Can The GOP To Get Its Act Together?

Joan Walsh writes:

And unfortunately for Obama's dreams of bipartisanism, it's way past time for him to give up his hopes that he can bring "sensible" Republicans on board with a smart, fair bill.

Well, duh. That “bipartisan” ship sank before it ever left the harbor. The Republicans aren’t interested in bipartisanship or reforming healthcare, they’re interested in winning the 2010 midterm elections. Please don’t tell you’re just now cluing in to that reality.

What I want to know is, where are the “sensible Republicans,” anyway? Are they an endangered species? How much longer will the Republican Party allow stuff like this to represent their side of the healthcare debate?

Where are the grownups? Looks to me like there are none left in the GOP.

Doesn’t anyone at the GOP worry that with the tea-shouters and birthers on TV morning, noon and night defining the opposition, these folks might alienate that coveted voting block known as the “undecideds”? The “independents”? That great, glorified “middle” of the American electorate?

Yesterday I went to visit Sen. Lamar Alexander’s office to voice my support for healthcare reform and a public option. Several other women were there with the same message. And one asked why Alexander has basically been absent on the healthcare issue. I thought that was a damn good question.

I don’t agree with Sen. Alexander on most things but he’s one of those “elder statesmen” of the Republican Party who can usually be relied upon to offer a measured perspective on the issues. And yet, people like Alexander seem to be sitting on the sidelines.

Instead we have Sarah Palin and her fictitious “death panels,” and Newt Gingrich coming to her defense. We have folks going on cable news claiming it’s unconstitutional for the president’s advisers to be named "czars." Another protester told Fox News that Nancy Pelosi dispatched goons to his house in the middle of the night.

This is some serious crazy, and I don't mean that in the metaphorical sense. I’d blame the media for sensationalizing the fringe except even the “serious” people on the right are coming off like loons.

Arthur Laffer is seemingly unaware that Medicaid and Medicare are government programs. Investors Business Daily claimed in an op-ed this week that:

People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless.

Apparently they were completely unaware that Hawking is a British citizen, born and bred. Remind me not to take investment advice from these clowns.

Even a once-"sensible" Republican like Chuck Grassley looks ridiculous when he says:

"We should not have a government program that determines if you're going to pull the plug on grandma."

Um, WTF? Well, Senator, you’d be thrilled to know that no one is advocating such a program. Can we have a serious conversation now?

Good grief. Pardon me for concern-trolling here, but if I were a strategist with the Republican Party I’d be deeply worried. Y'all are looking like a crazy train that no one in their right mind would want to board. You think this is going to bring you an election victory in 2010?

Now would be a good time for someone to step forward and be the voice of reason, someone like a Lamar Alexander. The fact that no one has is more than a little puzzling.

Do-Overs

This is great. The Alaska Republican Party is calling for Democratic Sen. Mark Begich to resign now that the Justice Dept. has dropped its charges against Ted Stevens.

Reports CNN:

"The Alaska Republican Party…believes that current Senator Mark Begich should resign his position to allow for a new, special election, so Alaskans may have the chance to vote for a senator without the improper influence of the corrupt Department of Justice," the Alaska Republican Party's Web site states.

Stevens lost his bid for a seventh Senate term against Begich in November following a conviction of seven counts of lying on Senate ethics reforms.

The Alaska GOP mantains a special election "will allow Alaskans to have a real, non-biased, credible process where the most qualified person could win, without the manipulation of the Department of Justice."

Super. While we’re at it, I’d like a do-over of the 2000 election, please. I kinda missed that real, unbiased, credible process where the most qualified person could win, without the manipulation of Karl Rove. And I’m sure John McCain would like a do-over of the 2000 South Carolina Primary for the same reason.

Let's ask California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger what he thinks about this idea, too. Since, you know, it has become apparent that the power outages that sank Gov. Gray Davis' time in office were completely manufactured.

Meanwhile, I love Balloon Juice:

Gary Condit called. He said to SUCK. ON. THIS.

Ow!!!!!! That smackdown HURT!

Any other election do-overs you'd like to suggest?