Hawkeye State Shakedown

Today marks the quadrennial shakedown in Ames, Iowa of GOP Presidential hopefuls, the Iowa Straw Poll.

[I]t's a quadrennial effort by the state Republican Party to bring the GOP candidates into the state to compete in a poll that has nothing to do with delegates but a lot to do with headlines and publicity. It also says something about a candidate's organizational ability to get his or her supporters to turn out and take part in the poll. But in addition to all that, it's a fundraising gimmick by the Iowa GOP. To participate, each person must pay $35. It makes a lot of money for the Iowa Republican Party.

As much of a boondoggle it would seem to be on the surface, it at least allows candidates a chance to preen a bit, and to be dealt a bit of free publicity should they win (whether or not that free publicity offsets all the damn pork sandwiches they had to buy is another matter), but as a precursor as to who'll actually win the nomination or the presidency....well, not so much. But anytime GOPers get the shakedown, I'm cool with that.

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This is just pathetic...

I get the feeling that the *right* is so panicked and desperate at their slipping grip on the rudder of power and influence, that they are willing to sacrifice a few thousand innocents on the altar of politics.

In fact, it seems like every day that passes without a major attack on our shores is a bitter disappointment to some of them.

How else to explain this?

America's fabric is pulling apart like a cheap sweater.

What would sew us back together?

Another 9/11 attack.

The Golden Gate Bridge. Mount Rushmore. Chicago's Wrigley Field. The Philadelphia subway system. The U.S. is a target-rich environment for al Qaeda.

Is there any doubt they are planning to hit us again?

If it is to be, then let it be. It will take another attack on the homeland to quell the chattering of chipmunks and to restore America's righteous rage and singular purpose to prevail.

The unity brought by such an attack sadly won't last forever.

The first 9/11 proved that. *

Yep - another September 11 attack is JUST what we need! That will unite us behind the war in Iraq! We will all forget that Iraq wasn't responsible for the worst terrorist attack in history, and we will all stop letting those pesky facts get in the way, and we'll all rally 'round the flag and return the Republicans to the prominence and respect they so richly deserve!

Give me a fucking break. If anyone said something like that in my presence...we would be holding a fundraiser for bail money.


By the way...Who was the editor who let this garbage pass? Fire that idiot post haste.

(h/t Atrios)

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