• Reagan wouldn't recognize this GOPIn the above article, one of "The Gipper's" best long-term old time pals speculates about how the current Moron"GOP Leadership," such as it is, got "totally off track."
The Gipper may be the patron saint of Limbaugh and Coulter, but he'd be amazed at what's been done in his name
Here are a couple of sample article paragraphs, for our gentle readers' "inspection," which pretty much puts it all in a nutshell:
The Republican Party that is in such disrepute today is not the party of Reagan. It is the party of Rush Limbaugh, of Ann Coulter, of Newt Gingrich, of George W. Bush, of Karl Rove. It is not a conservative party, it is a party built on the blind and narrow pursuit of power.As the US GOP staggers around in anguish, wondering how they got their ass kicked so badly in the 2008 American election... Perhaps they should read the full article linked above.
Not too long ago, conservatives were thought of as the locus of creative thought. Conservative think tanks (full disclosure: I was one of the three founding trustees of the Heritage Foundation) were thought of as cutting-edge, offering conservative solutions to national problems.
By the 2008 elections, the very idea of ideas had been rejected. One who listened to Barry Goldwater's speeches in the mid-'60s, or to Reagan's in the '80s, might have been struck by their philosophical tone, their proposed (even if hotly contested) reformulation of the proper relationship between state and citizen.
Last year's presidential campaign, on the other hand, saw the emergence of a Republican Party that was anti-intellectual, nativist, populist (in populism's worst sense) and prepared to send Joe the Plumber to Washington to manage the nation's public affairs.
Just a helpful hint for US Republicans, from their old pal Rudi... one olde-tyme warhorse and Utah paleo-Republican non-neoCON who isn't quite ready to jump the GOP ship... just yet.
Be sure to read the above-linked article, fellow Utah GOP Schmucks and suckers.
And don't fail to offer your own ever-wise and savvy comments.
20 comments:
Oh gag!
"Schmucks", isn't that a Jewish (or Muslim) religious rite word for the foreskin cut off during circumcision?
At best, "a contemptible or foolish person, jerk". Or archaic, "a cleansing of sin."
Suckers...you'll have to call in Cavendish to define that one Rudi. (grins)
As for the trouncing of the GOP by the LA Times, ironically, it may be a slight over stepping and beyond the pale, but it seems more true than not, sadly.
And the "tub of lard" being put forth by the current administration, being falsely claimed as a jobs package, will separate the fly specks from the pepper.
The "real GOP and conservatives", assuming there are any left in either chamber of Congress, will reject this garbage democratic spending splurge of 1.3 TRILLION (with interest included) more of our kids tax dollars. And if there are any true to the old line GOP, they will explain Economics 101 and why an Obama "New Deal" is destined to prolong the recession.
It is time to "fish or cut bait" in DC, as they say.
I'm gonna hide behind a contrived pen name since by definition, it makes me a "Smuck" or a "sucker".
Gees...Rudi. Cut us some slack if you want us to respond will ya?
Good article.
But do not forget that Utah's esteemed Republican Senators have participated in this disaster.
Orrin Hatch got the GOP nomination in 1976 and Bob Bennett came along a few years later promising us that if we would vote for him he would only stay for one term. So much for his veracity.
The blame lies on them and the other senile senators that got re-elected every term because of all the money they brought home to their voters......
Voters got in the habit of feeling that we deserved that money even though our national debts kept getting bigger because of the largesse.
We still do not know just how much the tab is for the Medicare and Social Security and Veterans benefits still to be paid in the future.
The war in Iraq plus all our foreign aid to countries who are not our friends makes no sense.
The latest expenditure for $400 MILLION to Mexico to enhance their data system to fight drugs is the latest thing that has made me throw up.
We no longer give thousands of dollars - we give millions and billions.
Our experiment with a Republic that turned into an experiment with a democracy has turned into utter insanity.
The United States of Insanity!
You got something there for sure.
It is a brave new world where one will have to be pretty brave to live in it.
OK. Time for a little reality beyond the near term gloom and doom.
We have survived as a Country split between the North and the South.
We have survived WWI, and some of us even remember or lost a parent in WWII. We have survived The Great Depression and FDR's New Deal which prolonged it.
