Eight myths to chill an old-school Republican soul

[Riot]

http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion...826da31dd.html

St Louis Post Dispatch
by The Editorial Board
Posted: Sunday, June 26, 2011 12:00 am

Editorial: Eight myths to chill an old-school Republican soul

When Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., quit the (no longer) bipartisan deficit-reduction talks last week, it was not exactly a "Profiles in Courage" moment.

Serious deficit reduction can't be — and shouldn't be — accomplished without tax increases and broad elimination of tax expenditures, which would have the effect of raising taxes. The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform last year acknowledged that.

But tax increases, in whatever guise, fail the current Republican purity laws. Mr. Cantor, who will be running for reelection next year, understands that very well. So does Mr. Kyl, who won't seek reelection in 2012 — though he's generously offered himself as a vice presidential nominee.

It's sad to see what has happened to the Party of Lincoln, and for that matter, the party of lesser mortals like George H.W. Bush of Texas, Bob Dole of Kansas and Jack Danforth of Missouri. No one ever would mistake them for liberals, but they were statesmen who put country before party.

Today we have the spectacle of smart, patriotic men and women putting their brains and integrity on ice to please a party dominated by anti-intellectual social Darwinists and the plutocrats who finance and mislead them.

Consider the mythology that makes up GOP orthodoxy today. Imagine the contortions that cramp the brains and souls of men and women of intelligence and compassion who seek state and national office under the Republican banner.

• They must believe, despite the evidence of the 2008 financial collapse, that unregulated — or at most, lightly regulated — financial markets are good for America and the world.

• They must believe in the brilliantly cast conceit known as the "pro-growth agenda," in which economic growth can be attained only by reducing corporate and individual tax rates, especially among the investor class, and by freeing business from environmental rules that have cleaned up America's air and water and labor regulations that helped create America's middle class.

• Though rising health care costs are pillaging the economy, and even though health care in America is now a matter of what you can afford, Republican candidates for office must deny that health care is a basic right and resist a real attempt to change and improve the system.

• GOP candidates must scoff at scientific consensus about global warming. Blame it on human activity? Bad. Cite Noah's Ark as evidence? Good. They must express at least some doubt about the science of evolution.

• They must insist, statistics and evidence to the contrary, that most of the nation's energy needs can be met safely with more domestic oil drilling, "clean-coal" technology and greater reliance on perfectly safe nuclear power plants.

• They must believe that all 11.2 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States can be rounded up, detained, tried, repatriated and kept from returning at a reasonable cost.

• Even though there are more than four unemployed persons for every available job, GOP candidates should at least hint that unemployment benefits keep people from seeking jobs.

• They must believe that the Founding Fathers wanted to guarantee individuals the absolute right to own high-capacity, rapid-fire weapons that did not exist in the late 18th century.

By no means is this list complete. It almost makes you feel sorry for the people who pretend to believe this stuff. Almost.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion...#ixzz1Qjj9hSla

[dellinger63]

This is about as factual as the pictures that went around when Obama got into office with gorillas eating KFC on the white house front lawn. Correction it's even less factual.

Envy over someone else's life is not healthy. Coveting thy neighbors’ goods is a sin but of course the second doesn't apply to atheists. Being born here gives you the right to pursue happiness. It doesn't guarantee happiness, health care, retirement etc. The 'left' has a lot of growing up 'left' to do.

[Danzig]

good thing there are plenty of democrats who would never, ever put party ahead of country, who only have good ideas, who never vote en masse against needed legislation....who never lie, cheat, steal...
yep, this opinion piece is smashing good journalism.

[horseofcourse]

I don't understand the article. Democrats are much worse than republicans as they are more dishonest as they give the guise they are "more liberal". They are not. Look at this deficit hysteria and we must go austerity crap. Both party elites are on board with deficit hysteria. It is the domestic equivalent of the Iraq war runup. Zero basis in reality and everyone on board.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

This is about as factual as the pictures that went around when Obama got into office with gorillas eating KFC on the white house front lawn. Correction it's even less factual.

I'd like to hear you explain this one.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

I don't understand the article. Democrats are much worse than republicans as they are more dishonest as they give the guise they are "more liberal". They are not. Look at this deficit hysteria and we must go austerity crap. Both party elites are on board with deficit hysteria. It is the domestic equivalent of the Iraq war runup. Zero basis in reality and everyone on board.

Democrats aren't more liberal than Republicans?

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by miraja2

I'd like to hear you explain this one.

Admittedly it was a feeble attempt at sarcasm

I like the chopped bin Laden war room photo with Obama holding a bucket of KFC.

*feigned outrage*

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by miraja2

Democrats aren't more liberal than Republicans?

