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GOPocrisy
Author: BobR
Date: 2013-10-31 10:52:50
During the 2004 presidential campaign, Republicans and their supporters made hay of a comment by then-candidate John Kerry who tried to succinctly describe his "evolving" position on the Iraq war. The famous quote which they beat him with was "I was for it before I was against it". His explanation was that given the cherry-picked intel, he supported it, but once he found out the truth, he was against it. The explanation didn't help.
Changing one's position can be admirable when it's done after new information becomes available. It shows a willingness to consider facts and reconsider one's convictions. Changing one's position purely for political expediency, however, is the very definition of hypocrisy. I think we can find a few examples of that.
Earlier this year, a bi-partisan group of senators crafted an immigration reform bill that looked like it was ready to launch right out of committee. Republicans still feeling the sting from the 2012 elections knew they needed to attract more Latino voters, and it was the right economic and humane thing to do. Senator Mark Rubio was one of that bi-partisan group that crafted the legislation. So naturally by October, he is now against the very legislation he helped write. He claims it should be broken up into smaller bills, but we all know he's just trying to maintain some conservative bona fides.
Then there's the 11th hour budget/debt deal that oddly showed the Senate to be the adults in the room, passing a bill that went on to the House, where every Democrat and enough Republicans voted for it to pass it on to the President for his signature. The fact that neither left wing nor right wing pols and pundits were completely happy with it indicates that it was probably the best deal that could be gotten.
Fast-forward less than two weeks, and we have 27 GOP Senators voting on a symbolic resolution to disapprove of the vote on the debt ceiling bill. Yes, that's right - they voted on a resolution condemning their own votes. It's meaningless and absurd and would be completely laughable if they weren't once again wasting the People's time and tax dollars on this nonsense.
Not to be outdone, the House had their own confused moral chest-thumping moment, voted for by all but 4 Republicans - and 3 self-hating Democrats. Like the Senate resolution, this is both meaningless and wasteful. Considering the House's complete lack of accomplishments since the Republicans took over in 2010, however, this seems more appropriate coming from them. Surprisingly, I expected more from the Senate.
Considering how much they disagree with their own legislation and votes, perhaps they should just adopt a picture of Roman god Janus as their logo. The image seems to fit them better than an elephant.
Changing one's position can be admirable when it's done after new information becomes available. It shows a willingness to consider facts and reconsider one's convictions. Changing one's position purely for political expediency, however, is the very definition of hypocrisy. I think we can find a few examples of that.
Earlier this year, a bi-partisan group of senators crafted an immigration reform bill that looked like it was ready to launch right out of committee. Republicans still feeling the sting from the 2012 elections knew they needed to attract more Latino voters, and it was the right economic and humane thing to do. Senator Mark Rubio was one of that bi-partisan group that crafted the legislation. So naturally by October, he is now against the very legislation he helped write. He claims it should be broken up into smaller bills, but we all know he's just trying to maintain some conservative bona fides.
Then there's the 11th hour budget/debt deal that oddly showed the Senate to be the adults in the room, passing a bill that went on to the House, where every Democrat and enough Republicans voted for it to pass it on to the President for his signature. The fact that neither left wing nor right wing pols and pundits were completely happy with it indicates that it was probably the best deal that could be gotten.
Fast-forward less than two weeks, and we have 27 GOP Senators voting on a symbolic resolution to disapprove of the vote on the debt ceiling bill. Yes, that's right - they voted on a resolution condemning their own votes. It's meaningless and absurd and would be completely laughable if they weren't once again wasting the People's time and tax dollars on this nonsense.
Not to be outdone, the House had their own confused moral chest-thumping moment, voted for by all but 4 Republicans - and 3 self-hating Democrats. Like the Senate resolution, this is both meaningless and wasteful. Considering the House's complete lack of accomplishments since the Republicans took over in 2010, however, this seems more appropriate coming from them. Surprisingly, I expected more from the Senate.
Considering how much they disagree with their own legislation and votes, perhaps they should just adopt a picture of Roman god Janus as their logo. The image seems to fit them better than an elephant.
Comments:
Order comments Newest to Oldest Refresh Comments
Comment by 
Raine on 10/31/2013 12:59:53
Good Morning!
Raine on 10/31/2013 12:59:53
Good Morning!
