

Posted by: LIB type with an apocalyptic Schadenboner at October 16, 2013 03:23 PM (6TB1Z)

383 Hannity gets (rare) points for calling it "McCainCare" and "CorkerCare" .

I like it.

Posted by: noone, really at October 16, 2013 03:23 PM (5ikDv)

384

"150 years ago fifteen year old boys got married to 14 year old girls and they ran farms together, in between raising children."

It doesn't take away from the point, but, for the record the 15 and 14 thing is something of an urban myth. Here's some real-life examples:

(1) One pair of my ancestors married in 1862. Groom was 24, bride was 22. City people, Irish.

(2) Another pair of my ancestors were also married in 1862. Groom was 27, bride was 21. Irish city people also.

(3) Another pair of my ancestors were married in 1851. Groom was 22, bride was three weeks shy of 18. City people also, but German.

(4) Another pair of my ancestors were married in 1860. Groom was about 32, bride was 21. German city people also.

(5) Another pair of my ancestors were married in 1852. Groom was 25, bride was 21. Country people.

(6) Another pair of my ancestors were married about 1866, when the groom was and bride were both about 21. Country people also.

(7) Another ancestor was married in JAN1846. He, the groom, was 23, and his first bride was about 21. Country people. After his 1st wife died, remarried in NOV1846, when he was 24. His 2nd wife was a month shy of her 14th birthday (so she was 13).

The 13-year-old was the anomaly, in an unusual situation. Country or city, the brides were usually about 21, and the grooms were a few years older. For the woman, it was like entering the workplace when of age. For the man, he needed a few years to get established with the means to support a family.

Posted by: Optimizer at October 16, 2013 03:23 PM (Mxt9o)

385 Posted by: Black Redneck at October 16, 2013 07:22 PM (bib2h) Well Said.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 03:23 PM (XIxXP)

386 don't confuse flagellants with philosophers

***

Yeah, you've got to pay flagellants, particular if you want them to wear a sexy costume.

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 16, 2013 03:23 PM (Hx5uv)

387 >>>if you're too tone deaf to dodge sucker questions enticing you to touch the 3rd rail, you have no place in DC
Posted by: Purp at October 16, 2013 07:12 PM (l5zzX)

Exactly right. In a way I blame the RNC for a failure to coalesce behind issues with clear and concise messaging, you know, like the winners did. Every candidate should have received an all expenses paid trip to a three day STFU class.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 07:16 PM (XIxXP) <<<

I'm not sure about that. Haven't really thought about it. Let me get back to you.

Posted by: Terry McAuliffe (next gov of Virginia) at October 16, 2013 03:24 PM (7EoL1)

388 Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 07:21 PM (U/ZJP) Well said & so true, so very true

Posted by: Misanthropic humanitarian, now with 50% more sensitivity at October 16, 2013 03:24 PM (HVff2)

389 313 What if RR had believed/said that he didn't think interstate highways were a good thing? When there was no possibility of their going away? Should I have voted against him because I love the interstate system?

No, that's not it at all. He exposed himself as an idiot, on one topic. Generally one does not assume that someone who is an idiot on one topic has merely reserved his brilliance for other areas.

Worse, his particular form of idiocy conformed perfectly to the Republican stereotype promulgated by the Democratic Party and the Media (sorry for the redundancy). It went national. He could not have said anything more perfect to mess up his candidacy and his party if he had planned it out for months.

Posted by: Splunge at October 16, 2013 03:24 PM (bKA83)

390 >> If they're not in a buying mood anymore, we're gonna start seeing failed auctions Hahahahaha

Posted by: Janet Yellen at October 16, 2013 03:24 PM (0ZQCB)

391 376 Free campaign training from a moron, don't say stupid shit about rape. You're welcome. Posted by: JackStraw If you believe life begins at conception, which it does, why is what he said stupid? Posted by: Dr Spank at October 16, 2013 07:21 PM (9jLim) Uh because what he said is that women's vaginas have magic goalies that stop the rape sperm for finding an egg.

Posted by: Buzzion at October 16, 2013 03:25 PM (TOyy4)

392 Whom does Mitch McConnell love most - Ted or Murky? Posted by: mrp Murcowski performs as expected, and helps to keep the pork rolling in for herself, Alaska, and the rest of the "TEAM" that plays along. Ted Cruz apparently doesn't. Again, ideology is overated with the professional politician. It's all about the money flow from you -> government -> back home, with a percentage going to the in-between guys. If the politicians skimmed .001% off the Federal budget to pay themselves, that would still be 3.6 billion dollars. Steal in moderation is the unwritten motto of the professional politician.

Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at October 16, 2013 03:25 PM (RFeQD)

393 If Akin and ODonnell were in the Senate right now, I'll bet they wouldve done us proud. Can't say that about Castle. So we reallt didn't lose a goddam thing, did we?

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 03:25 PM (U/ZJP)

394 Posted by: WalrusRex at October 16, 2013 07:20 PM (Hx5uv) Fred Thompson says that when all is said and done, WHO you hire on your team makes all the difference. She should never have turned to a campaign management advertiser whom she did. That's on her. She got Schmidtted like Palin did. Bad, twisted advice. ...deserve's got nothing to do with it.

Posted by: panzernashorn at October 16, 2013 03:25 PM (MhA4j)

395 Posted by: Professor Peabody's Throwback Apparatus at October 16, 2013 06:51 PM (LNYzO) --- Well put.

Posted by: ThisBeingMilt at October 16, 2013 03:26 PM (7mQyC)

396 >>If you believe life begins at conception, which it does, why is what he said stupid? Because what he actually said was that he believes women have a way to shut down icky sperm in the cases of "legitimate" rape. It had nothing to do with life beginning at conception, it had everything to do with saying something that is scientifically absurd and insulting. That is what killed his chances and not saying that he believed life began at conception.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 03:26 PM (g1DWB)

397 Well, if Mike Castle was the "gift," I would have cancelled the party.

Posted by: A Balrog of Morgoth at October 16, 2013 03:27 PM (Q9qpj)

398 And I freely admit she is a bad candidate. That is called hindsight.

No that's foresight. She was predicted to be, and was, an abysmal candidate.

There are certain times at which some of us say, in essence, "This guy's just too big of an idiot to vote for."

Such a thing is all the more remarkable when you consider that his opponent was.......Claire McCaskill.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 03:27 PM (6TB1Z)

399 Uh because what he said is that women's vaginas have magic goalies that stop the rape sperm for finding an egg. Posted by: Buzzion

Oh yeah, I forgot that, that is stupid, but totally true.

Posted by: Dr Spank at October 16, 2013 03:27 PM (9jLim)

400 The Chinese have quietly been unloading treasuries since the start of the year. If they're not in a buying mood anymore, we're gonna start seeing failed auctions Posted by: Purp What auctions? Federal Reserve is buying up Treasuries. The Chinese know it and so does everyone else. The Chinese don't want to be hold too much of that toilet paper when the shit hits the fan.

Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at October 16, 2013 03:27 PM (RFeQD)

401 >>>I am tired of the constant snipping at the Establishment and the Tea Party who share common goals (smaller govt., lower taxes)

The reason there is a Tea Party is that this isn't even true. The Tea Party came about in response to the giant government expansion under George Bush.

Posted by: Typo Dynamofo at October 16, 2013 03:27 PM (FtCW+)

402 Okay Flatbush, no fire and brimstone.

What do you think happens when the leverage scam in the stock market (among other places) reverses course and the Dow goes back to three digits?

This is no magic conspiracy theory, it's just recognition that the old Schoolhouse Rock cartoon about how banks multiply the money supply doesn't cover the entire mechanism.

Posted by: Methos at October 16, 2013 03:27 PM (hO9ad)

403 Seems like if a lowly commenter said what Ace has said he'd get pilloried as a RINO traitor troll and told to go back to DU or KosLand. At least that's how it seems to me.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at October 16, 2013 07:16 PM (ZPrif)

Who would you rather have in the next foxhole? Malor or Iron Grampa?

Posted by: Invictus at October 16, 2013 03:28 PM (FBkKA)

404 It's time to rip off that scab, squeeze out the puss, let the wound heal, and drive the fuck on. Let's keep yelling at each (as its unavoidable), but let's do it in private. And, when the primary is over- STFU, line up, and go kick some ass. Posted by: Beefy at October 16, 2013 07:15 PM (bUmSq) I understand what you're saying, but,....no. Joe Sixpack has been supplanted by hip urban indoctrinated douchebag and all those that want to be hip urban indoctrinated douchebag. They don't know any better because the TV says: TeAParTyRacIsT!!111111111!eLebiNty!!!!1 and they all believe it. They can't think. Period.

