GOP’S STOCK DROPPING DAILY!

THE MOUTH THAT ROARS: AS DICK CHENEY KEEPS FIDDLING, THE GOP BURNS!

By Glenn S. Reiner

SO JUST WHAT IS the Republican Party’s end game?

To the average Liberal — as well as moderate and even Blue Dog — Democract, the answer would appear obvious: complete extinction!

The dedicated GOP Conservative, however, who currently occupies perhaps 99 percent of that party, would most likely argue the steady decline of the Grand Old Party for the more than two years is just part of a historical political trend. He/she will tell you with complete confidence (denial), the GOP will again emerge on top as it has in the past under similar circumstances.

While this sounds like a logical argument, I believe it is quite shortsighted on a number of fronts.

First off, in my 56 years, I have never seen the GOP lose anywhere near this much ground. It’s last accent from purgatory, in 1994, occurred while Centrist Democrat Bill Clinton still occupied the White House. Thus, their power was just as limited by the same presidential veto pen Congressional Democrats experienced during the final two years of the Bush Administration.

Conversely, the Party of FDR, JFK and LBJ now dominate both the Executive and Legislative Branches of government and are on the threshold of obtaining a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate this summer when Al Frankin is expected to finally emerge as #60 from the quagmire of Minnesota legal red tape which has prevented him from filling the lone vacant seat he rightfully earned by virtue of his November victory over incumbent Republican Norm Coleman.

But 60 Democratic Senators will not cut always cut it, as the Blue Dogs will clearly dissent from party on certain matters.

Yet, the Party of Obstruction on the other side of the aisle has both angered and frightened so many former members, only 21 percent of all registered voters are willing to identify with it. I expect that number to drop to 13 percent — precisely the same figure as Dick Cheney’s approval rating upon his departure last January — by the 2010 elections.

Speaking of which, the former vice president has become the Democrats most effective marketing tool as of late. Unable to keep his trap shut, his omnipresence in the media only serves to remind the electorate why it laid its trust in the Party of Barack Obama last November!

The gut feeling here is that the Democrats will be able to run at least more moderate candidates against the Blue Dogs in their respective primaries next year. In addition, if my instincts serve me, don’t be surprised if the Dems pick up an additional 7 seats from incumbent Republicans as well!

Adding insult to injury, I get the feeling the GOP’s two remaining moderates — Maine Senate siblings Olympia  Snow and Susan Collins — will fellow Arlen Specter to the other side of the aisle by next summer.

What exactly does that spell for the future of bullet-ridden GOP?

I have little doubt the massive Conservative majority will have it’s way, “purifying” itself and becoming the “Christian Conservative Party.” In fact, it might not be a bad idea for them to officially change their name right now, laying their cards out for the American public face up — perhaps for the first time since the death of Abe Lincoln!

This would be the second name change for the political party that began as the “Whigs.” But it would clearly spell out their values and objectives in a new millenium where they would be interpreted just as archaic as slavery became by the turn of the 19th Century!