BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 08:28 PM

Bill's abaolutely correct on what the Repubs have done over the years to the EPA... Might of fact, one of our regulars at the Getaway, D**** F*******, just retired from the EPA and has told me as much over my years of knowing her...

And Genie is right... Thomas, Scalia and Co are not conservatives... Nor ar these loonie Tea Part people... They are radical and borderline anarchists...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Genie
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 08:03 PM

Mark, if the Republicans take control of Congress, the Estate tax will be totally eliminated and the other GBW tax cuts will be reinstated - at least for 10 years minus one day - so deficits are not likely to decrease, even if government programs are cut.
Let's not forget that Dubya and the Republicans put the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan 'wars' off-budget.

I'm not thrilled with the DLC Democrats and Obama's administration has left much to be desired. And the Democrats have not been able to change a lot of laws and policies much, partly because of lack of Republican cooperation and partly because too many Democrats are indebted to the big corporations too.   But if you and GfS think there's no real difference between today's Republicans and Democrats, you're either blind or deluded.   

There are major differences in the way the Constitution is interpreted by most judges appointed by Democrats and those appointed by GWB (and even GHWB).    There are notable differences in orientation toward exploitation of our natural resources and lands - even if the differences are smaller than I'd like.    The Republicans want to "privatize" Social Security, our entire school system, prison system, etc., and keep health care insurance in the hands of for-profit corporations, even if that means millions of people have no coverage.   
On many issues, the differences between the Obama administration and that of GWB, Reagan, and GHWB are more of degree than of kind, but there's still a big difference.
And the federal courts, including the Supreme Court, are probably the most consequential area of difference.   And those appointments have a much longer-lived influence than any Congressional legislation does.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 07:45 PM

Bridge: "..However Ebbie, your defence of Soros seems to be that FfS's facts were (for once) right but they don't count..."

Shit, they're a lot more right(correct) than a lot on here believe, only because they've been indoctrinated with the Soros propaganda machineS....Oh, and its GfS...not FtS...and by the way, Thank You!

GfS

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: MarkS
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 07:35 PM

Probably not much different from what we have today. Deficits would be a bit smaller but there would still be deficits. Taxes will be higher, because of the tax increase coming in January when the Bush rate reductions expire. Gitmo will still be open, and we will still be in combat in Afghanistan. Iraq will still be a mess, and Islamists will still think we are the great satan.
You can bet on an Iranian bomb soon enouth though - those folks have their own agenda do not care who is in power in Washington.
Tuesday is going to be pretty much like Monday - no matter who is in charge.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Genie
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 07:23 PM

Your post is right on, Bill.
But I think it's ever worse than that.

Once the big multinational corporations complete the takeover our government agencies, the courts, the media (including those "internets" when "net neutrality" legislation is defeated), our financial institutions, and the mechanics of our voter registration, voting systems and vote counting, the control may well be so complete that no Democrats, liberals, populists, or even true "moderates" will ever be elected again in sufficient numbers to have real impact on our laws and policies.

We're pretty close to being there, with such well-funded right-wing control of radio stations, TV channels (including local news), and even the internet (by way of those well-paid Republican shills who constantly edit Wikipedia to rewrite history and who flood message boards and talk shows with deceptive calls to spread the right-wing talking points).    The Democrats had some chance to change things, such as breaking up the media monopolies or pushing for real campaign funding reform, at least on the publicly owned airways, but they didn't really try very hard.
If the Democrats retain control of the Senate, they can amend the Filibuster rules to prevent most of the obstructionism the Republicans in this past Congress have engaged in. If they retain control of the House, they can continue pushing for legislation that will benefit the general populace instead of the tiny minority of the uber-wealthy.    But if the Republicans take control of either house, all the Democrats can hope to do is maybe slow down some of the reactionary legislative agenda of the Republicans.

Oh, and one other thing:
It's fairly likely that many of the big corporations are deliberately holding off on spending their $ in ways that would boost the economy, job creation, etc. - either because they want to make Republican victories more likely this year and in 2012 or maybe just because they're risk-averse at the moment and are hoarding cash. That's likely to change next year or at least by early 2013, in which case the Republicans, if they're in office, will eagerly claim credit, and the media will buy into that.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 06:43 PM

Ok... here's what I have first hand about Republican administrations.

