I didn’t say it. I don’t care what Democrats do. But Morton Kondracke has some advice for Dems in his latest column. He says that you liberals need to face reality, stop demonizing George Bush and start paying attention to people like me! 
Or something like that.
Right after the election, everywhere I went in D.C., I’d hear white yuppie liberals ranting about “fascist judges” and “self-righteous” Republicans and “holy rollers.” They weren’t self-conscious around me because they assumed I was one of them. You know…the skin color thing.
On the religion issue, Kondrake says:
Ordinary Americans overwhelmingly know they didn’t vote for Bush to tear down the wall between church and state. Mainly, they voted for him because they trusted him more to fight America’s enemies, who are real and menacing — and in no way resemble Bush.If liberals imagine Bush’s America to be a theocracy, they should take a field trip to Iran or the Sudan. Sorry, Taliban-dominated Afghanistan is no longer available.
Liberals need a little perspective on the whole theocracy fear, and Kondrake gives it to them straight. But let’s face it, we’re all relatively spoiled living in the free land of plenty, even us conservative Christians. We don’t know what real persecution is. The worst that happens to me is people talking about me behind my back. So what? Other Christians are getting their heads chopped off for professing Christ or being enslaved in the Sudan by “peaceful” Muslims. But I digress.
Kondrake says:
This post-election fulminating is of a piece with the pre-election Bush-hatred that led too many in the Democratic party to lionize the likes of Michael Moore, whose documentaries (see “Bowling for Columbine”) represent the United States as the violent, evil scourge of the Earth.
You mean to tell me that after losing the election, liberals are still talking about Michael Moore? You’re kidding. Can you imagine having someone like him speaking for you? Moving on:
The second level of reality avoidance that afflicts the party is a tendency to minimize its Nov. 2 loss. It’s true, Bush won the election by only 3.5 million votes, or 2.8 percent — the smallest popular-vote margin in a re-election victory ever and the second-smallest measured by electoral vote
I thought Kondrake was trying to be facetious here, but I guess not. For some reason, 3.5 million looks like a big number to me. You know why? Because it is.
The following paragraph is bad news for liberals, but good news for me:
From went on, “It’s important to understand that this is not a John Kerry or John Edwards phenomenon. This year was another chapter in a 40-year slide for the Democratic Party since the Lyndon Johnson landslide of 1964.”
More good news:
Contrary to optimists who predicted that Democrats were demographically destined to be America’s new majority party because of the growing importance of Latinos, educated women and urban professionals, Bush this time hiked his performance among Hispanics to 44 percent, lost women by just 3 percentage points and matched increases among “metro” voters with huge turnout in the exurbs, places often derided by liberals as the locus of “sprawl.”
I do love it so. If you libs think I’m gloating, think again. Bush has his own problems, you know. His determination to push amnesty for illegal aliens just might drive me to the Constitution Party!
I hope that cheered you up. 
{ 44 comments }
WoooHoooo
New goodies to jump on
La Shawn,
This is totally unrelated to this topic, but I’m just so excited that I had to mention it at first opportunity. FOX News just announced that Dan Rather is stepping down as CBS News anchorperson. No more DNCBS Dan. I attribute this as Bloggers achieving their first victory over the main stream media, and La Shawn, you were right there in the fight! I’ll be looking for a post on this
Now for a comment on the issue at hand in this post. I have been trying not to gloat too much about this whole election thing, but most of my liberal acquaintances have been strangely hard to find these days. The problem for them is that they are so much in the minority here in Oklahoma, that it is hard to go out in public without being accosted by their conservative friends over how they feel about the election.
Those that I have managed to talk to are still trying to understand what happened. They refuse to admit or accept the things that Kondracke points out. They think that there was some form of sinister power grab by the “Christian majority”, all the while ignoring the fact that the word “majority” is used in the phrase and thus is exactly why what happpened, did happen.
I have to agree with you about the illegal alien thing. It is one source of aggravation to me, particularly since I’m forced to deal direcly with some of its effects on society at least 2 or 3 times a week. Unfortunately both Democrats and Republicans refuse to do the right thing with regard to closing our borders to illegals.
They weren’t self-conscious around me because they assumed I was one of them. You know…the skin color thing.
And isn’t that about as degrading as it gets? I wouldn’t let it worry you, though. People like that aren’t worth getting worked up about.
WayneB,
It’s about as degrading as it comes, that is the fact of the matter. White liberals assume that ALL blacks support the Democratic/Liberal cause.
