Are you enough of a patriot to play OUR “essential” card?

[King Coal]

Decent republicans are playing their essential card. The meaning of the essential card is that there are some things you do in the interest of your political party and some things that you do in the vital interest of your country. The latter is not only essential but it is also a trump card. Chuck Hagel and others are playing the trump card by publicly denouncing the Iraq war by putting the country first, and their party second. Kudos to them.
We have an essential card to play also. Ours is played on the grass roots level. We play it with our republican co-workers, friends, and relatives. To play this card you must be willing to put your country ahead of your party. This card is played to help heal the polarity our country suffers as a result of corporate media, greed, and hate. We have to avoid polemic “I told you so” remarks. We have to give our republican cohorts a gentle way out. We can remind them that this administration is not made of true conservatives. We must allow them to disassociate themselves from the neocons. It is in our best interest to do so. We must lead by example. Are you up to it?

[bryant69]

1. Yes - let them disassociate themselves from Bush and his Neo-Cons

That way they don't run the risk of learning anything, of having to analyze how their political philosophy lead us to this exact moment.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[King Coal]

2. Bryant, did their political philosophy lead them there? Or did

the Neo-Cons' philosophy lead them there. Does a conservative philosophy lead to lying about the reasons for going to war? Nope, it does not.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

3. I'm weighing a job change for no other reason than to feel comfortable advocating my

political views.

I'm currently in the seventh circle of middle management. Of course everyone who works closely with me is quite clear about my political persuasion, however, there is just too much outrage to not remark on it and do something about it, in every venue of our lives.

MKJ

[King Coal]

4. I've come close to being fired for my political views.

It makes me feel violated, too.

[itsmesgd]

5. get out and find a place where you are comfortable

Above all, you have to be comfortable with yourself, because you have to see yourself in the mirror everyday. Plus it feels great to not be surrounded by these nutjobs. I'm self employed- somewhat successful, my boss (me) is a lefty, enviro- activist, handsome man, who doesnt yell at me when I'm late. I enjoy being comfortable not having to act like a "good company man" anymore.

[King Coal]

7. Hell no, they can get out.

I have just as much right to work there as they do.

[Lasher]

6. I'm OK with that to a point at the grassroots level, as far as the war in Iraq is concerned

But neocons are trying to get off the hook too. Maybe you have heard some of them claim that their PNAC vision of world conquest was brilliant all along, but we just got bogged down in Iraq due to the incompetence of their scapegoat du jour. They argue that we need only replace said scapegoat (Rummy comes quickly to mind) and then invade the next country on their list. I will not help them rationalize their way out of a necessary confrontation with reality.

If an individual wants to claim Bush and Cheney are not 'real' Republicans, and then continue worshiping their Saint Ronnie of Reagan, then they'll get no quarter from me in that respect. Reagan, Poppy, and Junior are quite a bit alike and Junior intentionally emulates Reagan's behavior of provocative war rhetoric and immense military buildup in favor of domestic programs. It was Reagan who created the Republican party atmosphere in which the neocons feel welcome to this day. Such is the matrix in which the current administration and their cronies were formed and it could incubate more of the same.

I agree that the Bush Junta is not made up of true conservatives but neither is the majority of the Republican party, IMO. Ike was an example of what I consider a true conservative, but this label does not apply to our last 3 Republican presidents. If people today want to support true conservative values they will vote for Democrats, not Republicans.

On a national scale I don't think we should be conciliatory right away. It is important to promote awareness of what was done and by whom to get us into the Iraq nightmare. That is not being done effectively so far.

In his January 11 opening statement as Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Jay Rockefeller said, "I believe our actions in Iraq have placed our Nation more at risk to terrorist attack than before the invasion. Based on the findings of the Committee’s Iraq investigation, I have concluded that the Administration promoted non-existent links between Iraq and al-Qaeda in an effort to sell a war that was fundamentally about regime change, not about an imminent threat to America."

I think it's pretty profound for the Committee Chairman to have said that he's concluded the Administration lied us into the war in Iraq but this portion of his statement was not published in a single newspaper. I'm not in favor of rubbing somebody's nose in it once they have seen the light but I certainly don't think we need to drop this issue and move on.

[Toucano]

8. Oh, no no no no no!

I disagree completely.

The Bush supporters have to be reminded of their culpability.

Often and LOUDLY I will let everyone of them know that this is ALL THEIR FAULT.

"I told you so" is an effective way of saying, "You didn't listen to me last time and I was right. You better listen to me this time."