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Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

The GOP's empty chair problem

Posted on Saturday, September 01, 2012 at 09:56 AM

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Clint Eastwood's bizarre and rambling chat with an empty chair at the Republican National Convention has come to define what's wrong with the GOP.

The truth is neither Eastwood or the GOP gave any thought to the millions of people people who would see something else in that disembodied chair: themselves.

If you're Black, Hispanic, an Immigrant, a Woman or Gay you weren't welcome to sit in that chair or come to that party, even to be lectured to by a contemptuous octogenarian.

The GOP's big tent has contracted to the point where it has simply become a latter day Christian Brotherhood, but conservatives who dismiss this claim point to the participation of Governor Nikki Haley the daughter of Indian immigrants, Condoleezza Rice, the Former Secretary of State and Governor Susana Martinez, who the Reagan-era throwback Peggy Noonan likes to call Susan.

But every political party worth its salt can round up a few quislings; there are even apparently masochistic gay Republican groups like Go Proud, after all. That does not mean they represent their communities or are indicative of widespread support within their party, on the contrary.

I say to those people who talk about Republican diversity have your read your own party platform?

Only two percent of African-American voters polled currently support the Romney/Ryan ticket.

Mitt Romney claims that this is a country of immigrants but he wants them all to self-deport and he would veto the DREAM Act. At the convention Ann Romney claimed it was Hispanic voters who had the real problem though, and she asked them to 'get past' their biases.

Romney does not support relationship recognition for LGBT people, making him even more conservative on LGBT issues than former President George W. Bush. Paul Ryan does not support LGBT families, he has voted against allowing gay and lesbian couples to adopt, he voted against hate crime protections. He opposed repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and he does not support marriage equality.

Romney and Ryan want to turn Medicare into a boon for the Insurance industry and a bust for American seniors. The new party platform reflects a Republican Party more hostile to organized labor than ever before in its history.

And as we learned last week, Romney and Ryan were quick to write off Todd Akin and to separate themselves from his extremism, but in fact they share his anti-abortion position.

So they paint themselves into a corner and they look out at the godless nation and they reject it. That's what this week was all about. That explains all those empty chairs.

And what will happen to us, the uninvited people in that disembodied chair, has already become obvious.

It seems our conservative political classes will not rest until they have turned the United States economy and the American century into a South American nation like Brazil.

New York and other noteworthy US cities already feature growing contrasts between rich and poor, so why not use Rio de Janeiro as the model of our future, complete with gated mansions with armed guards to hold off armies of scary-looking pre-teen homeless kids carrying zipguns.

Each time you step out you'll have to worry if there'll be another Ak-47 attack at the supermarket or the movie theater. Hopefully you won't need medical attention because you won't be able to afford any.

But hey at least the rich guys pay low taxes!

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jflanagan | Sep 21, 2012, 11:36 AM EDT

It should have been and empty golf cart or beach cabana. That would have had more significance concerning the President and his vacation happy family. Black, Hispanic and female unemployment statistics are way up and the Liberals are the ones for the oppressed? I look across the street to the Title 8 housing and see the poor huddled together, separated from the Liberal elite, God forbid they should have to mingle with them. Trillions of dollars spent on anti-poverty and there are triple the number of people in poverty. That makes me realize the programs are shams to help politicians and their cronies get rich, raise taxes on those newly rich small business men to keep them from the elites clubs and all in the name "goodness". Methinks Mr. O'Doherty has empty head syndrome.

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BishopSean | Sep 12, 2012, 09:19 PM EDT

Hi, Hollabackgurl. Re: false equivalences, another day when we’re not rushed we can discuss nature and proper uses of analogies and paradoxes. Re: concern for poor, I have intentionally spent most of last 45 years, after university, in developing and least developed countries. I would like to refer yr statement “no woman makes the decision to have an abortion lightly.” Allow me to ask you then, in view of CDC statistic that 98% of abortions are elective, meaning they have nothing to do with incest, rape and/or life threatening situation for mothers, what constitutes in your view sufficient reason to terminate the life of an innocent unborn or partially born baby? Regards.

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seanomelb | Sep 08, 2012, 08:33 PM EDT

What's that Seanmor "don't ask don't tell" at republican conventions!!

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Seanmor | Sep 08, 2012, 08:05 PM EDT

The 3rd paragraph of this article is very misleading, if not totally false. I am one immigrant who would be welcomed at any G.O.P. event, having entered the U.S. in my teens in full compliance with all the immigratiobn laws, and having subsequently been HONORABLY discharged from 4 years service in the Marine Corps. My wife, a New England Methodist and a D.A.R. member, would be warmly welcomed at Republican meetings. To my knowledge, no one present at a G.O.P. event is ever asked whether he/she is a homosexual, bisexual, transgender or anything else, even if the Republican presidential slate isn't in the business of promoting alternative life styles.

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EphraimKibbey | Sep 08, 2012, 02:39 PM EDT

Re: "re: “Talking to Empty Chair” routine—isn’t that a Gestält therapy technique?" I agree 100% that the GOP needs therapy and it was nice of Dr. Eastwood to provide it for them. Sadly I do not think that it helped them very much.

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seanomelb | Sep 08, 2012, 02:26 AM EDT

BishopSean God bless him ate an apple and thought it was orange.

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hollabackgurl | Sep 07, 2012, 07:51 PM EDT

BishopSean, you are setting up a false equivalence. What if cats were dogs? It would be pointless to debate. No woman makes the decision to have an abortion lightly, you know. I mean, you do know that don't you? And if you are anxious to protect life, do you vote for or against social programs for the poor? Are you a Republican? Do you believe in cutting welfare and comforting the rich instead? Kind regards.

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BishopSean | Sep 07, 2012, 11:31 AM EDT

Greetings, Fellow IC Bloggers. I rarely have time to read IC nowadays due to work overload. I would like to note re: “Talking to Empty Chair” routine—isn’t that a Gestält therapy technique? Secondly, bear with me Seán Og, your statement “…In most cases, I do not believe in abortion but do I have the right to make that decision for someone else? NO.” What if an educated Sudanese or Mauritanian would state “In most cases, I do not believe in SLAVERY but do I have the right to make that decision for someone else? NO!” Would you buy that argument? Best regards.

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BrianO | Sep 07, 2012, 09:10 AM EDT

Four more years of failure.

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seanomelb | Sep 06, 2012, 08:01 PM EDT

How does 4 more years grab ya Daly. You wouldn't know a Marxist if you fell over him.

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Ned Daly | Sep 06, 2012, 03:12 PM EDT

The empty chair is not the problem. Its the empty neo Marxist who is meant to occupy it thats the problem.

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hollabackgurl | Sep 06, 2012, 11:17 AM EDT

If you elect Romney/Ryan those will be your only choices anyway.