Rep. McCotter: Because conservatives have hit ‘rock bottom,’ they are now ‘free to start thinking again.’
By on Nov 6th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Rep. McCotter: Because conservatives have hit ‘rock bottom,’ they are now ‘free to start thinking again.’
In an interview with the Washington Times, Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) – who is the policy committee head for the House GOP — said of the conservative movement: “We’re rock bottom.” He added, though, that losing has its advantages. “We are now free to start thinking again, acting again, and doing the right thing by what our constituents and our country need.” Apparently, it takes being out of power for conservatives to “think” and “do the right thing.”
Update The AP reports that House Minority Leader Roy Blunt (R-MO) is resigning from his leadership position.
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Rep. McCotter: Because conservatives have hit ‘rock bottom,’ they are now ‘free to start thinking again.’»
– - He’s actually right. The blowout of Arizona Sen. Goldwater in 1964 was the death of the modern conservative movement in US politics. The Arizona Senator that took Goldwater’s seat then gets blown out in 2008 thereby ending the neocon movement such as it is.
Conservatives need to evolve with the changing demographics or they’ll cease to exist as a national force and will be relegated to the Dixie Evangelicals,
November 6th, 2008 at 10:40 amIf thinking is too much effort they can always plug Karl Rove back into their headjack.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:40 amOr, and hear me out now, when they have their big conference and the entire GOP “mind trust” convene to determine what to do next, maybe McCotter and his party would be better served by sneaking a little extra something into the kool-aid for their first toast to the future of the Republican Party. Something along the lines of the Heaven’s Gate movement. Just making constructive suggestions…
November 6th, 2008 at 10:41 amWho stopped them from thinking in the first place?
November 6th, 2008 at 10:41 amI don’t believe the Republicans have reached rock bottom at all. Now comes an ugly civil war for the demented soul of the party of thieves and perverts. How will the party deal with the Palin problem? Fox is already setting up her political assassination with the dirt it has been spreading about how stupid she really is. How will the party deal with the acts of violence sure to be committed by its own right wing nut jobs, who are convinced that Obama-the-Marxist-Islamist-Terrorist stole the election and will now act as pimp-daddy to his gang bangin’ ghetto mo’ fo’ friends? How will the party deal with convicted criminals in its midst, like Ted Stevens, and later Norm Coleman? Will the party try to scapegoat GWB, or will it try to ignore him and the destruction his administration has wrought?
November 6th, 2008 at 10:42 amI was listening to Fresh Aire yesterday, and a former Republican Congressman basically attributed to Newt Gingrich the Republican concept of lemming like behavior, and that winning elections at any cost was more important than constituent representation.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:45 amEnergy protest Thaddeus looked like a fool as gas prices soared while driving demand cratered.
Michele Bachmann out-loonied him by claiming gas prices fell dramatically due to her hard work letting our coastal drilling ban expire. Thanks for that recession Michele!
Who knew six months of accelerated declines in miles driven would spring load into a one month plummet in prices at the pump? Why did they soar prior to that?
Hollow narratives, as in the pair of Mavericks, failed miserably. Americans are better as seeing through the bunk. All politicians should be aware of this fact.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:46 amWho stopped them from thinking in the first place?
There are several possibilities — Ronnie RayGun, Newtie Gingrich, Little Tommy Delay, Tony SnowJob (RIP), GDumbya, Darth Cheney, Annie Coulter, Rush Limpballs, Little Seanie Hannity, RoverBoy . . . the list goes on and on.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:46 amSeveral years ago, when I used to take public transportation to my job in downtown Atlanta, I noticed something. I noticed how so many impoverished black people in the city seemed to be really depressed. It was so palpable; I called it ‘the urban funk’. Their faces were pulled upon by gravity, seemingly more so than other people’s, their postures were broken and slouched in a way that demonstrated their status in the hierarchy of our society, their down-turned eyes stared blankly into space, and they impacted the energy around them in a way I couldn’t help but notice.
The college where I teach was little better. I saw the same posture and attitude in most of the students that I saw in the working people on the MARTA train. Even though they were working to better their lives, they still seemed chained to a past that had enslaved their ancestors, and continued to silently oppress them.
Yesterday, something in America changed. A 90% white nation with a history of slavery, segregation and oppression elected a black man President. And I could see what it did to the students at my school. They understood that new doors had just opened for them, and that someday, they or their children could do or be anything they wanted. The urban funk was finally gone.
