So What Exactly Is A Republican?

First, I want to be clear that when I talk about Republicans or Democrats, I'm speaking about leadership. My issue is not with voters. Voters vote for leaders based on platforms and ideas that they agree with. I have no issue with people who vote Republican. Hell in another year I myself might have voted for John McCain. I'm a huge fan of his.

Further, some of my best friends are Republicans. I've dated Republicans. I've had some great roommates who were Republicans. I may have been a registered Democrat and they a registered Republican; somewhere we found common ground that stands the test of time.

I think most of the people who vote Republican and most who vote Democrat are united in their vision for American Exceptionalism. I define American Exceptionilism not as "we are exceptional because we are American" but "we are Americans striving to be exceptional." There is a big difference. American Exceptionalism is not predicated International Mediocirty nor are we in any way some de-facto leader of Global Exceptionalism; we are a part of a movement toward Global Exceptionalism that is made up of a chorus of voices from around the world... In the end, some of us are Libs or Cons but we are above all just people united!

I do despise seven or so vocal de-facto leaders of the Republican Party that include: Karl Rove, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Dick Cheney, and Ann Coulter. These people have read Mein Komf one too many times and think they can rebrand its core ideas as "Neo Con" and "American Exceptionalism" and force it upon Americans slyly and unconspicuously. And because these leaders are so vocal and so respected/feared by Republican leadership, taking them out of the equation is like taking Obama or Clinton out of the Democratic equation. You just can't do it.

And if Fox News is the voice of conservativism in America, then we all should be a little scared. I heard this on Fox News this morning: "Who is rich anymore anyway?" as if to imply nobody benefited from this recession. Yes perhaps the "value" of some portfolios went down; but the power of those individuals with relatively large portofolios went up, and the opportunity for those without portfolios went down. They may be failures, they may be without a big fat corner office, but a few CEO's and executives at a handful of "too big to fail" companies that just failed are still sitting pretty. This wasn't failure for them; this was early retirement.

But I think I'm getting a bit off point. So let me get back on...

Republicans aren't even Republians anymore. Republicans by nature should look a lot more like Democrats and Democrats should look a lot more like Republicans. Remember that most famous Republican, President Lincoln, fought to re-unite states. Lincoln was a "blue stater" fighting against slavery in "Red States." If you really examine the word republian, it is: re-public, which sounds a lot like big government to me. This is NOT Abraham Lincoln's Republican Party.

So what is a Republican? A person who votes for low taxes and small government?

So why are Republican leaders launching a campaign against the biggest middle class tax cut in history?

Why do Republicans leaders fight against big Government with one hand but play God and stand up against abortion and morality with another.

Do small governments bankroll trillion dollar wars on phony premecises (IRAQ) that they conveniently leave off the ledger? Do small government come equipped with big fat soapboxes to try and regulate abortion and homosexuality.

If I gleaned anything from the Republican response to the housing crisis it was this: people got themselves into this mess people should get themselves out of it. Going with this same line of thinking, shouldn't people be able to make their own decisions and end up in hell? Maybe some of these ultra right Republicans should do a little less PLAYING GOD, and do a little more BELIEVING IN GOD.

Free markets don't have black markets for drugs, because people are free to use drugs and ruin their own lives if they so desire. Legalizing drugs would also go a long way and helping you keep your guns in Wal Mart. If there's no black market for drugs, it eliminates a market ineffiency and a big driver of violence in America and Mexico. If Americans want to kill themselves with heroin, America can tax it heavily and invest the money into Drug Education and Rehabilitation Programs so that at least sober taxpayers don't have to carry the burden. OTC Oxycontin would be such a rush, wouldn't it Rush?

It is lack of transparency and inability to make the tough choices that left a great man like John McCain looking like John Quixote de la whateva this year.

Oh yeah, and if Republican party leadership decides that war is necessary rather than merely a good investment for the VP's oil company, part of the case you make with America to go to war is being upfront about the costs of war, both in money and human life.

When Republican leadership finally gets real, and lives up to its high minded platform, it may rebound in my lifetime.

But let's be real: you can't keep it real and keep Rove. Or his cohorts.