Something to expect come November:

[Spider Jerusalem]

Aside from a potential capture of Osama bin Laden, I think it's safe to say that the odds are extremely high that Ronald Reagan will have drooled his way off this mortal coil by Election Day. He just turned ninety-three, and he's been in an extremely advanced state of senile dementia for some time now. That he won't last another year seems a safe bet. And you KNOW that the Republican heirarchy is going to be exhorting the voters to "go out and win one more for the Gipper" should that happen, and Bush will position himself as inheritor of the mantle of a mourned and respected ex-President. (Reagan is not exactly worthy of respect nor deserving of mourning, but the "average" American doesn't see things that way.)

If this happens, I think we can count on a significant alteration in the electoral calculus, to say the least. Maybe even as much of an impact as Bin Laden in chains. Hard to say at this point, but that's my feeling...hope I turn out to be wrong (or that Reagan clings to life till at least the second week of November).

[tom_paine]

1. One thing is sure...he won't be dying of natural causes

In order to "time" the death correctly, Busheviks will have to murder the dying Raygun or, more likely, withold offd/treatment until he "dies of natural causes".

However, SJ, I've been on record saying this since 2001. It's as obvious as Caligula having the Guards smother the aging Tiberius or the Nazis offing Horst Wessel.

After Raygun conveniently "dies", we will see a 24/7 outpouring of Corporate Pravda that will make the Funeral of Stalin look like a gathering with folding chairs...

[boneygrey]

4. I'm curious

Do you really believe this. Seems a little :tinfoilhat:

[tom_paine]

7. Yes. I believe there is a strong chance of it

Did not Caligula order the Guards to smother Tiberius?

Am I making that or any of the other inicdents in the long history of demonstrably provable poltical assassination throughout human history, up?

No, I just think our current crop of Rulers are, shall we say, much closer to the Leadership the rest of humanity enjoys and has enjoyed for thousands of years.

Yes, I believe it's VERY possible and that the Imperial Family wouldn't think twice about having one of ther operatives inject a little Potassium Chloride into Raygun's IV or behind the ear.

Absolutely possible.

[kerouac]

2. Headline should read: "Torch passed from one criminal to another."

I posted a bunch of stuff today in 'General Discussions" about Reagan and the Bushes, "people" who I believe should be considered among the most abusive criminals ever to hold the office of president. Very interesting links are listed:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1104411

and, yeah.. I think they would play Reagan's death just as you pointed out. That's why we have to keep referring to Reagan as a criminal and liar.

[Spider Jerusalem]

6. Yeah, the similarities are frightening, eh?

I was reading a timeline of the Reagan presidency not long ago (Google "The Bonzo Years" and you'll find it), and the degree of similarity to Bush was fucking eerie. (Although it's kind of sobering to think that Reagan may actually have been smarter.)

[bigwillq]

3. Good thinking

I never thought of this as a potential November sweeps plotline.

[jokerman93]

5. Every media hypnotized cow likes color and pageantry

Every media hypnotized cow likes color and pageantry. Weeks of Reagan nostalgia and fake reverence will certain allow Warchimp to ride on Reagan's coattails for a few days, but I'm not convinced it can win the election for him.

No. I think Warchimp and his organ grinder Rove have a number of things planned. That's got to be it. Junior's just too damn sure his re-reinstatement is a done deal.

1. He's going to be whipping the fundies into a rapturous lather of fake-sanctity with a messianic pose.

2. He's going to be describing "millions of jobs" and a rebounding economy. (Evidently magical thinking works for allot of Americans these days.)

3. He's going to rotate a few troops out of Iraq and make it look like a kind of mission accomplished shift to "lower levels".

4. He may manage to procure some of those WMD from Qaddafi so they can be discovered at the eleventh hour -- and so be vindicated -- cancelling the objections to his invasion once and for all.

5. Maybe if Bin Laden isn't already dead and on ice, he'll be "captured" and delivered. But I doubt that one. Warchimp and Bin Laden were butt buddies from the start.

6. And then it's possible we could just have another devastating domestic tragedy attributed to terrorists who hate us for our freedom.

Take your pick, but Reagan would be very obliging to his heirs if he were to actually suck mud sometime before November.

Aren't we cynical?

:smoke: