What Republicans Offer in 2006

I've been building to a rant on this for awhile. It is an election year so idiotic comments often rule. Lately, however, nationally known Republicans in and out of government have demonstrated a new level of ridiculous statements and rhetoric. This ranges from:

Prominent Republican pundit Patrick Buchanan appears on talk radio (including Air America), broadcast and cable TV news shows pushing his new book arguing for an immigration moratorium to prevent white America from losing its majority. Why? He writes, “The civilization that we as whites created in Europe and America could not have developed apart from the genetic endowments of the creating people, nor is there any reason to believe that the civilization can be successfully transmitted by a different people.”

Sen. Conrad Burns (R-ID) during a fundraiser featuring Laura Bush stating that terrorists "drive taxi cabs during the daytime and kill at night."

To Vice-President Dick Cheney announcing ,"Some in our own country claim retreat from Iraq would satisfy the appetite of the terrorists and get them to leave us alone."

And then there is Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld branding critics of the War in Iraq appeasers like it is 1936 and George W. Bush is Wintson Churchill.

The best response to Rummy was from Keith Olbermann last night on Countdown. And I will not match his eloquence here.

My main point is all of these comments are what Republicans are offering to voters for the 2006 elections. No, I'm not predicting this will lead to a Democratic sweep in November. I don't trust Democratic intelligence enough for that, but when a party has leading members making racist remarks and advocating racist policies. When a government brands all those who dare to question their policies (which are failing miserably) as appeasers of terrorists and "fascists" then the smell of their political demise rising higher into the atmosphere. With use of the magic "some" President Bush, Vice-President Cheney, Rumsfeld and others in the government and supporting it have decided that this years politics of fear is to emphasize the fear of being labeled a 21st Century follower of Neville Chamberlin. When the Washington Post, "Pressed to support these allegations, the White House yesterday could cite no major Democrat who has proposed cutting off funds or suggested that withdrawing from Iraq would persuade terrorists to leave Americans alone." But that doesn't matter, it only matters if it works to advance the cause of Republican votes in the November election.

Improve Iraq policy? Create a national response to terrorist attacks or natural disasters that actually can work? No, that's not a priority. The photo-op in New Orleans that can then lead to the numerous 9/11 5th anniversary photo-ops. The branding of Republicans as "victors" and Democrats as "losers" is the key.

This is Republican platform of 2006. Will the Democrats respond with righteous indignation or fall to the fear?