I ‘ve gotten it, and I am sure many other black conservatives and Republicans have gotten the same treatment.
LaShawn, concerning our borders… Militarily, I think it would be easier to join forces with Canada and Mexico and open the borders.
Ocean borders are much easier to defend than land borders, and the economic powerhouse we would be creating with relaxed import/export/labor laws would flatten anything the dysfunctional Europeans could patch together. (and they ARE trying very hard)
Yes, there would be a MOUNTAIN of domestic logistical obstacles to overcome… but assuming for the sake of discussion that we solve those problems wouldn’t it benefit us more as a country than if we were to simply lock down our borders and let Mexico and Canada go hang themselves?
Saw the note about Dan Blather. Scott Ott already has a satire about it (click my name) (at least, I hope it works that way).
Some of the liberals I know also don’t get it. They act like “Ok, so he’s the president. He better tow the line or we’ll be making trouble.” There is even one liberal site that thinks they ought to start shooting Republicans on sight. Temporary suspension here of “gun control” issue.
Ah, well. Keep praying and witnessing (about Jesus and conservative values).
You conservatives need to get over the Rather issue. The media failed us before the war. They didn’t aske questions because they were afraid their “access” to the administration would be limited.
Again, Pat Buchanan makes sense on this issue. Buchanan said that access has become the biggest thing to the media in this administration. If the media attempts to overly questions ANYTHING Bush does, they’re often given much less access.
Yeah…Dan Rather failed big time. But, where was “liberal” CBS in the run-up to war? If a few simple questions had been asked, then perhaps 1200 of our troops wouldn’t be dead and 9,000 wouldn’t be injured.
Sure, I’m treading over familiar water and these are definitely liberal “talking points,” but they’re still relevant.
As for Kondracke’s column, he makes some fairly good points. Any country run as a theocracy is a bad thing. Iran is the biggest one. I feel we definitely need a presence in Sudan and other countries in Africa that suffer from religious wars between Christians and Muslims. “Religious cleansing,” as I’ll call it, poses a threat to millions around the world.
Democrats need to stop relying on their base in order to get votes. A large portion of Hispanics are Catholic and follow the church even more religiously than non-Hispanics. Reaching out to them should’ve been a higher priority.
Michael Cummins:
I like your point re: Mexico and Canada. I think this should be a serious option. I think joining together as three large nations would be great and definitely offer competition to the rising influence and possible superpower that may become the EU.
The problem with the US is that we have NO other superpower to keep us in check, virtually allowing us to do whatever the heck we want with little consequence. The past 15 years we’ve been on our own running the show. I feel that by joining other nations, especially those as different as Canada and Mexico, we’ll be more respected in the overall international community. What do ya think? The North American Union??
I could go off on a hundred other things in regards to the Mexican immigration subject…but I’ll hold off for another time.
You concervatives:-) You gotta luv that line…
I guess that says it all
Renee,
Sorry. I try not to generalize. Sometimes, I just can’t help myself. LOL. I’ll try to refrain in the future.
Like the Dems would listen to him. Suggesting the Dems are an obsolete party seems somewhat strange to me. When Clinton annihilated Bob Dole, it didnt ruin the Republican party. Same again after the 2000 election fiasco. What im wondering is, will the Republican party be able to maintain this narrow popular support without a climate of fear in America?
Ok Mike… you are forgiven
Mariachi,
Do you you know many people who voted out of fear for Bush? Really know them? Not people you’ve heard about, or a friend of a friend situation?
While I know plenty of liberals that have been running about like Chicken Little, I don’t know a single Bush voter who was motivated by fear.
Well, expect the ones who feared a Kerry presidency. Note, these folks (the ones I know, again) are all military or military families, and take the CiC very seriously.
Totally unrelated but….
Has everyone voted for their favorite Weblog?
(see 11-20-04 post)
Sorry LB, I could not help it
Michael E. Cummins, & Mike M..,
The ignoring or removal of a neighbouring countries borders in order to facilitate the “logic” of your own country’s borders falls neatly under the term “empire building”…
…and then Mike M.., If the US seems like a scary unrestrained superpower – removing troublesome borders sure might ease the worry… when enough borders are removed it would have instant world domination without anyone noticing… and then there would be no international community to worry it..yippee!
I like America, Joe.
I don’t mind if more of the place becomes more like us. 
Actually, the purpose of the idea was that it might be easier (and less costly) to control the borders of the northern continent than it would be to control the combined borders of Mexico and Canada… and as long as that’s a consideration, why not consider how we could further benefit?