I have a friend who has been at EPA since 1974...he spent 'most' of that time near the top... in various positions...the last 10 years or so as a GS-15 supervisor and acting or asst. head of a department. He told me years ago that when Reagan came in, he did exactly what the had threatened promised...he dismantled technical programs that had taken years to create, and sent top-notch scientific reseachers packing. When Clinton was elected, attempts to rebuild were awkward, as experts were 'elsewhere'.
Once G.W. Bush was in, it got worse. Serious 'protecting of the environment' was a joke, as all the policy positions were stuffed with bought & paid for industry apologists. My friend's precise comment..."I've never seen anything like it in my 25 years." He was told when certain issues came up that he had expertise on...'We don't need your input on that... policy has already been decided.'...This told to a GS-15 with 20+ years experience.
Regulations were gutted, studies were shelved, entire work groups were paid to do NOTHING, while PR wonks were making excuses and taking advice from the chemical industry, the oil industry, the pesticide industry, the logging industry, the mining industry...and anyone else with a vested interest in seeing little or no oversight on environmental problems.

THAT is part... a small part... of what one could expect in another administration where Republicans either set policy or block good policy.

Be very afraid.

Oh... my friend is retiring this Summer.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 06:28 PM

Do people idolise ROnnie Ray-Gun? Over here in the UK he is generally regarded as a rather bad joke.

However Ebbie, your defence of Soros seems to be that FfS's facts were (for once) right but they don't count. Is that a fair riposte to you?

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Genie
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 06:06 PM

But, Alex, you also forgot the biggest and most immediate thing the Republicans will do if they even just regain control of the House:
instigate and conduct endless investigations of just about any powerful or high-profile Democrat — especially President Obama — on any number of flimsy, trivial or even trumped-up charges.   Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Michelle Bachman and other Republican spokespeople have proudly proclaimed this as their plan (though they won't cop to the "flimsy" and "trumped-up" part).

They will tie up Congress and the media with non-stop hearings that will cost us taxpayers tens to hundreds of $millions, the way Ken Starr did with Clinton.

It will be like the perpetual attack on the Clintons - but on steroids.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Greg F.
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 06:05 PM

Sorry Ebbie - I'm having a bad brain day- of course I meant Woodrow.

(McKinley would probably have preferred a stroke to a bullet, being a Civil War veteran)

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Genie
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 06:04 PM

Mousethief, you're right on pretty near all points.

But I wouldn't bestow the respectable label of "conservative" on Scalia, Roberts, Thomas and Alito - two of whom threw the Constitution aside to overrule Florida's own Supreme Court's decision in the 2000 Presidential election. These guys are "conservative" and "strict constructionists" only when it suits their political goals. When it comes to issues like whether Madison et al. considered money to be "speech" and corporations to be "people" with all the rights but not all the obligations and vulnerabilities of "natural persons," not so much.

You listed voter roll purges, but don't forget the tactic of disenfranchising millions of
natural-born US citizens who for various reasons don't have a passport or driver's license and can't afford to get a copy of their birth certificates.
Oh, and then there's controlling election "outcomes" by way of black box voting machines. The public will 'buy' whatever weird "outcome" the quasi-monopolistic media announce, because the media will direct both expectations and post-hoc interpretations by their "political analyses."



You're right that more hyper-extreme right-wing, pro-corporation & anti-labor, pro-prosecution and anti-defendant judges to the SCOTUS, resulting, ultimately, in an overthrow many important freedoms (more torture, less habeas corpus, no real 5th Amendment right, limited freedom of assembly, no right of privacy, more indefinite confinement without prosecution, etc.)   But the Republicans probably wouldn't pass a Constitutional amendment to ban abortion even if they could, because the issue is too useful as a wedge issue and energizer for the right-wing "base." They didn't seriously try when they had control of all 3 branches of our gov't. for 6 years.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 05:51 PM

Time to teach them Canadians a lesson or two. The next job for the U.S. military.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 05:41 PM

"Dubie", ya say, pdq??? Hey, I'm not sure I'd vote fir the guy but maybe sit down, roll one and see what the dude is like stoned... Then I might vote fir him... Or not...