Posted by: 98ZJUSMC Waiting for the Sun at October 16, 2013 03:28 PM (pidOQ)

405 >>>we're gonna start seeing failed auctions

heh - The fed is going to buy bonds, and however many it has to, at whatever price it has to, to keep the auctions from failing. Everyone at the top knows that. They probably would have bought ALL bonds pending maturity and held them until the debt limit was raised to prevent us from defaulting. At least I would have been surprised if they didn't. Offer an additional 0.5% for a mature bond? Money in the bank baby.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 03:28 PM (0q2P7)

406 "He lost for the exact reasons they said he'd lose. His position, and his bumbling stupidity, was indeed too extreme even for Red, Republican-tilting Missouri, and even up against a horrible, unpopular ObamaCare-fan by the name of Claire McCaskill." I think the bumbling stupidity played the larger role. For both Akin and COD. Heck, *I* am just as far right as either of them and *I* wouldn't have voted for either because of their stupidity.

Posted by: gm at October 16, 2013 03:28 PM (/kBoL)

407 Some of you saw us in concert.

Posted by: Magic Sperm Goalies at October 16, 2013 03:28 PM (sOtz/)

408 What auctions? Federal Reserve is buying up Treasuries. The Chinese know it and so does everyone else. The Chinese don't want to be hold too much of that toilet paper when the shit hits the fan. Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at October 16, 2013 07:27 PM (RFeQD) Is that like racing the check to the bank with the money from a check you cashed somewhere else?

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 03:28 PM (XIxXP)

409 In Akin's case, people pushed for him to leave because Claire was a sitting duck and even after the media firestorm she could have been beat. By any ordinary candidate. Akin would have had to step down gracefully to patch over ill feelings, but Claire was the easiest take for us going into the campaign. And then we got ads about Paul Ryan and Todd Akin voting together, the war on women bs, and every candidate being asked insultingly stupid questions about their stances just to remind everyone about it.

Posted by: Dave S. at October 16, 2013 03:29 PM (ma+gB)

410 383 The Chinese have quietly been unloading treasuries since the start of the year. If they're not in a buying mood anymore, we're gonna start seeing failed auctions Posted by: Purp at October 16, 2013 07:22 PM (l5zzX) ******************** I used to think so, until Janet Yellen. QE infinity: the Fed will step in and print money to purchase Treasuries, for a while at least. At the current rate, they will own all the available mortgage-backed securities by sometime in 2015-16, and they'll have to step up the Treasury buying because they have to do something with all that cash. Inflation is the game plan. Devalue the debt, increase real taxes by things like reducing the value of deduction thresholds and the deductions themselves, corporate brackets not being indexed, phantom capital gains, etc. They are not even being subtle about it. At some point the interest payments become big enough to cause real pain, and they will have to start prioritizing what to cut. It will get ugly. But the Fed has bought a couple of years and will probably be able to buy a couple of more, before it all comes crashing down.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at October 16, 2013 03:29 PM (QVC7W)

411
90 Days Before Gov't Runs Out of Money -- Again...
113 days before debt default...

And then Shutdown II: This Time It's Personal!

Posted by: WalrusRex at October 16, 2013 03:29 PM (Hx5uv)

412 I take IG hands down over squishy barrister

Posted by: Misanthropic humanitarian, now with 50% more sensitivity at October 16, 2013 03:30 PM (HVff2)

413 409 Some of you saw us in concert.
Posted by: Magic Sperm Goalies at October 16, 2013 07:28 PM (sOtz/)

I did! That night when you guys opened for Ovum Zygote Machine was awesome!

Posted by: Splunge at October 16, 2013 03:30 PM (bKA83)

414 Steal in moderation is the unwritten motto of the professional politician.

Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at October 16, 2013 07:25 PM (RFeQD)

^^^This!

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 16, 2013 03:30 PM (XdnQT)

415 Who would you rather have in the next foxhole?Malor or Iron Grampa?

Posted by: Invictus at October 16, 2013 07:28 PM (FBkKA)

To be fair, that's... kind of a straw man argument.

*turns laptop off, slams laptop shut, runs away*

Posted by: The October Owl at October 16, 2013 03:31 PM (ZoXtL)

416 Who would you rather have in the next foxhole?Malor or Iron Grampa? I'd take one IG over 10 Malors.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet Palin/Bolton 2016 at October 16, 2013 03:32 PM (XIxXP)

417 Akin was not dead as a candidate until his weak and vague walkback the next day. Remember how bad that was?

Posted by: Beagle at October 16, 2013 03:32 PM (sOtz/)

418 Yellen will print until the world is level.

Posted by: Invictus at October 16, 2013 03:32 PM (FBkKA)

419 357 infantalization you say? like this? Â“We, as custodians of this great nation, members of the United States Congress, are like parents,Â” [Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas)] said on the House floor. Â“And therefore I ask any parent that is listening: How long do they wait before they see a toddler fall, or do they leap toward that toddler so that they know the strength of that parent is always there?Â” Posted by: Running Hobo at October 16, 2013 07:17 PM (l1oyw) See...this is why I absolutely loathe Democrats and anyone else who shares leftist views. I have two parents...a mother and a father. They were responsible for taking care of me and my brother. Now where does it say in the United States Constitution that Congress are my parents, nor an entity that I need to take care of me. This shit has to stop. And I mean stopped...not slowing down, but stopped!

Posted by: I Be That Chick at October 16, 2013 03:33 PM (kVw0W)

420 "This sort of thing strikes me as sort of thing the Establishment types talk about when they suggest some in the Tea Party have a "reality problem." It's this relentless doubling-down and never admitting an obvious mistake, always looking for a scapegoat to justify one's own errors." Explain, Barack Obama? He's a Maximalist, in sheeps clothing. The LEFT GOES ALL IN without remorse. Yet the Right gets all self-reflective and worries what others will think about them. Perhaps if the Right became a little more hardcore and stood by its own Maximalists things would be swinging the correct way. Instead the Establishment Right kowtows to the Lefts narratives. beating the MEDIA would be a good idea as well.

Posted by: Rodney C. Johnson at October 16, 2013 03:33 PM (nL5y5)

421

WITCHCRAFT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hye4_8PJzS8

Posted by: Frank Sinatra at October 16, 2013 03:33 PM (7EoYJ)

422

Who would you rather have in the next foxhole?Malor or Iron Grampa?

Next foxhole? Iron G.

My foxhole? Gabe.

Posted by: Anderson Cooper at October 16, 2013 03:34 PM (7EoYJ)

423 As long as Arizona and South Carolina are sending McCain and Graham to the Senate, even knowing they'll be in key leadership positions, the "regionalists" can kiss my ass. Fix your own shit, then bitch about Scott Brown.

Posted by: Lincolntf at October 16, 2013 03:34 PM (ZshNr)

424 Who would you rather have in the next foxhole?Malor or Iron Grampa?

Depends on how horny I was.

Posted by: Dr Spank at October 16, 2013 03:34 PM (9jLim)

425 The LEFT GOES ALL IN without remorse. Yet the Right gets all self-reflective and worries what others will think about them.

Perhaps if the Right became a little more hardcore and stood by its own Maximalists things would be swinging the correct way.

Instead the Establishment Right kowtows to the Lefts narratives. beating the MEDIA would be a good idea as well.

Being honest with yourself & kowtowing to the Left are not the same thing.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 03:34 PM (6TB1Z)

426 Explain, Barack Obama? He's a Maximalist, in sheeps clothing. ---------- This is pretty damn good. And quite frankly, I'd like to see an attempt at explaining it. Why exactly can the left go all in on a full blown Marxist like Obama and win?

Posted by: Rich at October 16, 2013 03:35 PM (EaFK8)

427 I just can't quite wrap my head around how the Fed can just buy billions of dollars of bonds every month using what, air? Wishful thinking?

It's all just a confidence game, and it works until it doesn't, which could be tomorrow. At least that's how I see it. Much like Bear Stearns, everything is cool until the repo lenders start questioning your collateral.

Posted by: A Balrog of Morgoth at October 16, 2013 03:35 PM (Q9qpj)

428

@400 Such a thing is all the more remarkable when you consider that his opponent was.......Claire McCaskill.

---------------

Unfortunately, the Dems don't appear to have the same level of "stupidity constraints" that some of the rest of us do...

Hank Johnson... Fauxcahontas... Sheila Jackson Lee... I could go on...

Posted by: junior at October 16, 2013 03:35 PM (UWFpX)

429 >>>No that's foresight. She was predicted to be, and was, an abysmal candidate.

Who was in a fight within her weight class. Again. I didn't make her a politician and neither did the Tea Party. She was made that by the GOP within the state. Blame them.

Posted by: Typo Dynamofo at October 16, 2013 03:35 PM (FtCW+)

430 Time to head out & take Mrs. Misanthrope out to dinner. She's a wonderful woman

Posted by: Misanthropic humanitarian, now with 50% more sensitivity at October 16, 2013 03:35 PM (HVff2)

431

>>>we're gonna start seeing failed auctions

Nah.... Uncle Sugar is still buying 90 billion per month. 90 BILLION PER MONTH. Who cares what the chinee do or don't do...

Enjoy the 0.000000001% interest rates on your new CD's!

Posted by: odd at October 16, 2013 03:35 PM (kduZC)

432 You want to know how much damage McConnell and Co. did to the GOP? Their deal just showed obama and the Democrats as 'centrists.'