That’s about it. Funny how when the Repubs talk about such things it becomes “empire building” whilst Noble Dems aspire to “Building Alliances”
- Mike C with a smile
Oh no Mike, when everyone is the same there will be so much less to discover, so much less fun to be had. Life will be that much more stale…
…With all the same culture there would be No French, or Polish, or Thai, or Ethiopian, or Indian, or Japanese … the world would be a much duller place! There wouldn’t even be americans – there would only be people! And everyone would talk the same language -with the same accent- and wear the same clothes, and cook the same food, and listen to the same music! eugh!
no thanks- the borders- the divisions are what make life so wonderfully interesting
PS. If “Noble Dems” aspire to “building alliances” what are all the Ignoble ones at?
Sound like something thats impossible to do i mean asking a demacrat to change is like asking a lit match to not start a fire i mean you might as well talk to sheetrock you get more reaction from the sheetrock
If we merge with or annex our neighbors to stop watching the borders… won’t we then have a much, much larger coastline to monitor?
Yes, SCSIWuzzy…. A much larger coastline, but one that is easier to monitor. True, you can still slip past maritime radar with smallcraft, but it is much easier to get over a land border. You should see the systems we have in place in the Navy. During the first gulf war we had command centers that tied every radar from every ship into one integrated system. We could watch seagulls fly over the straits of Hromuz in real time from Tampa, from Virginia. We have no such systems deployed over the Mexican or Canadian borders, and it would be much more expensive and error prone to implement them regardless. Not to mention that it is much easier to see a boat in the ocean via satellite than insurgents actively using ground cover. Protecting the land borders are truly impossible. A lost cause. I think that the North American coastline is our best defense, but currently we are not in control of all the craft landing on the North American coastline. If we formed some kind of partnership with the Mexicans and the Canadians, I think that is our best long term bet.
The short term is another matter entirely.
And if we do pursue that as a long term goal, shouldn’t we pursue other parallel goals?
Mike M
Sudan and other countries in Africa that suffer from religious wars between Christians and Muslims. “Religious cleansing,” as I’ll call it, poses a threat to millions around the world
This is not a “religious” war or “cleansing” as you call it. It is in fact a war of radical Islamists (read Wahabbi) against non-Muslim populations. Kosovo, Kashmir, Philippines, Thailand, in addition to Sudan come to mind. Did you know that Muslims in Kenya have been granted Constitutional exemption from Kenyan law, being subject only to sharia or Muslim law.
Yes, I know. There are some truly tolerant and decent Muslims in this world just as there were some truly tolerant and decent Germans in 1933.
What makes you think that Canada which wants to indict our president for war crimes and Mexico which wants to destroy our wealth wish to join forces with this evil empire?
If the Democrats would concentrate on standing up for the American worker, and quit being a pack of ignoble wolves out to subvert the last vestiges of our culture and morality, and also attempting to make all of us sheeple dependent on the all-powerful federal government; then they might get somewhere. I don’t see this happening.
As for the latter item (the ever expansive and intrusive federal government), the Republicans are quickly becoming indistinguishable from their supposed foes. It truly is enough for one to consider the Constitution Party.
Dan Blather isn’t retiring from CBS, he’s just stepping down from Anchor so he can devout his full attention to getting Bush gone in 60 mins.
You said they assumed you were one of them … I see this on the net with other groups too. I’m a knitter and knitting is hot on the Internet. On-line knitters assume other on-line knitters are liberal. Knitty.com got an earful when they published an anti-Bush article. I honestly think they were surprised that some of their readers were conservatives (their style is edgy – it’s weird for me to find knitting patterns with profanity and instructions for knitting condom holders for example.) It’s made me realize I just need to be who I am and not worry about being so sensitive around them. La Shawn you’re boldness has been a real inspiration to me!
“I attribute this as Bloggers achieving their first victory over the main stream media, and La Shawn, you were right there in the fight! I’ll be looking for a post on this” …
Hahahaha. The funniest thing I have read all evening. Having an entire news network isn’t enough for you conservatives?
Yesterday I listening to either Rush or Sean [they're back to back in my home town] and whichever one it was read in it’s entirety President Bush’s statement concerning aliens. Contrary to urban legend he is NOT trying to get amnesty for illegal alliens [that, like the draft, was something the dems were pushing]. He wants to get them a temporary work card that will locate them for us and give them limits for their temporary work then either they leave or get in line to become legal like anyone else. It also helps identify those who have temporary employment that American citizens are not willing do to from those who have no intention of working at all. This is the first real attempt to grapple with a very large problem. Those who have ignored it in the past weren’t threatened by anyone to join a different party so let’s not jump on the President’s case because the media has once again twisted his words or intention. There’s no more threat of amnesty than there was of a draft.
