Marie Antoinette Republicans

Back about eight years ago, the country was in turmoil as the outcome of the 2000 presidential election hinged on a recount of votes in Florida. Accusations and counter-accusations were hurled about by Democrats and Republicans. "Butterfly Ballots" and "Hanging Chads" became part of the vernacular. The country was in an uproar as Democrats accused Republicans of attempting to game the system and steal the election, even as the Democrats were gaming the system and attempting to steal the election.

Never was there such a blatant attack on Democracy as that engineered by Al Gore and his minions, and never was nor has there been a more egregious smear campaign than the one mounted by the Democrat Party at all levels of society against Republicans; and this despite the fact that it was the Democrats themselves who created the problems with their flawed ballots and Election Goonery.

In a desperate last and disreputable act, Al Gore attempted to have only the votes in counties favorable to him recounted. There followed a mad rush of rulings by the Florida Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals, and the matter was eventually referred to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the Conservative majority found that such actions violated the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution by giving greater significance to some voters than others.

Well, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had a conniption. While the opinion was written by fellow Liberal Stephen Breyer, Bader was the Amen Chorus and Vengeful Cheerleader for the accusations Breyer leveled against the Conservative majority, calling the decision: an "assault on Florida election procedures", and the "most cynical appraisal of the work of judges across this land", and finally, that "the identity of the loser (with this decision) is the Nation's confidence in the judge as an impartial guardian of the rule of law." Ginsburg then (and she alone) took the almost unprecedented step of stating "'I dissent' rather than the standard 'I respectfully dissent'". Then she did the interview rounds to further let America know what scumbags she thought her conservative peers were.

All because they sensibly blocked the attempts of the Democrat Party to steal the election.

Now, inflammatory rhetoric like this would - for most of us - cause justifiable outrage. How does one maintain comity and a good working relationship after a peer has not only called you a fraud and dangerous to democracy, but done it in such a public fashion? What to do?

Well, if you're Antonin Scalia, you go on vacation with Ruth Bader Ginsburg. You go to dinner and the opera regularly. You are the fastest of friends, no matter that her contempt - and those of all the Democrat Grandees like her - makes a mockery of civil discourse, you, the pursuit of reason, and lastly, the people you allegedly represent.

People like me.

Time for full disclosure: I honor no Jurist as I do Antonin Scalia, with the possible exceptions of Robert Bork and Richard Posner. Either way, he's in my top three, for whatever that's worth. That said, he needs a serious attitude adjustment, as do the seemingly endless ranks of Establishment Republicans who have for decades now have responded to Democrat Character Assassination and Fighting Words with obsequious lip smacking, followed by an olive branch of reconciliation, socializing and all the recognition bestowed upon honored family members.

It doesn't start and end with Antonin Scalia either. He is merely the least likely candidate for such behavior and thus, our object lesson for the day. The real pros at Democrat ass-kissing are legion in the ranks of the Republican Party. The Godfather of such activity must surely be George W. Bush, with John McCain pulling a close second. The Senate is riven with such sellouts; the House of Representatives, blessedly much less so.

So, what to call Republicans who sell out their principals - not to mention their constiuents - on behalf of such nebulous concepts as "bipartisanship", not to mention the approval of their Democrat peers and a guaranteed place at the buffet table of the Federal government? We shall call them "Marie Antoinette Republicans".

You may recall that Marie Antoinette (former queen of France late 18th century), when informed that there was no bread for the masses, famously declared that they should instead eat cake. The point here being that French society was so corrupt, the needs of the people so shamefully neglected, and their ruling elites so uncaring about the effects of their policies that the wife of the King could make such a clueless observation.

It has ever been thus with Republican leaders. Fight the good Populist fight for a while. Show the courage of your convictions for the first few years on the national stage and then, ever so slowly but inexorably, slip into the Public Life, and assume your place at the table of Big Government. Let the Democrats - who have run the country non-stop since FDR - continue to drag us into the grave.

No problem, right Justice Scalia? Electoral misconduct by Democrats? Fiscal malfeasance as they borrow and spend us into oblivion? Let them eat cake. Time for me and Ruthie to take a vacation together and ride on an elephant.

And it's not like this was the first time these kinds of words had come out of the mouths of the Liberal clique of the Supreme Court. Ginsberg, Freyer, Stevens and sundry of their predecessors have had a running sideshow for decades now, pillorying their conservative counterparts in the most vile of terms. Using rhetoric usually only deployed in municipal elections in Louisiana, there is apparently nothing you can't accuse a Conservative of and get away with, and your reputation for sobermindedness remains intact.

It has ever been thus, what with Liberals playing to a receptive media, who regurgitate this bile without commentary, unless it's approving.

Well, here's a little shoutout from the Fringe, Justice Scalia; A friendly suggestion from somebody who doesn't enjoy the security of lifetime employment, a sumptuous government pension and a goodies bag of medical coverage so comprehensive as to practically guarantee one will not only cross the centenary threshold, but do so to the strains of "Chariots Of Fire": Get off your ass and start working for your people. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her ilk are the Destroyers of society, and we the people expect more from you than an endless turning of the cheek, followed by afternoon tea with the enemy.

Get pissed, will you? Is it beyond the pale for you to exhibit the same outrage - if not the rhetoric - as Ginsburg when Democrats and their partisans not only crap all over the constitution, but in your shoes as well? Where is it written that your only reaction must be amiable disagreement, followed by vacation plans with these unworthy people?

Justice Scalia, if we can't convince you - a man not corrupted by power - to see reason on this issue, we will never convince Arlen Spectre, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, who are.

Time to get with the program.