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I'm guessing this topic has come up before, but I figure it wouldn't hurt to ask.
I was prompted by this exchange:
It's clear to me that some on the Right are more interested in having Obama fail than they are in the national interest. And yes, I'm confident that if some relatively minor disaster were to befall this country … and it could be blamed on actions taken by the Administration, these people would in fact be HAPPY, THRILLED because it would have served their political/ideological interests, although I expect most would not admit that even to themselves.
Maybe I was just naive years ago, but this seems like a new phenomenon t' me, at least much more widespread. I was skeptical of many policies advanced by Reagan and Bush43, and I was strongly opposed to some. But I sure did hope they would succeed! If big tax cuts for the wealthy fostered a strong economy, then that would be great. If some clearly positive outcome associated with the war in Iraq developed (and I suppose that is still a possibility), I might be willing to agree that it was a good idea.
I'm a progressive liberal. I have clear policy preferences. But my focus of course is on positive outcomes. Are some of Obama's critics so certain of their attitude toward government, so invested in their ideological bias, that they would rather see the country fail than succeed under liberal policies?
The classic, of course, is the well-known statement by that corporatist, drug-dealing slob, Rash Limpblow, unapologetically saying "I hope he [Obama] fails." He tried to get around the despicable nature of that argument, first, with an entirely false claim that liberals wanted Bush43 to fail, and secondly, with the ridiculous idea that Americans were being asked to hope for Obama's success because he's an African-American. Here's the infamous Declaration of Impenitence:
I was prompted by this exchange:
wow the right wingers on here hate their President so much that they appear to be cheering and calling for terrorists to kill Americans.
who is calling for terrorists to kill Americans? I didn't see this at all in here. What is up with that? Just where do they get this stuff from?
It's clear to me that some on the Right are more interested in having Obama fail than they are in the national interest. And yes, I'm confident that if some relatively minor disaster were to befall this country … and it could be blamed on actions taken by the Administration, these people would in fact be HAPPY, THRILLED because it would have served their political/ideological interests, although I expect most would not admit that even to themselves.
Maybe I was just naive years ago, but this seems like a new phenomenon t' me, at least much more widespread. I was skeptical of many policies advanced by Reagan and Bush43, and I was strongly opposed to some. But I sure did hope they would succeed! If big tax cuts for the wealthy fostered a strong economy, then that would be great. If some clearly positive outcome associated with the war in Iraq developed (and I suppose that is still a possibility), I might be willing to agree that it was a good idea.
I'm a progressive liberal. I have clear policy preferences. But my focus of course is on positive outcomes. Are some of Obama's critics so certain of their attitude toward government, so invested in their ideological bias, that they would rather see the country fail than succeed under liberal policies?
The classic, of course, is the well-known statement by that corporatist, drug-dealing slob, Rash Limpblow, unapologetically saying "I hope he [Obama] fails." He tried to get around the despicable nature of that argument, first, with an entirely false claim that liberals wanted Bush43 to fail, and secondly, with the ridiculous idea that Americans were being asked to hope for Obama's success because he's an African-American. Here's the infamous Declaration of Impenitence:
The premise is, what is your "hope." My hope, and please understand me when I say this. I disagree fervently with the people on our side of the aisle who have caved and who say, "Well, I hope he succeeds. We've got to give him a chance." Why? They didn't give Bush a chance in 2000. Before he was inaugurated the search-and-destroy mission had begun. I'm not talking about search-and-destroy, but I've been listening to Barack Obama for a year-and-a-half. I know what his politics are. I know what his plans are, as he has stated them. I don't want them to succeed.
If I wanted Obama to succeed, I'd be happy the Republicans have laid down. And I would be encouraging Republicans to lay down and support him. Look, what he's talking about is the absorption of as much of the private sector by the US government as possible, from the banking business, to the mortgage industry, the automobile business, to health care. I do not want the government in charge of all of these things. I don't want this to work. So I'm thinking of replying to the guy, "Okay, I'll send you a response, but I don't need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails." (interruption) What are you laughing at? See, here's the point. Everybody thinks it's outrageous to say. Look, even my staff, "Oh, you can't do that." Why not? Why is it any different, what's new, what is unfair about my saying I hope liberalism fails? Liberalism is our problem. Liberalism is what's gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here. Why do I want more of it? I don't care what the Drive-By story is. I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: "Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails." Somebody's gotta say it.
Were the liberals out there hoping Bush succeeded or were they out there trying to destroy him before he was even inaugurated? Why do we have to play the game by their rules? Why do we have to accept the premise here that because of the historical nature of his presidency, that we want him to succeed? This is affirmative action, if we do that. We want to promote failure, we want to promote incompetence, we want to stand by and not object to what he's doing simply because of the color of his skin? Sorry. I got past the historical nature of this months ago. He is the president of the United States, he's my president, he's a human being, and his ideas and policies are what count for me, not his skin color, not his past, not whatever ties he doesn't have to being down with the struggle, all of that's irrelevant to me. We're talking about my country, the United States of America, my nieces, my nephews, your kids, your grandkids. Why in the world do we want to saddle them with more liberalism and socialism? Why would I want to do that? So I can answer it, four words, "I hope he fails." And that would be the most outrageous thing anybody in this climate could say. Shows you just how far gone we are. Well, I know, I know. I am the last man standing.
If I wanted Obama to succeed, I'd be happy the Republicans have laid down. And I would be encouraging Republicans to lay down and support him. Look, what he's talking about is the absorption of as much of the private sector by the US government as possible, from the banking business, to the mortgage industry, the automobile business, to health care. I do not want the government in charge of all of these things. I don't want this to work. So I'm thinking of replying to the guy, "Okay, I'll send you a response, but I don't need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails." (interruption) What are you laughing at? See, here's the point. Everybody thinks it's outrageous to say. Look, even my staff, "Oh, you can't do that." Why not? Why is it any different, what's new, what is unfair about my saying I hope liberalism fails? Liberalism is our problem. Liberalism is what's gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here. Why do I want more of it? I don't care what the Drive-By story is. I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: "Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails." Somebody's gotta say it.
Were the liberals out there hoping Bush succeeded or were they out there trying to destroy him before he was even inaugurated? Why do we have to play the game by their rules? Why do we have to accept the premise here that because of the historical nature of his presidency, that we want him to succeed? This is affirmative action, if we do that. We want to promote failure, we want to promote incompetence, we want to stand by and not object to what he's doing simply because of the color of his skin? Sorry. I got past the historical nature of this months ago. He is the president of the United States, he's my president, he's a human being, and his ideas and policies are what count for me, not his skin color, not his past, not whatever ties he doesn't have to being down with the struggle, all of that's irrelevant to me. We're talking about my country, the United States of America, my nieces, my nephews, your kids, your grandkids. Why in the world do we want to saddle them with more liberalism and socialism? Why would I want to do that? So I can answer it, four words, "I hope he fails." And that would be the most outrageous thing anybody in this climate could say. Shows you just how far gone we are. Well, I know, I know. I am the last man standing.
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