The Missing Mea Culpa

The Republican Party seems to be coming to its senses after the insanity of the Bush years. This moment in history is like one of those mornings when you wake up on a couch somewhere, with a throbbing head and a powder dry mouth, unsteady on your feet, the world reeling around you, with no idea where you are and certain that something terrible happened last night. “How in the world did I end up Here?”

So now in April, three months after George Bush the Lesser slunk out of Washington, the Republicans have staggered out to the street, figured out where they are, caught a bus home and in light of the mess they are in, have decided to turn over a new leaf. “We’re never gonna drink again…..” All of a sudden the Republicans are acting like the Party that they are supposed to be. They are opposing all the insane spending; they are listening to real fiscal conservatives. Ron Paul and Mark Sanford are now in demand as speakers. They are even speaking up against warrantless wiretapping. They are furious to discover that the Dept. of Fatherland Security has been spying on Americans and has written a booklet describing abortion oponents and gun rights activists as “domestic terrrorists”. They are no longer in favor of the Endless War; they don’t even mention it. They glommed onto the Campaign for Liberty’s Tea Party idea and came out en masse to protest runaway taxation and spending. Halellujah! They woke up!

The sentiments of millons have coalesced into a thing that has taken life and everyone can feel it. The ether tingles with energy and emotion. The Republicans are finally motivated to learn and in their polite, suburban fashion they are protesting. The Democrats also sense this awakening and they understand that it threatens what is to be their greatest moment: the comeback of America from the Bush years. The change of atmosphere makes them feel that a thing still unseen looms over them. One can see by their over-reaction to the Tea Parties that they are worried about the expected danger and they are prepared to use the might of the State to protect their turn in charge of things. They are not going to let the Republicans or the economy spoil their day in the sun.

The Republicans who four months ago didn’t have any opinions beyond what Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh said on the TV are beginning to understand that our country is in great danger, not the ludicrous, artificial danger churned out by those propaganda organs of the unfortunate administration that just wasted an eight year opportunity to practise real conservatism, but existential danger to our economy, our money and our civil rights. The scales have fallen from Republicans' eyes and they see that the economy is worse than we are being told. They see the wholesale theft that is funnelling billions to criminals and sticking our next generation with unpayable debt. The Republicans are beginning to think for themselves, perpared to fight back.

Meanwhile the Democrats feel like their precious moment is being stolen before it comes to fruition. They tell us to be patient, to give Mr. Obama time to work his magic as the economic indicators just keeping getting worse. Its not fair, Bush destroyed the economy with out-of-control capitalism and now we have to clean up the mess. And they shovel another 100 Billion dollars of generational debt towards Wall Street. They gleefully pass the Bills they’ve dreamed of: University grants and solar investments and fast rail corridors and embryonic stem cell research, Wow, Far out, its our turn now and we can do things right. But the economy keeps intruding and Iraq and Obama’s refusal to prosecute anybody for torture and Afghanistan and unemployment are all intruding on their dream. “Its not fair” and they are getting angry.

Now I want to talk to the Republicans who are so upset. You have no right to be upset.

None.

You voted for the men and women that spent us into penury. You elected the men and women who facilitated aggressive, unnecassary war, you empowered the men who tortured and jailed innocents for years without a right to face their accusers, and you gave the authority to a spendthrift President to double our national debt and to set precedents for his successor to follow. You gave the power to the President to spy on Americans, to train American soldiers to control crowds of Americans and even to jail Americans as terrorists without access to the legal recourse that our Constitution guarantees.

Now all this government power is going to be harnessed against you. And it’s your fault. I heard the truly vile Mr. O’Rielly still trying to make the case for torture today on a youtube video from yesterday. That power to torture is now in other hands, which may use it in ways that would infuriate you and it’s your fault. You are now angry as you watch America close upon the precipice and you shout in protest, but your protests ring hollow. They clang with the sour peal of mendacity because you carry the burden of guilt for the terrible government of the last eight years.


As a Christian I thank God daily because I can leave my sins behind and start anew. That happens when I acknowledge my sins to God and ask for forgiveness. Then I can walk with my head held high again, if I truly repent for what I did. Before I ask for pardon and before I repent, my advice to others, and all of my works are hollow and false.

The Republicans need to ask forgiveness and they need to repent. You will be not believable until you do.

America needs to hear prominent Republicans vocalize a collective mea culpa. America needs to hear prominent Republicans repent publicly for the disaster that they caused during the Bush years. When America hears prominent Republicans rebuke their big-government mistakes, when we hear a vow to truly follow sound policies that are always in accord with the Constitution then the Republican renascence will be complete.

The Mea Culpa is missing and it is essential for us to confront the real dangers that jeopardize our future.