"Don't Bogart that jont my friend, pass it over to me..."

BTW, this thread ain't about George Soros... Its about what a Republican (if you can call them that anymore) would look like...

BTW, part B... Charlie Christ, Florida now Independent, is one of the last standing real Republicans and he'll get alot of Dem crossover votes for that come November...

But, hey, even if the Repubs sweep in Novemeber they'll need to get 66% of the House and Senate to bring about their Rapture 'cause Obama will veto all the Rapture/loonie legislation...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 05:26 PM

William McKinley did not have a stroke - or at least, he certainly did not die of one. He was assassinated.

You may be thinking of Woodrow Wilson.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Don Firth
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 05:09 PM

He was a halfway decent actor. Not great, just halfway decent.

He shoulda stuck with acting.

Don Firth

P. S. I have a hard time watching old movies with Reagan in them. Even if it's a good movie and he's doing an adequate job. My gag reflex. . . .

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Greg F.
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 04:34 PM

the fall of the Soviet Union .. but was it [Ronnie Ray Gun]

Of course it wasn't him - don't be a prat.

However, he WAS our first non compos mentis, senile in office president - if you discount a couple of months of McKinley, after his stroke).

That should be distinction enough for him.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: olddude
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 04:22 PM

I suspect it had something to do with the fall of the Soviet Union .. but was it him that did that or did it just fall because of its own crushing debt (something I see us in today outselves)   never understood the Reagan idolization

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 04:20 PM

Ebster: "I hold no brief for George Soros; I don't know the man. I do know enough, however, to know that GfS is spreading malicious garbage, knowingly."

Just quoting a source,...as you are..(I think)...so....double check your source...I'll do the same, to see if things got added, or deleted.

GfS

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: olddude
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 04:19 PM

Ronald Reagan
and why is he so idolized? I mean personality wise I liked listening to him .. but as a president no ... my mortgage was 14 3/4 %
he busted unions .. tossed out federal safe guards on investments and a host of other things that were a disaster ... run away inflation .. good grief was a mess


I liked Jimmy Carter .. he wasn't a good president but I like him personality wise .. but people admit Jimmy wasn't a good president .. but why does everyone say Reagan was a great president ... someone please explain that to me .. and at that time, I was a republican. I left the party for that reason ..

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Stringsinger
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 04:10 PM

Many don't remember Herbert Hoover, or knew about McKinley. If you read up on their administrations, you'll get an idea. Of course Teddy Roosevelt was a Repub and he busted the "trusts". Lincoln was an early Repub. The problem is with their contemporary ideology and the ridiculous notion of economics that included "trickle down" and the so-called "free market" which is a misnomer. Also, you can bet that it would be an authoritarian administration and anti-diversity in its orientation. The dissolution of American principles of democracy started with the ascendency of Ronald Reagan.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: pdq
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 01:19 PM

The Republican candidate for governor of Vermont is named Dubie.

Wonder if that's enough to get Bobert's support?

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 01:10 PM

I think that Guest from Sanity should be barred from the Mudcat. He is deliberately promulgating falsities about another human being.

I hold no brief for George Soros; I don't know the man. I do know enough, however, to know that GfS is spreading malicious garbage, knowingly.

George Soros, if you care to read the actual transcript from the Steve Kroft on 60 Minutes, was 14 years old when his father split up his family in an effort to survive the Nazi regime. His son, George, was left behind in Germany, to pose as the godson of a well-known Christian German who was paid for the duty. His 'godfather' worked for the Nazis and he had the boy assist.

George Soros did survive the Holocaust; many of his relatives did not.

To say (quote?), as Guest from Sanity does: "When Hitler's henchman Adolf Eichmann arrived in Hungary, to oversee the murder of that country's Jews, George Soros ended up with a man whose job was confiscating property from the Jewish population. Soros went with him on his rounds." is smear beyond decency.

FACTS:

The boy was left behind, separated from his family. No one knew who would survive the Nazis or if they would ever meet again. if the family would ever be re-united.

