Proposal re the Cons dropping the 'ic' from Democratic. 'Republic' doesn't work

[Peace Patriot]

'Republic legislators' just doesn't have the nasty nose-tweaking ring of 'Democrat legislators.'

Democrap legislators. Demosplat legislators. Demo-rat legislators. It's all in the sound connotations.

So here's my proposal.

It's very simple.

Just change one letter.

Republicon.

And if you say it out loud, it has real bite (and sounds very British and cool).

If you want to emphasize it, in written form:

RepubliCon.

And for short: just Con.

===================

Con = as in con artist. Thief. Swindler.

Con = as in jailbird. Convict. Ex-con.

Con = as in against. Contrary. Obstreperous. Negative. Obnoxious.

[Dogmudgeon]

1. Publican

It's also a Bible word -- and not a very flattering one, either.

I often spell it with an initial apostrophe, like 'Pataphysics.

--p!

[Lasher]

20. Publican is my favorite (EOM)

[mcg]

31. Repubelickins and Bushlickers nt

[annabanana]

39. But publicans also run the local pub!

They can be jolly and hospitable..

[AndyA]

2. I like that. RepubliCon. So descriptive. You know exactly who and what it is immediately.

I will start using that from this point forward.

I also believe we should always refer to the Iraq war as the "RepuliCon-Iraq" war. Stick them together forever. It's their war, not ours.

:thumbsup:

Edit to add: You should send this suggestion to Keith Olbermann. He always says "Internets" and "the Google" on his show. Now he can refer to them as the RepubliCons. I'll bet he'll do it!

[iamjoy]

3. I Like

I also remember, an radio host from the late 1980's - Clive Thomas, I believe, used to call them
ConSWERVatives

Shame, I don't think he's on the air anymore.

[MethuenProgressive]

7. ConSWERVatives = Romney, McCain

nice word, iamjoy!

[pearl]

4. Absolutely

This is exactly what I thought. Republicon.

[Skittles]

5. I wish they would simply be asked if they do not know correct grammar

it makes them sound juvenile and ignorant

[DCKit]

10. Every time Chimpy opens his mouth

He proves himself to be "juvenile and ignorant".

Nicknames, farting, inappropriate comments.... there's something seriously wrong with this guy.

[Skittles]

13. but I have seen very articulate guests on CSPAN doing the same

they don't get called out on it - it is a disgrace. It is a given that Chimpy cannot speak a decent sentence without a teleprompter.

[Ninja Jordan]

6. dont like

[skids]

8. It does if you use a long u :-) n/t

[rep the dems]

9. The whole "Democrat Party" crap bothers me too, but

why lower ourselves to their level? If they want to attack us by saying "Democrat Party", we'll keep attacking them by doing our jobs, making our points, and winning elections. That will piss them off even more.

[man4allcats]

11. Works for me, but

to be honest, I never really understood why dropping the "ic" from "Democratic" was interpreted as being deprecative. I guess I just always assumed they were too stupid to get it right. It never occurred to me until the whole flap came up that it was supposed to be some kind of a slur. Even now, I still don't get it. I must say though that as slurs go, "RepubliCon" is good. I like it.

[gratuitous]

12. RepubliCON is nice

And certainly not as personally insulting and confrontational as my choice: Dumbass.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

14. i would have proposed ending with "unt" but I don't wish to offend

members of the female sex.

Con works for me.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

15. I prefer the Biblical-sounding "Republicanites"

:evilgrin:

[Dr.Phool]

16. As an ex-con

I resent being lumped in with republics.

[Kurovski]

17. You can't force these things

language evolves organically.

"Republic" is being used on the floor of the House, and that's the direction the horse is traveling.

It's a tit-for-tat,and makes it clear why the cons are being insulted.

I don't think house DEms mean to escalate the insult game.

however, My personal fave is "Repupelickin".

[Ninja Jordan]

19. Exactly right

why fuck it up? republic is actually being used....

[MurrayDelph]

18. I still prefer "Republan"

we give them back their ic when they us back our!

[MGKrebs]

32. Now THAT I like!

[Peace Patriot]

21. Here is why 'Democrat legislators' is an insult. It's because Democratic is not just

a party designation, a name. It is an adjective--with a small d. The democratic procedures for choosing a leader. The democratic values of a free people. It has GOOD connotations that go above and beyond the Democratic Party itself. And it is an ikon word--democratic, democracy. It sums up all our values.

By saying the Democrat Party, I believe that the Republicons are implying that the Democrats are not all that democratic, or don't deserve to be described as summing up all the values of our country's political system. They are depriving the Democrats of the natural adjective they achieve by the words Democratic Party. We are the party that best sums up the values of the country.