We have survived famine and pestilance. At least two Great Floods 1889 and 1927 and Katrina/Rita 2003 multiple National disasters from hurricanes and tornados. And we have survived the Korean War, forty years of the Cold War living daily with world nuclear destruction assurances and CD drills. We survived the Kennedy's turning the Whitehouse into a whorehouse, JFK's ineptness and indecision during the Bay of Pigs and the resulting Soviet Cubian Missile Crisis it created. We survived JFK's asassination in '62. We survived the last of the Draft in '70. We, some of us at least, survived the ten years of the Vietnam War and are still working through the damage caused by LBJ's Great Society. We survived Watergate and the Nixon reign of imperial Presidency. We survived spoiled, pot headed, college dropouts, spitting on our soldiers, calling them baby killers and worse. We survived John Kerry, Ramsey Clarke, and Joan Fonda and their cowardly types. We survived the Exxon Valdeese (sp?) and $80,000 per oil tarred critter, only to see them devoured within minutes of release into the wild.
We survived the worst President in American history, Jimmy Carter...his energy policy failures that killed some of our closest friends, literally. We continue to struggle from the effects of Jimmy Carter's Presidency and the OPEC oil cartele takeover of the world oil supply. We still struggle from his weak knee'ed foreign policy which led to our current predicament in the Mid East and ultimately 9/11. We survived watching mass murderers being fawned over by this idiot and zealot peanut farmer. He is still doing it by the way with Hamas.
We survived, no thanks to the above, an attack on our citizens which killed about twice as many as died at Pearl Harbor. And we survived the economic toll it took upon our National economy for months afterward.
We survived Sadam's blood curdling claims of our soldier's demise, after the real honest to goodness tyrant and his brood attacked both Iran and then brutally raped and pilleged Kuwait. Raping women and children and sacking its infrastructure and oil fields. We survived the largest man made world health disaster in recorded history, in case you have forgotten the burning miles of oil.
We survived "Shrub Sr." who at Colon Powell's insistence backed down from finishing the job and getting out of Iraq. We survived "Slick Willy" and his focus group popularity politics. His antics getting "head" and disgracing the office of the Presidency for all the World to see. We survived his impeachment trial, his lack of attention to anything other than his own "little head" and legacy, while Bin Laden manipulated Clinton in Somalia like a love sick horny sophomore in high school.
We finally have survived "George W. Shrub", his cheerleader mentality toward just about everything and total lack of guts to veto huge spending pork filled Bills. And we will survive Nancy "Crazy as a Loon" Pelosi, and Harry "the people stink, I can smell them when they come for a visit" Reid, Barney "the Gay Cabelaro with Boston Bank bailout friends" Frank, and Chris "Got a good low interest loan deal...what COI?" Dodd, Levene from Michigan where 49% of the population of Detriot can not read a newspaper. We will survive because the people will be heard and in some (or many) instances inspite of, not because of the media.
We have survived because, unlike the sky is falling chicken littles within our borders, we do not shrink from responsiblity when we are threatened. We do not just sit back a throw rocks at problems cynically. We catch them and throw solutions back at the sources of the problems. We are Americans, peoples made stronger by our differences and our diverse (not perverse) cultures. And the glue that bonds us is not "entitlement" or "what can Government give me" but by what we as responsible adults can provide for ourselves and our neighbors.
Consider the little ole lady in Ogden being threatened by Godfrey's green grass police. Who showed up to help her in her plight? Strangers...that's right! People who give a shit. And they didn't do it for the publicity or recognition either. They helped because they are what we are...Americans and just good and decent people. Americans, steeled by the honorable blood shed by our forefathers so that we might have it better than they did.
It is a fundamental and imprinted concept which once triggered will rise across this great Country and sweep the artery hardened, self-serving, corrupt politicians away in a storm of public outcry. Just as Blogo is being swept out like the past 5 of 7 Governors in Illinois.
I am beginning to see now that Obama and his "Carter like" democratic domestic spending spree is just what our Country needs right now. It could very possibly, as a result of its economic ineffectiveness, "awaken the sleeping Giant" (with apologies to Admiral Yamamoto for the out of context quote).
You should hear "God Bless America" in the background of this rant. But (or "however; for Curm)seriously, this whole economic mess has been over hyped by the media and the democrats. Ron Emanuel said after the election, "We should never let a good crisis go to waste". He of course meant the politically expedient thing to do is to hype it up so that the long list of democratic, and yes more socialistic funding "wish lists" could be wrapped up into a massive spending bill inappropriately tagged as a job stimulation or economic stimulation bill. The latest one is now 1.3 TRILLION dollars with interest. It is a massive tub of lard compiled by the democrats which does not create any significant number of new jobs. I mean come on now $460 Million to study global warming, $400 Million for foreign birthcontrol and killing babies, $40 Million to the Arts, $200,000 to resod the Washington Mall after the coronation, the list of pork makes Miss Piggy streak for a Fallout shelter.
I sent (and you should google and read) the CATO Policy Report, Vol. XXV No.4 July/Aug. 2003, "How FDR Prolonged the Great Depression" to be posted and debated. Why? because Obama had his Staff study FDR's "New Deal" to use it as a springboard for his upcoming moves. Trouble is, FDR's New Deal was an economic disaster with virtually every move he made exactly the wrong move. And they prolonged the depression.
Obama means well. And by all accounts folks I respect think the man is bright. But whether or not he screws up our economy and the minorities which help make us stronger as a Nation, we will survive.
Because no matter how bad Washington and the corrupt politicians (or the inept ones) screws up America, we are strong to the core and stronger when united. And no matter how wrong or badly led America is, there is enough good about our Country, and you people, to stand up and fight for it. That's what we do because it is what we have been taught to do from birth, regardless of race, religion, political affiliation or gender.
Our proudest days are ahead "when all these things have passed..."
And that's a wrap.
Personally I'd file Rudi's article under the heading "another hack tries to draw attention to himself pretending to be the real voice of Reagan."
Reagan was a leader, first of all. And he was in favor of smaller government. But the article makes a good point. The constitution did give government power as well as limit it.
Data upon data shows economic growth is slowed by larger government. If you want a safety net, you give up opportunity.
As far as collapse, look at durable goods and total unemployment today, 6.5 million people. If unemployment was calculated the way it was in the 30's we'd be at 13% right now.
Comment bumped to front page
When Buckley Met Reagan
Reagan stared this de-regulation mess and now we are all suffering for it. Remember when we actually was served a meal when flying, phone bills were 1/2 what we pay now, utility companies were safe blue chip investments. Cutting back government inspectors and auditors only helped the frauds and schemes that are currently hurting a lot of common folk and seniors.
Now they only repair the lines and transformers when they wear out, rather than on a maintenace schedule.
Interesting pair of distinctions, Danny. And here's my retort to two of them:
1) It should be fairly obvious by now (post national 2008 elections) that the US Republican party has thrown its intelligensia overboard, and that the national party is careening into inevitable oblivion. You're a smart guy, Danny. Im gonna presume that I don't have to tediously explain it.
2) Here's the other thing. Looking at Reagan's history, we can never overlook the fact that Reagan was a die-in-the-wool "New Dealer," earlier on in his earlier political career/political consciousness.
I've analyzed Reagan's thoughts and actions during his two presidential terms. On the basis of that, I don't think Reagan, even in the height of his newly-found "Republican 'Epiphany,' ever abondoned the ever subtle charm of big government.
Reagan was never Goldwater, people, although the good Senator from Arizona gave him his best.
Keynes famously said that for an economic stimulus, you could pay people to dig holes and fill them again.
You're either a Keynesian or you're not. I'm not enough of an economist to say what's right, but I do know that this Frankenstein bill with 1/3 tax cuts, a nod to the supply siders, and 2/3 neo-Keynesian stimulus (including hole-digging and -filling projects) is destined to fail.
Either the 1/3 is right, and the Keynesian stimulus will drag us down, or the 2/3 is right, and the supply siders will drag us down.
(Given history, I tend to vote for the Keynesians, because I think the supply siders have managed to thoroughly discredit themselves.)
Here is what a true Republican statesman (such as Goldwater or Reagan) would have done yesterday: he would have said, "look, I really think tax cuts are the way to go here. Yet, when I look at your list of projects, I see $200M for sodding the National Mall. C'mon, guys. That's crap. Take that out, and you have my vote."
Multiply that discussion by 200 times (once for each House Republican), and then you've got a bill that the Republicans could've swallowed, bitterly, and that might have a chance of working.
Instead, the Republicans took a different course. "This is wrong, it's not what we want, and we're not even going to communicate to you what is needed to fix it. Rather, we're going to hold our tiny little thoughts to ourselves, and then trot them out in the summer of 2010 as we run for re-election."