For the first time in a very long time, I am no longer ashamed to be an American.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:48 amXisithrus Says:
Who stopped them from thinking in the first place?
– - Karl Rove.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:49 amI really don’t care to offer this party any pointers. I feel that living in a solid progressive state where we never stop learning and aiding is the best way to live life.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:49 amApparently, it takes being out of power for conservatives to “think” and “do the right thing.”
_____________________________________________________________
It takes more than merely being out of power. It takes being completely and profoundly smacked to the floor.
The problem with conservatism (traditional or modern) is that the very definition of it includes resistance to change. And this obtuseness tends to be their downfall periodically.
The conservatives will meet, they will do a post-mortem, and they will reset their message to something more marketable and (hopefully) less hateful and alienating.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:50 amHello, my name is ______________, and I’m a conservative.
Heheh!
November 6th, 2008 at 10:51 amWell, Rove and Hannity certainly offered plenty of talking points, but those dont require actual thought.
Twp legs good four legs better! =)
According to McCotter they stopped thinking back in 1994 when they gained control [power] Its a very odd statement to make.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:54 amIf I know Republicans, they’ll just retool their vote-flipping software and wait for 2012.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBoOqysiLFo
November 6th, 2008 at 10:54 amunbelievable
Great post, unb! I want to see the most enlightened, educated black America in history!
November 6th, 2008 at 10:55 amThaddeus says:
“We are now free to start thinking again, acting again, and doing the right thing by what our constituents and our country need.”
So, when you have the majority, the power, you are NOT free to think? You’re NOT free to act? And you don’t do the right thing by what your constituents and your country need?
I’m sorry Thaddeus. That’s egotistical. That’s fcked up! And that’s wrong. So very, very wrong.
Nice to admit, tho, that you and fellow GOPers don’t put country first.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:56 amActually, republicans in Congress never have had to think. That’s what “K Street” was for.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:59 amLeftside Annie Says:
Hello, my name is ______________, and I’m a conservative.
Hilarious :)
And that 8th step amends list is gonna be a doozy :)~
November 6th, 2008 at 10:59 amYeah – they need to start thinking about how to help Americans, especially the ones that voted for their self-righteous a$$es. Get off your high horses, quit judging people and allowing the damn economy to be drained by CEOS making $60 million dollars a year!
November 6th, 2008 at 11:00 am@ unbelievable
As happy as I am that Obama won, the fact that Prop 8 passed (along with all the other hateful anti-gay legislation in other states) means I’m still ashamed of this country. Not AS ashamed, but I’m hardly proud of it.
Maybe when I’m no longer a second-class citizen in 48 states…
As for McCotter’s statements, well…we all knew that the GOP put themselves first and everyone else a far, far distant second, but it’s nice that you at least admit it now. Too bad that to think requires you not be conservative.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:03 amI hope they don’t try this thinking thing too hard. This could happen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIlKiRPSNGA
November 6th, 2008 at 11:03 amThaddeus says:
“We are now free to start thinking again, acting again, and doing the right thing by what our constituents and our country need.”
Summed up the Republicans nicely: don’t think, don’t act, don’t do ‘the right thing’, don’t do good for your constitutents, and definetely don’t do what is good for the country. Party first, only, and last. Nothing else matters.
Pigs. Go away. Go far, far away and never return. (wishful thinking)
November 6th, 2008 at 11:04 amThe republican Party is down to the representatives of the 23%ers who still love them some George Bush, Dick Cheney, deregulation, open hatred of the scarey black man, deregulation, constant war and corporate greed. Their party has dwindled down to the likes of convicted felon Ted Stevens, Michelle Bachmann, Boehner, McConnell, Vitter, Larry Craig and a fresh breed (or should I say INbreed) of Gingrich lemmings. They are represented in the media by the likes of O’Lielly, Rush, Hannity, Coulture, Novakula and Malkin. The literate conservatives are left scratching their heads and wondering what the hell happened. The religious fundementals and neocons who infiltrated and IMHO destroyed much of the traditional party are all that’s left. Yes my friends, the Republican Party looks to be conflicted and hobbled for the forseeable future. Oh well, there’s always Sarah!
November 6th, 2008 at 11:05 amMcWars Says: Great post, unb! I want to see the most enlightened, educated black America in history!
Thanks, I just wanted to make this point for anyone white who might not understand just how monumental this moment was for minorities, and women. The impact was even bigger than I expected.
