Not only the communist party, it also 'smacks' of the nazi party as well as every other group from history that chose an "us V them" philosophy and tried to enforce it. Then the enforcing becomes the thing and the list of reasons used to call an individual "disloyal" get longer and longer.

this can only be good for the dems, even better that its happening in a reddish area like kansas, this could reverberate through the entire midwest
suddenly, i really want to go back and snicker over "What's the Matter with Kansas"

I did some phone calls last night on behalf of our local Democratic party. I had to call donors who donated more than $1000 to Gov. Strickland (Ohio) - would you believe I got two people who are registered Republicans, one of them a major fundraiser for the Republican party in Ohio? Wonder what they would think of this loyalty oath? Sounds like a good way to drive out your best fundraisers to me.

LOYALTY OATH?? Republicans do not live up to a loyalty oath. Look at how GW and Dick chewed up their loyalty oath - not to mention Gonzo - and prompty spit it out - and - GW favorite saying about the Constitution - "it's just a god-damn piece of paper."
Where is the compassion that is so American?

The article is a little misleading. I am a Kansas resident, who has always voted liberal/Democrat, but I am a registered Republican, and many many people do the same thing. Why? Because Kansas is foolish enough to have party-only Primaries. On Primary elections, Democrats like me, register as Republicans to try to vote the most extreme people off the ticket, and then vote Democrat in the general election. It's a widely used practice here. Although the state of Kansas is viewed around the country as a backward, rural state, it also contains one of the wealthiest counties in the country, and three university counties, all of which swing moderate to liberal. It's the rural counties that set Kansas back with guns/anti-gay/evolution embarassments. Lawyer Kris Kobach is a menace to progressives, and amazingly, a prominent college law professor. Like many Kansas embarassments, the loyalty committee issue will be corrected by rational people.

Kucinich is now the Frontrunner, and there's not even a close second.

The next time a commentator refers to Hillary, Barack and John as the "Frontrunners" please ask them to explain.

Are they the Frontrunners because they've raised the most corporate money? Or because they currently have the highest ratings? Or is it because more people agree with them on the issues? OOPS!

None of them are the Frontrunners on the issues, Dennis Kucinich is!...And its not even close!

An Independent Survey on 25 major issues taken by more than 67,000 people has found that Dennis Kucinich is the First Choice of a phenomenal 53% of voters. No other candidate, Democrat or Republican even registers double digits! Hillary and Barack clock in at a measly 3%, John Edwards at 2%.

"When people vote exclusively on the issues that are important to them, without being influenced by name recognition, celebrity or millions of dollars in Advertising, Congressman Kucinich wins in a landslide", his campaign said today!

I love that!

The wingnuttier they get, the more defections they'll have.

Keep it up, Kansas GOP!

Indigowatcher @ 6:

Serious question here:
Does anyone think this whole BushCo fiasco could be the end of the Republican Party? It's happened to other parties in our past, right? We should go study the reasons why parties fail; it might prove enlightening...

It might be the end of the GOP if we had an electorate that could remember more than 15 years, or who studied history. Look at how angry everyone was at Nixon 30 years, yet here we go again only much worse. The American populace is getting more ignorant by the hour. I wouldn't be surprised if we elected another Repug 10 years from now who continued on with the destruction of our country to standing ovation.

Hell, give them all the rope they need. They're doing a fine job of fashioning their very own noose.

jdw @ 2:

That is why the republican party is going down hill fast. The nuts are in charge. What's next for the repubs, detention camps for party members who think for themselves?

Shhhh! That's supposed to be announced next week. ;)

Seems these folks are all about loyalty and oaths. Remember the little girls who pledged their virginity to their fathers or some such foolishness? Remember the other week when the blond was appearing at the hearings and said she had taken an oath to bush, then someone had to remind her that her only oath was to the Constitution?

I swear, I love this stuff!

Well why not form a party loyalty committee for THEIR party.
They have no loyalty to the Contitution,Rule of Law,or the Voters.
The knuckle draggers want to once again place pseudo science in the classroom and they want all of the Pawns lined up.
Is Fred Phelps in charge out there in Kansas?

Got a link on that? I have several hundred people in my address book I'd like to send it to!

