Still reeling from the punishing defeat handed to them by victorious Democrats on Election Day, Republicans are licking their wounds and debating their strategy for a comeback. As Democrats and progressives celebrate our hard-won victory, we should also be keeping an eye on our vanquished opponents and preparing to remain on the offensive against them, whatever comeback road they attempt to pursue. For the sake of the future, we cannot allow a repeat of 1980, 1994, or 2000.

Most observers see two major possibilities for the GOP. One is that the party could stick with its rural, white, ultra-conservative base and become the party of the far right, thus alienating moderates, independents, and swing voters, many of whom would likely migrate to the Democratic Party and join the ranks of conservative-leaning "Blue Dogs" like Virginia senator Jim Webb. The other possibility is that the GOP could move toward a more moderate and less ideological, center-right position that could make it more attractive to independents and swing voters but at the same time would tend to alienate the conservative base. Neither is an exceedingly attractive option for the GOP, since either would likely result in the loss of one or another key Republican voting block. The electoral success of Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II depended upon a united Republican coalition of social conservatives, fiscal conservatives, defense hawks, and "Reagan Democrats." That coalition has now fallen apart.

I personally hope the Republicans will take the former choice, stick with their demented base, and become a far-right fringe party doomed to increasing irrelevance as old bigots die off and their children discard the prejudices, fears, and hatreds of the past. This is what may well happen if far-right blowhards like Rush Limbaugh have their way, warning their shell-shocked followers now against a moderate takeover of the GOP led by once-and-future-maverick John McCain and other hands-across-the-aisle types, whose ranks will seek to purge the party of "real conservatives" like Sarah Palin and those who identify with her. Never exceedingly popular among those on the far right, McCain is already being branded a defeatist and a traitor by the Limbaugh-Palin crowd, who are incensed by the attacks on Palin now coming from within the McCain camp itself, and who increasingly regret that McCain was ever nominated even as they are in his debt for giving them "their Sarah." Meanwhile, angry dittoheads at RedState.com have launched a bitter assault on Palin's Republican critics called "Operation Leper," and appear poised to advocate for Palin as a presidential candidate for 2012 and/or 2016. Perhaps we will see a full-fledged Palin faction form within the Republican Party in opposition to the forces of Republican moderation, leading to an all-out faction fight and perhaps even a split in the party. I sincerely hope so.

If, on the other hand, the Republicans choose the path of moderation, returning perhaps to the GOP of Eisenhower and Goldwater, our work could be a little more difficult. This possibility highlights the importance of maintaining the center-to-left coalition that enabled us to win in 2006 and 2008 just as their center-to-right coalition enabled Republicans to win in 1980, 1994, and 2000, as it raises the risk of swing voters swinging back to the Republican side if they are not happy with the job Democrats are doing in Washington. Those of us such as myself who are on the Left of the Democratic Party will have to balance our expectation of having a place at the table with the realization that the rest of the country isn't with us just yet. At least in the near term, the Obama administration and the Democratic Congress will have to govern more-or-less from the center, and at the same time will have to prove that they are more capable of governing the country effectively than their opponents. Given the dominance of the far-right in today's GOP and its dependence on the conservative base, however, owing in part to the fact that so many moderate Republicans have either left the party or been voted out of office, I wonder how realistic or likely a route this second option actually is. I could be wrong, but I suspect hopefully that our opponents will remain in the funk they are currently in for quite some time to come.

Whatever course they may ulimately choose to take, our task as Democrats is to stop any GOP comeback dead in its tracks before it even starts. Democrats must remain on the offensive and must remain focused on solidifying and building our congressional majority in 2010, re-electing President Obama in 2012, and putting another Democrat in the White House in 2016. We must aggressively go after not only Republican congressional seats but also state and local offices nationwide. Grassroots Democratic organizing, voter registration, fundraising, and media activism are key to this, as is maintaining a strong center-to-left coalition through effective, balanced governance. We must demonstrate to the Republicans that they are dealing with a new, much tougher, much more aggressive and effective Democratic Party: a Democratic Party that won't be so easy to kick around as in the past, a Democratic Party whose days of whining about mean old swiftboating Republicans are over.

If we are to avoid a repeat of the last eight years or something even worse, no Republican comeback can ever be allowed to happen. 

The threat of GOP voter suppression and election theft is as great as ever this election year, and perhaps even greater as Republicans grow desperate to head off what appears likely to be a crushing defeat on Nov. 4. While Republicans hurl baseless accusations of voter fraud at Democrats and progressives who seek to build turnout, the fact remains that it is the GOP which has repeatedly sought to suppress voting in order to win elections. Republicans have used and continue to use a variety of methods to disenfranchise likely Democratic voters, including disqualification, deception, and intimidation.