The boy was 14 YEARS OLD.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 12:45 PM

...by the way, I too thought Bush, BOTH OF THEM, were incredibly corrupt, agenda driven, and pieces of shit! You have NO argument with me, on that one!

GfS

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: olddude
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 12:37 PM

Look I do know there are stupid people out there that believe in the mud slinging that keeps running around the internet about the Dems Obama and everyone else who is trying to do something decent for a change (including some republicans that don't fit the bill of the party). I also think he got elected because the majority of Americans are too smart to fall for that crap.

Likewise the next election will be based on performance. Right now I see no one in the republican party that seems to have the goods to win anything. They embraced this far right agenda and it is going to come back to bite them like it did before. If they run someone who is a thinking person with solutions and not bumper sticker commentary then maybe they have some chance. However, that won't happen. The problem with embracing a far right or far left agenda is you are stuck with the consequences. You cannot bash Obama, call him a socialist and then try to run a candidate that is middle ground ..
you shoot yourself in the ass by doing so ...

I suspect unless the Republican's change their focus and do it fast, they lose again ... big .. or unless the Dems do something so stupid that people pull the lever just to protest. That is a concern also

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 12:37 PM

The question needs to be specific to note that a "Republican" administration right now would be largely the extreme form populated by Tea Partyers and nut jobs like Sharron Angle and Michelle Bachmann who are able to spout nonsense without raising a sweat...and sometimes nonsense 180° from the nonsense they spouted yesterday.

It feel like the inmates trying to get control of the asylum, with almost incoherent ideas of what they would DO if they won! They don't have 'plans', they have slogans and wishes. They say "Big Government is BAD!" and "Down With Regulation" and "Stop Runaway Spending"...then they proceed to do whatever form of those fits the 'Slogan de'Jour'.

IF they win, look for many of the items mousethief listed to be put forward, with an eye towards cramming as much as possible thru before the voters realize "What Hath Got Wrought".

I am convinced that a significant number of the far right are expecting *the end of the world* pretty soon..(2012 & all that) and just want to shape their final days to be as favorable to THEM as possible.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 12:34 PM

Another right winged blogger with too much time on his hands...

(Well, Boberdz... Why does he has so much time on his hands???)

Maybe because this is his job... There Are alot of rightie bloggers gettin six figures to just sit in front of their computers and twist facts into pretzels and come up with the most astounding conspircay theories... But, hey, it's a job, right??? The rich can afford a batallian of six-figure creeps like this... The left??? Not so...

No wonder 31% of the Amefrican people think Obama is a Muslim...

The left hasn't ever had equal time... Now the right owns most corporate media, all these well paid hatchetmen and so what we have a perfect storm for Boss Hog to take out the New Deal... That was the dream of his daddy and his grand-daddy and the right wing is now in postition to do it...

They almost did it with George Bush but ran outta time... Another year is what they needed to destroy our country as we know it... It's kinda like a prize fight... Boss Hog has a big round ith George Bush and the country was saved by the bell (the elction of Obama) but let there be no doubt about it, the right winged has no policy psoitons accept pushing fear, fear and more fear as it tries to bring the nation down... And make no bones about, that is exactly their intent, folks... Bring it down so that they can redo it the way they want where there will be no unions, no one except tyhem will own much of anything, people won't be allowed to retire and where everyone is scambling aginst one another trying to keep a roof over their head and a can of beans on the shelf... That, my fiend's is what the John Beohners of the world want to see... A complete melt down...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 12:28 PM

Ebbie: "These days, unless you have a specialty vocation that the Canadians need or unless you have a healthy retirement fund, Canada doesn't want you."

...and you thought Arizona was so bad...?

GfS

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 12:20 PM

Bobert: "Their is a misconception that has been promoted by folks like GfS that therer is no difference bewteen the two parties... That played well for a long time but that song is worn out and that dog don't hunt... The new brand of Repubs aren't Repubs at all... They are extremely rich people who have hated the New Deal forever and want it gone and have used their money to buy the media and to buy morons who are clueless as they sign on to one emotional issue after another thinking that these rich people have their best interests in hand..."

I have long suspected that George Soros was calling the shots in this last political election.."
   
