Republican Party 2

The continuing implosion of this party is a fascinating study in how not to govern, legislate or run an evangelical church. They have taken over as the corruption party from Democrats who used to have a fairly strong indentification with that attribute. They have co-opted things that they used to and still do demonize Democrats for. Undisciplined spending, lax immigration policies and the enormous expansion of government. They have also let lobbying of Congress get way out of control. Here's an article to explain. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/21/AR2005062101632.html It is also interesting to listen to many Republicans sell out Chuck Hagel for supporting the symbolic vote against the President's plan to add a "surge" of troops into Iraq. I heard people on C-SPAN calling him "disgusting" and "a Republican in name only" and another caller actually said "I think it is good to have liberal Republicans in Congress" and then he went on to explain why he disagreed with Hagel. Name only? Liberal? Lincoln Chafee he's not. Check his voting record. http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members /h001028/key-votes/ The other current event that could create some damage for the party is the Scooter Libby trial. I will reserve judgment on that until it is resolved, but at least as far as public perception of the party goes, there is no doubt that great harm could be done. A presidential pardon after a conviction is going to do nothing for the party's supposed "tough on crime" rhetoric. We'll see. Bush has changed this party, perhaps permanently. Ideology holds sway over realism much to the party's detriment.