Party of Wedge Issues Whines About Division

[DeistPaladin]

Carly Fiorina has tossed her hat into the ring. Much has been said about her record on business management and job creation (specifically her incompetence and running HP into the ground). Personally, what leaped out at me was a by-the-way accusation that president Obama is dividing the country. 





This is a talking point I hear again and again from conservatives. "Obama is dividing the country."

I haven't forgotten about 2004. 

I haven't forgotten about "the 50+1 Strategy". 

For those who don't remember, the 50+1 Strategy was the way the GOP did business during the W Bush administration. It's stated objective, on no uncertain terms, was to foster "wedge issues", or things that stir up hate, fear and bigotry. The aim is to deliberately pit one part of America against another. Once this is accomplished, do whatever needs to be done, by hook or by crook, to get half +1 of the votes. That's all that matters. 

This was not a secret. This was their published strategy. They spoke of it openly and with ownership. 

And it "worked".





They got about 51% of the vote in 2004. Close only counts for horseshoes and hand-grenades, not elections, or so the 50+1 theory goes. Once that was achieved, they proceeded to tap dance on the heads of the other 49%. "Ha ha, we won! You lost! Get over it!" A squeaker election is as good as a landslide. As long as you make it into power, the rest of the country can go to Hell. 

Ten years later, the GOP wants to cry big salty tears over the "rancor and division" in our country. 

Conservatives, why can't you remember the past?

It wasn't that long ago.

You were the ones who coined the term "wedge issues". You were the ones who embraced the 50+1 strategy. You manufactured hate and fear. You lied us into a war. You crashed the economy. And since you've been thrown out of power, you've done nothing but sabotage and shut down. 

And now you sit next to the glass you knocked over and cry over the milk you spilled. 

It wasn't "both sides" that knocked over the glass of milk. 

It was you. 

[Chad32]

I heard there's someone trying to run for president, despite running a business into the ground. I'm not sure why she thinks she can run a country, when she can't run a business.

[Minimalist]

About all any of them can do is run their mouths.

[Esquilax]

Whenever I hear conservatives whining about someone else "dividing the country," or somesuch, I mentally add in a silent "look what you made us do!" to the end of the sentiment, because in reality the GOP is operating like an abusive partner on this issue; their obstinacy, refusal to compromise, and basic party-line tenets of aggression toward any form of outsider causes the divide in the country, not Obama, not anyone else. When we hear about how much the country is being divided by the democrats, the secret premise being palmed is that the GOP is entirely blameless for driving in the wedge, and that the focus should be on the people who didn't do the one thing that would stop the republicans from cramming that wedge in there, namely giving them everything they want without question.

[Thumpalumpacus]

The fact is, Obama wasted the first term trying to meet the GOP halfway or thereabouts, only to be faced with the threat of filibuster every time he turned around.

I personally think both parties have a vested interest in their conflict. Neither can afford to back down. Because of that, the politics of deadlock will rule until other parties rise to positions of power, or the country goes down the shitter. Neither of the two major parties gives a shit about anything beyond financing the next campaign. Anyone thinking otherwise is living in wolkenkuckkucksheim.

[Alex K]

Could Scotus in principle force change of the campaign finance laws?

[A Theist]

Carly Fiorina has tossed her hat into the ring. Much has been said about her record on business management and job creation (specifically her incompetence and running HP into the ground). Personally, what leaped out at me was a by-the-way accusation that president Obama is dividing the country. 





This is a talking point I hear again and again from conservatives. "Obama is dividing the country."

I haven't forgotten about 2004. 

I haven't forgotten about "the 50+1 Strategy". 

For those who don't remember, the 50+1 Strategy was the way the GOP did business during the W Bush administration. It's stated objective, on no uncertain terms, was to foster "wedge issues", or things that stir up hate, fear and bigotry. The aim is to deliberately pit one part of America against another. Once this is accomplished, do whatever needs to be done, by hook or by crook, to get half +1 of the votes. That's all that matters. 

This was not a secret. This was their published strategy. They spoke of it openly and with ownership. 

And it "worked".





They got about 51% of the vote in 2004. Close only counts for horseshoes and hand-grenades, not elections, or so the 50+1 theory goes. Once that was achieved, they proceeded to tap dance on the heads of the other 49%. "Ha ha, we won! You lost! Get over it!" A squeaker election is as good as a landslide. As long as you make it into power, the rest of the country can go to Hell. 

Ten years later, the GOP wants to cry big salty tears over the "rancor and division" in our country. 

Conservatives, why can't you remember the past?

It wasn't that long ago.

You were the ones who coined the term "wedge issues". You were the ones who embraced the 50+1 strategy. You manufactured hate and fear. You lied us into a war. You crashed the economy. And since you've been thrown out of power, you've done nothing but sabotage and shut down. 

And now you sit next to the glass you knocked over and cry over the milk you spilled. 

It wasn't "both sides" that knocked over the glass of milk. 

It was you. 

Waa, waa, waa! Wait till the 2016 elections when we take back the White House and retain both Houses of Congress. You guys will really be bitching and crying then!....and we'll be celebrating with our, "Ha ha, we won! You lost! Get over it!"

---

The fact is, Obama wasted the first term trying to meet the GOP halfway or thereabouts, only to be faced with the threat of filibuster every time he turned around.

obama and the democrats had control of the White House and control of Congress during the first half of his first term. He didn't get shit accomplished when he had the opportunity to do so. He was more concerned with campaigning for obama care that he neglected everything else that was falling down around us, like jobs and the economy....and the deficit grew larger. The Republicans didn't filibuster his dumb-ass enough.

[Alex K]

Waa, waa, waa! Wait till the 2016 elections when we take back the White House and retain both Houses of Congress.

You think *you* are going to take back the White House if the GOP wins? That's a cute thought.

[Anomalocaris]

He is a Pentecostal. He "speak" in tongues.

[Tonus]

The thing is, anytime one party gets the presidency and both houses of congress, they seem to get very little done. Maybe its the "where do I start" syndrome where everyone wants to push his pet project, or the notion that this might be the only time they have this much power so they push the most radical ideas first. Most of the time is spent wondering if its possible to get rid of the filibuster, and suddenly it's the mid-terms and the balance of power shifts and the opportunity to get anything done is gone. My guess is that if the GOP wins the white house and keeps congress, they'll spend two years trying to repeal the ACA and getting nowhere before the mid-terms wipe out their congressional majorities.