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 03:35 PM (U/ZJP)

433 If the establishment *wants* our trust they need to stop stabbing us in the back. Even if the stab wounds aren't what kills a candidate. Yeah, but that works both ways, duder. I'm seeing a lot of talk about how the ill defined "establishment" needs to tread on eggshells to avoid offending the Martyr Complex tendencies of the Tea Party, but little about what the Tea Party should do to be taken more seriously. Don't expect to be invited back to the table if you're just going to keep starting a food fight every time you sit down.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at October 16, 2013 03:36 PM (X9Mnx)

434 Hank Johnson... Fauxcahontas... Sheila Jackson Lee... I could go on...

Joe Biden. I win.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 03:36 PM (6TB1Z)

435

What is it with bringing up Akin and O'Donnell over and over? What point is there or as Hillary would put it "What difference does it make?" Do you see Dems doing the same with their failures? No, they just dump them down the memory hole and move on.

Posted by: Decaf at October 16, 2013 03:37 PM (BAPj3)

436 This is pretty damn good. And quite frankly, I'd like to see an attempt at explaining it. Why exactly can the left go all in on a full blown Marxist like Obama and win? Posted by: Rich at October 16, 2013 07:35 PM

He didn't run (to the LiVs) as a marxist. He ran on bringing a divided government together, etc.

In other words, HE LIED!

I'm Shocked! SHOCKED I say!!

Posted by: Capt Renault at October 16, 2013 03:37 PM (E7Iyp)

437 Awesome coverage you won't read in our press. UK Telegraph..

" This is a broken presidency living out its last few years either holding off Republican attacks or lazily cruising the country on some pointless, endless, fatuous campaign trail. Obama's administration is politically bankrupt."

The whole article is refreshing to read, if only because it isn't written by a me-too Obama-ite reporter like what is in every MSM reporter pool.

http://bit.ly/1cWkUIw

Posted by: Yip at October 16, 2013 03:37 PM (/jHWN)

438 She was made that by the GOP within the state. Blame them.

Right. It was the Establishment that made her talk about the perils of masturbation. Damn those guys.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 03:37 PM (6TB1Z)

439 OK My two cents-- I don't give a DAMN about party. I DO give a damn about CHARACTER. Honesty, courtesy, and character are sadly missing in our current system, and they need to be brought back in BEFORE it's too late. ME-- I want someone who will rip Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Boehner, Cantor, Cruz--ANY of them a new asshole when they do obviously stupid partisan shit like closing national monuments, not paying death benefits, REFUSING to answer on bengahzi.-- And the press-- take note MSM--your day fast approaches- Ya'll better start reporting the shit with the cream. People out there reading this thinking --hmm, courteous AND threatening--charming combination that. Well the kernel of it all---TRUTH, and not shades thereof --but TRUTH put forth in the light of day with a leader (or leaders) holding up their right hand saying--HERE is the problem, and here is what we're going to do. No BULLSHIT, NO denial, and no excuses--I OWN IT.

Posted by: rld77 a fellow traveler at October 16, 2013 03:38 PM (pfhh6)

440 Let's just be clear. The Leadership in the Senate is so fucking pathetic and useless that they couldn't manage to win an argument over the Vitter Amendment. Apparently, even that was a bridge too far for them to sell. Easiest damn argument in the world. Americans support it, without question. Obama voting against that Amendment would look like a damn fool. And still couldn't do it. But yea, old Mitch did what he could, you guys. He was just dealt a bad hand. Get the fuck outta here.

Posted by: Rich at October 16, 2013 03:38 PM (EaFK8)

441 No, the Right doesn't get all self-reflective -- Ace gets all self-reflective. Cause Ace is a self-reflective guy. Ace gets self-reflective about breakfast and movie trailers. Ace gets self-reflective about being so self-reflective.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at October 16, 2013 03:38 PM (ZPrif)

442 >>This is pretty damn good. And quite frankly, I'd like to see an attempt at explaining it. Why exactly can the left go all in on a full blown Marxist like Obama and win? Pretty simple actually. Obama never ran as full blown Marxist. He ran as a middle of the road pragmatist and the media covered for him every step of the way. We may know about his radical past, extreme positions on things like abortion and the role of the state but the average voter never heard about it.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 03:38 PM (g1DWB)

443 The only reason Anthony Weiner lost the Mayoral Race in NY is because he was so absurd that the media turned against him. Up until the Carlos Danger episodes he was in the thick of the race. That is how ridiculous a Democrat has to be before he gets bad press. Republicans get bad press just for existing.

Posted by: [/i] [/s] [/u] [/b] An Observation at October 16, 2013 03:39 PM (ylhEn)

444 Hank Johnson... Fauxcahontas... Sheila Jackson Lee... I could go on...

Joe Biden. I win.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 07:36 PM (6TB1Z)

Damn, I got here just in time for the awarding of the Booby Prize.

Posted by: antisocialist at October 16, 2013 03:39 PM (eGr8Z)

445 >>>If you believe life begins at conception, which it does, why is what he said stupid?

Because even if life begins at conception, and I truly believe it does, and even IF getting raped cuts down the chances of conception due to emotional trauma and it probably does not. That woman who does get pregnant due to "legitimate" rape deserves a much better answer than her case really isn't common enough to consider when the rules were being made. That's utter bullshit even if what he said was mostly correct. The fact that it was pretty much bullshit itself only made the underlying problem of essentially telling women who had suffered severe trauma that their concerns weren't important much much worse.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 03:39 PM (0q2P7)

446 >>>The LEFT GOES ALL IN without remorse. Yet the Right gets all self-reflective and worries what others will think about them.

And what's funny is the bloggers all want to emulate Alinsky on the attack but don't recognize Alinsky in the defense. How long did it take to get Filner out?

Posted by: Typo Dynamofo at October 16, 2013 03:39 PM (FtCW+)

447 He didn't run (to the LiVs) as a marxist. He ran on bringing a divided government together, etc. In other words, HE LIED! I'm Shocked! SHOCKED I say!! --------- So that's an excuse for the 1st election. And the 2nd? When it was plain as day how extreme he was?

Posted by: Rich at October 16, 2013 03:39 PM (EaFK8)

448 And from now on I automatically dismiss arguments made by the same people who think it's okay for men to have husbands.

Posted by: soothie at October 16, 2013 03:39 PM (U/ZJP)

449 "413
90 Days Before Gov't Runs Out of Money -- Again...
113 days before debt default...

And then Shutdown II: This Time It's Personal!"
If HE Dies... He DIES! --- Drago/Reid Cruz! You Can't WIN! --- Adrian/Boehner

Posted by: odd at October 16, 2013 03:40 PM (kduZC)

450

"As long as Arizona and South Carolina are sending McCain and Graham to the Senate, even knowing they'll be in key leadership positions, the "regionalists" can kiss my ass. Fix your own shit, then bitch about Scott Brown."

Sage words.

Posted by: Decaf at October 16, 2013 03:40 PM (BAPj3)

451 450 Romneycare ran.

Posted by: JarvisW at October 16, 2013 03:40 PM (E7Iyp)

452 BREAKING: Senate Proposal To Re-Open Government Includes Payout To Lautenberg Widow Tucked away in the proposal which will open the government and raise the debt ceiling is a passage to also include a death gratuity for the widow of late New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg. Lautenberg, who died on June 3 2013 was worth an estimated $116.3 million. Weasel Zippers: Typical. Clean bill, my ass

Posted by: Nevergiveup at October 16, 2013 03:40 PM (UbDLm)

453 449
Jesse Jackson Jr.

I win pep, what is my prize?

I see you JJJr and raise you a Patty Murray.

{looks across the table all squinty eyed}

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 03:41 PM (6TB1Z)

454 soothie: "If Akin and ODonnell were in the Senate right now, I'll bet they wouldve done us proud.

Can't say that about Castle. So we reallt didn't lose a goddam thing, did we?"

Beautifully succinct.

Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at October 16, 2013 03:42 PM (eHIJJ)

455 ________________________

Does anyone know if GWB is an author? Does he have his own website?

I'd really like to read more of his work.

Posted by: _Dave_ at October 16, 2013 03:42 PM (J+Q+d)

456 Pep- They ran her against Biden and her masturbation quotes were already decades old.

Not a Tea Party creation.

Posted by: Typo Dynamofo at October 16, 2013 03:42 PM (FtCW+)

457 >>>Right. It was the Establishment that made her talk about the perils of masturbation. Damn those guys.

The fact they weren't the approximate cause of her loss doesn't excuse or mitigate their betrayal.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 03:42 PM (0q2P7)

458

@450 So that's an excuse for the 1st election. And the 2nd? When it was plain as day how extreme he was?

------------------

Plain as day? The guy is still successfully running against Bush! For whatever reason, half the country apparently still doesn't understand how extreme Obama is.

Posted by: junior at October 16, 2013 03:42 PM (UWFpX)

459 >>So that's an excuse for the 1st election. And the 2nd? When it was plain as day how extreme he was? Plain to you. Most people still think he's a middle of the road pragmatist because thats what he calls himself and thats what the msm parrots. Don't make the mistake of thinking the vast majority of voters pay real close attention to politics.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 03:43 PM (g1DWB)

460 They ran her against Biden and her masturbation quotes were already decades old.

In which case, they should have known better than to run her.

