My LTTE draft

[Chichiri]

I would like to address three separate articles printed in the Forum’s Opinion section during this last week. Taking them in reverse order:

Jim Mann apparently wanted to show that Karl Rove is a genius and that liberals stink. How did he show it? By offering a collection of out-of-context soundbites from liberals. Anyone with a grain of intelligence can see beyond that trick, but to the mouthpieces of the Right, it apparently passes for intelligent discourse these days.

Mark Otnes spoke of the Democratic Party with the rhetoric of vigilante violence ("kill the leftist beast and drive a stake into its heart"). Needless to say, such images are unappealing, even to most self-styled conservatives.

Finally, Cal Thomas, in a nationally syndicated column, gave Bush an ultimatum: nominate an anti-choice justice to the Supreme Court, or lose our support. This typifies the growing rift between the two halves of the GOP: old-school conservatives, and the neo-con fundamentalists. The former tend to be embarrassed and even disgusted by the latter, but could not have come to power without their help.

Based on the trends shown in these letters, I humbly make two predictions. First, by the 2012 elections, the Republican Party will no longer exist, having self-destructed in a binge of intellectual lethargy, animosity and infighting. Second, by 2016, nobody will miss it.

(222 words)

[Joy Anne]

1. looks fine to me

You've packed a lot into 222 words, yet your points are clear.

[Chichiri]

2. Thanks!

:hi:

[cynatnite]

3. Well done!

You drove your point home succinctly.