I wanted to clue all of you readers in on something that happened today that I think is probably the best illustration so far to me of exactly why the GOP is headed for a defeat of historic proportions next year.
It was my lunch hour and I was returning from the Espresso Royale in the Illini Union. I saw one of my computer expert friends and we stopped behind the building to discuss Ken Burns's The War, which is currently running on PBS. While we were talking in quite an animated fashion, a pair of young men bearing Rudy Giuliani bumper stickers came by, calling out, "Help defeat Hillary--anybody but Hillary!"
One stopped and offered me a bumper sticker. I declined, saying that "my politics run a lot more along the lines of Ron Paul. I think Rudy's a bit weird in some ways."
Now, what did these two young men (I assume they're members of the local chapter of the Young Republicans) do when I said this? Keep in mind that they are dealing with someone who has expressed interest in voting for a Republican for President in 2008. Did they say to me, "Well, we think that Rudy is a better choice. If you listen to our arguments on these issues, I'm sure you'll agree and come over to our way of thinking"? Did they say to me, "Well, we disagree with you, but certainly hope that you'll support the Republican nominee in November of next year"?
HELL NO TO BOTH FUCKING QUESTIONS!
Here's what the two young representatives of the Grand Old Party did--They laughed at me. They not only laughed at me loudly, they made fun of me in public and then walked away chuckling and congratulating each other on their cleverness.
Now, I could give a rat's ass about what anyone thinks of me. However, what happened is not just the work of two students who are probably not smart enough to do anything useful with their lives outside of politics. What they did is a symptom of the malaise that riddles the Republican Party. The GOP has decided that the Libertarians and the evangelicals who have kept them in office since the days of Ronald Reagan are no longer necessary for them to win an election. It's not just them laughing at an old weird guy, either. During one of the televised debates, the other candidates detectably laughed at Paul himself following some of his remarks.
Now, there is no way that I would vote for Hillary, I'd sooner cut off my left leg. However, it would not surprise me that some other weird old guy, when faced with these two punks, wouldn't say to himself, "I'll show them! I'll vote for Hillary just to fuck 'em over!"
The defeat next year is going to be biblical in scope.
Oh, and I will take back this column if the Young Republicans find these two miscreants and get them to wear a sign over the lunch hour that says, "I will not make fun of other Republicans." Monday would be good, but I'll give them until Tuesday and then consider sending a copy of this to the DI.
Tom
It was my lunch hour and I was returning from the Espresso Royale in the Illini Union. I saw one of my computer expert friends and we stopped behind the building to discuss Ken Burns's The War, which is currently running on PBS. While we were talking in quite an animated fashion, a pair of young men bearing Rudy Giuliani bumper stickers came by, calling out, "Help defeat Hillary--anybody but Hillary!"
One stopped and offered me a bumper sticker. I declined, saying that "my politics run a lot more along the lines of Ron Paul. I think Rudy's a bit weird in some ways."
Now, what did these two young men (I assume they're members of the local chapter of the Young Republicans) do when I said this? Keep in mind that they are dealing with someone who has expressed interest in voting for a Republican for President in 2008. Did they say to me, "Well, we think that Rudy is a better choice. If you listen to our arguments on these issues, I'm sure you'll agree and come over to our way of thinking"? Did they say to me, "Well, we disagree with you, but certainly hope that you'll support the Republican nominee in November of next year"?
HELL NO TO BOTH FUCKING QUESTIONS!
Here's what the two young representatives of the Grand Old Party did--They laughed at me. They not only laughed at me loudly, they made fun of me in public and then walked away chuckling and congratulating each other on their cleverness.
Now, I could give a rat's ass about what anyone thinks of me. However, what happened is not just the work of two students who are probably not smart enough to do anything useful with their lives outside of politics. What they did is a symptom of the malaise that riddles the Republican Party. The GOP has decided that the Libertarians and the evangelicals who have kept them in office since the days of Ronald Reagan are no longer necessary for them to win an election. It's not just them laughing at an old weird guy, either. During one of the televised debates, the other candidates detectably laughed at Paul himself following some of his remarks.
Now, there is no way that I would vote for Hillary, I'd sooner cut off my left leg. However, it would not surprise me that some other weird old guy, when faced with these two punks, wouldn't say to himself, "I'll show them! I'll vote for Hillary just to fuck 'em over!"
The defeat next year is going to be biblical in scope.
Oh, and I will take back this column if the Young Republicans find these two miscreants and get them to wear a sign over the lunch hour that says, "I will not make fun of other Republicans." Monday would be good, but I'll give them until Tuesday and then consider sending a copy of this to the DI.
Tom
Labels: idiots, libertarianism, politics, Republicans, Tet
