I just posted this note on my facebook account after getting into an argument with a couple of my Republican friends. I'm of the belief that we need a healthy, sane Republican party in order for this country to be at its best. Feel free to tip or flame or below, but keep in mind I'm writing this for an audience of right-leaning people, not preaching to the choir here.
I'll quote Joe Klein, noted crazy liberal from that crazy liberal Timemagazine:
"Maybe this doesn't need to be said, but:
Anyone who talks about the "pro-American" parts of the country is making an anti-American statement.
Anyone who talks about the "real" parts of Virginia doesn't understand that all of Virginia is real--just not the reality as fantasized by the sort of people who see some parts of the country as more "pro-American" than others.
Anyone who describes one part of the country as "most patriotic" has lost all sense of what patriotism means."
I know we're at the height of the campaign, and the shit is flying back and forth from both sides. But can my conservative friends out there denounce the tactics of their candidates? John McCain (the most patriotic, God-loving part of America!), Sarah Palin (pro-America parts of America!), Nancy Pfotenauer, Sr. McCain aide (real Virginia!), Congresswoman Michelle Bachman (Barack Obama and liberals in Congress are anti-American!), Congressman Robin Hayes (liberals hate America!)...
And you guys wonder why you're getting thrashed in the polls, down by 7.5 pts in the Presidential race according to RCP, about to lose anywhere from 6-8 seats in the Senate and another 25-50 in the House. Your party has gone completely off the rails in this campaign. Americans are tired of being divided with these ridiculous lines, and until you can get your party back on message (think Reagan, Eisenhower, and Bush 1), then y'all will be wandering the wilderness for some time. I mean can you imagine Eisenhower or Reagan or Bush 1 saying this type of shit? Only one person comes to mind with these types of statements, and that's not your traditional Republican icon, it's Joe McCarthy, one of the most disgusting figures in American history.
I know our candidate isn't perfect. He's put some shitty ads out there... most despicably the immigration ad tying McCain to Limbaugh. Barack caught some shit for that as well he should have. But one thing you'll never hear leading Democrats do is trash the patriotism and love of country that people like John McCain and Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann have (even if their comments reveal them as patent America-haters, at least the parts of America that they don't agree with).
Republicans care about America, too. I just wish we could go back to the Republican party that actually believed in small gov't, personal freedom and responsibility instead of this unhinged group of lunatics fronted by assholes like George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and others like them who have turned this anti-American screed into acceptable public discourse.