I don't expect Akin to get a run at the presidency in 15 years.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 03:43 PM (6TB1Z)

461 And from now on I automatically dismiss arguments made by the same people who think it's okay for men to have husbands.

Posted by: soothie
-------------------

"From now on?"

Posted by: Mike Hammer at October 16, 2013 03:43 PM (aDwsi)

462 They had Sandanista DeBlasio in the warmup pen, they weren't worried.

Posted by: Jeffrey Pelt at October 16, 2013 03:44 PM (Jsiw/)

463

"Pretty simple actually. Obama never ran as full blown Marxist. He ran as a middle of the road pragmatist and the media covered for him every step of the way."

JackStraw, he ran exactly as he meant to govern, the most important part is that you are right about the media. I can't remember which of the journalists/pundits said that the media gives the Dems a 10-15% advantage. I think that is now up to 30%. How can anyone run against such odds?

Posted by: Decaf at October 16, 2013 03:44 PM (BAPj3)

464

So there's a lot of talk here about Akin.

I dunno if Tami or another Missourian has weighed in, but I will nevertheless.

Ace in turn notes he was not a Tea Party Candidate (after implying he was.) But I'm not entirely sure who the "never-back-down" caucus is in this case.

Akin was propped up mostly by his family (who ran his campaign entirely, his son and brother mostly) and....and...there really wasn't anyone else. Maybe a few hyper evangelical Christians, but even the Pro-Life contingent was largely worried his comments would do more harm than good.

The Missouri GOP is a mess, frankly I wonder if it always has been, but certainly now. It lacks any leadership at all. (In fact it's currently run by proverbial loser Ed Martin who does little more than run for offices he can't win, then look for his next campaign. In this case that was head of the state GOP. This is the man BTW who oversaw Matt Blunt's horrific demise as governor, scandals and all.) Heck in 2012 we couldn't even organize enough to move the mandatory dates on the primaries, leading to primaries that didn't count (and later caucuses that did.) FFS, we controlled the state house and senate. (We now have veto proof majorities so hopefully it'll go better this cycle.)

So absent a decent party, Akin was able to stay in because their was no one to push him out. His money dried up until more less the end (when people realized he was past the drop out point (per our election rules) then money tricked back in.

I personally wrote him 3 letters to drop out. Half my family and friends also wrote them. Trust me, he wasn't held up by a "never surrender wing" he was held up by obviousness.

Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) at October 16, 2013 03:44 PM (GaqMa)

465 And is not the root of all our problems, choosing the so called 'lesser of two evils' only for the supposed Righty, to move further left? Winning a seat, to just claim a win is not solving the problem. Its adding to it by getting squishes to act as closet Leftists.

Posted by: Rodney C. Johnson at October 16, 2013 03:45 PM (nL5y5)

466 And still couldn't do it. But yea, old Mitch did what he could, you guys. He was just dealt a bad hand. Get the fuck outta here.

Posted by: Rich at October 16, 2013 07:38 PM (EaFK

Amen.

Posted by: Invictus at October 16, 2013 03:45 PM (FBkKA)

467 I can't remember which of the journalists/pundits said that the media gives the Dems a 10-15% advantage. I think that is now up to 30%.

Evan Thomas

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 03:45 PM (6TB1Z)

468

Ace and everyone else,

you all do realize that because of what has be done today that the GOP is finished?

we will not win the Senate, we will not even keep the House, and with any one but Cruz as a candidate we will not take the WH either.

the GOP committed suicide today.

Posted by: Shoey at October 16, 2013 03:45 PM (m6OUa)

469 Well, well, well...

"McConnell-Reid Deal Includes $2 Billion Earmark for Kentucky Project".

Surprise!!!
Not.

Posted by: antisocialist at October 16, 2013 03:45 PM (eGr8Z)

470 Plain as day? The guy is still successfully running against Bush! For whatever reason, half the country apparently still doesn't understand how extreme Obama is. ---------- This is what I'm getting at. What is it that they do that allows them to run a guy like this for President and win? How is he able to fool half the country with this shit? How can we start doing the same. Media helps, obviously, and we don't have that. But so does the fact that no one on the left openly calls him on his bullshit. They remain quiet and just let it be. They are so much better at getting line when it's time to win than we are.

Posted by: Rich at October 16, 2013 03:46 PM (EaFK8)

471

Ace ... you're just fucking wrong, and you can't be expected to be right. It's really not your fault.

You're almost 30. Everything is ahead of you. You still have all the options. You can still duck and weave. You have no ties to drag you down.

Some of the rest of us ... not so much. I've got two kids and a wife. I'm 41. That's a special little fucking age that you'll appreciate one day. I'm still as good as I ever was ... but I can see the clock is ticking.

And so - given the current political climate - I hope you'll politely excuse me while I marginalize myself. Here's the thing ... I really just don't fucking care much more about how my position is viewed. I could give two shits less if I'm "marginalizing myself".

I'm ready to fight - now. What else is left - other than leaving my kids a debt that I couldn't pay on my best day ?

Fuck that.

Posted by: ScoggDog at October 16, 2013 03:46 PM (6/+vz)

472 Let us ponder Alvin Greene for Senate in SC. I would posit that he was a worse candidate than say, Sharron Angle. Did the Dems pile on and say oh took guys the Right is correct we are stupid! Hell no they went on the attack. He still lost but no damage to Democrat brand was allowed. It is one thing to say that Angle will have a tough road to victory. It is another to say well look at these extremists I will not support them and oh BTW the left is correct we are stupid and evil!

Posted by: blaster at October 16, 2013 03:46 PM (Rz7U+)

473 467
pep...

Gawd, that is rough, but I am going all in .......

Cynthia McKinney and Al Sharpton.

Will you take my watch as collateral.

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 03:46 PM (6TB1Z)

474

"Tucked away in the proposal which will open the government and raise the debt ceiling is a passage to also include a death gratuity for the widow of late New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg."

So, for the children then?

Posted by: Meremortal at October 16, 2013 03:46 PM (1Y+hH)

475 We still don't exist.

Posted by: mythical "GOP Establishment" at October 16, 2013 03:46 PM (5ikDv)

476 The establishment Republicans and the Democrats are in collusion. That is the only explanation that makes sense.

Posted by: jack.h at October 16, 2013 03:46 PM (E7i+5)

477 Am I the only person who remembers that Todd Akin wasn't a "Tea Party" candidate (regardless of how much the media wanted to label him so)? He certainly wasn't endorsed by the Tea Party in the primaries and the only time he got any support from the hard-line conservatives was when the moderates got out their long knives and started insisting he drop out of the race.

When a moderate GOP establishment candidate wins a primary, conservatives shrug their shoulders and say "Well, our guy lost, but we have to circle the wagons around the nominee because it's better than the liberal alternative". When a conservative GOP candidate knocks off an establishment candidate in a primary, the GOP moderates immediately start sniping "He can't win, the conservatives blew it, they screwed up this whole thing, it would be Shagri La if only our guy won."

Let's not rewrite history.

Posted by: SunsetLament at October 16, 2013 03:46 PM (Xidsk)

478 >>>And what's funny is the bloggers all want to emulate Alinsky on the attack but don't recognize Alinsky in the defense. How long did it take to get Filner out?

That's because damage control is different when you have the media on your side. Our side uses compartmentalization there side uses shoring. Both methods work. But we don't have the MSM to do our shoring for us.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 03:47 PM (0q2P7)

479 How can anyone run against such odds?

Posted by: Decaf at October 16, 2013 07:44 PM (BAPj3)

Add in the fraud percentage in many states, and it is unbelievable that we have any R's in office at all (although most of them are basically Statist Dems)!

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 16, 2013 03:47 PM (XdnQT)

480

@ 468 Akin was propped up mostly by his family (who ran his campaign entirely, his son and brother mostly) and....and...there really wasn't anyone else.

---------------

And Huckabee. Don't forget Huckabee.

Posted by: junior at October 16, 2013 03:47 PM (UWFpX)

481

364 Speaking of Booker...what's going on in NJ? Polls should be closing soon.

_{I'M LOOKING FOR EARLY RESULTS BUT NON SO FAR. I VOTED TODAY. TO HEAR LONEGAN TELL IT 'IT'S IN THE BAG'. I DON'T THINK SO BECAUSE THE POLLS AT REAL CLEAR POLITICS SAY OTHERWISE.}

Posted by: Regular Guy at October 16, 2013 03:47 PM (N3Al8)

482 >>Will you take my watch as collateral. >>Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Hank Johnson for the win. When you actually believe that loading too many people on one side of an island will make it tip over you are at best a high functioning retard.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 03:48 PM (g1DWB)

483
>>>In which case, they should have known better than to run her.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

But the dirty truth is they didn't care to do the heavy lifting of talking a quality candidate into a fight with Biden.

