Some people have a real flair for being assholes. That is not a strictly Republican trait, though they do have a certain joie de vivre about them in such cases. The more so in this election season, when the landscape is just filled with sore subjects.
But in linking through from a Crooks and Liars roundup, I am struck in particular by Mitt Romney’s peculiar take on the issues of the day, and how completely and resolutely he can contradict himself. . . even when he’s not flip-flopping on his previous stances of a few years ago. Oh, this is rich. This is amazing. This belongs, for so many reasons, scrawled across every television screen in America, but won’t be.
AP Interview: Romney says he’s not the only one switching positions, rivals do it too
_Said the country would be safer by only “a small percentage” and would see “a very insignificant increase in safety” if al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was caught because another terrorist would rise to power. “It’s not worth moving heaven and earth spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person,” Romney said. Instead, he said he supports a broader strategy to defeat the Islamic jihad movement.
_Said “the jury’s still out” on whether Iraqis, with U.S. help, will successfully rebuild their nation, and establish the rule of law and a permanent government. He ridiculed Democratic efforts to set a public date for withdrawal. “There’s certainly nothing wrong with having milestones that we hope to achieve and having the military evaluating whether we’re making progress or not, but to set a public deadline for departure makes no military sense at all.”
So. . . now, wait. . . now, . . . . hold on. . . . . {{rubs temples, clearly in cognitive pain}}. . .
So, it’s not worth “moving heaven and earth and spending billions of dollars” to find bin-Laden, the “one man” responsible for 3000 civilian deaths in the United States, but it IS worth spending billions of dollars and thousands more American lives on an effort in Iraq, the success of which he clearly has nothing but the most tepid, limp-dick, bet-hedging faith in.
On the other hand, illegal immigrants who aside from crossing the border illegally may have done nothing wrong? Well, you gotta round those folks up, right-quick. He’s for “Three Strikes” laws, tougher penalties on everything, death penalties and prosecutor appeals for sentences they find “too lenient.” (say goodbye to your right to a speedy trial, folks!) He supports the FBI spying on immigrants, not necessarily of the illegal variety. He’s tough on crime. . . the safe kind, anyway; not so much on International terrorism. It seems that, in Mitt’s world, soldiers, immigrants, Iraqis, and convicts all deserve to die. . . . but stem cells and Osama bin-Laden are safe.
Because that’s what Republicans want to hear right now. In ways, Mitt “Da Wembly” Romney is kind of a mirror for the Republican condition, living only to satisfy their cognitively-dissonant needs. They don’t want to hear about their failures and they don’t want to hear about defeat. That doesn’t leave much, but Wembley is on the job. . . .
They DO want to hear about anything that can get the prejudiced
cocksuckers of the country out to the polls to vote, and immigration is
the solid-gold biggie on that list, especially because it’s a “wedge
issue.” More importantly because it’s not an issue anyone is ever
going to be able to do anything about.
That’s right: a wedge issue isn’t worth diddly if it’s a solvable problem. It’s only good if its a conceptual issue for which there are strong feelings on both sides but for which there are no solutions. Illegal immigration will NEVER go away, the laws will always be perceived therefore to be too lenient. Gay people have always and will always exist; the argument over whether they deserve to be married has nothing to do with their rights and everything to do with the fact that some people refuse to accept the lifestyles led by others and will always vote in the contra-positive.
And right now, wedge issues are the only things that Republicans have to go on. Even then, Americans are so pissed, they’re polling way outside their traditional norms, giving Democrats credit for issues commonly held by Republicans. On every single issue down the line, poll after poll shows Americans stating that the Democrats would be better representatives. Because they just want the Republicans to pay, and pay dearly.
Its no love of Democrats, let me assure you. Congress’ approval ratings are in the toilet and the general sense I get from the polls of the Democratic presidential challengers is that its a rare person that really cares one way or the other. The polls trend right along with what you might call “name recognition factor.” Everyone knows Hillary, no one wants a Republican, and so Hill is the choice.
Watching some of the clips of Ron Paul last night, it occurred to me that no one was standing out strong on any issue on the Democratic side. They’re all Wembleys and no Gobos.