What a post! The rhythm of the writing is riveting.
I doubt very much that Democrats will be reformed. They are already salivating over Hillary’s run in 08, talk about clueless. As far as Bush gaining support from Hispanics, that support comes at a cost. Bush will not make our borders safer.
Mark, You say so much with so few words, kinda like Robert Frost….but not as poetic of course.
The American worker sure has been neglected by both parties.
Opening the Mexican border would drive them further into the dirt of minimum wage jobs, or less, while being taxed to support healthcare, housing and education of those working under the table(cash only) paying none.
Did I say to little with too many words?
Sissy, Did you mean ‘The rhythm of the righting is riveting’.
Jim R: Effective policies can prevent some of the problems. I want to open the borders and form Joint Defense operations purely for Homeland Defense. If we do that, then we have a lot of other opportunities as well. What if part of this joint venture included billing Mexico or Canada for emergency health care provided to their citizens? What if foreign nationals were allowed to buy into the healthcare system, like an American citizen? What if we carefully look at our labor laws and practices and promote education and job training for American Citizens and let the foreign nationals take the more demeaning jobs? What if we make employers who hire authorized workers responsible for their housing?
These are just a small number of ideas; I’m sure that we can put our minds to work on SOLVING the problems instead of poo poohing open borders. We will NEVER be able to secure those land borders, no matter how much red tape, greenbacks or military hardware we apply to it. Let’s REALLY fix the problem.
Michael,
Until something happens to Canada, I don’t see much cooperation coming from their government. Many of them see what happened on 9/11 as America’s problem, and America’s fault. So long as the terrorists are just passing through, many don’t want to get involved.
When did Canada drift out of the Anglosphere? I really don’t know.
I agree with you that it will be difficult; that’s why we need to lace the deal with economic/trade incentives. Give them better access to our markets; give us better access to theirs.
I am only a dad, a small business owner and conservative blogger; surely someone in our chain of command can negotiate something that gives us cooperative control of the North American coastline, better rules for foreign nationals in our health care system and a foot in the door of more markets. We’ll give up some things, surely, but what we will gain is a real chance at defending our nation, a better stance against China in the latter half of the 21st century, and a nice position over the European Union. I’m not saying that I am some kind of savant and see something no one else does; I am just watching the administration make decisions and like an adequate chess player, extrapolated a logical conclusion from it. Now that I see it, it makes sense to me. I am confident that there are egg heads in the mix figuring out the details, and as a citizen it will be my job to make noise to make sure that the interests of greed don’t hamstring the idea by cutting corners.
I want to interject a few comments regarding Bush’s proposed policy of guest workers. I work in the real estate development industry in Houston, which is a large part of the local economy. Without migrant workers this industry would come to an almost complete halt. Witness the work stoppages over the holidays as workers go home for a month at Christmas. You certainly could not find enough native born Americans to work in 80, 90, 100 degree weather pouring concrete, framing houses, etc. to keep this sector economically feasible. I have no personal knowledge of how the farming economy (vinyards, etc.) works in California, but I believe that it is the same situation.
All that Bush is trying to do is get a grip on an already existing situation that CANNOT otherwise be dealt with. I agree that driver’s licenses, medical care and education for Spanish speaking children must also be addressed, but to ignore the reality of migrant worker driven business leaves us with no solution to a large and growing problem.
Morton Kondracke is correct. As a former Democrat and a good Republican, I believe America needs a better Democratic Party. I support Republicans not because they’re perfect but because I want to do my part to make sure that the choice at the polls isn’t between two “horse thieves.” Democrats like Morton Krondracke give me hope
Like Mr. Krondracke, I have some suggestions for the Democrats: 1. Drop the term “extreme, hard-line, radical, religious right.” That term accurately describes a very few people. Those that I’ve met probably do not vote for Republicans and may not vote at all. As soon as someone uses this term, I know that they are not speaking to me and certainly are not interested in listening to me. By using this term for all conservatives who are overtly religious, they give the term “liberal” a bad name and made liberals sound intolerant if not bigoted. The same thing could happen to the new word “progressive.” 2. Take another look at some of your positions—abortion for instance. I know several registered Democrats who have ceased voting for Democratic candidates on just this issue. At the second debate it was nice to hear Senator Kerry say to the pro-life questioner, “I respect your position.” [True, this didn’t seem any more sincere than 95% of everything else Senator Kerry said--but it was nice to hear.] Is there a place for por-life people in your party? 3. Welcome people of faith. At worst you seem hostile to people of faith. At best you seem just barely tolerant. Try it. You might even experience a revival. It would do you good.