So Delaware GOP voters were left with a choice of her or Mike Castle.

Who would have been Senator if he had not voted for Cap and Trade.

There was no outcry in DE for Cap and Trade so that cannot be blamed on the need to win a blue state.

Posted by: Typo Dynamofo at October 16, 2013 03:48 PM (FtCW+)

484 "What is it with bringing up Akin and O'Donnell over and over? What point is there or as Hillary would put it "What difference does it make?" Do you see Dems doing the same with their failures? No, they just dump them down the memory hole and move on. Posted by: Decaf at October 16, 2013 07:37 PM (BAPj3) "

Reread Ace. He is saying anybody who has the position of a total ban on abortion is a mouth-breathing idiot who should be "ignored". He has a ongoing war to wage on dozens of millions of people. He's not stuck on old settled issues.

Personally I don't think he's up to ignoring us. It will be fun proving it.

Posted by: Chris_Balsz at October 16, 2013 03:48 PM (5xmd7)

485

"the GOP committed suicide today."

I would like to say no, this was just one battle lost, there are more to come. But when there is not a single win in years and the pattern keep repeating...

Posted by: Decaf at October 16, 2013 03:49 PM (BAPj3)

486 Hank Johnson for the win.

OK, ok, I fold.

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 03:49 PM (6TB1Z)

487 the GOP committed suicide today.

Posted by: Shoey at October 16, 2013 07:45 PM (m6OUa)

Hence, the "I feel dead inside"

Posted by: Methos at October 16, 2013 03:49 PM (hO9ad)

488 Plain to you. Most people still think he's a middle of the road pragmatist because thats what he calls himself and thats what the msm parrots. Don't make the mistake of thinking the vast majority of voters pay real close attention to politics. --------- Ok, so then Obama's marxist statements don't come to bite him because he runs as a pragmatist and the country is stupid. But yet our guys poor statements from yesteryear always come back to shit on us. Again, I get that the media is part of the problem here, but how do we go about changing this. If the Left can be impervious to past mistakes, we need to figure out how to as well. They seem to know how to utilize the American Public's stupidity to their advantage. We need to figure it out. Weiner is a great example. Guy literally has to go full blown crazy before he FINALLY gives it up. Had he stopped anything short of full blown crazy, the left would still be behind him and he'd probably find a way to win.

Posted by: Rich at October 16, 2013 03:49 PM (EaFK8)

489 The establishment Republicans and the Democrats are in collusion. That is the only explanation that makes sense.

Posted by: jack.h at October 16, 2013 07:46 PM (E7i+5)

One corrupt hand washes the other!

Posted by: Hrothgar at October 16, 2013 03:49 PM (XdnQT)

490 http://www.senateconservatives.com/site/post/2312/mcconnell-deal-includes-kentucky-kickback

Posted by: furious at October 16, 2013 03:50 PM (A98Xu)

491 Doh!

Posted by: pep at October 16, 2013 03:50 PM (6TB1Z)

492 There's blood in the water... that's my take. Who knows what will happen in the next few months, but I'd rather be on the side of the Tea Party caucus than the establishment GOP. One is the future and one is the past.

Posted by: Yip at October 16, 2013 03:50 PM (/jHWN)

493 >>>We still don't exist.

Georgette Mosbacher 10/5/2011
"I think tomorrow, weÂ’ll be contacting one another and probably put something together with RomneyÂ… And I would say that the race is now Romney and Obama. Quite frankly, the enthusiasm wasnÂ’t there at the outset. HeÂ’s less conservative than a lot of us would like. However, our first and foremost goal is to defeat Obama. And we do believe Romney, in terms of independents, will be a strong candidate. We will coalesce behind him nowÂ… the time has come to get behind himÂ… Tomorrow IÂ’ll be on the phone all day. Quite frankly, itÂ’ll be easier, because now we know who it is who will be our nominee. So we will pull our Rolodexes out and get to work."

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 03:50 PM (0q2P7)

494
Speaking of Booker...what's going on in NJ?

They're tearing apart Booker HQ looking for the Grace Jones mixtape for the victory party...

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at October 16, 2013 03:51 PM (kdS6q)

495

@476 Let us ponder Alvin Greene for Senate in SC.

-----------------

I actually felt kind of sorry for Greene. iirc, he wasn't particularly bright. And he paid the fees to register his campaign using money that he received upon leaving the military - i.e. money that probably could have been more wisely spent elsewhere.

Posted by: junior at October 16, 2013 03:51 PM (UWFpX)

496 Some rage inducing news being brought by Mark Levin. McConnell has gotten a $2B provision for a Ky dam project in the currrent CR. Politico article being quoted in Breitbart, a very funky revision offered by McConnell about the future raising of the debt ceiling.

Posted by: Ben Had at October 16, 2013 03:51 PM (26bsl)

497 has anyone anal raped Aiken yet?

Posted by: Cher at October 16, 2013 03:51 PM (Ie49R)

498

Posted by: Shoey at October 16, 2013 07:45 PM (m6OUa)

No, you are mistaken. The party will stumble along like this for years to come.

Posted by: Meremortal at October 16, 2013 03:52 PM (1Y+hH)

499 Actually Clare Mc did engineer Akin's victory in the GOP primary with those ads saying, "He's the most conservative! DON'T vote for him!" But I agree with everything else. I consider myself Tea Party, but yeah we've got to stop being stupid. For one thing, I've told Ken Buck I do not welcome him running again.

Posted by: WannabeAnglican at October 16, 2013 03:52 PM (yKqpQ)

500 We still don't exist. Posted by: mythical "GOP Establishment" at October 16, 2013 07:46 PM (5ikDv)

If you can't define it, it doesn't exist.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at October 16, 2013 03:53 PM (X9Mnx)

501 Cruz speaks to his constituents on the floor of the Senate. AT THE EXACT SAME TIME , McCain scrambles for a microphone on FOX with Greta in order to undermine and insult Cruz and all who stand with him.

How do you fix that shit?

Posted by: noone, really at October 16, 2013 03:53 PM (5ikDv)

502 I think Akin took his own continued success for granted for way too long (circled wagons against purely partisan criticism can make a fine echo chamber), figured it out only after it was much too late, and then put a brave "stand on principle" face on when it was clear he would lose. But honestly, hubris was the key. He was too sure he would win.

Posted by: Piercello at October 16, 2013 03:53 PM (P4dpU)

503 To anyone who says there is no media bias: please explain why Sara Palin and Ted Cruz warrant full blown investigations but Barak Obama could have eaten dogs and the media would have covered for him. Oh - wait he did eat dogs and the media did cover for him.

I'll be holding my breath waiting for that explanation.

Posted by: [/i] [/s] [/u] [/b] An Observation at October 16, 2013 03:53 PM (ylhEn)

504 And Mitch McConnell needs to be primaried. It's Kentucky. He's got to go. Or he's got to give up his leadership position.

Posted by: Rich at October 16, 2013 03:53 PM (EaFK8)

505 Any GOP bitch that stood against Cruz and took shots at him at every opportunity .

That definition good enough?

Posted by: noone, really at October 16, 2013 03:54 PM (5ikDv)

506

"You're almost 30. Everything is ahead of you.You still have all the options. You can stillduck and weave. You have no ties to drag you down.

Some of the rest of us ... not so much. I've got two kids and a wife. I'm41. That's a special little fucking age that you'll appreciate one day."

You do realise Ace joked about his age. He's probably your vintage though I have no idea of his domestic situation.

Posted by: Decaf at October 16, 2013 03:54 PM (BAPj3)

507 So let's review-

Akin was not a Tea Party candidate and neither was O'Donnel but those damned Tea Partiers are destroying the party!

Got it.

Posted by: Typo Dynamofo at October 16, 2013 03:55 PM (FtCW+)

508 When we were supposed to be dipping our balls in pudding on election night 2010 I said Hooray we got Boehner as speaker! We should have saved the pudding for survival kits.

Posted by: blaster at October 16, 2013 03:55 PM (Rz7U+)

509 83-16

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at October 16, 2013 03:56 PM (ZPrif)

510 They are saying the kickback to Kentucky was put in by Obama not McConnel,doesn't prove it wasn't quid pro quo.

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 03:56 PM (9XBK2)

511 I thought I recall a guy named William F. Buckley, Jr. suggesting that conservatives need to support the most conservative candidate in elections who can win. That "who can win" part is important.

Posted by: Evi. L. Bloggerlady at October 16, 2013 03:56 PM (4kTo2)

512 A shitload of Democrats have huge problems with Obamacare. But they pulled together as a team and got that POS done.

How DO they do it?

It is a mystery.

Posted by: noone, really at October 16, 2013 03:56 PM (5ikDv)

513 450 So that's an excuse for the 1st election. And the 2nd? When it was plain as day how extreme he was? Posted by: Rich at October 16, 2013 07:39 PM (EaFK Vote fraud. Carefully targeted in the necessary precincts, due to the vast trove of Census data the Obama campaign had. Remember how one of the first things Obama did after taking office was to put the Census under the direct control of the White House? I do.

