Yes, the cynicism doesn't stop...
Dick Armey, a one time (and perhaps a future) member of Congress--House Republican Leader and noted conservative--analyzed the Republican loss in the way Republicans (and Democrats, now that I think about it) are apt to do: we acted too much like them and the voters punished us for not being true to our values.
The idea is that over the last eight years the Republican party left behind the small government, fiscal conservatism and individual liberty type values traditional to conservatives and, because they did the voters turned them out.
What?
Because Republicans acted too much like Democrats the voters punished the Republicans by turning them out of office and replacing them with Democrats?
"Well," said the R voters, according to Mr. Armey, "the Republicans gave up their good guy ways and started to act like the bad guys always do so we decided to kick the good guys out and replace them with a bunch of bad guys who will keep doing all the things we hate, all the things we punished the Republicans for doing."
"What?" I asked from the shower, addressing my radio, from where Mr. Armey's voice came. "Let me get this straight. You're so upset with what you claim is profligate spending, collective security and big government that you've elected a bunch of people who will give you more of those things you hate?"
"Sure," I heard Mr. Armey say, in my head. "Sure. We gotta be what we really are and stop acting like..."
Like I say, I've heard this from both R and D die hards after a serious defeat.
"Well," I said, putting even more words into Mr. Armey's mouth, "Don't look around at what going on. Just go with what you know. And good luck."
Then I remembered who I was dealing with. Mr. Armey is not stupid. He's just in a position that he has to hide what he's really trying to do, along with a lot of things he doesn't know to begin with.
So, the Lily to Mr. Armey for the cynical manipulation of the rank and file of his own party so that he can get them back under his control.
No matter how cynical I get, it's hard to keep up.
--Lily Tomlin
No comments:
Post a Comment