The Democratic party's exploitation of the Republican Rush Limbaugh problem has been hilarious and brilliant. Aside from watching and laughing hysterically as various Repubs go through contortions and still kiss rushbo's feet at the end, should we participate further? What else can we do with this in the current national situation?
I submit there is a further step we can take and must take.
We know Rush Limbaugh wants the President to fail. We know that many Republicans either agree or feel forced to say they do. So how can we accept the danger of Republican input into policy and legislation? If Republicans want Obama, or - as they claim - Obama's policies to fail, might their policy suggestions to the President be designed to achieve that aim?
If legislators want Obama to fail, then isn't there a risk in voting for any of their amendments no matter how innocent-appearing? Maybe those amendments contain language that looks harmless, but is intended to undermine.
I think the public should know why Obama doesn't take more Republican suggestions. I think the public should hear why Reid and Pelosi are so wary of Republican suggestions about legislation.Didn't Rep Pete Sessions, the Chairman of the NRCC say:
"Insurgency, we understand perhaps a little bit more because of the Taliban. And that is that they went about systematically understanding how to disrupt and change a person's entire processes...And we need to understand that insurgency may be required when the other side, the House leadership, does not follow the same commands, which we entered the game with."
The Repubs want to be like the Taliban, like insurgents. What tactics do insurgents use? Cause chaos, make the populace feel insecure, induce the government to make errors. Insurgents in Iraq were ecstatic when the CPA disbanded the Iraqi army and instituted de-baathification. So it would be just like a Republican insurgent to "disrupt" the Obama administration by slipping in bad suggestions or legislation.
If those Republicans want to actually help Obama to succeed, then they have to reassure us they're not going to follow through with their stated "insurgent" aims. They must declare that they disagree with Rush, and do not want the President or his policies to fail. In that case, the Democrats might feel better about listening to their ideas.
Of course if Repubs won't renounce their desire to see Obama fail, pundits could ask them at every opportunity: "Senator, you're offering this alternative. Is this an insurgent tactic to cause the President's policies to fail?"
"Republican strategist, is John Boehner's recent statement/position/amendment intended to undermine administration policy Y so it will fail as Rush Limbaugh wants?
Or, if it doesn't work out as a Democratic strategy, maybe Stewart or Colbert can find a use for this.
UPDATE - I would classify this as semi-snark. A grain of truth, and much snickering.