BEST HOPE FOR GOP? THE FAR LEFT!

The decimated and defeated Republican party has a slim ray of hope. While it wanders in the wilderness in an ongoing attempt to discover it's future, there is a determined group out there making every attempt to hand the GOP the platform it needs to grow and prosper in this era of hope and change.

The accompanying article clearly explains the opportunity available. It is America's favorite punching bag, the unhinged far left radicals both inside and outside of public office. Without them, the future of the Republican party would be unclear at best, dim at worst.

The far left, more than most every other political group in the country with the exception of those on the other extreme, lives in a self-reinforcing bubble that is in full disconnect with the vast moderate middle of American politics. With the help and support of the big biased media, university faculties nationwide and screaming anarchists in the streets of most urban centers, the far left truly believes that it's radical views are mainstream.

Leftists have not a clue how the huge majority of their fellow citizens perceive their extreme positions. That is why they fail to understand how it is humanly possible for a George W. Bush to not only be elected POTUS, but a two term President to boot. Further, it explains their stunned disbelief as the expectations they have for President-Elect Obama are often rejected out of hand. For them, Obama was elected President of the far left, not President of all the people. Democracy is a tough concept for lefty's to grasp, let alone support.

Which leads us to the following piece. The far left in Congress has produced a report advising the Obama administration to launch investigations into virtually every aspect of the Bush administration. After all, it has been eight long and tortuous (pardon the pun) years for those suffering from the permanent case of Bush Derangement Syndrome. True conspiracy nuts like Dennis Kucinich have been at it 24/7 to bring down George Bush via impeachment or any other vehicle imaginable. Frustratingly for that entire crowd, it has all failed miserably and completely.

But now that they control both legislative and executive branches, they want numerous and endless investigations. It is all about spite, hate and a seriously deranged mental state. They couldn't get Bush while he was in office so they want to hound him now that he will be gone. What a sick and pitiful picture they paint for themselves.

What the far left cannot grasp is that Americans far and wide have no interest in such nonsense. There are much bigger fish to fry such as war, recession, unemployment, a chaotic health care system, social security funding, a crumbling infrastructure, a wholly failed government education system, just to name a few. The American public demands and expects action on issues that matter to our everyday lives, our families and our future. Chasing after the fools gold of investigating George Bush is of no interest to anyone other than true nutters, especially since there is no evidence of wrongdoing or a 'smoking gun'.

Therein, however, lies the opportunity being handed to Republicans on a silver platter. Congressional investigations of the Bush years would be a political disaster for the Democrat party. It would not only serve to ignite an otherwise fully discouraged GOP base but it would drive middle of the spectrum political moderates, the group that determines the outcome of elections, right into the waiting arms of the Republican party. For the GOP, it would be a godsend as well as an unbelievable dream come true. The best thing that Congressional Republicans can do is to quietly encourage their wild eyed lefty colleagues to press on at full speed while publicly staying clear of the fray.

There is one looming flaw in all of this however. The soon to be President, Barack Obama. Clearly, he understands politics and he knows what is required to get elected as well as reelected. He is far too smart to take any political advice from the far left. Obama is left of center politically to be sure, but he will not attempt to govern from the far left. He knows that doing so would prove to be his political graveyard. Do not look for him to encourage, let alone approve, ongoing investigations of his predecessor.

One final note about Obama. Now that he is President to be, he will morph into a leader who will do much to protect the Office of the Presidency from encroachment by the legislative branch. Like all Presidents he will, at the minimum, work to maintain the powers of the office, if not expand upon them. That is what Presidents do, with greater or lesser success.

The far left is the current best hope of the GOP. The irony is too rich to ignore.



Democrats seek criminal probe of Bush 'abuses'
By LARRY MARGASAK
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The incoming Obama administration should launch a criminal investigation of Bush administration officials to see whether they broke the law in the name of national security, a House Democratic report said Tuesday. President-elect Barack Obama has been more cautious on the issue and has not endorsed such a recommendation.

Along with the criminal probe, the report called for a Sept. 11-style commission with subpoena power, to gather facts and make recommendations on preventing misuse of power, according to the report by the Democratic staff of the House Judiciary Committee.

The report covers Bush administration policies that Democrats have protested for some time. Among them: interrogation of foreign detainees, warrantless wiretaps, retribution against critics, manipulation of intelligence and political dismissals of U.S. attorneys.

The White House was asked for comment on the report Tuesday, but did not immediately respond.

However, in an interview this month with The Associated Press, Vice President Dick Cheney said, "I can't speak for everybody in the administration, but my view would be that the people who carried out that program—intelligence surveillance program, the enhanced interrogation program, with respect to al Qaeda captives—in fact were authorized to do what they did ... ."
Cheney said legal opinions supported the officials.

"And I believe they followed those legal opinions and I don't have any reason to believe that they did anything wrong or inappropriate," the vice president said.

Obama said last week in a television interview, "We're still evaluating how we're going to approach the whole issue of interrogations, detentions and so forth.

And obviously we're going to be looking at past practices and I don't believe that anybody is above the law. On the other hand I also have a belief that we need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards."

Obama said intelligence officials were "extraordinarily talented people who are working very hard to keep Americans safe. I don't want them to suddenly feel like they've got to spend all their time looking over their shoulders and lawyering."

Obama said he has not made a final decision about a Sept. 11-type commission.

The criminal probe may need a special prosecutor named by the attorney general, the report said.

An alternative would be expansion of an existing investigation into the CIA's alleged destruction of a tape or tapes showing harsh interrogation methods against a prisoner.

The criminal investigation would include issues apart from national security, such as whether laws were violated in the politically inspired firing of U.S. attorneys.

Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said his staff has met with the Obama transition officials on the report. The president-elect's transition team has not endorsed it.

The congressionally appointed commission should have subpoena power, the report said. It suggested the new president order "full cooperation by all present and past federal employees with requests for information."

Conyers already has introduced legislation to form the commission.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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