Is the GOP Wanting another Slaughter in 2008?

Question

White House spokesperson Dana Perino called the Bill being sent to Bush as "dead before arrival". Is the GOP purposely trying to destroy itself for 40 years or more?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070426/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq

Again, Republicans seem to have forgotten about the '06 midterms and what the message was to Washington regarding Iraq. If the GOP keeps ignoring the majority of Americans, it will be doomed.

Answer 1

It appears that way. If they keep it up, the also ran parties will have more seats in Congress than the republicans after the 2008 elections.

Answer 2

What's going on right now with the funding bill is a bit of political brinksmanship.

The Democrats want very much to be able to declare the war lost (without the fallout Reid experienced), because that will be just the devestating blow to the Reps that they want. It may not put the Dems in power for the next 40 years, but the next 8 would be virtual certainty.

Attaching enough of the right kind of strings to the funding bill - pullout timetables, Iraqi benchmarks, troop readiness, etc - will make it that much harder on the mililtary, and help to bring a satisfactory conclusion (an American - or, rather, Republican - defeat) to the War in Iraq in time for an 08 Democratic landslide.

The danger, though, is the Republicans turning around and laying the blame for the defeat at the doorstep of the Dems. That'd be disasterous.

By publicising the defeat provisions of the bill, and vowing a Veto, the president dares the Democrats to come right out and de-fund the war. Though doing so is exactly what many of thier supporters want, the Dem leadership realizes it'd be political suicide to 'abandon' the troops and 'surrender' by doing so - even though it's entirely within the constitutional powers of Congress to do just that, and many of the seats that switched parties did so entirely because of opposition to the war.

So, they're playing chicken to see who will take the fall for the loss of the Iraq War.


The alternate Democratic strategy would be to give Bush another few billion dollars worth of rope with which to hang himself. But, that caries a very grave, if remote risk: victory.

Answer 3

I don't recall the GOP getting slaughtered during the midterms. The reason I don't recall this is because the Democrats only have like 5 or 6 seats more than the Republicans. How is that a slaughter? Now for the 12 years before that, the Democrats were definitely slaughtered.

Answer 4

Democratic leaders are saying "The war is lost" (D-Harry Reed), are not willing to even meet with lead military man in Iraq General Petraeus (she did work in a 30 minute phone call after her absence hit the news) and the party is purposely trying to cut funding for the troops. How does it feel to be in the position where the only way you win is if the country loses the war. Let's see...that would put you on the same side of the field as...well, you get the point. Sleep well tonight.

Answer 5

Hey, I'm glad you think the war was the reason the GOP lost in '06. That's obviously what the Dems in D.C. think. Guess what, try the GOP not listening to their voters on um... everything! Immigration, spending, etc. ring a bell? The Dems in Washington aren't far behind. In fact, I'm guessing that they'll be lucky to hold on to 30 seats in the Senate come '08. They're worse than the GOP!!! Quit watching CNN and listening to special interests and put your ear to the ground in fly over country.

Answer 6

How soon the Democrats forget the slaughter of:

!994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004

I'd say winning one Congressional Election shouldn't go to your head.

Are you forgetting about the 6 Congressional election's before that ?

Answer 7

Another slaughter.......a narrow victory is hardly a slaughter. Watching the debate right now I don't think the Republicans have anything to worry about. 5 min into the debate and Hillary already admitted she would sell out the U.S. to the terrorists.

Answer 8

These chicken-a ss little bills don't mean anything except a democrat Congress who can't do anything without looking mean-spirited and un-American.

Bush's support would drop 10 points over night if he withdrew his support for the troops. He obviously has a bigger sack than all the dem men in Congress combined.

Answer 9

I wonder if 2008 will see as many questionable election tactics that the GOP showed in both 2000 and 2004?

Was it just a Bushy thing or will they once again try to manipulate the process illegally?

Answer 10

The democrat politicians are not idiots. They don't want the bill passed because it would be suicide. It is only for their base and to give them cover for having voted for the war in the first place. They don't want to take any responsibility for anything hard. It is typical of spineless politicians to act like that.