The other wing in the Republican party is the more moderate wing, populated by folks like Chuck Hagel, Colin Powell and Mike Simpson. Lately, pundits from this wing, such as Peggy Noonan and George Will, have broken ranks with John McCain because of his choice for Vice President. The moderate wing realizes that government has an essential role to play, and that Palin is not ready for the job.
The reactionary wing has veered so far right, and has flogged its anti-government horse so mercilessly, that moderates are finally speaking up. The reactionary wing happily supports torture as state policy. It hates government, so spares no effort to weaken government and make it ineffective. “Heck of a job, Brownie.”
The reactionary wing happily went along with idiotic tax cuts for the very rich, a disastrously expensive war, a whopping expansion of government (Dept. of Homeland Security), tax breaks for oil companies enjoying the highest profits of any entity in human history, and on and on, all because these things played well politically. That the politics resulted in ruinous policies did not matter to them. They were in power, and giddily contemplating Rove’s Permanent Republican Majority.
These destructive policies are now playing out, “with the most cruel vigor.”* And the moderate Republicans are suffering the repercussions along with their reactionary wing. Democrats are poised to possibly enjoy a realigning election, and possibly to have a veto-proof majority. At the least, Democrats will have a political mandate to make sweeping changes.
Moderate Republicans are still for limited government and low taxes, but realize that good government is important, that they must compromise and cooperate with Democrats in order to achieve important goals for the country, and that Americans are sick of divisive politics that result in bad policy.
The reactionary wing is happily veering its red corvette off to the right, over the cliff, tossing out whisky bottles and shouting “socialized medicine” as it plunges to its inevitable doom. Its supporters will be left on the cliff, looking down into the abyss, and bemoaning the loss for years. In the meantime, moderate republicans will be slowly rebuilding the party, and Democrats will be rebuilding the country.
Next: how the Internet brought this about. In a word, communication.
* Guy de Maupassant
2 comments:
Wow, again with the street trash. Moderates from both parties have been left out, i.e. Hillary Clinton. The far right is fearful because the far left will likely gain full control of the federal government. The anger comes when the majority is not given a voice. For example, an overwhelming majority of Americans (70%) want to drill domestically because they are smart enough to know that it will take decades to convert over to alternative forms of transportation. What does the D Congress do, fail to pass meaningful legislation. The majority has also repeatedly ask the government to quite spending us into further debt and stop wasteful spending. What has the D Congress done, put us 500 billion in the red for 2009 and bumped up the earmarks. Correction: Moderate Republicans want a responsible government and a transparent government. Republican have always recognize that we became the most prosperous nation on earth by limiting government and allowing the free market and capitalism to function as designed. Now the undisputed facts: Reagan lowered federal taxes "across the board" and the government coffers overflowed and the economy grew. Bush2 lowered federal taxes across the board "not just for the rich" and guess what.....government coffers "again" overflowed and the economy grew. The top 20% of tax payers pay 70% of the federal taxes. The top 1% already gives almost half (43-52% depending on the state) of their income to the government. I love this one too, the United States is in the top four of the "most highly taxed corporation" in the industrialized world. So as to bore you more....here are some more facts: Oil company profits were up but their overall percentage of profit was "less" than many other industries. Oil companies also paid "more" taxes than ever before. I make these points because both parties need to come together and pass meaningful legislation based on sound advise and known facts. This country needs leaders who will vote on behalf of their state, not their party. Both sides are to blame, both sides should be thrown out so we can start fresh. I feel better now, good night!
Wow, Anonymous, what a bunch of nonsense.
1.When you say “Moderates from both parties have been left out, i.e. Hillary Clinton. The far right is fearful because the far left will likely gain full control of the federal government.” you neglect to mention that the “far right” has been in control for the last 8 years with disastrous results. Where are the Republican moderates? Name one of the Republican candidates in the presidential primary that you would call moderate. Seemed more like they were all seeing who could suck up to the far right the fastest.
2.When you say “an overwhelming majority of Americans (70%) want to drill domestically because they are smart enough to know that it will take decades to convert over to alternative forms of transportation.” you neglect to mention that new wells drilled today will take decades to impact supply or prices, if ever.
3.When you say “we became the most prosperous nation on earth by limiting government and allowing the free market and capitalism to function as designed” you ignore the economic meltdown occurring now. I'm a firm believer in a market based economy, but what is your definition of a “free market”? Free to do what, pull an Enron or a Lehman's. Free to import toys from China with lead paint? Free of FDA regulations on the drugs we import?
4.When you say “Reagan lowered federal taxes "across the board" and the government coffers overflowed and the economy grew.” you ignore the highest deficit spending in the history of the country, to that date, by a huge margin? If the “coffers overflowed” then why did Reagan leave us in debt.
5.When you say “Bush2 lowered federal taxes across the board "not just for the rich" and guess what.....government coffers "again" overflowed and the economy grew” Wow, what world are you living on?
And your ramble goes on and on about taxes, and all the evils inherent in taxation. Taxation is, of it's self, not evil. What is evil is what has become of the tax code. Tax laws should not be used to for business welfare or social engineering by either party.
My post is not anonymous, please post at least a stage name dude.
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