Is an oath kinda like a pledge? Is loyalty kinda like allegiance? So is a loyalty oath kinda like a pledge of allegiance? Yeah, it is. That's why I don't say the 'Pledge of Allegiance' anymore. That's also why I HATE it when they call this country a 'homeland'. What are we, Germans? What year is it, 1938? Those people in Kansas need something better to do.

The national GOP has had a loyalty oath.

What do you think keeps them in line, goose stepping towards fascism.

these loyalty oaths are the dying party's last breath. People having to dig through the junk drawer in their trailer to find their cards to prove their loyalty to their local Searsucker Suit wearing Dear Leaders

Ran into this guy last week at a festival.... check out this sonnet...

George W. Bush: On Patriotism

There are enemies within our borders:
the doubters, the skeptics, the naysayers.
Media criticism is so unfair.
I’m fighting the liberal elite here.
They say they’re Americans. Instead they smear
our troops. Americans? I say compare
those false prophets to real freedom-lovers
who understand the true source of power.
Patriotism is not a sometime
pursuit. It means blessing God for this land
of riches. Anything less is a crime.
I tell you it’s so difficult to stand
silent when I see countrymen disagree.
That’s why we’ll fix the judiciary.

Ken Waldman

Ken Waldman, also known as Alaska’s Fiddling Poet, has written his sixth poetry collection, As the World Burns – The Sonnets of George W. Bush and Other Poems of the 43rd Presidency. The former college professor deftly takes G.W.’s own words to create and develop some brilliant sonnet sequences that accentuate the man’s hypocrisy, arrogance, and intellectual shallowness.

Waldman has made his living since 1994 on tour as a minstrel performing his unique combination of Appalachian-style fiddling, storytelling, and original poetry. No one will touch this highly political collection of works and the guy can’t find anyone brave enough to sell it.

You can find the book and more info at www.KenWaldman.com

There are plenty of candidates and party leaders on the left who are "punished" for not being liberal, progressive or Democratic enough. What's the point of forming an organization, establishing membership criteria, setting collective goals and soliciting donations/dues if some semblance of loyalty cannot be expected in return?

Imagine the outrage if any Democratic committeeman endorsed someone other than a fellow Democrat for office. In principle there are very few differences between the two main political parties, however in practice it is not unusual to see the Republicans be more proactive and organized.

The image of a bunch of RepubliCons taking a "loyalty oath" brings to mind (for me, anyway) that scene from "Animal House" where they're taking the frat pledge:

"Repeat after me. I - state your name"
Response: "I - state your name"

Virginia Renegade @ 32:

Orwell's Illegitimate Son @ 26:

Americans have been reciting a "loyalty oath" since their early childhood.

It's known as "The Pledge of Allegiance". You might have heard of it.

Right on! My children have resented this attempted brainwashing all through school. Did'nt the Pledge emerge in the mid-twentieth century? ... maybe in the McCarthy era???

No, it originiated in the late 1800s, and was penned by a Christian National Socialist named Francis Bellamy. Ironically, he didn't include the phrase "under God" in the original version. That was added in the 1950s, when American Fascism felt safe to re-enter the public scene once again. (It had to sort of go "behind the scenes" while the USofA fought in WWII.)

Dr. Acula @ 40:

The Smiths Go To Washington @ 36:

The predicament Republicans find them selves in now is measurable at the local, state and federal level.

While "the base" is running away from Bush, the leftover extremists are frantically trying to shore up support.
.. those still siding with the culture of death, war, corporate greed, rampant militarism, wall street profits and global domination.

But for the majority of Americans -- Reality has set in.
The suppression of truth and mass-produced ignorance and ingrained propaganda will not stand.

In other notable "Connect the Dots" news...
the Randy "Duke" Cunningham bribery scandal... The court hearing was closed to everyone – the public, the news media, the defense attorneys – The extreme secrecy is highly unusual.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20070805-9999-1m5secret.html

But what about the Dems capitulation to Busholini on the FISA law? WTF is wrong with them? They TRY to talk tough, then they fold like the wimps they've always been.

Enough of the non-binding resolutions and threats of censure. Impeach the criminals!

