How's that saying go?
"You can't teach an Old Dog, New Tricks!" (See: Republican Party, for example.)
The current GOP 'Summer Make-over'
FAIL, sure does prove that old truism.
Eve of Destruction (with Video)
by Mike Allen and Jim Vandehei, Behind the Curtain, politico.com -- 8/15/2013, Updated: 8/16/2013
[...]
Several influential Republicans told us the party is actually in a worse place than it was Nov. 7, the day after the disastrous election. This is their case:
• The party is hurting itself even more with the very voters they need to start winning back: Hispanics, blacks, gays, women and swing voters of all stripes.
• The few Republicans who stood up and tried to move the party ahead were swatted into submission: Speaker John Boehner on fiscal matters and Sen. Marco Rubio on immigration are the poster boys for this.
• Republicans are all flirting with a fall that could see influential party voices threatening to default on the debt or shut down the government -- and therefore ending all hopes of proving they are not insane when it comes to governance.
Those 3 problem areas, are destined to cost the GOP dearly in terms of real Votes -- given the old school way they keep trying to
recycle their tired, worn-out Dogmas ...
First, the Republican Party worries that it might be "hurting itself even more with the very voters they need to start winning back."
Here's the how they nimbly "play fetch" on that one:
10 Ways Republicans Have Blown Their Own Minority Outreach Strategy
by Rebecca Leber, thinkprogress.org -- August 16, 2013
[...]
2. Suppressed minority votes: Immediately after the Supreme Court struck down part of the Voting Rights Act, Texas moved to enact a voter ID law and North Carolina rolled out a series of voter suppression bills. Texas has now joined a case to permanently undo Voting Rights Act protections. It doesn’t help matters that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia called the Voting Rights Act a perpetuation of “racial entitlement.”
3. Dismissive and racist language: Republicans haven’t figured out a way to keep Rep. Steve King (R-IA) quiet, since the congressman refuses to apologize for calling immigrants drug mules. But it’s not just Steve King. In private King insists his colleagues agree with him, while Rep. Don Young (R-AK) used the word “wetbacks” to describe Hispanics. Meanwhile, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) has made a case against multiculturalism, saying, “there’s only one race here, it’s the American race.”
4. Boycotting Spanish-language TV: Due to its invented controversy involving networks broadcasting Hillary Clinton documentaries, the RNC said it will boycott Spanish-language networks Telemundo and CNN Espanol for 2016 debates, too.
[... 5 through 10]
Second, the GOP insiders worry that too many Republicans have
shouted down "Marco Rubio on immigration."
Well, here's what they just decided about all those immigrant folks, those who dare to dream of one day gaining citizenship -- the RNC ringleaders say:
"Dreamers, Fugget about it!"
Exclusive:
RNC Ups Immigration Reform Pressure On Congressional GOP —
But Rejects Path To Citizenship
by Zeke J Miller, Time, Swampland -- August 16, 2013
The Republican National Committee passed a resolution Friday calling on Congress to pass an immigration reform bill by the end of the year -- but it stopped well short of the bipartisan compromise passed by the Senate earlier this year, omitting a “path to citizenship” for any class of illegal immigrant.
The resolution calls on Congress to create a special legal status for illegal immigrants brought to America as minors -- or “DREAMers,” as immigration activists call them, for the eponymous bill to provide them legal status -- which would include a renewable five-year work permit. They would have to provide proof of employment or enrollment to retain the status.
For illegal immigrants who came to the United States above the age of 18, under the plan advocated by the RNC they would be eligible for two-year renewable work permits, but no path to citizenship.
It also calls for the completion of a border fence and increased law enforcement patrols.
[...]
Thirdly, the Republican idle threats to "shut down the government"
unless they get their way -- only serve to convince most rational Americans that
the GOP has no interest in actual effective governing, or worse yet,
they are totally incapable of this.
Here's one pundit who has summarized this Republican proclivity of throwing "governing tantrums" quite well:
The Morning Plum: GOP elites in full blown panic
by Greg Sargent, The Plum Line, washingtonpost.com -- 8/16/2013
[...]
The most interesting bit is the profound worry about the drift towards a government shutdown over Obamacare. But I think the fundamental problem is still being overlooked. Here’s the key part:
Republicans are in jeopardy of convincing voters they simply cannot govern. Their favorable ratings are terrible and getting worse. But there is broad concern it could go from worse to an unmitigated disaster this fall. Most urgently, according to a slew of key Republicans we interviewed, conservative GOP senators have got to give up their insistence that the party allow the government to shut down after Sept. 30 if they don’t get their way on defunding Obamacare.
And fourthly, once the American people catch onto
what Obamacare will actually DO for them:
10 Good Things About Obamacare
by Philip Moeller, money.usnews.com -- July 15, 2013
1. Goodbye doughnut hole.
2. Free Medicare preventive services.
3. Free preventive services to all women.
4. Pre-existing conditions.
5. Premium equity.
[... 6 through 10.]
...
Well then the Anti-Affordable-Care Party will actually be seen for the mean old dogs they are:
All yap, yap, yap -- and bringing nothing new to the table.
Expect for maybe, rolling over and 'playing stupid.' They got that trick down to a tee.