That's just chicken-poop. As Obama said, "I won." He's giving you an opportunity to have some influence on the outcome of this bill, even though you're in the minority and you have little power or influence. Instead of using the power you've been given, you petulantly throw it away. Good move, guys.
Then we have the related issue of the Governor and State Legislature wondering what they need to do to increase voter turnout. Uhm...give the voters a choice between two competing, rational philosophies? Sorta like a representative democracy is supposed to work? I'm just sayin'.
Mono:
Merely want to note that the much guffawed-at Mall resodding plank is a job-creating plank. That's a lot of sod, Mono, which has to be grown, cut, loaded, shipped, and laid down. That creates jobs for agriculture, transport, and jobs in DC. And no, it's not the same as paying people to dig holes and fill them up again.
No argument that it's not the kind of infrastructure building that will pay long-term dividends [like, say building high speed rail lines, or a more efficient power grid and so on]. But it is, in the near term, a jobs creation plank, which is part of the "stimulus" bill's goal.
[And when will my D's learn a little from the R's about the importance of labeling? --- Remember their labeling the greatest recent assault on American civil liberties as "The Patriot Act?" The "stimulus" bill should have been called, by every D at every level, from day one, "the jobs bill."]
Nice try Curm, but calling this sod thing about jobs is beyond stretching. This part is truely a joke. Replacing all the sod in Maryland and Virginia wouldn't qualify as job stimulus.
What's with our newfound infatuation with sod anyway? More instant gratification, in my day seed, water and patience never failed.
One word for the Keynesians to learn: Malinvestment. If money printing to pay for government programs worked, then Zimbabwe would be the economic wonder of the world.
Rudi, I agree with your main point that the Republicans have no vision of what they stand for. I submit it's because they are relatively stupid and have no leader to follow. Republicans are only conservative when the have a leader who is. The rest of the time they only compete with Democrats to see who can loot the Treasury and who gets the money, Rush Limbaugh or Jesse Jackson.
And yes, for the record, the only conservative administration I have ever seen was Clinton's, not Reagan's.
Less government works. But most people want a mommy and daddy and they look to the king or queen to be it.
"The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness".
-John Kenneth Galbraith
“If you're not a liberal at twenty you have no heart, if you're not a conservative at forty you have no brain.” - Winston Churchill
Rudi
Well, according to Churchill I must be both heartless and brainless! And to think I always admired him!!
When I was in my twenties and didn't know much I was way conservative - Weber College Young Republicans, active in the Goldwater campaign, etc. At forty + I woke up and started embracing liberal causes. The longer I live the more I learn. The more I learn the more I realize how interconnected mankind is and how important it is to reach out with compassion and empathy to our less fortunate fellow travelers on this lonely little cosmic blue dot.
It is beyond me to understand how someone could mature in life and not grow more empathetic toward mankind - ie become more "liberal".
Oz ent al,
The problem is the definitions have changed. The "Conservatives" during Churchhill's time were what we would embrace as "Liberals" today.
And the "Liberals" in the 30-50's were what we would call "Communists" and "Socialists".
Today there is only a thin shred of tissue between liberals *nbow referred to as "progressives", and conservatives. JFK wouold be considered a compassionate conserative by todays standards.
Only a couple of issues separate the democrats from republicans; like abortion, big government versus almost big government, big spending versus big tax breaks...OH except for George W. Bush, with both parties addicted to pork and big spending of our tax dollars.
Not a dimes worth of difference between them, inspite of the media and talking heads hype.
The public will very hopefully catch on to this very soon and throw them all out of office at every level, in order to get the changes we all wanted in November and integrity back in DC.
Are you guys done crying in your beer? You chose to be affiliated with these guys, they're your leaders and everyone of them has raised nary a peep along the way for years. You need to clean house, and the only place you can do that is locally. Try our state legislature, laughing stock for years and totally GOP dominated.
All these years I've heard republicans laugh at how the dems represent so many different veiw points and have a hard time falling lock step into one party line. Seems they're on the right track.
Bill C.
As an independent who registered as a democrat for local elction purposes only and temporarily, once again we totally agree.
the times they are a changing..............
And the GOP is no longer grand, just OLD. And in frantic, anticipatable disarray.
Pretty soon, Coulter and Limbauh will only be speaking to themselves. Or perhaps they are already.
Thanks, ozboy:
........It is beyond me to understand how someone could mature in life and not grow more empathetic toward mankind - ie become more "liberal."
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