Rebirth Or The Raising Of Zombies?

I held off commentary yesterday as I went to work with a mild hangover from celebrating the historic election that took place on November 4, 2008. Not only was this a first for our nation, but it was a historical first for the western world, and the world rocked. So now not meaning to be late I offer my most sincere and glad congratulations to President Elect Barack Obama. I join so many others in saying I am truly proud once again of my country after the past eight years of dark leadership that try as they might, the opposition cannot place at the feet of the 9/11 terrorists. In this one day of the election, this country and it's citizens did more to restore this country's standing in the world, than any other single act it could have done.

That being said, it is now November 11, 2008 and we must get back to work and begin the rebirth and rebuilding of a nation. One would think that after the humiliating loses the Republican party faced in these past two elections there might be a rebirth there, and hopefully there will be. I will rejoice at the cleansing of the Republican party of it's ideologues that were so narrowly focused that the party lost sight of it's base and catered to a small group of single issue voters governed by a theocratic ideology, and financed by the top one percent of the populace, making them slaves to a small but vocal minority. A minority the Founding Father's tried to warn us about in the creation of the Constitution, which might explain the total shredding of the principals that guided previously until eight years ago.

With the review of the headlines yesterday and today one might think this would be the case for Republicans, yet there still seems to be a small power hungry group, more like a fringe group that wants to hang on and continue taking the Republican party down it's current path of self destructiveness. It's leader, John Boehner (R-OH) who was the Minority Leader in the House has been voice of divisiveness, dissension, disaster, and obstructionism. In short he has been the leading chickenhawk in the House of Representatives and appears to have a clutch driven brain which he often forgets to engage before he puts his mouth into gear. I have written about this previously here. In the news once again we find this spineless individual begging his Party to let him retain his job. Yet while arguing he should retain his leadership position, he continues to openly admit he will continue the failed policies and politics that drove his party down.

America remains a center-right country. Democrats should not make the
mistake of viewing Tuesday's results as a repudiation of conservatism or a
validation of big government. Neither should we. Instead of throwing in the
towel, as our opponents demand, we must redouble our efforts to develop
forward-looking solutions to the challenges Americans face - solutions rooted in
the enduring principles of reform that define us as a party. We need to focus on
winning the issues, one by one, and presenting principled, superior alternatives
that reflect the center-right priorities of the American people, rather than the
self-serving priorities of Washington.

Is this the face of a reborn Republican party, or just the raising of a zombie like shell of old ideas soundly rejected by the American public two days ago? According to Boehner such a change; "It ain't gonna happen. It must not happen." This is reminiscent of a Party that nominated Sarah Palin, a know nothing from Alaska for Vice President on a losing ticket (which many voters blamed for their not getting their support) that was, and still remains embroiled in political controversy. When I say she was a "know nothing", Fox News today reported she did not that Africa was a continent. Forget all her other failures of simple knowledge that most third graders know. In Boehner's statement today he was trying to resurrect a Republican party that campaigned on hate, fear and single issues such as abortion or gay marriage. A party that many believe the biblical story of the arrival of man instead of the scientific fact of evolution. John Boehner represents a belief that you can cut taxes but increase expenditures. His tax cuts are for the upper five percent of the income bracket while leaving everyone else to get by on their own, or better yet to do without.

This then is a decision Republicans must make, whether to go forward and rise like a Phoenix, or as I have written before go down in flames and die of their own inability to change and listen. Although a Progressive, proud liberal Democrat I acknowledge the need for more then one party. What people like Boehner fail to recognize is that after all the defeats they have suffered at the hands of the voters, by not listening to their constituents, that somehow miraculously they somehow survive a mandate set forth by the people and get re-elected, they can not continue their failed old misbegotten ways. It is my hope the Republican party will reject leadership like they have had in the past, and find a way forward that will once again unite this country rather then the old politics of the past of divisiveness. John Boehner is a false patriot who if you look at him closely you will see an autocratic, dictatorial wolf. If you have not learned your lesson once in 2006, and now more recently in 2008, to follow the path people like John Boehner lead you down is a path that will be your end in 2010. The electorate is awake, watching and listening and the people are on zombie patrol.