NYTimes defines in detail the radicalism of the Republicans...

[kentuck]

Radical Republicans. If we look at their record, or lack of record, we see that they are indeed the most radical bunch to hold power in our lifetime. The damage they may do in four more years is incomprehensible to the average American - and probably incomprehensible to the average journalist, also. The Times has detailed just a few examples of their dangerous radicalism.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/24/opinion/24fri1.html

<snip>
The House began its work on the decades-delayed reform of the American intelligence agencies by announcing that its kudzu patch of competing committees, one of the central points of criticism by the 9/11 commission, was too sacred to touch. Beyond that, House Republican leaders' most enthusiastic response to the call for reform seemed to be in trying to tack on a Patriot Act postscript that would grant law enforcement even more powers that could curtail civil liberties.

Republican leaders have also been chipping away at the Constitution by proposing to deny judges jurisdiction to review selected acts of Congress. The House passed a measure yesterday retaining the Pledge of Allegiance's "under God" phrase and prohibiting any federal court - including, outrageously, the Supreme Court - from judging the law's constitutionality.

In essence, the House proposed to protect a patriotic ritual by trashing the constitutional system it celebrates. This measure was spurred by discontent over a 2002 federal appeals court ruling that invalidated the recitation at public schools of the pledge with the "under God" phrase in it, and the Supreme Court's recent choice to dismiss the case on technical grounds rather than addressing the merits. It echoed the mean-spirited and unconstitutional Marriage Protection Act, which the House approved in July to bar federal courts from reviewing the legal definition of marriage.

The other day, Congressional Republicans celebrated the 10th anniversary of their ascendancy to power with the Contract With America, somehow failing to mention that their fervid conversion to unchecked deficits was not exactly part of that contract. Once upon a time, gridlock was considered the ultimate problem with Congress. That looks better than what we're getting right now.



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[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. they are indeed the most radical bunch to hold power in our lifetime.

That is what makes them so "conservative" honest..... just ask 'em.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. They have succeeded in making the extreme acceptable...

and moved our political center far, far to the right. It will take a new generation, I believe, to correct this -- if we're lucky. I think it's a certainty that this is not comprehensible to the average journalist, and, therefore, is not clear to the public as it's the job of our press to inform the people.

[calico1]

4. I agree. It will probably take a new generation.

A new revolution like in the 60's. History has a way of repeating itself. And we have a great tendency to forget, unfortuately. You would think that with all we went through in the 60's the lessons would have been learned and passed on. Right now we are seeing a lot of the ugliness of the 50's with the witch hunts and all, combined with the greediness of the turn of the century and twenties and the robber baron mentality. How far it will go is anyone's guess. But the media is almost totally complicit which is another big problem. It will take a generation of people that will be sick of all this and rebel against it. And a new crop of journalists who will be interested and dedicated to truth rather than celebrity. Hopefully that won't be too far off.

[kentuck]

5. I think you are probably right, calico1

Very insightful analogy to the 1950's..

[Eric J in MN]

3. Great closing sentence

'Once upon a time, gridlock was considered the ultimate problem with Congress. That looks better than what we're getting right now.'