The Absolutely Positively Only Way The GOP Can Win In 2016 by Rick London

 As GOPs & former GOPs, from Susan Eisenhower to me and so many others, we’ve been warning to stop the (“creating Obama scandals, stop the sequester immediately…and get our GOP Congress to work on real job bills”). 

 The Tea Party claims they know best.  Here’s their best.  Obama’s approval rating up almost 10% since the “scandals” started, and Hilary’s has maintained an even keel, way above anyone who could possibly run against her (and expected to rise over the next year if this behavior continues). This is not from me, it is from the very conservative GALLUP POLL.  We’re trying to help, but you won’t listen.  So left to your own devices, you must know best.   

Want to win in 2016? I can tell  you how.  Find a VERY brave GOP Senator or Congressperson.  He/She’ll have a press conference.  He/she will say something like, “Benghazi is over. We know what we need to know to prevent another like asking Daryl Issa to stop defunding security (to the tune of 400 million dollars before the attack).  Besides it wouldn’t have mattered. We now know that Ambassador Stevens refused in writing any additional security.”  

“The IRS is an independent agency. We know Obama had nothing to do with that; he can’t.  AP got people killed. And more will be killed by exposing one of our spies in Al Queida. The Justice Dept begged them not to run the story for that reason. They were after “Pulitzers On Steroids”. 

“Today we will stop the sequester.  We will start jobs, and social politics is no longer a part of our agenda unless it is to make sure Obamacare is handled properly along with our Democrat and Independents across the aisle.  The war on women, gays, etc etc is over. Anyone caught pulling that crap is out of our club.” 

“In addition, we will be totally supportive and protect the 2^ND Amendment.  That means any monies from the NRA is going back to them and we are asking them for no more report cards or lobby money.  Nobody has done more to erode the 2^NDnd Amendment or the GOP and cause blood and carnage in the streets than the NRA. They are no friend of us, or the 2nd Amendment.  They are the fringe. Not their members, their directors and employees.  They began as a wonderful organization that taught gun safety to our youth, and ended up an incestuous Machiavellian lobbying firm for the gun makers and distributors.  They work extremely hard to keep military weaponry on American streets until ours look like Syria (and the former Iraq and Libya).  They will be long gone to a Polynesian Island counting their cash by the time America becomes that, but I assure you, it will be come that and probably worse, if they have their way.  They do nothing for the law abiding gun owner but hurt his/her chances of keeping his/her guns with their political shenanigans.”

“When a party decides “Umbrellagate” is now the juiciest scandal within the Beltway, trust me there are HUGE problems within the party. But, deep down we know that Obama has nothing to do with those “Scandals”.  We also know he is not an “out of control spender”.  Americans know that too.  That’s why we are losing.  We are lying with straight faces, and even allowing Fox News to do it for us when we need a break.    Meanwhile the deficit is shrinking much lower than we ever imagined (which is why we need to talk about that).  Give credit where credit is due.  What Obama did, worked.  What we are doing, is killing us. What we are forgetting, America is watching.  Furthermore, our party is shrinking yet again, and the Independent and Democratic party, like in 2011, are growing by leaps and bounds.  We don’t stand even a chance (and will lose most seats in 2014) if we continue creating “gotcha scandals”.  We need to get to work.  And stay there.  That’s what we were elected to do.”

“Please, wake up and get our once great party back, or continue this spiral until there is nothing left.  Really.  I’m not being condescending.  Our country runs best on a strong two party system. Right now we have a super-virile Democratic party and a VW Bug full of clowns throwing stones at their intelligence and virility, frankly because it scares us.  We know as a political party we used to ‘have that mojo’ but now its gone and there is no way to get it back.  Or is there?  Of course there is.”

“That’s Jr. High politics and why American GOPs keep jumping ship in huge numbers every single day.”