Posted by: rickl at October 16, 2013 03:56 PM (sdi6R)

514 They are saying the kickback to Kentucky was put in by Obama not McConnel,doesn't prove it wasn't quid pro quo.

Posted by: steevy at October 16, 2013 07:56 PM (9XBK2)

Doesn't matter. Either way, bait is bait.

Posted by: antisocialist at October 16, 2013 03:57 PM (eGr8Z)

515 Last time I checked, Ted Cruz got elected as a Senator.

Posted by: Evi. L. Bloggerlady at October 16, 2013 03:57 PM (4kTo2)

516 503
Posted by: Shoey at October 16, 2013 07:45 PM (m6OUa)

No, you are mistaken. The party will stumble along like this for years to come.

Posted by: Meremortal at October 16, 2013 07:52 PM (1Y+hH)

you are misreading what is out there, how upset and frustrated conservatives are and what they are willing to do to make things change for the better.

the GOP is nothing unless it serves the principles of limited government and individual liberty and responsibility, the people who still believe in those things will abandon it in droves, they already have to some extent but now the break will be complete.

watch and be amazed come Nov. 2014.

Posted by: Shoey at October 16, 2013 03:58 PM (m6OUa)

517 They're tearing apart Booker HQ looking for the Grace Jones mixtape for the victory party...
Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix

LOL

Posted by: mrp at October 16, 2013 03:58 PM (HjPtV)

518 Something that amuses me:

The position of "delay, delay, delay, not defund!!!" was the "establishment" position of the GOP and not those wacko bird Tea Partiers right up until the moment the party realized they were going to have to fold even that position. Now all of a sudden the delay position that was oh so loved by many GOP establishment players has become the fault of the Tea Party.

Know what? I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the constant broken promises. I'm tired of voting for people who turn around and vote exactly opposite of how they claimed they would when they were running. I'm tired of being called crazy and extreme and racist for simply wanting some fiscal sanity.

I'm tired of every loss in Senate races being blamed on me and people like me, who have had enough of empty promises by the same candidates. Losses attributed to "crazy, Tea Party" candidates, even if they weren't (hello Akin was not the so-called Tea Party candidate). I'm tired of election losses being blamed on me and conservatives, even though myself and other conservatives came out and voted for the shitty candidates the GOP put up and it's been proven by numbers that it wasn't a lack of conservatives that caused Romney's loss but swing voters, but don't let that stop you guys because the Tea Party is an easy target to point your shit-stained fingers at.

I'm tired of voting for a party who so obviously hates me and what I stand for. I've voted for candidates that I felt "meh" about over and over again while I've seen no give in the opposite direction.

So congratulations. You've successfully lost me after twenty years of solidly voting Republican. Just like with the liberals, I'm going to become what you have so foolishly accused me of being. I'll be staying home on voting day. Hell, you'll blame me whether I vote or not, so what the fuck do I care.

Posted by: DangerGirl, home sweet home at October 16, 2013 03:58 PM (GrtrJ)

519 392 >> If they're not in a buying mood anymore, we're gonna start seeing failed auctions

Hahahahaha

Posted by: Janet Yellen at October 16, 2013 07:24 PM (0ZQCB)

Great sockpuppet!

Posted by: cool breeze at October 16, 2013 03:59 PM (A+/8k)

520 >>>If you can't define it, it doesn't exist.

What sort of ontological bullshit is that? Atoms didn't exist before the composition of protons and electrons and chemical bonds was known and describable? And then they just popped into existence right then?

Having insufficient knowledge about a system, object, or process to accurately and thoroughly describe it does not mean it does not exist.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 03:59 PM (0q2P7)

521 Do you see Dems doing the same with their failures?
---------------

*Marion Barry*

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at October 16, 2013 04:00 PM (aDwsi)

522 Ace- Aiken was the candidate of the Social Conservative wing of the GOP as personified and led by Mike Huckleberry. Not, NOT the Tea Party. Them and a nice chunk of votes from crossover Dems in Missouri's open primary with 3 viable candidates. Now, granted, Aiken was dopey for saying what he did. OTOH, we have to cutting our candidates some slack and have their back when its called for. I was certainly no fan of Aiken, but had we possessed a little discipline and vigorously and consistently pointed out that his rape comments could be sourced to the erroneous views of a left wing sociologist, he might still have had a chance. At the time, I recall thinking that it was pretty dopey of him to be making these comments to an interviewer in the middle of a major political campaign, but that on the substance he had a point. As it turns out, the substance was in error along with his judgement. But contrast our commentariat's almost pathological need for acceptance and approval by our enemies to the lockstep defense of far crazier statements made by Dem candidates on the part of the Dem consultants/pundit class. Karl Rove alone, seems bound & determined to purge candidates not fitting his notion of the perfect political resume. You can't tell me this had no effect on the outcome of some of the close Senate races in 2010 & 2012.

Posted by: smokedaddy at October 16, 2013 04:01 PM (aXYtY)

523 New thread on Kentucky Kickback up

Posted by: JarvisW at October 16, 2013 04:01 PM (E7Iyp)

524 >>A shitload of Democrats have huge problems with Obamacare. But they pulled together as a team and got that POS done. >>How DO they do it? >>It is a mystery. Some got bribed by the dem "establishment". Some got threatened with no support from the dem "establishment". And some lost their seats and more will. Not really much of a mystery. Just politics.

Posted by: JackStraw at October 16, 2013 04:01 PM (g1DWB)

525 If you're going to play the "Establishment vs base" game, than Akin fits the dynamic. He was more SoCon than FisCon, but he billed himself as Tea Party and he was definitely not Establishment.

I would prefer a GOP that stuck to fiscal issues that are SUPPOSEDLY what the Tea Party represents, but the SoCon nuts won't let us which is why we have to cede half the country to Democrats.

Posted by: Jeepers at October 16, 2013 04:02 PM (XDRsa)

526 Am I the only person who remembers that Todd Akin wasn't a "Tea Party" candidate (regardless of how much the media wanted to label him so)? He latched onto the Tea Party teat like it was dispensing 18 year old scotch after getting nominated. Only after he made an idiot of himself did the calls for him to drop out start. And they were right to do so, as evidenced by his loss.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at October 16, 2013 04:02 PM (X9Mnx)

527 What I have found to be the most nausea-inducing aspect of this entire diarrhea of government and spending has been the senator from Arizona's deliberate divisiveness, jealousy, mean-as-a-rabid-weasel, and dishonor in attacking Senator Cruz.

Carry on. Great post, Ace.

Posted by: ChristyBlinky, Redneck Queen of Tea Party, Eleventy District at October 16, 2013 04:02 PM (baL2B)

528 How many of those Dems went on MSNBC and destroyed their Dem colleagues?

Posted by: noone, really at October 16, 2013 04:03 PM (5ikDv)

529 >>>I thought I recall a guy named William F. Buckley, Jr. suggesting that conservatives need to support the most conservative candidate in elections who can win.

>>>That "who can win" part is important.

The Buckley rule is only valid if representatives then

1. Keep their initial leanings.
2. Actually vote their conscience.

If candidates drift or are unreliable necessitate a more complex scheme.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 04:03 PM (0q2P7)

530 532 What I have found to be the most nausea-inducing aspect of this entire diarrhea of government and spending has been the senator from Arizona's deliberate divisiveness, jealousy, mean-as-a-rabid-weasel, and dishonor in attacking Senator Cruz.

Agreed. He's putting his puffed-up ego before his Party and his Country. It is shameful.

Posted by: Splunge at October 16, 2013 04:04 PM (bKA83)

531

Posted by: Shoey at October 16, 2013 07:58 PM (m6OUa

Old news, I left the party 6 years ago.

Posted by: Meremortal at October 16, 2013 04:05 PM (1Y+hH)

532 What sort of ontological bullshit is that? Atoms didn't exist before the composition of protons and electrons and chemical bonds was known and describable? Before they were discovered, they didn't exist from the perspective of those of that era.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at October 16, 2013 04:07 PM (X9Mnx)

533 >>>A shitload of Democrats have huge problems with Obamacare. But they pulled together as a team and got that POS done.

>>>How DO they do it?

>>>It is a mystery.

They feared their base. Which is exactly what the Tea Party and all of our destructive and erratic tendencies has done for conservative advocacy. Made Republicans fear what we will do to them if we DON'T get our woobie.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 04:07 PM (0q2P7)

534 don't confuse flagellants with philosophers

But do conflate flatulence with philosophy.

Posted by: DaveA at October 16, 2013 04:11 PM (DL2i+)

535 >>>Before they were discovered, they didn't exist from the perspective of those of that era.