Comment by 
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 13:02:00
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 13:02:00
I had a sighting of a "sexy pirate." She works here, wildly inappropriate for work and just plain tacky.
Comment by 
wickedpam on 10/31/2013 13:16:30
wickedpam on 10/31/2013 13:16:30
Morning 
Home decorating the house for trick or treaters
Home decorating the house for trick or treaters
Comment by 
BobR on 10/31/2013 13:18:49
Our company costume contest flier included the phrase "office-appropriate"
BobR on 10/31/2013 13:18:49
Quote by Mondobubba:
I had a sighting of a "sexy pirate." She works here, wildly inappropriate for work and just plain tacky.
Our company costume contest flier included the phrase "office-appropriate"
Comment by 
Scoopster on 10/31/2013 13:20:41
Scoopster on 10/31/2013 13:20:41
Mornin' all.. 
Arrr you mean a scurvy wench?!
Quote by Mondobubba:
I had a sighting of a "sexy pirate." She works here, wildly inappropriate for work and just plain tacky.
Arrr you mean a scurvy wench?!
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 13:23:10
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 13:23:10
Interesting article on ACA vs Republican "plans."
Under the Republican plan, by contrast, people losing employer insurance would end up in the dysfunctional, non-reformed individual market—the one full of confusing, junk policies that might not cover basic services like maternity or mental health or have huge gaps in coverage. And the people losing Medicaid? They would end up with … nothing at all.
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2013 13:30:05
to MGM's letter!
Raine on 10/31/2013 13:30:05
to MGM's letter!
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 13:33:44
Nope, something like this.
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 13:33:44
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all..Quote by Mondobubba:
I had a sighting of a "sexy pirate." She works here, wildly inappropriate for work and just plain tacky.
Arrr you mean a scurvy wench?!
Nope, something like this.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 13:37:27
So did ours.
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 13:37:27
Quote by BobR:Quote by Mondobubba:
I had a sighting of a "sexy pirate." She works here, wildly inappropriate for work and just plain tacky.
Our company costume contest flier included the phrase "office-appropriate"
So did ours.
Comment by Scoopster on 10/31/2013 13:37:44
Scoopster on 10/31/2013 13:37:44
How is that even a pirate! it's more like a 19th century burlesque dancer..
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 13:56:37
What did MGM have to say?
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 13:56:37
Quote by Raine:
What did MGM have to say?
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2013 13:56:58
Raine on 10/31/2013 13:56:58
You know, this is might interesting: (well the entire article is great -- but this part about all those cancelled plans... )
The sad truth is that Cavallaro has been very poorly served by the health insurance industry and the news media. It seems that Anthem didn't adequately explain her options for 2014 when it disclosed that her current plan is being canceled. If her insurance brokers told her what she says they did, they failed her. And the reporters who interviewed her without getting all the facts produced inexcusably shoddy work -- from Maria Bartiromo on down. They not only did her a disservice, but failed the rest of us too.
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2013 13:57:46
HE wrote a letter about being a childless loser and still being willing to pay school taxes for the good of the community.
Raine on 10/31/2013 13:57:46
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:
What did MGM have to say?
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:07:11
Hell yeah!
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:07:11
Quote by Raine:HE wrote a letter about being a childless loser and still being willing to pay school taxes for the good of the community.Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:
What did MGM have to say?
Hell yeah!
Comment by 
TriSec on 10/31/2013 14:12:49
TriSec on 10/31/2013 14:12:49
Good Morning, Comrades!
And how are we all in this Glorious Nation of the Carmine Hose?
Pinstripes are even welcome today.
(Note to Raine: the curse was conclusively eliminated, circa 2004, by logic of the logic enumerated below.)
Since 1918, the Red Sox have been involved in four World Series, all four of them lost in heartbreaking fashion in 7 games. Somehow, each loss was worse than the previous one, culminating in Bill Buckner incident of 1986 that scarred a lifetime of Bostonians for life.
However, The Sweep in 2004 atoned for it thusly:
1946 - Game 1
1967 - Game 2
1975 - Game 3
And the clincher....Game 4 made 1986 all better.
The Sox, and indeed, all of New England, have never looked back.
And how are we all in this Glorious Nation of the Carmine Hose?
Pinstripes are even welcome today.
(Note to Raine: the curse was conclusively eliminated, circa 2004, by logic of the logic enumerated below.)