Methods of voter suppression used by Republicans and the threat they pose this election year were recently discussed by Andrew Gumbel at The Nation as well as by Peter Rothberg. Meanwhile, Roberto Lovato discusses what we can all do to protect our votes on Election Day and after. The Brennan Center for Justice documents and reports incidents of voter suppression nationwide for public information. Reports on voter suppression activities have also recently appeared in the New York Times and at CNN.

The Election Protection coalition (1-866-OUR-VOTE) is a nonpartisan organization formed to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process. Through their website and voter hotline Election Protection provides live, up-to-the-minute information and advice on voting conditions nationwide as well as taking reports of irregularities from voters. No Voter Left Behind (NVLB) is a Democratic organization founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to fight GOP efforts at voter suppression and election theft. NVLB also provides extensive information on GOP voter suppression methods and on how Democrats can protect their votes as well as taking reports of irregularities. In addition to offering direct assistance to voters, Election Protection and NVLB seek donors and volunteers to support their efforts.

Mark C. Eades
http://www.mceades.com

This man wants your vote, and he'll stop at nothing to get it.

Republican voter suppression efforts are underway nationwide in a last-ditch attempt to head off what is expected to be a big win for Democrats on Nov. 4. With only eight days left to go until Election Day, thousands of voters across the United States are now being illegally purged from voting rolls, new voter registrations are being rejected, and deceptive or intimidating information is being fed to likely Democratic voters by Republican operatives and election officials election officials anxious to prevent them voting for Barack Obama. This is John McCain's last chance to win on Election Day, and Republicans are leaving no stone unturned in the effort.

The Brennan Center for Justice has documented incidents of voter suppression in Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, Colorado, Georgia, Mississippi, Montana, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina, and California. These include illegal purges of voters as reported also by the New York Times and CNN, rejection of new voter registrations, and deceptive or intimidating information given to voters in the hope of stopping them from voting. The New York Times also names Indiana and Nevada among swing states in which illegal or improper voter purges are taking place, often due to minor errors or mismatches which should not prevent eligible citizens from voting, and including improper use of Social Security data to purge voters. CNN likewise reports eligible US citizens being purged from voting rolls on the basis of errors and technicalities, often so close to Election Day that it is impossible for them to be reinstated, and in spite of federal laws prohibiting such purges within 90 days of Election Day. Republicans are aggressively pursuing methods such as these for disenfranchising likely Democratic voters across the United States, including lawsuits and appeals for partisan intervention by George W. Bush's Justice Department.

The Brennan Center also documents widespread cases of voter deception and intimidation by GOP operatives and even election officials. Election officials in Virginia and Colorado have provided incorrect and misleading voter information to students, and deceptive fliers have been distributed by GOP operatives to students and African Americans in Pennsylvania. In Bakersfield, California, conservative radio host Jaz McKay of station KNZR told listeners that Democrats should vote Nov. 5 instead of Nov. 4 because of expected heavy turnout - a favorite trick among Republicans trying to stop Democrats from voting. Asked by the county elections chief to stop misleading voters, McKay claimed it was a joke (see Bakersfield Californian). Many such incidents of voter deception and intimidation, too numerous to mention here, are documented by the Brennan Center.

Facing likely defeat on Nov. 4, desperate Republicans are pulling out all the stops in a last-ditch effort to steal the 2008 election.

We've seen and heard some pretty ugly stories recently from the Republican ranks, but just when you think the stories can't get any uglier, they get uglier. So it was Friday morning (Oct. 24) on radio station WLS in Chicago, when conservative drive-time host Don Wade imagined how Barack Obama's allegedly adoring press corps would react to a video record of the senator murdering his own grandmother. Sadly, Wade's comments coincided with Obama's actual visit to the bedside of his ailing grandmother in Hawaii, which Wade ghoulishly turned into a fantasy murder scene captured on video. "The video clearly shows Grandmother greeting Barack Obama coming through the door...," Wade described with obvious relish, "...Barack Obama comes over, sits down beside the grandmother, and places a pillow over her face and holds the pillow over her face until she struggles no more" (CBS-2). Wade's wife and co-host Roma (picture here with Wade) expressed shock at her husband's words even as they were coming out of his mouth; and listeners expressed even greater shock in e-mail complaints such as this one quoted by CBS-2 News in Chicago: "Don Wade of WLS talk radio crossed the line this morning describing an insensitive and coded hate scenario where Obama goes to Hawaii and murders his grandmother. It was appalling, disturbing, ugly and over the top."