That didn't invalidate their existence or more importantly the effect their existence had on the rest of creation. It was 500BC when atoms were postulated. It was two thousand years later before their construction would be well defined. In all of that time in between of *NOT* knowing exactly what they were, or for certain if they truly existed, did not mitigate in any way their effect on the natural world; and eventually it was their hypothesis of their existence, which led to them being found, understood, and well exploited. Saying we here (And it is only we here, some folks actually may know the answer) do not have a ready definition for the Republican Establishment, doesn't invalidate the theory, in fact, our effort to understand and attribute observed reactions to them may eventually lead to that concise definition that will allow us to exploit them. Or at least mitigate how much they exploit us. To say that there aren't a privileged number of party members who generally agree, and have a huge amount influnce over party politics, is just silly. Whether or not, they work in a coordinated manner, is irrelevant their general agreement is sufficient. Just as the Tea Party's general agreement in principal allows us to act without central planners. None would say we don't exist. Yet no one could concisely define us either.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose Laughing Maniacally While Throwing Matches. at October 16, 2013 04:14 PM (0q2P7)

536

They're tearing apart Booker HQ looking for the Grace Jones mixtape for the victory party...

Mary J. Blige is gonna be pissed.

Posted by: Anderson Cooper at October 16, 2013 04:14 PM (7EoYJ)

537

sockoff

Posted by: garrett at October 16, 2013 04:15 PM (7EoYJ)

538 U.S. Senate - Special General County Precincts C. Booker
(Dem) S. Lonegan
(GOP) R. Depasquale
(Ind) E. Lavergne
(Ind) Total 0/6330 2,751
51% 2,450
46% 74
1% 8
0%

Posted by: Regular Guy at October 16, 2013 04:16 PM (N3Al8)

539 Who is this "True Believer who is impervious to all fact and who therefore should be ignored"?

Posted by: The inexplicable Dr. Julius Strangepork at October 16, 2013 04:17 PM (7ARYl)

540 BLECH NOT THE WAY I COPIED IT

Posted by: Regular Guy at October 16, 2013 04:22 PM (N3Al8)

541 I believe the Socialist Party has a strong interest in infantilizing the public -- and when you take responsibility away from the public, you make them irresponsible. Ace, you need to read George Weigel's bio on John Paul II, Witness to Hope. In it, he describes what JPII sees the State doing. It works to make sure there is no time for children to be with their families: parents have to work when children are home from school, kids have to be at state events when parents are home from work. It is about placing the State as Parent in the eye of the young. JPII fought this; we can, too.

Posted by: Kevin in ABQ at October 16, 2013 04:28 PM (cHIOd)

542 Terrific post. Ace, you've been on fire this week.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at October 16, 2013 04:32 PM (DmNpO)

543 Todd Aiken didn't cave today, Ace. The Republican establishment did. If you're not going to recognize that, you're no better than O'Donnell or Aiken.

Posted by: Dirty Old Man at October 16, 2013 04:42 PM (AmJQd)

544 "This was not "engineered" by the Establishment. He lost for the exact reasons they said he'd lose. His position, and his bumbling stupidity, was indeed too extreme even for Red, Republican-tilting Missouri, and even up against a horrible, unpopular ObamaCare-fan by the name of Claire McCaskill." Nonsense. It doesn't matter how bumbling or flawless a republican candidate is. EVERY statement is twisted into a "gaffe", while real gaffes or even crimes are overlooked by the media. Recall that Romney's 47% comment and "binders" remarks were major headlines; the fact that the rapist Clinton (see: Juanita Broaderick) was the headliner at the Democratic convention. Plus Romney cut some gay kid's hair in high school and tortured a dog. But Obamcare lies, Benghazi, IRS targeting, NSA spying etc. are phony scandals. Oh, and the IRS leaked info on Christine O'Donnell. THAT'S why she lost. If that scandal had come our during the campaign and was covered properly, do you think her opponent or Obama would have won? Of course not. Don't tell me O'Donnell lost because she was stupid. Schumer and most of the Democrats are as stupid. 99% of a senate job is just pulling the lever the right way when legislation is put to a vote.

Posted by: CitizenCain at October 16, 2013 04:44 PM (Ng/f0)

545

Ace, you are completely, 100% correct.

I've given up on the Republicans too, who have been the "representatives" of my political philosophy, (and my family's), for all of my 49 years.

But in the culture wars, we have lost EVERY SINGLE battle since the 1960s - the Republicans have only been there to slow things down a bit. Not to fight. Not to even have a shred of faith that a win might be possible with a united front. Our motto has been "we're going to lose, but let's try to make the score not so embarrassing."

The Republicans represent nothing. Not even the "opposite of liberalism." Just hucksters saying the right things to me (poison in the ear) all my life, for a vote, for a sinecure, for free health care for life, for ever more burdensome government weighing down the honest worker, while they go their Washington cocktail parties and commiserate with the trolls who despise us, who run roughshod over us.

As a sidebar, who is subject to more ridicule in our modern, advanced, enlightened culture? Snoop Dog, or Tim Tebow? That the answer is self evident is enough reason to sit on the porch and enjoy some whiskey or brandy and toast the country that once was. It's fate is beyond our reach now.

Posted by: FritzB at October 16, 2013 04:52 PM (I2IdM)

546 Ace, you are completely, 100% correct.
I've given up on the Republicans too, who have been the "representatives" of my political philosophy, (and my family's), for all of my 49 years.
But in the culture wars, we have lost EVERY SINGLE battle since the 1960s - the Republicans have only been there to slow things down a bit. Not to fight. Not to even have a shred of faith that a win might be possible with a united front. Our motto has been "we're going to lose, but let's try to make the score not so embarrassing."
The Republicans represent nothing. Not even the "opposite of liberalism." Just hucksters saying the right things to me (poison in the ear) all my life, for a vote, for a sinecure, for free health care for life, for ever more burdensome government weighing down the honest worker, while they go their Washington cocktail parties and commiserate with the trolls who despise us, who run roughshod over us.
As a sidebar, who is subject to more ridicule in our modern, advanced, enlightened culture? Snoop Dog, or Tim Tebow? That the answer is self evident is enough reason to sit on the porch and enjoy some whiskey or brandy and toast the country that once was. It's fate is beyond our reach now.

Posted by: FritzB at October 16, 2013 04:55 PM (I2IdM)

547 The Establishment did not engineer their failures. The Establishment predicted their failures, which is not the same thing as causing them.

The Establishment predicts, and then it sticks its thumb on the scale to make sure its predictions come true.

Nowhere was that clearer than Nevada. As soon as Angle was nominated, the NV GOP bigwigs assured us that she had absolutely zero, zip, nada chance of winning, despite being up in the polls. Then they formed groups like Republicans For Reid and worked to defeat her. Why would they do that if she had no chance of winning? Obviously they were full of shit and their real fear was that she might win after all.

I'm not saying Angle would have won if the NV GOP hadn't backstabbed her. I have no idea what would have happened. But "she would have lost anyway" is not an excuse for endorsing Harry Fucking Reid.

Posted by: schizoid at October 16, 2013 05:07 PM (B0dTw)

548 551 As a sidebar, who is subject to more ridicule in our modern, advanced, enlightened culture? Snoop Dog, or Tim Tebow? That the answer is self evident is enough reason to sit on the porch and enjoy some whiskey or brandy and toast the country that once was. It's fate is beyond our reach now. Posted by: FritzB at October 16, 2013 08:55 PM (I2IdM) Well said. You could also compare and contrast the treatment of Sarah Palin vs. Barack Hussein Obama. One was a good, decent, intelligent, Christian family woman of no small accomplishment. The other was a leftist radical who may or may not be a Muslim, with no discernible record of achievement and an extremely mysterious and murky past.

Posted by: rickl at October 16, 2013 05:09 PM (sdi6R)

549 I have to agree with much of what GWB said. I can't tell you how many times our city council has said, to the effect of, well, we can't rid the streets of homeless, we have to ration water, we have to build housing for the poor on nice streets, we can't build new middle class homes -- BECAUSE the feds or the State have mandated otherwise.

This of course is very convenient to liberal radicals. Thus, our city is deteriorating quickly, like Detroit, like Los Angeles, like every city built on the blue model.

Posted by: PJ at October 16, 2013 05:36 PM (ZWaLo)

550

The country is going left. The Tea Party is right about most things.

But the Tea Party will never be a majority. Never.

So you can continue to belly ache that nobody is as good as the Tea Party pure of heart.

Or you can push the direction of the country to the right. And make them comfortable in your home.

You can get the votes for stuff that you find good. But you can't get the votes of people who think you are crazy.

The trick is being good without being crazy, in a world that truly in it's heart of heart thinks being good is the same as being crazy.

You can lose your illusions or you can live in them. But only one of those things is going to move the country to the right.

Posted by: petunia at October 16, 2013 08:08 PM (DAcBA)

551 Odonell was Tea Party Aiken was SoCon Angle was ?????? and of course there are "bad" establishment and libertarian candidates too.

Posted by: sexypig at October 16, 2013 08:35 PM (dZQh7)

552 The Missouri and Indiana races weren't lost because the candiates' opposition to abortion in the case of rape. They were lost because they made clumsy (OK, in Akin's case, mind-bogglingly stupid) comments that were easily demonized by their opponents and their media allies. In Indiana, the comments in question were clearly distorted, but conservatives can't make those kind of unforced errors. They don't get the benefit of a doubt that progressives and other Democrats do. Just look at how long it took to get rid of Filner in SD. Ted Kennedy would have never had a public career were he a Republican.

