Sad array of GOP nominees in 2008

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The 2008 presidential election posturing is in full swing and opinions from all sides of the political spectrum are being spewed campuswide. Professors and students alike respectfully and thoughtfully listen to the thoughts of their classmates, regardless of their side of the aisle. Right?

Not quite. Now more than ever, the conservative that begins spouting off some opinions about “baby murdering” or “big-government liberals” seems to get a bigger beatdown than Lloyd Carr.

Conservative Republicans are scrambling to “right” the plight of their party. Having an “R” next to your name on a ballot could potentially mean death in an election.

For example, I once had a sociology professor attempting to rectify years of racial injustice by telling us to enact certain radical social policies. He classified Americans into two groups: liberals and bigots. That’s not even the most troubling part.

No one, neither staff nor students, voiced a single word of opposition to his opinion. I am proudly further left than Dennis Kucinich, and even I was mildly offended.

It’s a sad state of affairs for members of the GOP when they can’t respond in the one place they’re supposed to rightfully express their (mostly misguided) opinions — the free and open atmosphere of a university. So what has caused this collapse of these typically heated debates?

Year after year of the Bush administration’s incompetent actions and inept policies, not to mention the fact that it’s been plagued by scandal since the Florida mishap in 2000, have led to a climate of shame that is associated with being on the right.

President Bush’s policies lost Republicans both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections and, more importantly, lost them respect in the minds of millions of Americans.

Although the president thinks he’s doing quite well — so well in fact that he was overheard telling Australian Prime Minister John Howard that we were “kicking ass” in Iraq — Bush digs his party into a deeper and deeper hole with blatant civil rights violations, incompetent underlings, greater losses of life in Iraq, poll numbers so low they might be counted on one hand � the list goes on.

But, my point isn’t to bash Bush. That’s easier than walking. One must look at the effects of his presidency and the climate of corruption and immorality it has caused.

Not only did Bush manage to lose Republicans in both chambers of Congress, but several governorships and state legislatures as well.

The constant scandals from the executive branch made it easy for state-elected officials to brand their opponents “Bush lovers,” or someone who is a simple extension of Bush idiocy.

The right is eerily quiet. But it’s not only the president who is damaging the reputation of his party.

Scandals from elected officials such as Mark Foley or Larry Craig, both of whom were caught soliciting homosexual sex, don’t exactly convey a message of family values that their party so righteously claims. This is just the tip of the hypocritical iceberg.

Yet another problem arises for the GOP: The Democratic field of presidential nominees hasn’t been this strong in decades. Their competition can’t seem to energize the conservative base because of shallow reasons such as being Mormon, a supporter of abortion rights or just plain lame (sorry, John McCain fans, but you know as well as I do that his time is long gone).

In a recent poll of Republicans, The Associated Press found “none of the above” to be the winner when given a choice of potential candidates in the upcoming election.

Mickey Mouse might have a better chance as a Republican write-in candidate.

The GOP should get its act together and stop the scandals and moronic policies, maybe even gain some dignity back. I almost miss hearing about how I hug trees and love welfare abusers.

And if this Republican resurgence happens, the Democrats will be waiting with boxing gloves on. If not, the Democratic nominee will be able to feint left and be more than able to fight all the way to the White House, and believe me, she’s good at fighting.

Michael Stevenson is a State News columnist and a member of MSU College Democrats. Reach him at steve391@msu.edu.

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