And it even impacted my educated co-workers who have achieved just as much as I have in terms of education and career, but have still lived with demeaning stereotypes and hatred just because of their skin color.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream came true for them Tuesday night. It was an amazing thing to witness, and an exciting time to be alive. This is the America so many of us have fought so hard to build, and despite the fact that things are still financially just as much of a mess as they were last week, it some how seems less of a hurdle or burden now that we have hope, and solidarity (I think most of the Cons will see that we were right, that our way is better for everyone including them, and they will join us – thereby changing Conservatism in some necessary way. A few will not join us – and it will be their problem, and their loss).
November 6th, 2008 at 11:07 amShin Gallon Says: As happy as I am that Obama won, the fact that Prop 8 passed (along with all the other hateful anti-gay legislation in other states) means I’m still ashamed of this country.
I understand. I promise that I’ll definitely get angry about that next week :). Right now, I want to focus on the giant step we took forward this week, and celebrate. We deserve to celebrate this historical moment.
Fighting for the rest of America that is still discriminated against – gays, immigrants and Atheists will be our next battle as liberals. It will be a difficult battle, as has been this one, but we will eventually prevail. Eventually – we always do in these endeavors. Just look at Europe. They’ve done it, and so can we.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:14 amReagan, of course. He showed them how easy it was to convince people to vote against their interests with simplistic platitudes. Newt took it the next step.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:24 amThis is just a kindler gentler method of circular firing squad, a shot fired from the “intellectual conservative” bunker about how they’re going to take command. They’ve taken a number of hits so far, so it’s still anything goes.
The thing is, there’s no way they can sustain the “big tent” of right wingery, since it’s now become evident that many of them have competing ideologies.
1) The intellectual conservatives want to blather about the philosophy of the right, but hopefully in a way that makes sense
2) The lean-Libertarians pretty much want to take “small government” all the way to anarchy
3) The robber barons just want government to give big corporations whatever they want
4) The bible-thumpers want to outlaw abortion, homosexuality, evolution and a variety of other behaviors and beliefs
5) The yee-haws want lots of flags, guns and wars
Obviously, the wars cost more government money. And the outlawing things is the opposite of individual liberty. Sometimes what big corporations want is more welfare from the government. Generally, when the corporations get whatever they want, everything eventually falls apart. Ditto for anarchy. Creationism is an affront to intellectualism, as is denying global warming. “What Republicans believe” has become a huge confusing knot of mutually contradictory tenets.
It’s impossible for any Republican leader to advance all of these goals and beliefs at the same time. But they’ve put themselves in a quandary of having to try to do so, since each of these has been put forward as a matter of desired policy and given its own constituency within the party. The end result is that every time they put their left foot forward, they shoot themselves in the right, and vice versa. Can’t get anywhere that way.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:29 amYou’re on your game, unb! In addition to improving the lives of women and minorities, I won’t have a president telling me to go shopping as a remedy to national woes! Education, the economy, opportunity, national morale — all of that improves when no group is forgotten.
It’s not about being bombarded with problems as much it is the failing GOP’s ‘Democrat hourglass’, used to sway impressionable voters for the next election because (a) we don’t solve the problems they caused and can’t solve themselves, on their timetable and to their credit, and (b) the tit for tat mentality where they feel it’s time for them to regain power because of time elapsed, where no improvement is seen in their (lack) of ability to govern and listen.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:29 amThe GOP overrached, were morally bankrupt and corrupt beyond the realm of comprehension. Bush was certainly not fiscally conservative and was an ideologue. Accordingly, the downfall was inevitable.
No way they are going to get any crocodile tears from me.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:36 amCritical thinking and embracing the religious right are mutually exclusive. Either they are going to revert to secular libertarianism or they are going to be the evangelical Christian party. Either way, progressives win.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:44 amunbelievable,
November 6th, 2008 at 11:48 amThanks for your upbeat & interesting observations; great post.
Hey conservatives!!! Start with living by your Ten Commandments. We would ALL be better off.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:57 amtrollsbwild Says:
No way they are going to get any crocodile tears from me.
______________
I have the toe of a firmly planted work boot they can all share…
November 6th, 2008 at 12:09 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
Newt took it the next step.
______________
Ah yes… the Newtster… and his list of derogatory words to use when describing libruls. Didn’t you really mean to say “Newt took it down to the next floor”, Ralph?
November 6th, 2008 at 12:12 pmBoy, these Republicans are so retarded it should be illegal.
