Thursday, December 02, 2010
And?
I've been saying this for years now. Andrew Sullivan in The Atlantic:
What we've observed these past two years is a political party that knows nothing but scorched earth tactics, cannot begin to see any merits in the other party's arguments, refuses to compromise one inch on anything, and has sought from the very beginning to do nothing but destroy the Obama presidency. I see no other coherent message or strategy since 2008. Just opposition to everything, zero support for a president grappling with a recession their own party did much to precipitate, and facing a fiscal crisis the GOP alone made far worse with their spending in the Bush-Cheney years...
The two parties are evenly spread in this 50-50 country, but only one can brook no compromise in its accelerating rush to the far right. And that is what it seems we have to contemplate for the next two years - total paralysis in the face of urgent problems as part of a game of cynical partisan brinkmanship. They simply cannot bear that another party might actually have a role to play in government.
This is not conservatism, properly understood, a disposition that respects the institutions and traditions of government, that can give as well as take, that seeks the national interest before partisan concerns, and that respects both the other branches of government and seeks to work with them. These people are not conservatives in this core civilized sense; they are partisan vandals.
Its been going on for longer than two years. Its been happening since 2006, when the Democrats took control of Congress. Its been happening since 1994, when the Republicans took control of Congress and essentially locked Democrats out of the legislative process.
There simply is no point in trying to negotiate with the modern Republican party, because the Republicans aren't interested in negotiation or bipartisanship, haven't been since the Tom Delay era, and it gets worse and worse with every passing day. The Republicans idea of bipartisanship is to get Democrats to do exactly what the Republicans want them to do, with no compromise or quarter given.
Now, we've got a neo-Confederate element in the Republican party that seems to be calling the shots. Virginia is calling for a return to nullification, and teatards are discussing bringing back property qualifications in order to vote. What's next, poll taxes? Bringing back the 3/5's rule in the interest of honoring the Founders' Orginal Intent?
Its the 1850's all over again, and President Obama is looking a lot like James Buchanan.
UPDATE: Limbaugh says the poor shouldn't be able to vote.
What we've observed these past two years is a political party that knows nothing but scorched earth tactics, cannot begin to see any merits in the other party's arguments, refuses to compromise one inch on anything, and has sought from the very beginning to do nothing but destroy the Obama presidency. I see no other coherent message or strategy since 2008. Just opposition to everything, zero support for a president grappling with a recession their own party did much to precipitate, and facing a fiscal crisis the GOP alone made far worse with their spending in the Bush-Cheney years...
The two parties are evenly spread in this 50-50 country, but only one can brook no compromise in its accelerating rush to the far right. And that is what it seems we have to contemplate for the next two years - total paralysis in the face of urgent problems as part of a game of cynical partisan brinkmanship. They simply cannot bear that another party might actually have a role to play in government.
This is not conservatism, properly understood, a disposition that respects the institutions and traditions of government, that can give as well as take, that seeks the national interest before partisan concerns, and that respects both the other branches of government and seeks to work with them. These people are not conservatives in this core civilized sense; they are partisan vandals.
Its been going on for longer than two years. Its been happening since 2006, when the Democrats took control of Congress. Its been happening since 1994, when the Republicans took control of Congress and essentially locked Democrats out of the legislative process.
There simply is no point in trying to negotiate with the modern Republican party, because the Republicans aren't interested in negotiation or bipartisanship, haven't been since the Tom Delay era, and it gets worse and worse with every passing day. The Republicans idea of bipartisanship is to get Democrats to do exactly what the Republicans want them to do, with no compromise or quarter given.
Now, we've got a neo-Confederate element in the Republican party that seems to be calling the shots. Virginia is calling for a return to nullification, and teatards are discussing bringing back property qualifications in order to vote. What's next, poll taxes? Bringing back the 3/5's rule in the interest of honoring the Founders' Orginal Intent?
Its the 1850's all over again, and President Obama is looking a lot like James Buchanan.
UPDATE: Limbaugh says the poor shouldn't be able to vote.
Labels: politics