Exactly. Democrats and Republicans say different things to rile up their respective bases and get elected, however in general it's harder and harder to tell the difference based on what they actually accomplish. Case in point, look at how Gallup's congressional approval rating hit an all-time low after the Democrats regained a tenuous majority in the House/Senate in November 2006.

I am just wondering - is this a response to what Newt said about Hilary being capable of running the White House, and the war on terror being incorrectly run? Just curious. I listened to a bit if Levin last night and I thought his head would explode talking about that - of course with him it always sounds like that - what a great voice for radio huh?

Chip @ 35:

What's the point of forming an organization, establishing membership criteria, setting collective goals and soliciting donations/dues if some semblance of loyalty cannot be expected in return?

If you have to enforce it, it ain't loyalty.

“Ironically, it smacks most of the Communist Party,”

I have to agree with Beatty on this. It sure does smack of the Communist Party. Maybe those Republicans will sear a loyalty to North Korea's Kim Jong Il? They might as well since they are moving in that same direction.

Norse @ 48:

Rusty Shackleford @ 45:
Loyalty sounds better than the actual word: "Obedience"

Republicans are good about twisting the meaning of words.

I can't wait until they start sending around Friendship Patrols to insure that our homes are in compliance with proper Republican hygiene standards. For the benefit of our own health and safety of course.

Do they take the oath AFTER fellating a sleeping fellow Republican or before?

-GSD

Rusty Shackleford @ 45:

Chip @ 35:

What's the point of forming an organization, establishing membership criteria, setting collective goals and soliciting donations/dues if some semblance of loyalty cannot be expected in return?

If you have to enforce it, it ain't loyalty.

Seemingly a witty comeback on the surface, but not logical at the core. By definition, loyalty implies setting expectations between parties and then living up to them, and in principle it matters not whether these expectations are enforced through self-discipline, peer pressure or the threat of banishment/punishment.

hadenuf @ 50:

Did the Nazis really check for hygiene standards?
I'm doomed.

Actually yes... Party members were expected to have a clean mind and body.

They were all about racial purity after all...

So much for blogging naked without showering...

Holy shit.

This sounds just like the Werhrmacht Oath of Loyalty.

The republicans have learned so much from the Nazis. Hilter would have been so proud.

Weaseldog @ 56:

Chip @ 53:

Rusty Shackleford @ 45:

Chip @ 35:
If you have to enforce it, it ain't loyalty.

Seemingly a witty comeback on the surface, but not logical at the core. By definition, loyalty implies setting expectations between parties and then living up to them, and in principle it matters not whether these expectations are enforced through self-discipline, peer pressure or the threat of banishment/punishment.

This degree of enforced loyalty though, puts party before God and country.

Perhaps some members may choose to set their individual priorities this way, however this is not a stated tenet of either the Democratic or Republican parties.

Let's be honest, at various points in their lives a lot of people put a lot of things before God and Country to varying degrees. Having skewed priorities and engaging in destructive behaviors is rooted in ego and selfishness, certainly an inescapable aspect of the human condition and not a partisan issue by any stretch of the imagination.

Joe O. @ 47:

“Ironically, it smacks most of the Communist Party,”

I have to agree with Beatty on this. It sure does smack of the Communist Party. Maybe those Republicans will sear a loyalty to North Korea's Kim Jong Il? They might as well since they are moving in that same direction.

Actually, it was Communists who were required to sign loyalty oaths. Come on people. I have been reading down these comments hoping someone would complain about the original post's confusion. Stalinism certainly had people toe the party line, but is was the American government that was forcing people to prove their loyalty with oaths.

Virginia Renegade @ 33:

The iambic pentameter is a little tortured (gitmo?), but the point comes home.

Perhaps some of the congressional dems (no question about the republicans ) took loyalty oaths since they voted for the surveillance bill? Maybe that explains it?!

Chip @ 53:

Rusty Shackleford @ 45:

Chip @ 35:

What's the point of forming an organization, establishing membership criteria, setting collective goals and soliciting donations/dues if some semblance of loyalty cannot be expected in return?

If you have to enforce it, it ain't loyalty.

