The modern era of the Republican party

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(EricGo @ Jan 4 2007, 10:35 AM) [snapback]370786[/snapback]</div>

In other words, government business as usual.

 

Don't forget after 40 years of democratic majority 'abuse' they refuse minority party reforms knowing full well the pendulum will eventually swing back against them. Instead they ratchet up the abuse of the minority party to unprecedented levels, then the when the pendulum does swing back they cry foul and in a fully self-serving manner try to shame the 'new' majority into the very reforms they would not even consider. Neither party is innocent, but one is slippery and one is slimy. At the very least the repubs could have passed some sort of legislation to take effect some time in the future thereby protecting their future asses. Stupid incompetents! They deserve to be the minority party for the next 40 years. 40 years vs 12 years and in those 12 years they managed to ruin the country financially by their huge debt accumulation, hand our national security to our debt holders, and lay waste to our once great respect in the world community. They've attempted to eviscerate the constitution, managed to evaporate the middle class, and create the most national disharmony in the modern nation since the civil war. Perhaps worst of all they have given free reign to corporations from which there is no hope of recovery save draconian taxation and legislative action.

 

I'm not sure what Congress has to do with Nixon abusing the CIA for domestic political espionage,
Reagan abusing the CIA to illegally interefere in other country's affaiirs and engage in international terrorism or Bush II abusing the CIA to manipulate Iraq facts to support war.

I do know that when Newt Gingrich took over as Speaker he praised the Liberals in the Democratic party for gains in human rights made under their watch.

I wonder if the Republicans had been in power for those 40 years if there would still be water fountains labeled "Whites Only".

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jan 4 2007, 04:21 PM) [snapback]371034[/snapback]</div>

Now this is really excessively cynical. Had Republicans held office throughout the last 40 years, the "Whites Only" labels on water fountains would have given way to progressive reforms, albeit reforms of a somewhat different character, and today they'd be labeled "White Republicans Only".

Mark Baird
Alameda CA

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jan 4 2007, 05:21 PM) [snapback]371034[/snapback]</div>

Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment. This sheltered the Republican party from the embarassment of having very open impeachment hearings discussing exactly what Nixon and his associates had done. Granted, there were hearings and there was damage, but it would likely have been much worse if impeachment hearings were actually held. An impeachment would have removed Richard Nixon from office, but is not a criminal trial, per se. The only thing Congress could have done is either sanction Nixon (a congressional scolding), or to fire him and make Ford president. They could not have jailed him, or done anything worse than throwing him out of office.

Ford granted Nixon a full pardon for the Watergate activities before a trial on criminal charges could ever be held. Because of this, Nixon essentially 'escaped' ever having a criminal trial, and the Republican party escaped having an ex-president appear to the media in an orange jumpsuit during a perp walk.

How did this benefit the Republicans? If there had been an impeachment, Congress would have immediately been obligated to put controls in place to prevent any future president from abusing power in the same way Nixon did. To an extent, they did (some would argue that the FISA courts were a response to Nixon's abuses), but had the actions resulted in an impeachment, the response likely would have been stronger.

Ford later said that he pardoned Nixon so the nation wouldn't dwell on the activities, and could begin to heal. The real effect was to keep the true extent of the abuses from the American people (by not airing them in a court of law), and probably kept the people from demanding that Congress put controls in place to stem the abuses in the future.

Personally, I would have liked to see Nixon in jail. Until you start actually holding people responsible for their actions, they'll continue the infractions (Republicans and Democrats alike). For the same reason, I am concerned that Jefferson (from New Orleans) is still serving in Congress, and hope Pelosi fully investigates the ethics charges against him and takes the appropriate actions. If he really took bribes, he should be impeached.

Dan

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Jan 4 2007, 07:55 PM) [snapback]371047[/snapback]</div>

Make that "Rich White Male Heterosexual Christian Republicans Only".

Now *that's* cynical.