I believe Archer Daniels Midland bought Bob Dole many years ago, they probably still own him. Somebody owns most of the Congress and ex-Congress, GOP and Democrat.
Yet you are ok with a Democratic, obstructionist Senate and an ideological president who sets the tone by saying “I won, elections have consequences”. You look the other way when it is democrats that won’t compromise.-You can’t/won’t look objectively at what power hungry, money grubbing, crooked politicians from both sides of the aisle dragging this country down so many different ways.-If you don’t agree with someone or they get in the way of your agenda, they are radical or extreme conservatives.-This blame game that the media keeps dragging us down is futile and only makes more money for the media.
I remember Robert Dole in the news as a crabby fellow, stubbornly partisan in the way that John Boehner now is. I considered him and his supporters as ancestral to the present era of hostility to compromise. How much of that impression was media-generated? I didn’t know the man personally, and I suppose that ultimately makes my opinions suspect. All I know is what I read in the newspapers and watched on television. .I’ve watched Dole on the news recently. He is portrayed as a tough, gruff guy, to be sure. But he is now lionized as official representative of the so-called “Greatest Generation.” His legislative methods are portrayed as a model of bi-partisan cooperation. His presidential run is portrayed as a noble and highly principled effort. (Personally, I think his candidacy was a throw-away – it was his last chance to run, and nobody else wanted it badly enough.) .I wonder if we look back and see things better than they were. We are often told, long after their terms end, that this or that person was wonderful within the framework of his times. We see this even with Bush in the short span since he left office, and in each president’s case all the way to Eisenhower. Whenever some prominent politician dies, we see this ritual performed. I remember at least bits and pieces of all these administrations and careers, and in many cases they had about as many controversies as in those in present days..Is this valid historical revisionism , based on facts come to light or newly interpreted; or a way to gloss over failings to place those people as inspirational demi-gods in the party pantheon? What view are we to take of these people: actions of their personal lives, actions for the districts or states they represented, or through actions that affected the entire nation? I think we get them all mixed up and come to invalid conclusions. I know we hesitate to speak ill of the dead, but I think we are often too kind in hindsight. And thus history is corrupted. It’s as if we see their official paintings and years later take that image as true representation..How are young people to judge what is fact, factoid, or fiction? Short of reading many, many biographies, how can we normal citizens to sift through the scree of information to find the truth of these peoples’ lives — not just be content to admire the monuments of their craggy remains?
Mr. Dole is not the first one to sound the alarm. Christine Whitman, ex-governor of New Jersey, ex-EPA head in the Bush administration, wrote a book called “It’s My Party, Too”, or something to that effect a number of years ago. No one can consider her much of a moderate, but despite her penchant for turning right, she correctly noted that her party was deserting its principles and becoming too ideologically pure to include even conservatives such as herself.
And the Republicans paid as much attention to her as they do to Bob Dole. Pity.
I am in your debt Banjoaah.For months, I have referred to our legislators as members of a “cannibalistic congress” that feeds on its members and its electorate to advance themselves in power and wealth. I did a quick search on the quote you offered and found this….^http://minnie-apolis.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-trouble-with-republicans-is-that.html^Both parties need thoughtful persons such as you and Radish and some others I can name in these forums. A recent speaker on tv reminded me that Democracy can only function efficiently in a “Civil” society. Our leaders are not only civil to one another, but they use fear and anger to keep neighbors from being civil to one another.Thank you again for your comment to Radish and the quote you provided. I’m bookmarking the link associated with it into my politics folder for future use.Respectfully,C.
Uncle Joe Premium Member almost 11 years ago
I think Dole would have more luck fighting Mothra than trying to convince the GOP that they need debugging…
jonesb almost 11 years ago
I believe Archer Daniels Midland bought Bob Dole many years ago, they probably still own him. Somebody owns most of the Congress and ex-Congress, GOP and Democrat.
