The Republicans: Popeye or Olive Oil? A Painfully Extended Metaphor

Roll Call (subscription only) reports that, upon returning to session, our redoubtable GOP senators reacted by taking to the floor to denounce the recess appointment in the harshest terms and to issue "stern warnings" that, as one staffer put it, all future Obama nominees would be viewed through the "prism of Berwick." They then bravely closed ranks to unanimously ... wait for it ... join with Democrats to approve, by an 86-0 vote, the nomination of Sharon Coleman, Obama's choice to serve as a district judge in his home state of Illinois.

--Andy McCarthy, National Review, The Corner, 7/13/2010

Every time I think the GOP has a chance to really take a stand and oppose the craziness coming out of Washington, they flop like Olive Oil into the arms of Bluto. Maybe you haven't watched a lot of Popeye. The old Popeye cartoons were almost all about Bluto trying to steal Olive from Popeye, and Olive being happy with either of the two.

Those cartoons always climaxed with Olive endangered by Bluto and ended with her safely in Popeye's arms. So here's the cast for the new Popeye series:

Bluto: Congressional Democrats and Obamaphiles
Olive Oil: Congressional Republicans
Popeye: Conservative American Voters

Now if you really know your Popeye, this scenario is not going to play out well. Sure in the end we'll get Olive Oil safely away from Bluto, but that will only last until he comes up with a new pick-up line, or strong-arm tactic. Like Olive, the GOP will ask conservatives for help on some issue they want to take on; a trip to the market (Wall Street), a doctor visit (Obamacare), fix-it jobs around the house (Fannie and Freddie). Popeye, because he loves Olive and trusts her, will agree to start the work, not knowing she's asked Bluto, too. Bluto will bash Popeye around. They will fight. In the end, Popeye always comes out battered, but he wins. He takes his spinach and grows strong.

Can we take our spinach and win? We better. Olive and Bluto should never have care for anything more serious than a sand box. Yes, I mean our current representatives. Pretty much all of them. Very few exceptions.

Go Popeye!