No. Obama is our most conservative president in our history. By an astronomical margin. Health care reform was a dream for conservatives as well as the health insurance industry. he has done nothing liberal whatsoever, I guess you could possible cite don't ask don't tell, but that has no meaning whatsoever. Wall Street cronies run his life and policies. clinton's conservative policies led the way to destruction as well--NAFTA, gutting Glass-Steagall etc. No, the thought that "important" democrats are more liberal is one of the biggest fallacies on the planet. Obama has actually enhanced all the police state policies enacted by GW. He's more conservative than our last president. Anything "liberal" is a guise to get elected. Once there it's business as usual serving the wealthy and wall street as both of our last "democratic" presidents have done with bells on. Elections are simply theater.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

Obama is our most conservative president in our history. By an astronomical margin.

I get frustrated with the guy too. His administration isn't nearly as liberal as I'd like it to be....but your statements here still strike me as completely ridiculous.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by Danzig

good thing there are plenty of democrats who would never, ever put party ahead of country, who only have good ideas, who never vote en masse against needed legislation....who never lie, cheat, steal...
yep, this opinion piece is smashing good journalism.

Happy Birthday.




Getting a little old,ain't ya?

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by miraja2

I get frustrated with the guy too. His administration isn't nearly as liberal as I'd like it to be....but your statements here still strike me as completely ridiculous.

You just have to look at the facts and what he's done as president. I watch zero cable news ever. I simply won't do it. I can guess what is on based on what I see people writing or if I youtube a clip of something but it astounds me that this president is accused of socialism. I have seen him on here bashed for the stimulus as he should be, but the facts would seem to indicate that the problem with the stimulus was that it was way, way too small and way, way too much of it was simply tax cuts. The health care reform was pure conservativism all the way 100 percent. Anything remotely liberal about it, it would have contained a public option or single payer. It contained none of those or anything remotely close. For this to be viewed as a "socialistic" government takeover of health care is incomprehsible to me and how anyone can even state that with any seriousness whatsoever is silly. In fact, health insurance "mandates" was always a republican staple in discussing health care reform and this is what was implemented. If Bernie Sanders had a shred of decency he would have voted it down and ended the sham that it is. He cowered as always talking the talk but not walking the walk as usual.

But no, 40 years ago, Obama is a far right of center republican well to the right of Richard Nixon. 30 years ago he's a centrist republican, 20 years ago he's a far right democrat, 10 years ago he's Joe Lieberman, today he's a socialist.

At some point, you would hope the extreme libertarian part of the republican party and the extreme liberal part of the democratic party would have enough overlap to overwhelm the current crap structure, but will not happen. citizen's united baby. That is game, set, match, that one.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

But no, 40 years ago, Obama is a far right of center republican well to the right of Richard Nixon. 30 years ago he's a centrist republican, 20 years ago he's a far right democrat, 10 years ago he's Joe Lieberman, today he's a socialist.

Don't agree exactly, but you're pretty damn close.

At some point, you would hope the extreme libertarian part of the republican party and the extreme liberal part of the democratic party would have enough overlap to overwhelm the current crap structure, but will not happen. citizen's united baby. That is game, set, match, that one.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by clyde

Happy Birthday.




Getting a little old,ain't ya?

thanks

and yes, i am. beats the alternative.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by Danzig

thanks

and yes, i am. beats the alternative.

Oh gosh , posters are hot tonight...fine work.


Just kidding of course.

Hope you got at least qot a nipple pinch today.

You're a good girly....other than living in Pleasantville.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

You just have to look at the facts and what he's done as president. I watch zero cable news ever. I simply won't do it. I can guess what is on based on what I see people writing or if I youtube a clip of something but it astounds me that this president is accused of socialism. I have seen him on here bashed for the stimulus as he should be, but the facts would seem to indicate that the problem with the stimulus was that it was way, way too small and way, way too much of it was simply tax cuts. The health care reform was pure conservativism all the way 100 percent. Anything remotely liberal about it, it would have contained a public option or single payer. It contained none of those or anything remotely close. For this to be viewed as a "socialistic" government takeover of health care is incomprehsible to me and how anyone can even state that with any seriousness whatsoever is silly. In fact, health insurance "mandates" was always a republican staple in discussing health care reform and this is what was implemented. If Bernie Sanders had a shred of decency he would have voted it down and ended the sham that it is. He cowered as always talking the talk but not walking the walk as usual.

But no, 40 years ago, Obama is a far right of center republican well to the right of Richard Nixon. 30 years ago he's a centrist republican, 20 years ago he's a far right democrat, 10 years ago he's Joe Lieberman, today he's a socialist.

At some point, you would hope the extreme libertarian part of the republican party and the extreme liberal part of the democratic party would have enough overlap to overwhelm the current crap structure, but will not happen. citizen's united baby. That is game, set, match, that one.

Of course I agree that his administration isn't far left, but your statement that he's the "most conservative president in our history" is still completely absurd.

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by miraja2

Of course I agree that his administration isn't far left, but your statement that he's the "most conservative president in our history" is still completely absurd.

I mostly just screw around on here. I'm guessing my insane ramblings present some truth though. Just randomly of course. Since Nixon, we've been getting more "conservative". What that word really means is of course a whole other issue. Same with "liberal".