GOOP (The Grand Old Obstructionist Party)
Stan Grimes
February 13, 2009
The GOP should in fact change the acronym, which has stood since President Lincoln proudly held the party as a badge of honor. GOOP is much more apropos for the twenty-first century, Grand Old Obstructionists Party. After all, since Bushīs election eight years ago obstructionism has been the shibboleth for entry into the insulated and out-of-touch club known as the Republicans.
Yes, President Bush was an obstructionist. Letīs take a look. First, President Bush obstructed the constructs of the constitution by pressing the Patriot Act into law. Second, he obstructed the search for WMDs in Iraq and proceeded to start an unnecessary war. Third, the former president vetoed the healthcare provision for millions of needy kids. Finally, he obstructed the long standing standards of war set wisely by the Geneva Convention. I could go on, but it would require several pages and cause my arthritis to act up.
Now that GW isnīt around his old cronies in Congress have saw fit to follow his misguided ideologies. Mitch McConnell and John Boehner are the high clansmen in the GOOP. They have shown from inauguration day forward that they have absolutely no intention of reaching across the aisle. Perhaps aisle is the wrong word. Itīs more of a crevice between North and South. They truly are the "party of no." Senator Judd Gregg added to the GOOPīs separatist philosophy by declining the opportunity to be Secretary of Commerce. His reasoning was that he realized that his ideologies werenīt in sync with President Obamaīs camp. Itīs kind of strange that he would change his mind in two weeks time when he knew Administrationīs ideologies from the get go. Iīm sure there was no influence from the GOOP, right? Right.
Since the GOOP has shown that they have no intention of playing the bipartisan card and that they are more than likely going to be against anything introduced byDemocrats, perhaps the bailout money should not go to their districts. Seems fair to me. Wait a minute. Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota says he doesnīt like the stimulus plan sitting on the House floor at the moment, but his state will take the money. Hmm? This sounds like hypocrisy to me. "Listen," says the getaway driver for a bunch of bank robbers, "I donīt like the idea of robbing the bank but Iīll take my part of the booty."
Is that what the GOOP is all about? They donīt want to be a part of any kind of spending package (requiring a drop ortwo of bipartisanship), which will help the average "Joe Six-pack," but by golly theyīll take any benefits provided by the package. These are the same GOOP members that voted for Bushīs ill-planned seven hundred billion dollar bank bailout. Whatīs up with that? Oh, I forgot. That was in the past and it helped their buddies out on Wall Street, not Main Street. We have learned a lesson about how the GOOP feels about Main Street from the past eight years of GOOP trickle-down tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest among us.
My warning to all the members of GOOP is this: people in your districts will remember your opposition to a bill that just might "help" them. 2010 is not that far away and the voting booths will be filled with Main Street citizens.
Yes, President Bush was an obstructionist. Letīs take a look. First, President Bush obstructed the constructs of the constitution by pressing the Patriot Act into law. Second, he obstructed the search for WMDs in Iraq and proceeded to start an unnecessary war. Third, the former president vetoed the healthcare provision for millions of needy kids. Finally, he obstructed the long standing standards of war set wisely by the Geneva Convention. I could go on, but it would require several pages and cause my arthritis to act up.
Now that GW isnīt around his old cronies in Congress have saw fit to follow his misguided ideologies. Mitch McConnell and John Boehner are the high clansmen in the GOOP. They have shown from inauguration day forward that they have absolutely no intention of reaching across the aisle. Perhaps aisle is the wrong word. Itīs more of a crevice between North and South. They truly are the "party of no." Senator Judd Gregg added to the GOOPīs separatist philosophy by declining the opportunity to be Secretary of Commerce. His reasoning was that he realized that his ideologies werenīt in sync with President Obamaīs camp. Itīs kind of strange that he would change his mind in two weeks time when he knew Administrationīs ideologies from the get go. Iīm sure there was no influence from the GOOP, right? Right.
Since the GOOP has shown that they have no intention of playing the bipartisan card and that they are more than likely going to be against anything introduced byDemocrats, perhaps the bailout money should not go to their districts. Seems fair to me. Wait a minute. Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota says he doesnīt like the stimulus plan sitting on the House floor at the moment, but his state will take the money. Hmm? This sounds like hypocrisy to me. "Listen," says the getaway driver for a bunch of bank robbers, "I donīt like the idea of robbing the bank but Iīll take my part of the booty."
Is that what the GOOP is all about? They donīt want to be a part of any kind of spending package (requiring a drop ortwo of bipartisanship), which will help the average "Joe Six-pack," but by golly theyīll take any benefits provided by the package. These are the same GOOP members that voted for Bushīs ill-planned seven hundred billion dollar bank bailout. Whatīs up with that? Oh, I forgot. That was in the past and it helped their buddies out on Wall Street, not Main Street. We have learned a lesson about how the GOOP feels about Main Street from the past eight years of GOOP trickle-down tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest among us.
My warning to all the members of GOOP is this: people in your districts will remember your opposition to a bill that just might "help" them. 2010 is not that far away and the voting booths will be filled with Main Street citizens.
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