THIS IS LONG BUT extremely important for all Americans to understand
THE GUY WHO PULLS OBAMA'S STRINGS..A powerful and wealthy socialist ... And this man is an unofficial adviser and financial source to Obama??The bottom third confirms Soros goals for the U.S.A very sobering read.

Who Is George Soros?
This is necessary to understand, please read it all.

George Soros was powerful enough to bring the market down in 2 days so we best know his goals.
Look at this quote from him, "The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States."
Here is what (CBS') Mr. (Steve) Kroft's research has turned up. Bit of a read, but it took 4 months to put it together.
   
"George Soros is an evil man. He's anti-God, anti-family, anti-American, and anti-good." He killed and robbed his own Jewish people.
If George Soros isn't the world's preeminent "malignant messianic narcissist," he'll do until Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot are reincarnated.
What we have in Soros, is a multi-billionaire atheist, with skewed moral values, and a sociopaths lack of conscience. He considers himself to be an elitist world class philosopher, despises the American Way and just loves to do social engineering (change cultures).   
György Schwartz, better known to the world as George Soros, was born August 12, 1930 in Hungary. Soros' father, Tivadar, was a fervent practitioner of the Esperanto a language invented in 1887, and designed to be the first global language, free of any national identity. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto

The Schwartz's, who were non-practicing Jews, changed the family name to Soros, in order to facilitate assimilation into the gentile population, as the Nazis spread into Hungary during the 1930s.
When Hitler's henchman Adolf Eichmann arrived in Hungary, to oversee the murder of that country's Jews, George Soros ended up with a man whose job was confiscating property from the Jewish population. Soros went with him on his rounds.
....

Maybe time to re-evaluate???

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Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: mousethief
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 12:16 PM

Did I mention dismantling the National Parks? Also defunding of basic science research.

BB, the Repubs are on record as saying the government should be minimized. Many of them have said the only purpose of the national government should be defense and justice. Don't you believe them?

N0, they didn't. THOSE contracts were awarded under schedules of the Clinton Adninistration.

Awarded by whom? The war didn't start under Clinton. They weren't required to use those "schedules". One could argue plausibly that in terms of economic policy (rather than social), Clinton was a Republican in disguise anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 10:48 AM

Incidentally, Bearded Bruce, this is one time on this subject that I would value your contribution. What do you think a Republican administration would be like?

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 10:46 AM

OK. So now that we've established that it would be a totally unacceptable government, how do we avoid having it happen?

At this point, you know, they are saying that we are on a likely path to that development.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Greg F.
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 08:11 AM

I don't think he'd doubt your list at all, Wee Beardie - he'd just characterise it as bullshit. Wch it would inevitably be.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 08:02 AM

Mousie,

"They didn't secretly award no-bid contracts to Halliburton (for example)."


N0, they didn't. THOSE contracts were awarded under schedules of the Clinton Adninistration.

Try to get SOMETHING right.

As for the rest- I doubt it, just as YOU would doubt MY list of what Obama and the Democraps are trying to do to the country.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 07:17 AM

If ya'' remember the horror and fear of waht it was like the last few months of the Bush administration with two unfunded wars and an economy in collapse, a Repub administartion would be like that scenerio becomin the new 'default"...

The insanity of trying to fix the deficits without increasing revenues at the expense of millions of elederly living at or just below the poverty line would craete a country with upwards of 30% of its citizens living in poverty and old people losing their homes or apartments and dying in the streets as Republican's walked right by them as if they didn't exist...

Their is a misconception that has been promoted by folks like GfS that therer is no difference bewteen the two parties... That played well for a long time but that song is worn out and that dog don't hunt... The new brand of Repubs aren't Repubs at all... They are extremely rich people who have hated the New Deal forever and want it gone and have used their money to buy the media and to buy morons who are clueless as they sign on to one emotional issue after another thinking that these rich people have their best interests in hand... They are very much likew the "horses" in Animal Farm... Well meaning pe3rhaps... Motivated, fir sure... But too stupid to know they are being led into gas chambers as they are told that they are just going in to take a nice, warm shower...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 04:28 AM

It would be the same. The two major parties are an illusion. Snap now, and avoid the rush!!

