The Republican'ts

One of the thing I liked about Howard Cossell was his reaction to those who continued to call Muhammed Ali Cassius Clay after that fighter decided to change his name.

One thing about this country, Cossell (who had changed his own name) said, is that a man deserves to be called by whatever name he chooses. We are a nation of immigrants and many of us came here to reinvent ourselves. Or we simply wanted a certain name for certain reasons, but the minimum respect we can give another man is to call him by the name he chooses.

So the smug, smirking practice of every Republican from Mitch McConnell to John Boehner to Eric Cantor of calling the Democratic Party the "Democrat" party is especially irritating. It signifies the mindset these partisans have which says there is no such thing as comity or civility when it comes to politics, as far as these politicos are concerned.

It is a sort of gleeful Frat Boy prank, they all do. They say DemocRAT as if it is a party of rats, and they look very pleased with themselves as if they have just now come up with something very clever.

Democrats have chosen to ignore this, like some adult who simply will not rise to the bait, because he has more important things to do.

But that is an error. The Democrats need to throw a counter punch every time the Republicans throw one, not just block the blow, but counter punch, and better yet, throw a flurry.

So, I propose calling it the Republican't party. (Or, if the setting is more formal, the Republicannot Party.)

It is, after all, the party of cannot do. Can't have contraception. Can't bail out the auto companies. Can't pay for unemployment insurance. Can't intervene to save the country from driving off the economic cliff. Cannot find Osama Bin Laden. Can't spend money on roads or bridges. Can't tax billionaires. Can't do anything, except, of course, force vaginal probes up women who are in their own doctor's offices and force doctors to do probes, say words, take positions they do not want to do.

I rather like it. Rolls off the tongue. Republican'ts and the Republican's party. The party of cants. They pick up a cant (as in a recited, pre formulated, repeated party line) and they stick with it.