Saving Face

When John F. Kennedy won the standoff with the Soviets during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, there was more to the story.

You see, we didn’t win completely.  Nope. Kennedy gave something up, too.

It’s true.  Kennedy got the Soviets to pull the missiles out of Cuba, but he also let them save face.  A month or so later, the U.S. pulled out some of our missiles, based in Turkey that were pointed at the USSR.  So the Ruskies won something too.

That’s how negotiations work.  Everybody gets a little something.  Because it’s all about respect.  Truly.  Winning?  Losing?  They don’t matter.  But respect, that’s everything.

And you know, in all fairness, we do need to do that with the GOP’s Government Shutdown.  Because, as so eloquently stated by Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) about the GOP (who were almost immediately — and accurately — blamed and ridiculed for closing down the government):

“We’re not going to be disrespected, We have to get something out of this. And I don’t know what that even is.”

But what to give them? 

Here’s the suggestion of what they should get by Laurence Lewis in a post on The Daily Kos:

Photo Credit:  Daily Kos

Photo Credit: Unknown but I got it from the Daily Kos

 

Yup.  That’s more than they deserve. 

And besides, John Boehner can use it as a hanky if he doesn’t want to wear it.

55 Comments

Filed under Conspicuous consumption, Criminal Activity, Daily Kos, Disgustology, Elections, GOP Government Shutdown, History, Humor, Politics, Stupidity, Taking Care of Each Other, Wild Beasts

55 responses to “Saving Face

  1. Compromise? I seem to remember a promise made by the GOP leadership some time ago–that they would make Obama a one-term president. That didn’t work out. Well, they had to come with a “swan song,” no matter how off key.

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  2. Somehow, I managed to miss this post. Excellent historical footnote. If you get History Channel or the Discovery channels, there’s gonna be an alternate history show about how the Cuban Missile Crisis would have been different if Kennedy had been assassinated in 1960. (I forget which channel – it’s on October 22, so I’ll find out closer to the time and let you know.)

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    • It was only posted yesterday, John. Not reading my posts immediately does not lead to beheading. I’m even going to let you slide on the ones you missed while you were “off” (or off more than usual …)

      You’re welcome.

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  3. So good to hear sense from another lib’ral out there – I’m in TX and I’m surrounded by GOP, ugh. Of course hearing about their insanity makes my blood boil too – so I try hard not to listen to them too often. They are a bunch of spoiled 2 year olds, I swear.

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    • I have family and friends in TX, so I know that not everybody there is a Cruz-ite (a term I just came up with in lieu of Luddites). That not everybody there is a nut case. Just like here in Virginia where we have our fair share of stupid politicians and voters. It just means we have to work harder to rid ourselves of the infestation. And hey, your Senator (Cruz) is coming to stump for the GOP (and Crazy-party) candidate for Governor here in my state! Whoo-hoo! Perhaps the earth will open up and swallow them both?

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  4. After listening to Speaker Boehner this morning, the only hope I have is that the debt ceiling in also on the hot spot in about 10 days.

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  5. Perfect! This shirt should not only be sent as a little gift to congress, I kind of want to wear it around just to show it off. Most likely nothing will come from the shut down just like every other time the affordable care act has been argued about.

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    • I don’t know about that. I am hoping that folks wise up. Or that enough folks wise up and send these Tea Partiers overboard into the drink where they belong.

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  6. Phew. At first I thought you were serious. Which had me wondering if I needed to send paramedics to your location on suspicion that you’d had a stroke.

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  7. Jueseppi B.

    Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat™.

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  8. Snoring Dog Studio

    The House Republicans lost their right to a respectful exit about 40 some votes ago to kill Obamacare. Way past when they started making everyone suffer for their overblown political egos. So I’m with El Guapo on this – let the House Republicans retreat with their tails between their legs. No t-shirts, either – just years and years of derision for their stupidity and callousness.

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    • When it comes right down to it, these folks have been making their own constituents pay for years — with lower levels of education, for example. All they sell is hate.

      And now they are reaping what they have sown.

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  9. Just make Boehner’s shirt yellow. I think that’s a more appropriate color for him… 😉

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    • Can we ring his neck with it? I just read that today (Sunday) on the talk shows, he has said, once again, he will not let a vote go forth.

      So yes, cowardly yellow is appropriate.

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  10. Love the t-shirt. I also think the “I’m with Stupid” tee is appropriate for staffers. You know if they were half as creative as the rest of us, they would have come up with something by now.

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    • Love the idea of the “I’m with Stupid” tee-shirt. And just one reading “Stupid” for the voters.

      But I think they really are willing to destroy the country. And that’s how we need to look at it.

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  11. Git, get, git. Everyone has to git something for doin’ nothin’. I agree w/ Lisa, They don’t deserve a t-shirt.

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    • Actually, I’ve been grumbling about the desire for more and more folks in our country to get something for nothing — refusing to pay taxes but wanting their Medicare, for example.

      My father always said, “You gotta pay the piper.”

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  12. bigsheepcommunications

    They’ve managed to create a situation where everyone loses. They don’t deserve t-shirts.

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  13. Perfect. Let’s make it a scratchy, cheap one though. Not a nice, soft tee. And certainly not one that’s made in the US. They are too expensive to buy and I don’t want my tax dollars going toward that.

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  14. I’d say save the paint and leave just the word “stupid”.

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  15. I will donate also, where do I send the check?

    At least today they did vote, without a single dissenting vote to give back pay to all the workers they have sent home.

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    • Yes. I was actually out with friends this afternoon — one of whom was furloughed. It is so very crazy. You KNOW that they wouldn’t have voted that way if Thursday’s activities hadn’t happened.

      What a bunch of nincompoops.

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  16. Oh sweet Geezus…I need that shirt. Does it come in toddler sizes as well?

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  17. You know, sometimes someone does something so incredibly stupid, so poorly conceived, so badly executed, that no, no respect is due, no stroke of their ego is warranted, and nothing but derision and mockery is deserved.

    This is one of those times.

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    • But you know, I blame the folks that voted these assholes into office as much or more than I blame the idiots themselves. The folks who cast those ballots wanted something for nothing. And of course what they got was nothing for nothing. Sadly so did we.

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  18. Oh, sweet ! I wish someone would donate those Tees to GOP House members… or at least to their staff.

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Play nice, please.