Reply #41: Power Lust...Pure And Simple

[KharmaTrain]

If it hadn't been Bill Clinton it would have been Mario Cuomo or Paul Tsongas or any other Democrat who stood in the Repugnicans way to absolute greed and power.

This goes to the real "Raygun" revolution of the 80's...the change in attitude in this country that de-regulation and greed were good and the person with the most toys won. The golden rule became "ye who makes the gold, makes the rules". This also co-incided with the rise of the Southern Strategy that had transformed the Repugnicans that embraced the racists and segregationists who no longer felt welcome in the Democratic party. Call it "white flight", but the change on the Country Club GOOP into the NASCAR GOOP had begun.

By the early 90's, the Repugnicans had enjoyed 12 years of making money and manipulating laws and regulations...having the greatest power at their hands since the 20's. Decades of Roosevelt New Deal and Kennedy/Johnson Great Society legislation was either torn apart or demonized and the GOOP became more and more emboldened as they found new ways to win elections and further their profits and power.

Clinton was a symbol to be demonized as much as Gore was as was Kerry. Clinton stood in the way of the Repugnicans having the full control they so craved...but it also served as a benefit...Clinton hate could be molded into a unifying agent that tested well with the Repugnican base. The fact he not only was popular with blacks (Repugnican white flight) but also had a "feminazi" wife along with all the other Repugnican cartoon boogie men...Clinton made an ideal target. The fact he won made him a sitting target...one that could be constantly bashed; primarily to unite and raise billions in cash from Repugnican suckers...err donors.

Clinton hate never had a thing to do with politics. I will argue Clinton's fiscal policies were as pro-business as any Repugnican administration...leading to the Telcom disaster of '96...that in-turn has led to a corporate monopoly of the media. Inversely, Nixon oversaw the greatest expansion of social services under his administration. It's all "hardball"...and the result of a well orchestrated and funded Repugnican machine that took every advantage of a diverse and sleeping Democratic base that was easily coward into being defensive and reactive...an image that even Clinton couldn't overcome.