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In honor of the man who lowered the bar for decency in American politics as much as anyone that I can remember: Good riddance!
Karl Rove and the Consequences of Partisan Politics
- Thread starter Ivan Seeking
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Discussion Overview
The discussion centers around Karl Rove's impact on American politics, particularly in relation to partisan politics and electoral strategies. Participants express various opinions on Rove's legacy, the ethical implications of his actions, and the broader consequences for the Republican Party and American democracy.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Exploratory
- Conceptual clarification
Main Points Raised
- Some participants express disdain for Rove, suggesting he significantly lowered the standards of decency in politics.
- There is a reference to a YouTube clip featuring Rove, indicating interest in media portrayals of him.
- One participant doubts Rove's resignation was genuinely for family reasons, hinting at ulterior motives.
- Participants discuss the long-term damage caused by Rove's political strategies, including alleged voter suppression tactics involving "caging lists."
- Comparisons are made between Rove and other political figures known for dirty campaigning, such as Lee Atwater and Donald Segretti, with some arguing Rove's influence was more pervasive.
- There is speculation about the future of the Republican Party and the potential consequences of Rove's strategies on its electoral success.
- One participant questions how the Bush presidency might have differed without the events of 9/11, suggesting a connection to Rove's political maneuvers.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants generally express negative views about Rove's influence, but there is disagreement on the extent of his impact compared to other political figures. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the overall consequences of his actions and the future of the Republican Party.
Contextual Notes
Some claims rely on specific interpretations of Rove's actions and their implications, which may not be universally accepted. The discussion includes references to complex electoral strategies and their ethical ramifications, which are not fully explored.
- #2
marlon
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Did anyone ever see the MC Rove Youtube clip ?
marlon
marlon
- #3
Moridin
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Needless to say, I do not think he resigned because he wants to spend more time with his family.
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moe darklight
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http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/index.jhtml
the daily show's goodbye to rove. watch "where's my karl" and "the departed." the departed is hilarious
the daily show's goodbye to rove. watch "where's my karl" and "the departed." the departed is hilarious
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Chi Meson
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
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Damage is done.
Goodbye anyway.
Goodbye anyway.
- #6
turbo
Gold Member
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Much of it will linger. Republicans sent certified mail to the residences of foreign-deployed soldiers in heavily-minority areas, and when they could not sign for the mail, they used this as "evidence" that the soldiers' addresses were invalid and got them removed from voting rolls, so they could not get absentee ballots and vote. You may want to Google on "caging lists" to see how this works. In heavily Republican districts in Ohio in the last election, waits to vote were short and sweet, while people in districts heavily populated by minorities often had to wait 8-10 hours or more to vote and had their eligibility to vote challenged when they got to the head of the line. Rove and his minions turned election theft into a high art, and their methodology and organizational structure is still in place, ready to pervert the next election unless our elected officials pull their heads out of their butts and clean things up.Chi Meson said:
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BobG
Science Advisor
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Ivan Seeking said:
He lowered the bar more than Lee Atwater? Believe it or not, I think it's a toss up as to which was the dirtiest campaigner in election history. Perhaps you could give the nod to Rove, since his influence extended beyond just the campaigns.
I think it's safe to say that both Rove and Atwater managed to lower the bar below what their mentor, Donald Segretti, managed to do. Segretti was small time with little imagination. Forged campaign literature (meant to embarrass Democratic candidates) got him a three year sentence (of which he only served 6 months), but it lacks the creativity of Atwater and Rove.
Getting caught probably makes Segretti inferior to Rove and Atwater, but, actually, Rove got caught for stealing Democratic campaign letterhead while in college - he just didn't get any jail time for it. He and some other college Republicans used the stolen letterhead to invite the homeless to a Democratic fundraiser, which is actually kind of funny. Then Rove dropped out of college to pursue a career of dirty political tricks.
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Of course his real goal was to make everyone a Republican. 
Nut... I guess that in principle it is possible to govern with 50.1% for starters, but you need a winning team to do it - the skill to build a true consensus. But Rove did it his way. He achieved nearly everything that he ever dreamed, and the Republicans will likely pay the price for at least a decade, and they deserve everything they get.
I wonder what the Bush presidency would look like without 911.
Nut... I guess that in principle it is possible to govern with 50.1% for starters, but you need a winning team to do it - the skill to build a true consensus. But Rove did it his way. He achieved nearly everything that he ever dreamed, and the Republicans will likely pay the price for at least a decade, and they deserve everything they get.
I wonder what the Bush presidency would look like without 911.
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