Since 1918, the Red Sox have been involved in four World Series, all four of them lost in heartbreaking fashion in 7 games. Somehow, each loss was worse than the previous one, culminating in Bill Buckner incident of 1986 that scarred a lifetime of Bostonians for life.
However, The Sweep in 2004 atoned for it thusly:
1946 - Game 1
1967 - Game 2
1975 - Game 3
And the clincher....Game 4 made 1986 all better.
The Sox, and indeed, all of New England, have never looked back.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:22:56
Even though they still suck? :ducks brick:
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:22:56
Quote by TriSec:
Good Morning, Comrades!
And how are we all in this Glorious Nation of the Carmine Hose?
Pinstripes are even welcome today.
(Note to Raine: the curse was conclusively eliminated, circa 2004, by logic of the logic enumerated below.)
Since 1918, the Red Sox have been involved in four World Series, all four of them lost in heartbreaking fashion in 7 games. Somehow, each loss was worse than the previous one, culminating in Bill Buckner incident of 1986 that scarred a lifetime of Bostonians for life.
However, The Sweep in 2004 atoned for it thusly:
1946 - Game 1
1967 - Game 2
1975 - Game 3
And the clincher....Game 4 made 1986 all better.
The Sox, and indeed, all of New England, have never looked back.
Even though they still suck? :ducks brick:
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2013 14:23:48
Raine on 10/31/2013 14:23:48
It appears Edward Snowden got a new job.
I thought I posted in on of my blogs that he'd been offered a job at Russia's version of Facebook.
MOSCOW (AP) -- Anatoly Kucherena, a lawyer for former NSA systems analyst Edward Snowden, says his client has found a technical support job at a Russian website.
I thought I posted in on of my blogs that he'd been offered a job at Russia's version of Facebook.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:27:58
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:27:58
Quote by Raine:
It appears Edward Snowden got a new job.MOSCOW (AP) -- Anatoly Kucherena, a lawyer for former NSA systems analyst Edward Snowden, says his client has found a technical support job at a Russian website.
I thought I posted in on of my blogs that he'd been offered a job at Russia's version of Facebook.
Comment by TriSec on 10/31/2013 14:40:48
TriSec on 10/31/2013 14:40:48
Nah, the Red Sox will always suck.
Like the Mets always being Pond Scum, or the Dodgers being "Da Bums". That will never go away.
Like the Mets always being Pond Scum, or the Dodgers being "Da Bums". That will never go away.
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:44:50
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:44:50
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:49:41
Bill Buckner on "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:49:41
Quote by TriSec:
Good Morning, Comrades!
And how are we all in this Glorious Nation of the Carmine Hose?
Pinstripes are even welcome today.
(Note to Raine: the curse was conclusively eliminated, circa 2004, by logic of the logic enumerated below.)
Since 1918, the Red Sox have been involved in four World Series, all four of them lost in heartbreaking fashion in 7 games. Somehow, each loss was worse than the previous one, culminating in Bill Buckner incident of 1986 that scarred a lifetime of Bostonians for life.
However, The Sweep in 2004 atoned for it thusly:
1946 - Game 1
1967 - Game 2
1975 - Game 3
And the clincher....Game 4 made 1986 all better.
The Sox, and indeed, all of New England, have never looked back.
Bill Buckner on "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:52:24
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 14:52:24
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:04:19
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:04:19
Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/31/2013 15:16:05
Will in Chicago on 10/31/2013 15:16:05
Good morning, bloggers!!
BobR, the GOP wants to block the ACA for one reason -- they fear that it will work. However, the GOP stands a huge risk. As the ACA is implemented, their opposition will become more unpopular with the public.
BobR, the GOP wants to block the ACA for one reason -- they fear that it will work. However, the GOP stands a huge risk. As the ACA is implemented, their opposition will become more unpopular with the public.
Comment by BobR on 10/31/2013 15:18:09
BobR on 10/31/2013 15:18:09
today's Google doodle is kind of fun
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2013 15:26:13
Oh -- I really dig it!
Raine on 10/31/2013 15:26:13
Quote by BobR:
today's Google doodle is kind of fun
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2013 15:26:58
Raine on 10/31/2013 15:26:58
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:29:24
It is grandly disturbing and funny as hell. Rock on Matt Lauer!