Seemingly a witty comeback on the surface, but not logical at the core. By definition, loyalty implies setting expectations between parties and then living up to them, and in principle it matters not whether these expectations are enforced through self-discipline, peer pressure or the threat of banishment/punishment.

Depends on how you define loyalty.

I'll cut you some slack, though, as I understand that right-wing authoritarians cannot conceive of allegiance to a principle without a corresponding Angry Daddy to provide brutal enforcement.

Chip @ 35:

There are plenty of candidates and party leaders on the left who are "punished" for not being liberal, progressive or Democratic enough. What's the point of forming an organization, establishing membership criteria, setting collective goals and soliciting donations/dues if some semblance of loyalty cannot be expected in return?

Imagine the outrage if any Democratic committeeman endorsed someone other than a fellow Democrat for office. In principle there are very few differences between the two main political parties, however in practice it is not unusual to see the Republicans be more proactive and organized.

SOooooo, this is liberal's fault now?

Chip @ 53:

Rusty Shackleford @ 45:

Chip @ 35:

What's the point of forming an organization, establishing membership criteria, setting collective goals and soliciting donations/dues if some semblance of loyalty cannot be expected in return?

If you have to enforce it, it ain't loyalty.

Seemingly a witty comeback on the surface, but not logical at the core. By definition, loyalty implies setting expectations between parties and then living up to them, and in principle it matters not whether these expectations are enforced through self-discipline, peer pressure or the threat of banishment/punishment.

By definition, loyalty implies undying support no matter how corrupt, faulted, or flawed the party you are committed to. Only the reich-wing would apply something that does not require thinking.

Republicans to the xxxtreme!!!

Duuude!!!

I was listening to David Bender on AAR last night, and he had Sam Waterston on from the Unity 08 movement. Personally, bi-partisanship is fine when both sides are capable of discussion/debate/compromise. But these REPUBLICLONE sheep are incapable on independent thought or action and always vote and act in lockstep. I forget who it was, but one of the Democratic whips once said that achieving consensus among Dems was like "herding cats," and frankly, that's a good thing. Almost every vote in Congress has 96 percent of Republiclones voting the same way, while we're lucky if we can get 80 percent of Dems to do so. If the republiclones were honestly legislating for the good of their constituents and the country, there would be more division among them. For the Republiclone party, it's always party first and their obligation to the Constitution, not so much.

I would say it's up to each individual organization to set their own standards, unless they're in the position of denying someone their civil rights.

However with that caveat, would the state party be able to enforce partisan uniformity at the expense of the national party? Could state parties splinter from the national party if they're not "pure" enough, much like what's happening is some churches?

Can state parties insist on religious tests and claim that the Constitutional prohibitions only apply to the National Party, or the actual elections, not the State.

The whole thing opens a can of worms.

Oh great, now I'm hungry.

Joementum @ 76:

.
How long before we tumbleweeds blowing through the GOP's "big tent"?
.

The Republican big tent is what happens to their britches zipper when they spot a nubile young page.

Chip @ 35:

There are plenty of candidates and party leaders on the left who are "punished" for not being liberal, progressive or Democratic enough. What's the point of forming an organization, establishing membership criteria, setting collective goals and soliciting donations/dues if some semblance of loyalty cannot be expected in return?

Imagine the outrage if any Democratic committeeman endorsed someone other than a fellow Democrat for office. In principle there are very few differences between the two main political parties, however in practice it is not unusual to see the Republicans be more proactive and organized.

Wow! I find that statement shocking. Americans who subscribe to a political party are saying 'I will most likely vote for their candidates because in my opinion they have the best message.' They are not saying 'I will blindly follow and defend this party no matter what, overlooking any lawbreaking or distasteful things they do' Unless of course they are republicans (or Nazis).

ysbaddaden @ 82:

So when they swear these oaths is it before an alter, in robes and hoods, lots of chanting, a sacrificed chicken and a paddling?

Their oaths are valid even if they just pick up some chicken at the Colonels on the way to the ritual.

I never had to quote an oath before receiving a paddling. But hey...to each his own.

James Nash @ 80:

Florida's Democratic Party Loyalty Oath.

That's for convention delegates.

This is a great opportunity for "certain" republicans to define and distance themselves from "certain" other republicans who are a step away from masturbating in public.

