Leading with their Dick

"The idea that we ought to moderate basically means we ought to fundamentally change our philosophy. I for one am not prepared to do that, and I think most of us aren’t."

This lovely little gem was said by former Vice-Torturer in Chief, the Dark Lord of the Triple Bypass, Darth Dick. He snarled this to a conservative talk-radio show (though not Limbaugh, surprisingly) a few days ago.

I wanted to bring it up because it seems to underscore the mentality of Republicans right now. That is to say, in the wake of a crippling defeat, and after months of useless navel-gazing and embittered words toward their vanquishers, this is what they've come up with as a solution. Rather changing with the time, updating their value system, and - dare I say it? - evolving, many senior party members (and, lest we forget, their legions of rabid cultists) have decided their best option is to circle the ideological wagons, and cull the impure from their ranks.

"We're excluding the young, minorities, environmentalists, pro-choice — the list goes on," says Olympia Snowe of Maine, one of two moderate Republicans left in the Senate after Pennsylvania defector Arlen Specter's switch. "Ideological purity is not the ticket to the promised land." And yet, this is exactly what many embattled Republicans seem to be advocating now. Rather than think gee, the American people seem to have told us something last November... maybe we should adjust accordingly... they have double-downed on the philosophy of the last eight years - up to and including a vigorous, and ludicrous defense of torturing people "if it works" - in the near- absurd hope that we'll all suddenly agree with it.

Of course, the first (or maybe second, I forget) rule of battle is, "never interrupt your opponent while he's making a mistake." And I certainly don't mean to do so. If the Republicans want to tie their own shoelaces together, I say "by all means, go ahead."

So go ahead, Republicans, keep letting Cheney, Limbaugh, Coulter, and O'Reilly define your positions for you. Keep the mentality that there's "real Americans" and "fake Americans." Keep out the moderates, and then say "good riddance" when they abandon your sinking ship. Pander to the extreme religious Right. Continue to introduce legislation that - in true Kindergarten tantrum style - attempts to rename the Democratic Party the "Democratic Socialist Party." Continue to use inflamatory hyperbole in the face of rational debate. And by all means, continue to be a uselessly obstructionist party doing everything in their power to hinder the government in a time of crisis.

Let's see how that works out for you.

the night that falls all around us