Republicans never started thinking, moron. That’s why they’re Republicans.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:14 pmGood catch, TRoS. I’m always mixing my damn metaphors.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:18 pmHere’s the thing. I am so sick of people saying they are or ever were ashamed to be an American. Unbelievable just stated that for the first time in a long time they were unashamed to be an American. I have nothing but pride and love for the country I was born and raised in. I agree that the things that have happened in the past with slavery and oppression were nasty, degrading things. But, how long has it been? How long is enough? I am 27 years old. I have never been a slave owner. My parents have never been slave owners. My grandparents have never been slave owners. There are so many oppurtunities available for minorities in this day in age that there should be NO MORE EXCUSES… Anyone that wants to come in this country, legally or illegally, have so many advantages available to them, there is no reason for anymore complaints. I agree, there are still a few crazy groups out there such as the KKK or Skinheads that are whack jobs, but, this election should prove that the majority of Americans could care less the color of your skin or your ethnic background. It’s time to stop acting “ashamed to be American” because of event’s that have happened long ago in American history.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:45 pmThe GOP doesn’t think. They were the ones bragging about being ignorant, stupid, and hatin’ on dem books. There are no intellectuals like William F. Buckley, Jr. in their party anymore. Hell, they kicked his son out for supporting Obama.
Do you know who the MSM call the GOP’s “man of ideas”? Newt Gingrinch.
Man, the GOP is so f***ed.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:46 pmGOP ticket next election….Gingrinch/Palin 2012.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:50 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
Good catch, TRoS. I’m always mixing my damn metaphors.
______________
Mixed metaphors… mixed drinks… was the diff?
BTW, there’s a truly nasty troll over on the Myers/ICE thread, or there was…
Got yer mallet handy, Ralphie?
November 6th, 2008 at 12:56 pmJonathan111 Says:
It’s time to stop acting “ashamed to be American” because of event’s that have happened long ago in American history.
The last 8 years are sufficient causes to be ashamed of our country. Different people carry the thoughts of the past (some distant, some not TOO distant: e.g. slavery, segregation, exclusionary laws, theft of this country from the natives (and the various crimes against them in the process), etc, etc). There is plenty one can choose to be ashamed of. Some are not ashamed to be American, but are not proud of many of America’s past transgressions, either. Those who were born American had no choice in the matter: birthplace nationality is an accident of birth, not choice, and the past atrocities of the nation are not chosen as well. However, many do feel shame for some of the actions that were part of the emergance of our country, and given the nature of many of these things, shame is a perfectly acceptable emotion. And racism is still alive in America, and informs even those who really are not racist in such directions. So, Obama earning the respect of the people and winning the presidency is a great step forward. But it would be delusional to imagine that it is proof that there is no longer a general atmosphere of racism in America. It is a giant leap forward, but it is not across the finish line.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:01 pmTroll’s still over there, Ralphie…
Looks like a bull (male of the species) and from the smell of it, he’s been dousing himself w/ his own urine. Must be troll rutting season.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:02 pmI see your point in alot of that statement Cagey, but, the way I feel about it is this. America is the greatest country in the world, hands down. Apparantly, alot of people recognize this fact or they would not be flooding our borders trying to get in. To be ashamed of things that your ancestors have done after this many years doesn’t make sense to me. I feel bad about the things that have happened to the people who were there and these things happened to in those time periods, but I am not ashamed of the progress we have made since. To give you a scenario, What if your Great, Great Grandfather was a murderer? Would you feel a since of responsibility for what he did? What if your family gave and gave and gave to the families of the people your Great, Great, Grandfather murdered? What if they gave for so long, that after awhile,they started giving the families of the families of the people who your Great, Great, Grandfather murdered more than you could get. Would you still feel ashamed? Like I said, I am not down playing what has happened in the past at all, I’m just saying it’s time to move on.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:11 pmUpdate – - The AP reports that House Minority Leader Roy Blunt (R-MO) is resigning from his leadership position.
Not to pick nits, TP, but Blunt is actually the House minority whip. As you know, John Boner is the minority leader in the House.
But that being said, good riddance to Blunt any old way…
November 6th, 2008 at 1:15 pmWell, in power, they are far too busy cheating and looting to bother with any of that other stuff. Got to have one’s priorities, you know.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:44 pm“We are now free to start thinking again, ” Again !?! when have they ever thought before ?
November 6th, 2008 at 8:49 pm