“I hope you know this press conference is not a slam. It is constructive criticism…actually of the most important kind.  It is not only suggesting change, but change that will require so much flexibility, so much bravery, and often letting go of toxic elements within ones own party.  Don’t think it can be done?  The Democrats did it.  Do you truly think they are that much better than you?   If you don’t believe it, watch in 2014.  Watch again in 2016. Please bookmark and save this blog so you can remember “who told you so” if you don’t make dramatic changes, big dramatic organized changes…like NOW. “

So what is written above, or something like it, is close to what a brilliant, brave, winning, GOP will not only say, but do with his/her actions by legislating and voting in the manner in which he/she speaks.  Look for that.  Look for what could be a reincarnation of Teddy Roosevelt or Abraham Lincoln.  And you’ve got your party back; stronger than it was before it turned into the circus that it is today.  And you know I’m not being unkind when I say that.  It has become a circus at best due to horrendous leadership, and as they say, ‘leader sets the tone’. “

Here’s the Gallup Poll Graph (A very conservative polling system) that shows Obama’s popularity rating before we started creating scandals, and now, nearly 10% up and we’re at our all time low.  They tend to agree with what I just wrote.   Thank you in advance in 2016.  May you surprise many, do the right thing, and win a lot of elections.

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Rick London is a writer, designer, and cartoonist.   He lives with his wife Lee Hiller-London who is the founder of nature photography blog HikeOurPlanet.com.  Together they hike and commune with nature in the Ouachita Mountains which they call their home. London founded Google #1 ranked offbeat cartoons and funny gifts “Londons Times in 1997.  Follow them on Twitter @RickLondon & @LeeHillerLondon.

Can The GOP Really Be Fixed? By Rick London

    Politics is not my favorite thing.  I understand a little about it because I worked on The Hill for close to a decade. Up close, it’s like Hollywood with power rather than money. It’s not real pretty. (Don’t get me wrong, the city of Washington is one of the most gorgeous anywhere).

    It taught me one very important thing.  Never ever be a “party person”.  My favorite uncle, was a retired Congressman (R-PA) who ran and won 3 terms. But something was changing in his party that didn’t sit quite well with him.   So he switched to the other party and under a two-term President worked as his Secretary Of Mining Safety both terms.

     But that was not the last straw that helped me make my decision to go Independent and study each candidate carefully; it merely “sealed the deal”.

      One thing I do know about political parties.  For America to be strong, we need a very strong two-party system.   What we now have is a very very strong Democratic party, and 26% on the fringe with the leadership of the NRA’s Wayne LaPierre, or Romney, or someone. Who knows…and who really cares?

     Today they (Finally) got what they wanted.  To like little yappy dogs, nip at Hilary Clinton’s ankles.  And that is exactly how it looked.  A group of men with American popularity rating so low (26%) in a “gotcha”) battle with the most popular woman in the world.  They had the usual suspect cheerleaders in the background; Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, et al all yelling “Go, baby go..you guys are winning the Super Bowl”.

      Here’s the problem.  Of course we know they weren’t winning anything and chances are the GOP’s (AKA “Guns Of Paradise”) ratings will drop another 5-10% in the polls after today’s circus.  Why was it a circus?  Because they did the predictable to make it a circus. 

     Today’s hearings should have been anything but political, yet that is all it was, lest the questions from Democrats which were basically fact-finding queries.  America knows diplomacy is a dangerous game. We didn’t take Reagan’s team to task when we lost over 200 Marines in Saudi nor 47 diplomatic workers under GW Bush.  We know this kind of thing happens, and we know diplomacy is dangerous. Very dangerous.  We also know it is underfunded.    In addition, we also know the democrats asked for more funding for it for embassy security, the GOP turned it down. 

     But let’s just say none of that is so.  Let’s just say a political party with a popularity rank of 26% positive was to be on television at a hearing with the world’s most popular woman (who they all know were as much as fault as were the Reagan administration or GW Bush administration for our diplomatic and military losses then).