The idea that America needs to be checked is built upon the dubious supposition that left unchecked America will inflict untold evil upon the world. Typical Leftist pap.
Dusty-
You certainly could not find enough native born Americans to work in 80, 90, 100 degree weather pouring concrete, framing houses, etc. to keep this sector economically feasible.
Sounds like Central Ohio… I’d guess 25-35% of all the roofing/drywall workers here are illegals being paid at $10/hr.
If we lost these surplus workers, and market forces caused that same job to suddenly pay $15-$20/hr.- how many more Americans would be willing to do the same work?
Oops!
My HTML tags didn’t work… The first paragraph was supposed to be a quote.
Diana, Michael & Dusty, I agree. This “festering” problem has been percolating for decades and simply won’t go away with the wave of a magic wand or jackboots-in-the-night roundup and deportation.
I don’t think Bush got a fair hearing of his ideas/plans. But in any case, there has to be a national dialog about the pros and cons without the hyperbole from both sides. A blanket amnesty — or worse, quasi citzenship via drivers licensing and sanctuary communities — won’t work any better than mass deportation.
In a way this is yet another Gordian Knot that needs to be cut. Weed out (deport) the antisocials and freeloaders to include reserving social benefits stricty for citizens and legally integrate those that can contribute.
We conservatives really need to look closely at this, otherwise we WILL suffer unintended consequences.
As for an unchecked America, please. We got practically the whole world begging, stealing, scheming to get here.
How come we hear about moonbats ‘wanting’ to emigrate away from here, still hanging around and kvetching? The fact that they haven’t followed thru on their empty threats give lie to our evil empire image.
Simply put, we’re as good as it gets, and spreading our fundamental liberty, justice & pursuit of happiness mores around will only help make the world, flawed as it/we is/are, a better place for all.
Moonbats
Telling indeed Andy. They keep teasing us with their threat to go… get it ove with already
That coming from you, Jim R., is indeed high praise. I am all ablush as I type. Thank You.
As I am being compared to great poets, I would like to quote William Shakespeare, “Would a rose, by any other name, not smell as sweet?” Would guest worker visas, for those who are here unlawfully, not amount to amnesty by another name? Scott makes a good point, too… No, Native AMericans would not be willing to pick vegetables or build houses in the hot sun for $10/hr, but maybe for $15, or $20, or even $25. The houses just wouldn’t “not get built” (though considering the aesthetic quality of modern housing developments, that may not be such a bad thing).
A far more obvious point is that one of the fundamental rights/responsibilities of a nation in the realm of self-preservation is the ability to defend its teritorrial borders. America IS a nation, Americans ARE a distinct people. We are not yet some universal amalgamated hodge-podge (which would make us a non-nation). If anyone, Mexican or whatever, wished to become an American, there are provisions for doing so. In the meantime, keep ‘em out!
Michael, Any friend of Sarah Brightman is a friend of mine.
Regarding the borders, there is a very straight forward solution, enforce the citizenship laws on the books within the country, not at the border.
As long as employers, both company and individuals, employ aliens with no policeing, fines, retribution, etc., the Border Patrol has a thankless and impossible job.
As long a aliens have guaranteed emergency health care(no question asked), guaranteed schooling(no questions asked), guaranteed community college in CA(no questions asked) and guaranteed citizenship for a child born in the USA(by law), poor people will continue to risk their lives crossing our border.
We all know the reason citizenship laws are not enforced. The hispanic vote in a 50/50 divided electorate can make the difference to keep a political office and the business lobby in DC(with contributions to offer) likes the cheap labor.
It may not be just the color of your skin that prompts the assumption that you must be liberal. I work in academia, am white, and get the same thing all the time. I think it boils down to the attitude that there is no other sane, correct-thinking, moral, intelligent way to look at things than the liberal way. Therefore, if you’re a reasonably sane, moral, intelligent person, why then you must be liberal. If you were conservative, you’d be illiterate, and frothing at the mouth while thumping your Bible and goose-stepping like the fascist you must clearly be.
And they thing conservatives are stupid….
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