Posted by: ME at October 16, 2013 09:04 PM (W3klx)

553 "Uh because what he said is that women's vaginas have magic goalies that stop the rape sperm for finding an egg. " ---- Sounds like the premise for the next mobile gaming sensation. SeedPatrolÂ®Â™

Posted by: ThisBeingMilt at October 16, 2013 09:17 PM (7mQyC)

554 "178 I see McCain is excoriating the Republicans on NBC. John....I respect your years of military service. Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at October 16, 2013 06:42 PM (1fUOX)" And your chubby ignorant fool of a daughter. I respect her too. She's an author after all.

Posted by: cackfinger at October 16, 2013 10:44 PM (OsCtd)

555 Yet Huckabee will run in 2016, and he brought us Akin.

Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at October 16, 2013 11:58 PM (Y92Nd)

556 Yin and Yang. BO is the best thing that has happened to the US since RWR. We are nearing the climax and will soon be in the denouement.

Posted by: Huggy at October 17, 2013 03:47 AM (wf3Kt)

557

This was not "engineered" by the Establishment. He lost for the exact reasons they said he'd lose. His position, and his bumbling stupidity, was indeed too extreme even for Red, Republican-tilting Missouri, and even up against a horrible, unpopular ObamaCare-fan by the name of Claire McCaskill.

Good lord, I'm sick of hearing this nonsense. Let me put some knowledge to you Ace. First, to some extent, it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. When the entire GOP establishment not only stops giving you positive support, but actively campaigns against you - you are going to lose. That is not to say that if the establishment had toughed it out and given Akin support he would have won, but he certainly wouldn't have lost as badly. the same goes true for Christine O'Donnell and others. Yes, they were ultimately bad candidates, but that does not excuse the GOP establishment from actively working against them. The GOP did not want these people to win. Maybe they all would have lost regardless, but perhaps one or two of them could have won with better GOP support instead of the outright hatred the GOP gave to them from the get-go because they were "too conservative" or not the establishment's choice.

Second, it's not like every GOP establishment pick has been perfect, has not made mistakes, etc. Plenty - yes plenty - of GOP beloved candidates have lost extremely winnable races (see McCain, John and Romney, Mitt). So, this argument about the Tea Party being the boogeyman that loses races is utterly stupid. Plus, the tea party has also won a number of races. Does the "tea party" make mistakes? Of course. But so does the establishment. At least when the tea party makes a mistake it is a mistake in the right direction.

Third, each of the "tea party" candidates everyone complains about won in a primary. Meaning the candidate ran and beat the party favorite. Instead of blaming the "tea party" for not listening to the establishment about issues like electability, perhaps the party should listen to the base about what it wants. You are falling into the trap of believing that the ONLY objection we have is winning elections for republicans. It is not. We actually care about what happens in between elections. The GOP has failed to deliver - which is often clearest demonstrated in the establishment's hand-picked candidates who are nowhere near the base on issues. That is the fault of the establishment - not the "tea party".

The party generally believes it must put forward candidates who are "moderate" (read, agree with democrats about 85% of the time) and who have taken no conservative positions ever. I'm shocked, shocked, shocked that the base gets upset when one of these groomed, hand-picked empty suits is put forth as the candidate of choice.

The problem here isn't that the "tea party" is being crazy - which is what you are buying into. The problem is that there is an enormous disconnect between the party establishment and the base. The establishment wants to go forward as the GOP always has - the Rockefeller Republican mode of being democrat light a la McCain. The base absolutely does not want this.

Whose fault is it then? the voters or those who want the votes? You are blaming the voters for picking what they want. You are blaming the consumer for not buying your product when your product has nothing the consumer wants.

Posted by: Guy who thinks you're an asshole at October 17, 2013 04:09 AM (sOx93)

558 Seventh para from the bottom - I think you meant "prostrate" rather than "prostate". Well, the other way does make some sense, but prostating oneself before the herd is kinda... something.

Posted by: Surellin at October 17, 2013 04:46 AM (DWuhs)

559 It's almost not fair. I got to this part before you did. To be fair, I did skim more of the rant than normal.

"You're self-marginalizing as a True Believer who is impervious to all fact and who therefore should be ignored."

Honestly most of the time when I read what l'il barry dunham has said, I picture obysmal standing in a mirror and lecturing him/her/itself. Now, I've grown to understand that's how you talk/lecture/rant at the horde.

Who knew?

Posted by: Blacksmith8 at October 17, 2013 05:03 AM (Tjl/n)

560 Take it from this conservative Delawarean: Christine O'Donnell may have been perhaps THE most vacuous candidate ever to run for office in the state. Not only is she not bright, but saying she has a problem with the truth is like saying Obama has a problem with spending.

Posted by: Hube at October 17, 2013 05:27 AM (6ddfm)

561 Just a lurker letting out a bit of steam...

As someone who is a centrist independent who lives in the Wildwood, MO area, I was so ready to pull the lever for the GOP candidate against McCaskill. You could have run a stuffed elephant, didn't even have to grey, puce with teal polka dots would have been fine, battery operated would have been nice. But then...Todd Akin...yarg. No, just NO. And so I ended up voting for some third party candidate whose name I don't even remember. Full disclosure, I voted for McCain and Romney, though I held my nose to do so. Voting present ad nauseum times in the Illinois senate had me scratching my head, I mean how tabula rasa could you get. So no, I never voted, not even considered briefly, for Obama.

I will vote for a hardline financial conservative, but not for a nut job social conservative like Akin (or at least that is how he came off, what he was like in reality, no idea). Give me some dude(tte) that will focus on the economy and put social ideology on the back burner until people are gainfully employed so they can put food on the table, and I will vote for them. I have no problems discussing social moors (and I don't mind that we will disagree), but my breadwinning ability is fucking important, DO NOT SCREW WITH THAT!

Ok, I feel better now.

Posted by: ChoppedLiver at October 17, 2013 06:01 AM (0Kqhx)

562 The establishment wants to go forward as the GOP always has - the Rockefeller Republican mode of being democrat light a la McCain. The base absolutely does not want this. This. In spades. Also: if you're going to put up candidates who are essentially Democrat Lite, don't be overly surprised when the electorate goes for the "Real Thing" instead.

Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie © at October 17, 2013 06:02 AM (1hM1d)

563 test

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at October 17, 2013 08:51 AM (8ZskC)

564 Posted by: Guy who thinks you're an asshole at October 17, 2013 08:09 AM (sOx93)

FYI - I did not mean for my "signature" to be the above. I had changed the signature to post in response to some idiot liberal troll who kept posting inanities and changing his signature to "the guy who . . . " and forgot I had done it.

So, I wasn't purposefully calling anyone an asshole this time.

Posted by: Monkeytoe at October 17, 2013 10:31 AM (sOx93)

565 Odd Akin was responsible for his own demise. O'Donnell is not Akin. She opposed a RINO in the primary and won the nomination. She wasn't perfect, but she wasn't a RINO. Mike Castle was the RINO she beat. Other RINOs hated that, including bloggers pretending to not like RINOs. If I were one of those bloggers, I'd hate comments like this too.

Posted by: Born Free at October 17, 2013 11:04 AM (gLZXf)

566 Ace - mostly agree but two quibbles. Missouri is neither red nor blue, but (at the Presidential level) the most reliable bell weather of states, until last time 'round.

On the Overton Window, winning does indeed move the range, but sometimes losing does, too - Goldwater's loss in '64 raised the profile of conservative ideas sufficiently for Reagan to run for the nomination in '76, and win it all in '80.

Posted by: MGCC at October 17, 2013 11:52 AM (Dxb1S)

567 "The Establishment did not engineer their failures. The Establishment predicted their failures, which is not the same thing as causing them."

False. Absolutely false.

Rove attacked O'Donnell the night of the primary. There is no excuse for that. It was active effort to destroy, something Democrats would never do.

Why would he do that? Maybe because he makes millions when his chosen candidates win primaries and she dared to beat him. Sorry, no maybe involved. And what did the GOP do to Rove for that? More millions.

I could get into the minutia with the rest but see no reason to bother when I can skip tot he following:

What did the GOP, especially the Senate, just do to back Steve Lonegan versus Booker?
Money?
Campaigning?

They GAVE the seat to the Democrat. The end.

"You're self-marginalizing as a True Believer who is impervious to all fact and who therefore should be ignored."

Okay. Ignore me. Then the oligarchs will lose, or win and betray Americans as they drink martinis on the Black Tie Yacht. But the party who keeps saying it needs to learn outreach sure will have taught me, a conservative, a lesson.

Posted by: Melvin Udall at October 17, 2013 05:33 PM (eL639)

568

"Idle hands are the Devil's playthings; idle minds -- those minds which are not preoccupied by typical human responsibilities like rent, work performance, household chores, and so on -- are the breeding ground for conspiracy, paranoia, terrorism and evil."

What a horrible thing to say about us commenters.

Posted by: Lark at October 18, 2013 11:56 PM (B3fJe)

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