Chillbilly almost 11 years ago
Haha! Bob Dole is disgusted with Republicans. The world has turned upside down indeed.
griffthegreat almost 11 years ago
Will it be within one, two or three years before the GOP splits into its component parts, the Teapots, Evangelicals, and Intelligent wings?
SpicyNacho Premium Member almost 11 years ago
Yet you are ok with a Democratic, obstructionist Senate and an ideological president who sets the tone by saying “I won, elections have consequences”. You look the other way when it is democrats that won’t compromise.-You can’t/won’t look objectively at what power hungry, money grubbing, crooked politicians from both sides of the aisle dragging this country down so many different ways.-If you don’t agree with someone or they get in the way of your agenda, they are radical or extreme conservatives.-This blame game that the media keeps dragging us down is futile and only makes more money for the media.
emptc12 almost 11 years ago
I remember Robert Dole in the news as a crabby fellow, stubbornly partisan in the way that John Boehner now is. I considered him and his supporters as ancestral to the present era of hostility to compromise. How much of that impression was media-generated? I didn’t know the man personally, and I suppose that ultimately makes my opinions suspect. All I know is what I read in the newspapers and watched on television. .I’ve watched Dole on the news recently. He is portrayed as a tough, gruff guy, to be sure. But he is now lionized as official representative of the so-called “Greatest Generation.” His legislative methods are portrayed as a model of bi-partisan cooperation. His presidential run is portrayed as a noble and highly principled effort. (Personally, I think his candidacy was a throw-away – it was his last chance to run, and nobody else wanted it badly enough.) .I wonder if we look back and see things better than they were. We are often told, long after their terms end, that this or that person was wonderful within the framework of his times. We see this even with Bush in the short span since he left office, and in each president’s case all the way to Eisenhower. Whenever some prominent politician dies, we see this ritual performed. I remember at least bits and pieces of all these administrations and careers, and in many cases they had about as many controversies as in those in present days..Is this valid historical revisionism , based on facts come to light or newly interpreted; or a way to gloss over failings to place those people as inspirational demi-gods in the party pantheon? What view are we to take of these people: actions of their personal lives, actions for the districts or states they represented, or through actions that affected the entire nation? I think we get them all mixed up and come to invalid conclusions. I know we hesitate to speak ill of the dead, but I think we are often too kind in hindsight. And thus history is corrupted. It’s as if we see their official paintings and years later take that image as true representation..How are young people to judge what is fact, factoid, or fiction? Short of reading many, many biographies, how can we normal citizens to sift through the scree of information to find the truth of these peoples’ lives — not just be content to admire the monuments of their craggy remains?
I Play One On TV almost 11 years ago
Mr. Dole is not the first one to sound the alarm. Christine Whitman, ex-governor of New Jersey, ex-EPA head in the Bush administration, wrote a book called “It’s My Party, Too”, or something to that effect a number of years ago. No one can consider her much of a moderate, but despite her penchant for turning right, she correctly noted that her party was deserting its principles and becoming too ideologically pure to include even conservatives such as herself.
And the Republicans paid as much attention to her as they do to Bob Dole. Pity.
Jason Allen almost 11 years ago
“Fake conservatives are worse than liberals.”I agree! You, Ima, narrowminded, et alii are worse than liberals.
chazandru almost 11 years ago
I am in your debt Banjoaah.For months, I have referred to our legislators as members of a “cannibalistic congress” that feeds on its members and its electorate to advance themselves in power and wealth. I did a quick search on the quote you offered and found this….^http://minnie-apolis.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-trouble-with-republicans-is-that.html^Both parties need thoughtful persons such as you and Radish and some others I can name in these forums. A recent speaker on tv reminded me that Democracy can only function efficiently in a “Civil” society. Our leaders are not only civil to one another, but they use fear and anger to keep neighbors from being civil to one another.Thank you again for your comment to Radish and the quote you provided. I’m bookmarking the link associated with it into my politics folder for future use.Respectfully,C.
Gypsy8 almost 11 years ago
Takes a nearly blind man to see clearly.
ransomdstone almost 11 years ago
Well said! Let the Congress get to work making the USA a better place.