Republicans, more than any other party have earned the name assholes:
We're seeing a lot of analysis (or "anal-ysis") about the factors that led to last week's boot-up-the-derriere for a (w)hole lot of Republicans. The war, sure. Stem cells and scandals and surprisingly strong Democrats, of course. But I think we're ignoring the smelly elephant in the room: the asshole factor.
The smug, leering face of the GOP in power is not dissimilar from that you see at the DMV when you've just waited two hours in the wrong line, behind the mirrored glasses when you didn't notice the school zone at 3AM (this may be just an Oregon thing), or in the "rear-view" mirror when some asshole is tailgating you.

It's the look of usually unearned privilege delighting in the chance to grind your nuts (or other gender-appropriate sensitive bits) just for the fun of it. Picture Tom "Smugshot" Delay. Picture former genius Karl Rove. Picture Prexy Pullmyfinger.

Every smear in the recent campaign was a skidmark, and all of that unwashable crap (aside from some of the more hysterical Foley-bashing) came from the GOP. Karl Rove telling us the liberals wanted "therapy" for terrorists. Calling relentlessly pro-troop Representative John Murtha a traitor. Gang-pouting at John Kerry for an insult that a flippin' earthworm could tell was aimed at Bush rather than the troops. Each was an asshole move. Even though the news coverage was mostly textbook "pretend-both-sides-have-a-valid-point" nonsense, apart from those voters with a vested interest in bollocking the Dems, everybody picked up that the GOP's jutting-jaw indignation in each case was an act, a tactic, another sputtering, stinking movement of the bowels.
It seems like there's a disinclination to publicly recognize asshole tactics as "cruel" or "unfair," those notions (and the ideals that mark their opposites) apparently too simple for the oh-so-complex-and-sophisticated political arena. That's bullshit. I have to hope even casual politics watchers can tell when somebody's an asshole, and that they base their judgments not on attack ads and planted stories but on simple, direct substance. Are you arrogant in victory and petulant in defeat? Are you the kind of person who could justify torturing another? Did you buy a billion annoying phone calls and pretend they were from the opposition? If yes, then asshole.
There are more subtle examples, like scrambling to shore up your public image rather than protecting real people being blown up in Iraq and drowned in New Orleans, but "subtle" isn't the same thing as "incomprehensible" (regardless of what the DLC tells you). It all comes back to the asshole factor. When folks are in trouble and you have the capacity to help, you have a couple of simple choices: help or be an asshole. We watched this administration choose their course, we were briefly baffled, and then we realized there was too much proctology in their psychology.
We voted accordingly.
So, advice to the incoming majority (barring an asshole move like a party switch from he-who-must-not-be-named): keep your words April fresh, clean up after yourselves, and limit any attacks to above the belt. That's the way to win the hearts and behinds of America.

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Life is good, the water is sweet. The ground keeps moving beneath my feet.

Both Democrats AND the republicans are AZZholes, all they do is bitch about what the other is or isnt doing and could care less about the will of the American people.

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The Bill of Rights.....Void where prohibited by Law.

So, are you just giving up? At least use the theory of less evil and choose someone better than the opposition, or you have no voice, and no reason to bitch. The old I didn't vote so it's not my fault is dead and stinkin!

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Life is good, the water is sweet. The ground keeps moving beneath my feet.

all of them are so fucking corrupt it makes me sick, every last fucking asshole that voted for the bailout sold out the public, fuck every last one of them

med man you are a crying bitch shutup.

damn med u better hide anouther tough guy ///////////thought gop'ers was tuff on crime ///////how does all these cons get pc access

You guys have all the power now, what is the gripe? It is never enough I guess. Hurry up and bankrupt the country so that everyone can see that "borrow, tax, spend while screaming crisis" does not work. Carter did it and while it was rough on the people, the result was a divided everything where less could get done. Washington DC is much better when they are hamstrung.

i don't have the power if i did only bush voters would pay his debt,,,,,,,,,as some1 in the middle the has been told to get out of the tent ,,,,i say the ppl that supported the policies that dug this hole are not quallified to even give a opinion,,,,,,,,,,,sit down and let the grown ups talk listen take notes and u might learn something /////////change accounts u can run but u can't hide

assholes get shit done

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honey, i forgot to duck

is there actually any 1 on this site who supports republicans?? how idiotic is that??? is there 1 GOP representative who is actually for medical marijuana? let alone decrim? at least Obama is for decrim and ananymous cabinet member said that he will push for it if he gets a 2nd term. even if i werent the most liberal SOB u ever met that reason alone would be enuf for me to vote dem..... i laugh when i hear rep. talk about how we are screwing up right now with the bail out or whatever, bush f*cked us with his 8 years of failed poilicies-now its the dem turn. wait 8 years and see what happens, then talk shit. for now, shut the F up