GfS

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: michaelr
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 03:46 AM

Bill of Rights?

Ebbie, don't go there. It's too hideous to consider.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 02:25 AM

Very plausible, Mousie.

I thought Roe -v- Wade had already gone (or at least been crippled) though.

And what's "BOR"?

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: mousethief
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 01:00 AM

If the Republicans get back into power, look for:

• Social Security and Medicare to be discontinued. This will lead to swathes of old people dying of hunger and disease. The third world will look like a health spa.
• Environmental protection will be gutted or eliminated entirely. We already know what this looks like -- remember the Cuyahoga River, anyone? And at a much more massive scale. Look for people to get sick, and entire runs or even species of fish and waterfowl to die. Also look for strip mining firms to no longer be required to clean up after themselves, and massive livestock outfits to no longer even pretend to cleanly dispose of their wastes.
• More purges of voter records which end up --"oopsie!"-- deleting people who really should have a right to vote, and who are all (amazing, isn't it?) people of colour, or poor.
• All regulation removed from insurance. Nobody will be insurable in about 10 years except young people who have always been healthy. Once they get sick -- BAM! -- end of coverage.
• All regulation removed from banking, where risk is socialized (FDIC will still pay for failed banks) but reward is privatized (only the über-rich will benefit).
• Appointment of more hyper-extreme-conservative judges to the SCOTUS, resulting, ultimately, in an overthrow of Roe v Wade and many other important freedoms.
• Tax burden even further shifted from the rich to the middle class.
• Last vestiges of anti-trust regulations removed, so that giant monopolies form in many industries / service sectors. Federal regulations are then put in place to make their monopoly absolute and make the rising of small competitors impossible. (This is already underway with the FDA -- they continue to make it harder and harder for small independent farmers who don't owe their souls to Monsanto or Cargill.)
• Complete take-over of the public airwaves by a very small group of propagandists plus heavy regulation or economic segmentation of the internet, the two making it harder and harder for an independent news voice to get its message across.
• A constitutional amendment proposed banning gay marriage and instituting other "pro-family" policies.
• Total alienation of all the nations of the world except Israel and Red China.
• Increasing restrictions on exercise of BOR rights, whether by law or executive order.
• More and deeper debt to fund more wars (perhaps North Korea or Iran)
• Potential reinstatement of the draft (see previous point)
• Unlimited drilling in any and all sensitive areas, with regulatory oversight pared back or eliminated.
• Preferential treatment for Christian, especially Evangelical Christian, firms and individuals in government hiring, regulations, permitting, contract awards, etc.
• End of tax regulations on political speech for religious nonprofit organizations (at least Christian ones, anyway).
• End of anti-redlining and other federal-level anti-discrimination laws.
• Continued hypocrisy over deposing illegal immigrants while letting huge agribusiness continue to employ them as long as it's all kept hush-hush.
• Continued overriding of local authorities in high-visibility so-called "morality" issues (think Terry Schiavo, non-ground-zero non-mosque).

"What?" you ask, "Are you such a conspiracy theorist?!" -- Hell, no. The Republicans have been working in this direction for decades right out in the open. Why would they need a conspiracy? They didn't secretly award no-bid contracts to Halliburton (for example). They did it under everybody's noses! No conspiracy at all. The say "fuck you" to us, right in our teeth.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: GUEST,David E.
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 12:07 AM

I wonder if we'll see the day when government decides that we are all just too stupid to vote anyway?

David E.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 11:33 PM

I wonder if Mudcat's Favorite Conspiracy Theorist will learn to spell the name of General David Howell Petraeus, should Petraeus run for office.

Still, I have to say that the Republicans are pulling every dirty trick in the book in their attempt to get Barack Obama out of office, to the point where it does look like some sort of conspiracy. The "birther" and "Barack is a Muslim" movements seem to be gaining strength, and the Republicans are sitting back and doing nothing to refute that crap. And now there's the New York Islamic Center non-issue, about a building proposed for a run-down side street two blocks away from "Ground Zero." What will be their next attempt to defame Obama? More immigration nonsense?

