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News & ArtsMonday, April 13, 2009
Politics The Grand Old Nutters
Posted by Charles Mudede on Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Writes Paul Krugman:
...Republicans have become embarrassing to watch. And it doesn’t feel right to make fun of crazy people. Better, perhaps, to focus on the real policy debates, which are all among Democrats.But why is the G.O.P.'s craziness apparent now? And why was it not visible, say, four years ago? And even more troubling, why hasn't this craziness permanently crippled them? Why do they still have a chance to return to power? And how we fear this return. That fear has no bottom.But here’s the thing: the G.O.P. looked as crazy 10 or 15 years ago as it does now. That didn’t stop Republicans from taking control of both Congress and the White House. And they could return to power if the Democrats stumble. So it behooves us to look closely at the state of what is, after all, one of our nation’s two great political parties.
1
Yes... even for some of the fiscal conservatives-type Republicans I know, I'm just baffled as to why they continued to support George W in 2004. I kept telling them that their party has left them behind... Why didn't they see four years ago that the Republicans were no longer the party of small government/limited spending?
There are sane Republicans out there, and I know a few of them... I think part of the reason that the craziness has not permanently crippled the party because those people have not yet abandoned ship. Why, I have no idea...
There are sane Republicans out there, and I know a few of them... I think part of the reason that the craziness has not permanently crippled the party because those people have not yet abandoned ship. Why, I have no idea...
2
The GOP WILL return. The same cycle keeps repeating itself:
l. Repubs get elected
2. Repubs give corporations too few regulations
3. Corporate execs destroy their companies but leave with bonuses
4. American citizens devastated by bankrupt corporations
5. Repubs booted, Dems elected
6. Dems clean up Republican's mess
7. Citizens start complaining about taxes
8. Repubs promise to lower taxes
9. Repubs get elected
And it cycles through again.
Just look at our history, this has happened before.
l. Repubs get elected
2. Repubs give corporations too few regulations
3. Corporate execs destroy their companies but leave with bonuses
4. American citizens devastated by bankrupt corporations
5. Repubs booted, Dems elected
6. Dems clean up Republican's mess
7. Citizens start complaining about taxes
8. Repubs promise to lower taxes
9. Repubs get elected
And it cycles through again.
Just look at our history, this has happened before.
3
It's a brilliant column; if you haven't read the whole thing, go do it now. You can, of course, disregard Charles' commentary, as always.
4
I could tell they were crazy four and eight years ago! Watching the election debates was a big tip-off. They're still in power because a lot of Americans are also crazy (see: everyone who watches Bill O-Reilly). It's a sad state of affairs...
5
Er.. I mean they stayed in power. They're not in power now, and hopefully America won't shift back to the crazies in a few years....
6
It apparent now because the media doesn't have to suck up to them to gain "Exclusive" interviews. Mainly because they aren't in power and no one cares.
Also, they aren't re-writing white house press releases verbatim anymore since robot Cheney no longer uses the hypno-toad to keep them under control. Or something to that effect.
Also, they aren't re-writing white house press releases verbatim anymore since robot Cheney no longer uses the hypno-toad to keep them under control. Or something to that effect.
8
Calling the GOP crazy demonstrates what a threat you consider them to the insanity of the liberals.
It's why Sarah Palin and her family were savagely attacked by the drive by media while B. Hussein Obama was given a pass for his radical associations with Ayers and Wright, and his plans for creating a "National Security Force" (these were known as Brownshirts in Germany in the 30's), and it's why other christian patriots like Dan Quayle or Michelle Bachmann always have the deck stacked against them.
I don't need to read this article, because I know it's already full of leftist drivel.
It's why Sarah Palin and her family were savagely attacked by the drive by media while B. Hussein Obama was given a pass for his radical associations with Ayers and Wright, and his plans for creating a "National Security Force" (these were known as Brownshirts in Germany in the 30's), and it's why other christian patriots like Dan Quayle or Michelle Bachmann always have the deck stacked against them.
I don't need to read this article, because I know it's already full of leftist drivel.