The Obama campaign has declined to comment on Wade's remarks. Those who would like to comment on Wade's remarks may do so at the WLS contact page ("Don & Roma" or "Don & Roma Producer" on pull-down menu). Don & Roma broadcast from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. local time Monday through Friday and take live callers at (312) 591-8900. Alternately, recorded messages for Don & Roma may be left at (312) 357-1489.

Marcia Stirman (pictured here), head of the  Republican Women of Otero County, New Mexico, published a letter in the Alamagordo Daily News Oct. 21 stating her belief that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is "a Muslim socialist." The letter listed Stirman's reasons for being a Republican, including her belief that "Muslims are our enemies," and concluding with her belief that Obama is "a Muslim socialist."

In fact, as most Americans know full well, Obama is neither a Muslim nor a socialist. Ms. Stirman is obviously an ignorant bigot.

Interviewed by the Associated Press following the publication of her letter, Stirman said of Muslims: "I don't trust them at all. They've sworn across the world that they are our enemies. Why we're trying to elect one is beside me." Sassy Tinling, chair of the Otero County Republican Party, said Wednesday that Stirman would be asked to resign from her position as head of the Republican women's group. Stirman herself has stood by her remarks and has offered no apology to any who might have been offended.

Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said of Stirman's statements: "Because these hate-filled remarks were made by a prominent Republican, it is incumbent on state and national GOP officials to repudiate her divisive and intolerant views." Stirman remained unapologetic, however, as she expressed in the Las Cruces Sun News: "I still have freedom of speech and an opinion. If the Islamic group doesn't like it, well, I don't like what's going on in their camp, either."

Stirman is an interior decorator with Artistic Interior Solutions, 1702 23rd St., Alamogordo NM 88310. Comments may be directed to Stirman by e-mail at mstirman@yahoo.com or by telephone at (575) 437-9362.

Republicans across the United States are getting into a lot of hot water these days for hate-based attacks on Barack Obama, and "tolerant" California is no exception. Earlier this week, the Sacramento County Republican Party and its chair, attorney Craig S. MacGlashan, caught some well-deserved flack for posting anti-Obama materials on the county GOP website including a call to "Waterboard Barack Obama" and a statement equating Obama with terrorist leader Osama bin Laden. Having removed the materials Oct. 14 in the face of sharp criticism from Republicans as well as Democrats, MacGlashan later found it necessary to apologize for the materials even as local Republicans called for his resignation. MacGlashan's wife, a Sacramento County supervisor, also condemned the materials, calling them "hateful, stupid and offensive."

Following these events in Sacramento another instance of hate-based Republican attacks on Obama was reported Oct. 16 in San Bernardino County east of Los Angeles. Here, an organization of Republican women circulated a newsletter including a depiction of Barack Obama on a US food stamp surrounded by a watermelon, ribs, and a bucket of fried chicken (pictured here). Diane Fedele, president of Chaffey Community Republican Women Federated, was also forced to apologize for the picture but denied any racist intent despite the obvious racial stereotypes included in it. As in the Sacramento case, state Republican officials were forced to condemn and disavow the San Bernardino attack.

There was a time, not so long ago, when Republicans could get away with hate campaigns like this, particularly on the local level free of national attention. Thanks to the internet, those days are gone.

Craig S. MacGlashan is an attorney with the Sacramento law firm of Nageley, Meredith, and Miller (8001 Folsom Boulevard, Suite 100, Sacramento CA 95826). The firm can can be contacted by telephone at (916) 386-8282 or by e-mail at mail@NMLawFirm.com. MacGlashan may be directly contacted for comment by telephone at the same number or by e-mail at cmacglashan@nmlawfirm.com. MacGlashan sits also on the board of directors of the Saramento Valley Lincoln Club, a conservative political action committee, and is married to Sacramento County Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan.

Diane Fedele and the Chaffey Community Republican Women Federated may be contacted by e-mail at diane1354@mindspring.com and diane1354@verizon.net, by telephone at (909) 981-0493, by fax at (909) 982-6880, or by mail at P.O. Box 974, Upland CA 91785. Chaffey Community Republican Women Federated meet the fourth Wednesday of every month, 7:00 p.m., at the  Magic Lamp Inn, 8189 Foothill Blvd., Rancho Cucamonga CA 91730.