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:29:24
Quote by Raine:I don't ever want to unsee that.Quote by Mondobubba:
matt laurer dressed as pam anderson.
It is grandly disturbing and funny as hell. Rock on Matt Lauer!
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:29:56
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:29:56
Mala, TWD? Yes? No?
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:36:37
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:36:37
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2013 15:45:45
Raine on 10/31/2013 15:45:45
I would like this please:
Comment by TriSec on 10/31/2013 15:50:20
Oh, srew the orangutans, NOBODY MESSES WITH MY TWIX BARS!!!
TriSec on 10/31/2013 15:50:20
Quote by Mondobubba:
Thanks for ruining Halloween, Rain Forest Action Network.
Oh, srew the orangutans, NOBODY MESSES WITH MY TWIX BARS!!!
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:53:00
Yes, please!
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:53:00
Quote by Raine:
I would like this please:
Yes, please!
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:53:58
Halloween requires Snickers bars.
Mondobubba on 10/31/2013 15:53:58
Quote by TriSec:Quote by Mondobubba:
Thanks for ruining Halloween, Rain Forest Action Network.
Oh, srew the orangutans, NOBODY MESSES WITH MY TWIX BARS!!!
Halloween requires Snickers bars.
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2013 15:54:36
Raine on 10/31/2013 15:54:36
Comment by Scoopster on 10/31/2013 15:55:24
It's a damn good thing Reese's Cups aren't on that list. I'd hafta shank someone for that travesty!
Scoopster on 10/31/2013 15:55:24
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by TriSec:Quote by Mondobubba:
Thanks for ruining Halloween, Rain Forest Action Network.
Oh, srew the orangutans, NOBODY MESSES WITH MY TWIX BARS!!!
Halloween requires Snickers bars.
It's a damn good thing Reese's Cups aren't on that list. I'd hafta shank someone for that travesty!
Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/31/2013 16:01:57
Will in Chicago on 10/31/2013 16:01:57
In honor of Halloween, which is also my brother's birthday:
Comment by 
clintster on 10/31/2013 16:02:48
Welp, it's not like you don't have options:
clintster on 10/31/2013 16:02:48
Quote by Scoopster:Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by TriSec:Quote by Mondobubba:
Thanks for ruining Halloween, Rain Forest Action Network.
Oh, srew the orangutans, NOBODY MESSES WITH MY TWIX BARS!!!
Halloween requires Snickers bars.
It's a damn good thing Reese's Cups aren't on that list. I'd hafta shank someone for that travesty!
Welp, it's not like you don't have options:
Comment by clintster on 10/31/2013 16:04:28
Did... did... does Lauer have cameltoe in the last pic?
clintster on 10/31/2013 16:04:28
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:I don't ever want to unsee that.Quote by Mondobubba:
matt laurer dressed as pam anderson.
It is grandly disturbing and funny as hell. Rock on Matt Lauer!
Did... did... does Lauer have cameltoe in the last pic?
Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/31/2013 16:07:05
Will in Chicago on 10/31/2013 16:07:05
Some more videos in honor of Halloween.
Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/31/2013 16:08:14
Will in Chicago on 10/31/2013 16:08:14
Oops, one more video:
Comment by Raine on 10/31/2013 16:12:00
Raine on 10/31/2013 16:12:00
Quote by clintster:Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:I don't ever want to unsee that.Quote by Mondobubba:
matt laurer dressed as pam anderson.
It is grandly disturbing and funny as hell. Rock on Matt Lauer!
Did... did... does Lauer have cameltoe in the last pic?
Comment by BobR on 10/31/2013 16:13:37
BobR on 10/31/2013 16:13:37
Quote by clintster:Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:I don't ever want to unsee that.Quote by Mondobubba:
matt laurer dressed as pam anderson.
It is grandly disturbing and funny as hell. Rock on Matt Lauer!
Did... did... does Lauer have cameltoe in the last pic?
Comment by Scoopster on 10/31/2013 16:14:41
Scoopster on 10/31/2013 16:14:41
Quote by Raine:Quote by clintster:Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:I don't ever want to unsee that.Quote by Mondobubba:
matt laurer dressed as pam anderson.
It is grandly disturbing and funny as hell. Rock on Matt Lauer!
Did... did... does Lauer have cameltoe in the last pic?