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Ted Stevens And The GOP’s “Terminal Velocity”

By fitsnews • on October 29, 2008

Shortly after Republicans got their asses handed to them in the 2006 Congressional elections, a bitter Sen. Ted Stevens - Washington’s “Godfather of Pork” - confronted conservative Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn - Washington’s preeminent “pork buster.”

“Well, Tom, I hope you’re satisfied for helping us lose the election,” Stevens snapped at Coburn, who had held up dozens of wasteful pork projects in an effort to rein in a Republican orgy of special interest excess - one that had added $3 trillion to the national debt over the previous six years.

“No, Ted, you lost us this election,” Coburn fired back, a point supported by exit polling from all across the country.

We wrote about this exchange several months ago - emblematic as it was (and is) of the fundamental rift between RINOs and real Republicans - but now that Stevens has been convicted of federal corruption charges, it rings especially true.

With 2008 shaping up to be another bloodbath for the once-proud GOP, the fate of Stevens - still bellicosely-clinging to power - is something of a paradox.

On the one hand, calls for his resignation from folks like John McCain and Mitch McConnell are certainly welcome - just as the pardon Stevens is likely receive from his pork partner George W. Bush will be most unwelcome.

But on the other hand, what difference does it really make?

Having so tragically squandered their majority - and more recently their minority - Republicans disposing of Stevens at this point won’t even begin to stop the party’s free fall from that shining city on a hill Ronald Reagan built for them so many years ago.

And trust us, they haven’t seen the bottom of that free fall yet.

Terminal velocity has yet to be reached, people.

Stevens has to go, of course, but so do dozens like him - including some of the same people now calling for his head.

Simply put, Republicans have to start from scratch. Like buttermilk biscuits.

And it’s sure looking like they’ll have plenty of time in the wilderness to figure out the recipe …

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Comments

By Congress is corrupt on October 29th, 2008 at 7:25 am

Congress should hand deliver Stevens, a convicted felon, a unanimously signed letter saying resign now or we will throw you out of the Senate.

A convicted felon can not vote, yet can be a Senator and run for re-election???

Hopefully the Alaskan voters can get rid of him once and for all - and take Palin in time for moose season.

By rick on October 29th, 2008 at 7:56 am

Amen…and as long as the Republicans think they can out democrat the democrats they’ll continue to fall. Republicans like John McCain think they can be friends and work together….how has that worked for ya??????