I really hope the voters wake up to the fact that the Republicans are feeding them nothing but garbage - but it looks like too many voters are eating that crap for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: ichMael
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 11:12 PM

Gingrich was a shill. His job was to work will Bill Clinton to kill Social Security, and they almost did it. Only the Lewinsky affair stopped it. Quit paying attention to party labels. We only have one party.

And the next president of that party will be General David Patreus. He told an Afghani reporter that he wants to be president. Patreus is not saying whether he's a Democrat or Republican (same as Eisenhower, same as Colon Powell). Obama's a farce and will face a challenger from the Democratic party. Maybe Patreus will be that challenger. He'll decided after viewing the outcome of the midterm elections. But more than likely Patreus will run as a Republican. If the country wants to "boot the bums out," then Patreus will win by a landslide.

And what would his administration be like? Well, he believes in military tribunals, so there goes trial by jury. And he's been involved with the torture policies in the mid-east, so we can expect that to be visited upon us in the U.S. Military dictatorship.

Patreus has said he would only consider running for president if he were "drafted." Witness what the media did with a brokeback crack-smokin' man-whore like Obama. Made him a celebrity. Imagine what they'll do with a zillion-star general. Once Patreus gets in, he will become our Caeser. If you question him, you question America, and that can't be allowed.

And it has nothing to do with party politics. It is the elite installing yet another oppressor to carry out their will. But folks'll whine about Patreus the Democrat or Patreus the Republican (whichever he ends up deciding on). The elite always give us a face to get mad at. That's how they control us.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 11:08 PM

Why give it the energy by visualising it? Better spent in *seeing* things continue to progress and doing the practical things to help keep it in a Democratic majority, imo.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Ebbie
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 11:00 PM

These days, unless you have a specialty vocation that the Canadians need or unless you have a healthy retirement fund, Canada doesn't want you.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Greg F.
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 10:47 PM

Oh, I'm prepared. The Canadian Border is only about 90 minutes away.

If the genius American electorate in their wisdom put those sacks of crap back in office it simply means the feckin' country is beyond hope.

The Republicans and their racist brain-dead teabagger allies WON"T clean up the shitpile they've made, of course, they'll just make it bigger.

Time to pick up & move, lock, stock, and barrell.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Ebbie
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 10:41 PM

But it would be worse, Joe. I remember the government practically ground to a halt but we have even worse history under our belts now. They don't come much worse than what dubya 'accomplished'.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Ebbie
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 10:40 PM

'Ye' right back at ye, not to mention moron. We - and that includes me and you - have little control of the wide swath of voters. I gather you don't believe in being prepared.

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 10:39 PM

Remember the days of the Newt Gingrich Congress of 1994?

Multiply that by ten....

Subject: RE: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Greg F.
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 10:32 PM

What would life be like? Hell warmed over.

We've BEEN there- why in god's name would anyone want to give the keys back to the jackasseas that put the car in the ditch in the first place?

Oh, ye generation of morons.

Subject: BS: What Would a Repub Admin be Like?
From: Ebbie
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 10:29 PM

You know, in the 2008 presidential election although I really truly wanted the Democrats to get into office, it kept occurring to me that it would be slick justice if the Republicans won, on the premise that "You made the mess, you clean it up." Well, a Mudcatter reminded me that the stakes were too high for that, and I was glad that Barack Obama got in.

It has been a fairly thankless job so far. I think things are better than they were – and much better than they might have been – but it's a slow process, too slow for many of us. However, there are many bright spots showing in the distance, with the ever-present ugly reminder of how it could have been.. The whole thing could have collapsed and on top of a world of hurt we could have found ourselves with nation after nation pulling each other down.

So, I am very glad that Obama got in.

However, IF the Republicans this month take control of the House and possibly of the Senate and with 2012 staring us in the face I am kind of back to my original thinking. I still really truly want the country to do well and to do ever better- and to my thinking, it won't happen under the Republicans – but if the Repubs win, I'm thinkin' it serves them right.

I think that among the first things they would do is reverse as many of Obama's projects and plans as possible- which means they would reinstate the tax cuts for the rich, nullify all the programs that Obama has in process and fill the administration with people who admire and emulate figures like Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Brownie and George dubya, not even to mention Palin.

What say you? What would life be like in the near future under a Republican administration?