And We Know the Flag of Love is from Above
And We Can Force You to Be Free
And We Can Force You to Believe

And I close my eyes and tighten up my brain
For I once read a book in which the lovers were slain
For they knew not the words of the Free States' refrain
It said

I believe in the Power of Good
I Believe in the State of Love
I Will Fight For the Right to be Right
I Will Kill for the Good of the Fight for the Right to be Right

1969-David Bowie....Cygnet Committee

I keep trying to illustrate to my crazy christian conservative relatives that the neocons are the Soviets in business suits, but it's not possible to get through all the Sun Yung Moon brainwashing techniques to reach their common sense.

miss_kitty @ 88:

Loyalty Oaths? Not surprised. That's what fascists do.

You're saying the Florida Democratic Party is fascist?

miss_kitty @ 94:

James Nash @ 93:

miss_kitty @ 88:

Loyalty Oaths? Not surprised. That's what fascists do.

You're saying the Florida Democratic Party is fascist?

If the shoe fits...

And apparently I'm calling the KS Republic party fascist...If Fla dems are doing the same, well no difference...I don't see where you came up with the FL Democratic Party, unless you dragged them to this thread to smear. Do you have a link?

Rusty Shackleford @ 85:

James Nash @ 80:

Florida's Democratic Party Loyalty Oath.

That's for convention delegates.

You didn't see rusty's, James

miss_kitty @ 98:

So james nash, you one issue posting troll, I guess I'm NOT calling the Fl Dems fascists, if that is an oath ONLY DELAGATES take. Shame on you for being a smear merchant and a dissembler by omission.

Don't be too hard on James, Miss Kitty. He plagiarized his post from the "British Reformed Sectarian Party" website, and they weren't honest about it either.

kaT @ 92;

Yea, started hearing about this yesterday.. Don't know what I think yet because I'm not sure I'm hearing the whole story yet..
Near as I can tell, there's a movement afoot to put a proposition on the Nov. ballet to create a change whereby the electoral vote would be split along a sort of ranked voting protocol so that repubs could claim some of the electoral votes IF some troll in a specific district happened to win the majority of the vote in that district, even if the rest of the districts voted blue...

I think there must be some details left to reveal... This situation as presented posited the belief that this would have the effect of deluting California electoral votes which is a fairly high number comparatively, and thereby weaken California's electoral vote overall... Perhaps even swinging the national election over to the repubs.... Again... That part of the story sounded a little like a leftwing version of fear mongering.. So, I am uncertain how I view this... at this point...

Conceptually, in the past I have often considered the electoral college with some skepticism as that pertains to it as an institutional part of voting verses the popular vote.. But in this circumstance, if the hysteronics have validity and this proposition would have that effect if passed? Regardless of how I feel about electoral votes in the abstract, I would vote down any proposisition that had as a by-product a deluting of Californias place in the national elections and for sure anything that even hints at giving California over to the republicans in a national election I would vote down absolutely! I think we all in Cali need to stay tuned to this and monitor it closely... I'm waiting for some paid proposition troll to come up to me on the street with this shit so I can see if they even know what the hell they're trolling for...

So far looks and smells waaay fishy KaT.............JD

G Newman @ 4:

These loyalty oaths are the idea of Kris Kobach, the extreme Right Wing law professor who is the chair of the state party, who also writes a Right Wing column for the NY Post, and who serves as the attorney of record in many of the major anti-immigrant cases (against the Dream Act that enables children of immigrants to attend university, etc.).

As a Kansas Democrat, I consider Kobach the BEST RECRUITER I have ever known, in getting moderate Republicans to switch and join the Democratic Party.

Fantastic. Every time you think it can't get more stupid .... it does.

They're covering up the details of the republican initiation ceremony.

(They bite each others dicks, and sign the oath in dick-blood, as an homage to Cheney.)

“Nothing quite says ‘freedom’ like being compelled to recite a loyalty oath.”

Hahaha...sounds like most blogs!! Just kidding site monitor.

The GOP is the "party of freedom"?

Since when?

hadenuf @ 50:

Did the Nazis really check for hygiene standards?
I'm doomed.

you vil be taken away if you are harboring head cheese