I'm sure this is going to draw intense anger from some but here it is: Want a
sure-fire strategy to destroy the republican party as it is currently constructed, and keep them reeling for a decade or more?
There's been a lot of talk about how the dems 'ought to vote' on SCOTUS nominees. Here's a crazy thought: How about they vote for their constituents interests and in accordance with their desires? For most that means voting against someone likely to over turns R v W, but probably not for all of them. Meanwhile the Pugs pretty much have to vote to confirm.
In the end, Roe V Wade may get overturned: I hope it doesn't come to this: But let's face it, it just might. And lets be honest here: We don't have much of a choice anyway. In that event, do we want to save the nation from continued malfeasance descending into complete chaos? or not? Because this is about as sure fire a way to knock the GOP permanently on their ass as I can think of, and yeah, it involves a lot of pain and sacrifice. Nothing worth doing comes free.
BTW--Don't kid yourselves. These nominees, Roberts and Miers, have told the President how they're going to vote on reproductive rights. Cheney and Rove probably have implanted their kids with remotely operated bombs just in case the judges get any funny ideas down the road ... The only question would be, is BushCo dumb enough to actually shoot themselves in the foot on RvW? Does BushCo give a shit about the GOP or the mods that have to run in '06 and '08? LOL, hell no. I think, yes, they're really that dumb, or unconcerned, however one wishes to parse it.
I don't want the extremist right wingers having final say over my wife's uterus or her medical care. But, again, we literally may have no control over that for the next year or three. So ... Let us scheme, lets us think, let us strategize, plans within plans, like a bunch of Bene Gesserits stuck in a Fremen Sitch and wired on Spice fresh off the Maker.
This is long term thinking and certainly not for the squeamish. But for the cold blooded game theoristes out there, think about the following inferences and tell me where I've made a faulty logical step?
Stipulate Roe V Wade is reveresed ... and yes I support R V W, the majority of the public supports the decision. And keep in mind that if it is overturned it doesn't end abortion, it sends it back to the states. But I think it will end the GOP. Let's stipulate it is overturned:
- Those states that have a high fundie index will make abortion illegal resulting in many more pregnancies among the working classes which translates into more democratic votes from the pissed off parents right away and down the road as those kids grow up. Frankly if folks are dumb enough to vote those kind of leaders into office I'm sorry, but maybe it's a good idea to let 'em reap the wind.
- It utterly defangs the religious right. Large segments of those voters either stop caring about politics or start paying attention to other items. The GOP loses either way.
- Significant numbers of current Republican voters jump ship who are pro-choice.
- As the death rate mounts and the needless cases of lingering suffering and fatalities increases -- as women have to go and get a pass from the local 'board' to have an ectopic pregnancy taken care or get an abortion so that they can continue chemo -- the anger will rise to a crescendo.
The GOP simply cannot remain intact with Roe V Wade overturned. That's so obvious I'm of the mind that they will work to make sure it
doesn't happen. But if the inertia is there and it can't be stopped, why moan and bitch about it? Vote against it, the Repugs vote for it, and viola; the end of the GOP as we know it.
It ain't pretty, and I hope it doesn't come to this. It does however fracture the GOP and it does put the blame for overturning a popular decision on them--at the same time gas prices are jacking up, folks are getting killed with infaltion while losing healthcare and jobs, Iraq ... etc. I think they current partnership between fundies and Gordon Gecko wannabees would disintegrate.
And in that kind of vacuum, then and only then, could progressives take the chance of fracturing our own alliance with the dems and actually doing some good by breaking down the status quo of corporate run political machines. Oh yes, the dems are as prone to the influence and goodies as the Pugs are. Given a decade or less of unchecked power, there's no doubt in my mind the dems would be up to their asses, swimming in corruption and big money bribery, as the Pugs are now.
If the pus split then the progressive-democratic alliance becomes more important than ever becuase it represents certain victory if it hangs together. Then you folks who are progressives finally have some real bargaining power. And, if you use it wisely, maybe, just maybe, this is one way to avoid the worst of Stirling's apocalytpic vision. Which I found both greatly disturbing and all too likely.
But I have a different vision of the future. In my vision there are intelligent machines, amazing new breakthroughs in medical technology and agriculture, power sources undreamed and science to the rescue. And, if we can avoid the pitfalls for the next 30 years that Stirling outlines, I don't see any reason why it won't come to pass.