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Politics: A rhetorical reframing
May. 8th, 2008 10:34 pmI realized about a week ago that there's a pretty simple rhetorical tool that progressives, liberals, and just plain sane people can use to help assure the defeat of the lickspittles in Congress who are not Democrats or Socialists.
From now until January 20, 2009, there is no more Republican party in my language. Instead, there is "Bush's party". If I need an abbreviation, they are the BOP (Bush's Own Party).
That's all.
This idea came to me when I was listening to Harry Reid on Morning Edition, talking about the "moderate" members of the opposition party--specifically Arlen Specter, but also people like Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, and sometimes Chuck Hegel. What Reid said was that Specter was "always on our side, except when we need him and he votes with the Republicans." What's really going on is Specter votes with Bush, on every crucial vote. Hence, Bush's party.
There used to be honest, decent members of Lincoln's party in Washington; when there were, they deserved the name of the party he lead. But for the past fourteen years, those officials have all been high on Gingrichism and drunk with Bush. Bush couldn't have driven this country into the abyss without the gleeful, consistent, and unwavering support of his Congressional lackeys. Let them all wear his name. Maybe after a generation of self-examination, chastisement, humiliation, purges, reconsiderations, and repentance, they might again be worth of the letter R. But not now.
From now until January 20, 2009, there is no more Republican party in my language. Instead, there is "Bush's party". If I need an abbreviation, they are the BOP (Bush's Own Party).
That's all.
This idea came to me when I was listening to Harry Reid on Morning Edition, talking about the "moderate" members of the opposition party--specifically Arlen Specter, but also people like Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, and sometimes Chuck Hegel. What Reid said was that Specter was "always on our side, except when we need him and he votes with the Republicans." What's really going on is Specter votes with Bush, on every crucial vote. Hence, Bush's party.
There used to be honest, decent members of Lincoln's party in Washington; when there were, they deserved the name of the party he lead. But for the past fourteen years, those officials have all been high on Gingrichism and drunk with Bush. Bush couldn't have driven this country into the abyss without the gleeful, consistent, and unwavering support of his Congressional lackeys. Let them all wear his name. Maybe after a generation of self-examination, chastisement, humiliation, purges, reconsiderations, and repentance, they might again be worth of the letter R. But not now.
