In a rational world, today's Republican Party would be little more than a kooky fringe group, like the Larouchites. Unfortunately, we live here. And in America circa 2009, on the nation's premier business channel, the utterly discredited economic theories promulgated by George W. Bush and Company are still sacrosanct. (I guess it’s comfort food for CNBC's shell-shocked viewers, who cling to the fantasy of becoming swashbuckling Wall Street Jedi.)
Last evening, on the network in question, Arthur Laffer, legendary father of a ridiculous economic curve, teamed up with Larry Kudlow to denounce the Administration's plan for saving the nation’s banking system. Well, all I can say is Hallelujah! This is the first piece of unadulterated good news I’ve heard in weeks. If Kudlow and Laffer think the plan is a train wreck, then I’m getting bullish on America again. Those guys are always wrong.
Then, this morning, Kay Bailey Hutchison and Judd "We Hardly Knew Ye" Gregg went on Squawk Box to complain about the deficit. No--really--they did. These "Republican moderates"–who never met a trillion dollar war they couldn’t put off-budget–had the audacity to pose as penny-pinching guardians of the public till. Forget the fact that their supply-side snake oil has turned fatally rancid. Hutchison and Gregg deserve to be tarred and feathered around the clock solely on the grounds of criminal hypocrisy.
I’m no fan of President Obama’s rhetoric, but on substance, his speech the other night was excellent. His obsession with bipartisanship drives me up a wall, but it appears to be part of a long-term political strategy. I may just have to get used to it. But what about the rest of the Democrats? You know, the ones who aren’t President? How about this, people--When you're not actually legislating, you might want to try to terminate--with extreme prejudice--the Republican Party's current raison d'etre. That's the enemy. Ridicule mixed with condescension--along with liberal doses of the truth–should be your weapon of choice. Let Obama take the high road.
The stakes are too great, and there’s too much to do, to risk letting the GOP get their hands on the government again. The proponents of such a dangerous and bankrupt philosophy need to be exposed.
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3 comments:
At first I thought the republican party would take a rest and reflect on why they are out of power. It appears they have come up with an answer quickly, and that is they have not been conservative enough. How come then there was no complaining during Bush's presidency? And this image they have of a "republican fiscal conservative." Who was the last fiscally conservative republican president? The current parties ideology is strongly influenced by Reagan and that is who they all call their favorite president. But Reagan tripled the national debt! Both Bush's dramatically increased it as well. I mean come on! It is so easy for them to dismiss what Clinton did. Today on CNN, someone mentioned how every republican was against Clinton's budget plans in 1993 and the reponse was something like "well imagine how much better the economy would have done if he had not increased taxes." The polls dramatically show nobody except the shrinking Republican base supports their worn out ideas. And they have no ideas. They have no good ideas on recovery, energy, and especially healthcare.
My conclusion is they will move more to the right for the next two elections and bank on the economy not recovering. If it does they will just say well look at all that money we wasted. But I also believe if the economy recovers, they will be screwed.
I still believe that Republican ideas, bad as they are, will always be a threat. They're simple and easy to sell, especially if voters become frustrated with a long-term recession.
Why shouldn't Democrats point out--loudly and clearly and often--the absolute failure of "conservative" economics?
I agree they are always a threat. I was saying that if things get better in the short term meaning the next couple years, it will be more difficult to sell. Decades down the road when we forget about this recession and another one comes up, there will be different circumstances. Lately democrats have been doing a decent job of explaining why the republican ideas are bad, hence why the democrats won the election, but they also need to be thorough about why their ideas are better. I admit I do sometimes question the common sense of this country since this country did elect Bush twice. I think in 2000 people thought the democrats had good ideas but Bush came up with the only way he could win which was "compassionate conservative" which meant I will give you what you like about them but plus a bigger tax cut and a smaller government. The best thing for the democrats to do now is get results so they have some good things to run on and keep on the offensive because the republican rebuttals are very predictable. I'll definitely admit I am still new to politics and could be wrong. Right now though all I want to see is RESULTS RESULTS RESULTS.
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