     This would have been the perfect opportunity, had the GOP had decent leadership to huddle before the event and say, “Guys, we’re going to do the unpredictable.  We know all the facts.  We can play ‘trial by fire –gotcha’, or we can come in with an olive branch and use this event to turn our party around by doing the right thing……finding a solution with her, to keep this from happening again, even take some blame if we must for under-funding and promising never to under-fund our embassies again.”

     Can you imagine what that would have done to the GOPs popularity rating?  Dems, Independents and undecided would be standing in line to buy their GOP ticket.    But Jane Austen knew “Pride And Prejudice” long before the rest of us did, and they couldn’t  get past that. Once again,  The predictable.  

      Why can’t they simply change?   The NRA has convinced most of them our “socialist government” is coming for their guns.  And they believe it.  And they continue to send the NRA their hard-earned money.  And of course this is all about “principles and absolutism..whatever in the world that means. I haven’t a clue.   If someone will stop and look closely, the Obama administration wants what 70%+ of NRA membership wants.  Background checks, remove extended magazines and closing loopholes for easy purchasing. I am a defender of the 2nd Amendment.  I’m not for gun control. I’m for gun laws that work, and are enforced.  Something tells me every time I turn on the news, those two elements are not in place.  Common sense.   Not socialistic, and a safer nation.  Contrary to popular GOP belief, enforcing decent gun laws is no more socialistic than enforcing smart traffic laws. 

      So the GOP again looks at the Dems.  “But they’re sinners.  They are pro-choice and abortion is an abomination.” If it is any consolation, I don’t know anyone who is pro-abortion.  In addition, Central America taught us that the pro-life movement has run its course.  It doesn’t work.  All the pro-life movement does is make itself wealthier.  Central America has the highest abortion rates in the world.  Abortion is illegal in every country but Uruguay.  How does it happen?  Any way a woman can, but more often than not using the ulcer drug Cytotec which is not safe in the least, and if the pregnancy turns into a birth, the chances of birth defects is very high.  But its as common as aspirin in Central America and would be in America too (should abortion become illegal or impossible to procure).

 So vote pro-life, you get about twice as many abortions….and extremely dangerous ones at that. Many won’t use Cyotec. They will use the old trusty coat-hanger that may (or may not kill her).   In today’s safe clinical environment, the mortality rate of the pregnant woman is .06%, one of the safest medical procedures available.  When/if it ever becomes illegal, the mortality rate will not only go up, so will the amount of abortions, by a great deal.

  So Dems are not the ghoulish “party of death” that so many think. Most of us understand that pro-choice with a prudent mixture of contraception and family planning means less abortions. Millions less.  It’s been proven over and over.  But this is for the real world; not for people in an insane attempt to control women’s bodies.  Those people have made up their “minds” anyway.  They don’t care that this reduces abortions by millions, as long as they can hang on to their antiquated politics that needs dusting worse than a 150 year old boarded up saloon from the Old West. 

      But another blemish on the GOP is that Americans are not dumb.  Where they are trying to outlaw abortion, they are also attempting to make contraception and family planning education nearly impossible.  What in the world does that accomplish?  That’s a rhetorical question. It is to control women’s bodies and it is very very sick and, of course,  will backfire to a way lower than 26% positive rating (but I can guarantee it helped get the GOP to a rating that low).  I predict the ranking will drop to about 12% before they decide to fold.  A few stragglers might remain but I’d be very surprised.  Just pray for intelligent leadership…..but don’t take that to the bank.  They better be intelligent and have the ability to work fast. 

     And so it goes.  The circle of hate in the GOP party taking them further and further closer to the abyss…. The Contemporary Museum Of Former Political Parties”.  I wonder if they’ll build a monument to ol’ Wayne LaPierre in the front showing a pistol silencer to a child (out of love of course). 

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Rick London is a freelance writer, author, cartoonist, and songwriter.  He spends a great deal of time with his wife popular nature and wildlife photographer Lee Hiller-London.  London founded Londons Times Offbeat Cartoons and funny gifts in 1997.  Lee Hiller owns the popular online shopping shop LeeHillerDesigns.com.