10
Let's not forget that Democrats rarely do anything to help themselves when it comes to competing with Republicans. The bullying the GOP does to Democrats is appallingly effective.
11
Basil, when you say "drive-by media", it becomes obvious that you listen to Limbaugh. This undermines whatever ridiculous point you are trying to make.
Could it be that Palin, Quayle, and Bachmann are all disrespected because THEY JUST AREN'T THAT SMART?
Could it be that Palin, Quayle, and Bachmann are all disrespected because THEY JUST AREN'T THAT SMART?
13
Anyone who works in retail or customer service can confirm that half the American public is just plain fucking nuts. For them, the Talibanesque Repukelicans make perfect sense.
Take this week's lustily named "teabagging" protests: Are they protesting the tax cuts Obama just gave them?? WTF??
Take this week's lustily named "teabagging" protests: Are they protesting the tax cuts Obama just gave them?? WTF??
14
It's weird how the two or three real republicans on this site try to multiply their presence by using different handle with every post. While the one recurrent "republican" handle, Lord Basil, is employed by someone who (I'm like 95% sure) is actually good-natured goof, sort of a Colbert-lke figure, except he is a little less obvious about tipping his hand.
15
The GOP only looks insane frem the far Left fringe. To most of America it still looks pretty good- the problem is that the GOP hasn't been true to it's values, not that those values are out of touch with America. The only Democratic Presidents who enjoy success are those who make accomodations to the center/right, because that is where America is.
16
I don't know that it's necessarily the case that so-called Goldwater Republicans are just now getting it, I think they "got it" all along, but genuinely believed they could control the growing influence of the Fundamentalist wing of the Party. Clearly, however, that hasn't been the case, and they're now engaged in an internecine struggle to see which faction is going to emerge as the new "core" of the GOP.
What is a little disconcerting is that it's taken them more than 20 years to finally address the deep divisions that have been created between the fiscally-conservative social moderates in the Party, and the tax-cut-and-spend social conservatives that came to power under Reagan.
What is a little disconcerting is that it's taken them more than 20 years to finally address the deep divisions that have been created between the fiscally-conservative social moderates in the Party, and the tax-cut-and-spend social conservatives that came to power under Reagan.
17
This is a joke. There are FAR more registered Democrats than Republicans--by the MILLIONS--and far more people who agree with classical "modern" Democrat politics than anything the GOP has. All the red states? Some of them don't even have the population that Seattle and King County alone have. Add in all the other major regions of the nation...
The modern Republicans service a variety of tiny minorities, at best. They're an irrelevant dinosaur, socially, literally, and politically, and are fading. All their incompetence just helps that happen more quickly.
The modern Republicans service a variety of tiny minorities, at best. They're an irrelevant dinosaur, socially, literally, and politically, and are fading. All their incompetence just helps that happen more quickly.
18
Urgutha Forks for the win. See, the GOP paints the liberals as being their own brand of crazy, and it sticks with the lower-taxes-more-guns crowd because that's what they want to believe.
Each side believes in the caricature of the other side.
Each side believes in the caricature of the other side.
20
@15,
The only Republican presidents who enjoy success are those who make concessions to the center/left, because that's where America is.
You do realize how stupid you sound, right? The POTUS represents a nation of 300 million people. No matter what his political party, he can't be a hardliner on any side and be a successful president. Talk to your pal G.W. Bush for more information.
Oh, and one of our most liberal presidents: Richard Milhous Nixon.
The only Republican presidents who enjoy success are those who make concessions to the center/left, because that's where America is.
You do realize how stupid you sound, right? The POTUS represents a nation of 300 million people. No matter what his political party, he can't be a hardliner on any side and be a successful president. Talk to your pal G.W. Bush for more information.
Oh, and one of our most liberal presidents: Richard Milhous Nixon.
21
now that neocons realize they can't get a majority with republicans they're intentionally tanking the party to drive their 'one issue' (e.g. abortion, guns) voters into the democrat party, so they can skew its economic goals
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