What do Mark Twain and the Republican Party have in common?

[Jackpine Radical]

The rumors of their deaths are greatly exaggerated.

The problem is that the numbers may already be on our side when you count people, but the numbers are NOT on our side when you count dollars.

The most the Republicans may have to do in order to escape their unpopularity is to re-label themselves. Unfortunately, ever since about 1992, the label a goodly number of them have been using is "Democrat."

[randys1]

1. People confuse the viability of the repub party with their ability to steal elections

and what helps them steal elections is the lack of Democratic voters showing up to vote

[Jackpine Radical]

3. It is not exactly unheard of in the history of the world

for an oligarchic minority to impose their will on a downtrodden majority.

[Armstead]

2. Ouch -- There is a point there

I grew up with the belief that Republicans represented conservatives while Democrats represented liberalism in a basic system of ideological checks and balances.

But now we have one party that is obscenely ultra-conservative and another that is mildly conservative.

[randys1]

4. Thanks to ALEC/Heritage/CATO, etal...Kochs and others knew that they had to divide

and conquer...

They live in a bubble of filthy rich assholes who really do think the problem is there are too many of us peasants.

[Demeter]

5. The Nature of Evil is it is constantly adapting to change

Last edited Sat Jun 28, 2014, 12:17 PM - Edit history (1)

but its purpose is unfailing: to take from the weak. And while the GOP epitomizes Evil, it's not the only party practicing the Reverse Robin Hood strategy today. Far too many DINOs are aiding and abetting them.

If we want to have a robust Movement for Good, it also has to adapt to constantly changing circumstances. Occupy showed amazing ability to do so, until the Military came in, FULL EVIL on. The Powers That Be wanted to shut down Occupy, full stop. So they did.

The PTB are going to regret that decision. Not only because it truly revealed the fascism dominating America today, but because it was unambiguous. There's no wiggle room to excuse government's suppression and oppression. The line was drawn. The battle continues.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. I'm in no position to know, but it has been my impression

that Occupy is far from dead, but that it has evolved and has changed tactics. I keep thinking about this Occupy as a pretty much pure example of a leaderless "starfish" organization (see Brafman & Beckstrom, The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations).

[Demeter]

7. I'm too far removed to have any idea about Occupy's continued survival.

Last edited Sat Jun 28, 2014, 02:11 PM - Edit history (1)

But I do know that Ideas DON'T die natural deaths. They have to be killed repeatedly through brutal supppression, or they have to be replaced with something much better.

I have no reason to think that Occupy served no purpose, and I hope it continues.

My biggest gripe is that No ONE, not even Occupy, has come up with something to replace the Ideas that form the current GOP/RW/Religious fanaticism. Something better, that the Tea Party could get behind.

And believe me, Obamacare is definitely not one of those Good Ideas...it is a blood and time and money-sucking delaying tactic created by the 1% to continue their parasitic attack on the body politic.

Obamacare will have its erstwhile supporters swearing they never did any such thing, before it's over and done and replaced with Universal Single Payer.

[Jackpine Radical]

9. As usual, we see things a lot alike.

I would say, though, that Obamacare (palliative that it is) has helped a lot of people. Unfortunately that help has come at the cost of solidifying the grip of the insurance companies on the economy as a whole.

[Demeter]

10. For every ballyhooed success story

there are numerous unreported, real-world suffering and loss cases, because of the nature of this Rube Goldberg, Frankenstein's monster program. It is designed like a lottery, not like a social safety net.

[Jackpine Radical]

12. With all the propaganda swirling around the issue

from both sides, it's really hard to judge the overall result. I do know that my step-granddaughter has coverage for a serious health issue that she would not have if not for ACA, so my personal perspective is no doubt colored by that.

[bvar22]

8. The Democratic Party IS a Big Tent,

but there is no room for those who advance the agenda of The RICH
at the expense of the Working Class and The Poor.

[Demeter]

11. In Ann Arbor government, the only way a Republican can get elected is to rebrand as a Democrat

and those who are too image-conscious to openly support and vote GOP will gladly put them into office under false pretenses.

It's bizarre, but that's Ann Arbor.