"Banana Republic" (Update: 24 Apr)

I think Rush Limbaugh was the first to use this metaphor, in response to one of President Obama's first Executive Orders, instructing "federal agencies to handle requests for information from the public and press under the Freedom of Information Act [FOIA] with an eye toward disclosure, not refusal" :

LIMBAUGH: What I'm afraid of is that what Obama did with this executive order is actually make it easier for the media to go get Bush documents. Because you know Pelosi and some of the guys over in congress are talking about war crimes trials and charges and so forth. [...]

What I'm afraid of is what Obama's done here is made the gathering of the information for this kind of stuff-- This is not American. This is not America. This is not what America does. We don't-- This is Banana Republic kind of stuff.
[From Think Progress, 21 Jan 2009]

More recently, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) declared his opposition to a 9/11-style "independent commission to investigate Bush administration torture memos" :

"If there is evidence of criminality, then the Attorney General has the full authority and should prosecute it. But going after the prior administration sounds like something they do in Latin America in banana republics."
[reported by MSNBC's FirstRead, 22 Apr 2009]

Republicans want to talk about Banana Republics?

How 'bout:

still not as bad as Zimbabwe... BUT!

Report Sees Illegal Hiring Practices at Justice Dept.
By ERIC LICHTBLAU
Published: June 25, 2008
NYT
WASHINGTON -- Justice Department officials over the last six years illegally used “political or ideological” factors to hire new lawyers into an elite recruitment program, tapping law school graduates with conservative credentials over those with liberal-sounding resumes, a new report found Tuesday.

How to achieve the "permanent Republican majority": turn the U.S. into a banana republic! Hire your friends... and ONLY your friends. Fill every vacancy with right-thinking recruits. Make personal loyalty to The Leader and the Party the only criterion that matters. "Heckuva job, Brownie!"

Any bets how long it'll take our country to recover from W?

[Okay - blatant self-referencing, I know!]

Yeah - LET'S TALK ABOUT "BANANA REPUBLICS"!!!

p.s. It's also nice to note that "moderate" Republican Senator Specter picks up on Limbaugh's metaphor!

p.p.s. UPDATE: seems Sen. Specter isn't the only Republican parroting Limbaugh's "banana republic" line. This from TPM:

[Sen. John] McCain (R-AZ): In Banana Republics they prosecute people for actions they didn't agree with under previous administrations.
[Sen. Kit] Bond (R-MO): This whole thing about punishing people in past administrations reminds me more of a Banana Republic than the United States of America.