Reply #13: Nonsense--Pay more attention to the way the Republicans work

[jpgray]

The caricature of Republicans as the "damn the torpedoes" party is mostly a media creation, and is favored by some because it's a good tool to bash our own party over the head with in an attempt to foment change. But the caricature just doesn't hold up.

Where was Bush on the AWB, for example? Cowering under his desk claiming to support it because it was popular, but quietly letting it die because he needs the Gun Lobby. Here Bush is just as afraid of alienating people based on the political winds as the most spineless Democrat--he was totally unable to take a strong stand. Who was he standing up for? His own political skin.

Look at the Homeland Security bill, creating the 9/11 commission, testifying himself and allowing Rice to publicly testify--all isntances where Bush and conservatives were handily brought to heel by popular opinion and political pressure.

The few "strong" positions you note are either meaningless PR creations to defend elitist right wing economics or instances of papier mache morality that only exist to win an election. I will wager with you that Roe v. Wade will not only not be overturned in this Bush administration, but that no serious effort will be made to do so. If they really stood for their anti-choice rhetoric, they could lobby hard for it and put it into effect in short order. But they can't risk the political damage.

In other words, aside from having better PR and more media capaital, the Republicans are scarcely any braver than Democrats. Smarter about their image maybe, but otherwise essentially the same.