And why I propose something other than the 'Republic Party' as a response, is that 'Republic Party' is meaningless. It does not have any such dissing and negative implications. To be a republican--small r--is simply to be a person who has certain beliefs about the organization of the state (a republican as opposed to a monarchist). But to be democratic is much more resonant. It describes what kind of a person you are. You are open-minded, a believer in the will of the people, a believer in dispersed power, in one person/one vote--not tyrannical, not autocratic.

To deprive Republicans of the "can" says nothing. But to deprive the Democrats of the "ic," in Democratic/democratic, is very meaningful.

And it is particularly annoying because it is so unfair--given who the Democratic Party represents, vs. who the Republicon Party represents.

Someone upthread said that 'Republic Party' has gained currency in Congress. Fine. They have to work with Republicons, and may not want to openly insult them. And possibly--just possibly--one or two of the people they are dealing with, on the other side of the aisle, are NOT Cons--are genuine representatives of the people. So the Dems in Congress would have their reasons for not wanting to use "Republicon." Doesn't mean WE can't use it!

I remember way back when--pre-80s, I think--when I first heard 'Democrat Party,' and it was from the extreme rightwing--possibly somebody in the John Birch Society. Real wingers, in those days. Considered wacko, and way out of the mainstream. Now they run the country (or, in any case, these days, the White House). What a coup. And quite literally that, I think. A coup. Not a genuine representation of the majority of Americans, at all. So it's time to fight back, and call the Bushites what they really are: Cons. And any real Republicans who don't want that smell of corruption, crime and hypocrisy, had better distance themselves from it quickly.

[Vidar]

22. "Publicans" is the most apt desription.

[ruggerson]

23. You're never going to get Democrats to agree on one name to call the fuckers

Republicans march in lockstep. Someone came up with "Democrat party" years ago, and the orders went down from the RNC and voila, they all use it. Effectively I might add.

Your suggestion is great, but Democrats are not good strategists and they all think they can come up with a better idea individually. So suggestions like yours are doomed to failure, because Democrats are genetically incapable of all going along with one idea and running with it.

Just look at your thread. Most of the responses are "I prefer such and such".

Our anti authoritarian and individualistic streak is too strong - we will never be able to outmatch the Republicon's strategically.

[flying rabbit]

37. That's the beauty of it

WE can adapt, adjust and overcome, because our gene pool is so diverse. We do need to unify, but at least our compromise won't be tunnel vision.
Democrats! always fresh in the package!

[ncteechur]

24. I prefer dickheads. As in dick---heads.

[MethuenProgressive]

25. I've added "Republicon Party" to the "Democrat Party" listing on Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democrat_Party_%28phrase%29

I'm not quite fluent in Wiki-ese, but I think I did it right.

[Peace Patriot]

28. Thanks! I didn't think of that. BushCons is another good one, playing on

NeoCons, of course. Conservatives of any kind are Cons. There is no such things as a "conservative" any more. Except conservationists--real ones, environmentalists. THEY conserve. What do these radical fascists conserve? Nothing! Not the peoples' treasury. Not the air we breathe. Not life. (Such hypocrties!) Not oil (running out). Not the law. Not tradition. Not our country's future--hocked to China and Saudi Arabia. Not our reputation. Not our Constitution. Not trees. Not clean water. Not seed variety. Not soldiers' health, well-being and loyalty. Not jobs. Not our manufacturing capability. Not scientific expertise. Wastrels! The lot of them. Looters and plunderers.

WE, the great progressive majority, are the true conservatives. We are the ones thinking of the future and our common well-being. We are the ones who believe in law and order.

BushCons. RepubliCons. NeoCons. Liars. Thieves. Con artists.

[Jack Rabbit]

26. Then there's Ratpublicans

from the website of Isabel Clark

[Cascadian]

27. RepubliCONartist n/t

[leftofthedial]

29. rape-publicons

[4dsc]

30. Rethuglican work for me n/t

[Labors of Hercules]

34. or "Repuglican"... or hell, just "Repugnant".

as in, "you are in the Repugnant party, and therefor are an asshole".

[struggle4progress]

33. We don't need one word: we need a whole dictionary

Publican -- who they are
Republicant -- the lingo they speak
Republicon -- one of their typical rip-off schemes

Repugnant Publican thugs are droning their usual Republicant, in an effort to sell us the latest Republicon

[Labors of Hercules]

35. oooo... even better... how about "RepugniCon" !!!

[MethuenProgressive]

36. The Wiki "Republicon" entry was quickly Freeped.

So I restored it, since it conforms with Wiki standards.

[area51]

38. Why not call a spade a spade?

Since the republican party is a fascist party and acts like nazis, calling them nazis works fine.

[alfredo]

40. Patrician, Monarchist, Phalangist

The new GOP symbol

[blondeatlast]

41. "Moneychangers."

To the point and the fundies will get it.

http://blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/words.pl?word=moneychangers