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2011/09/16 03:09:21
Subject: A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
There is some absolute gold in there that really gets to the heart of what's gone wrong with the GOP.
"To those millions of Americans who have finally begun paying attention to politics and watched with exasperation the tragicomedy of the debt ceiling extension, it may have come as a shock that the Republican Party is so full of lunatics. To be sure, the party, like any political party on earth, has always had its share of crackpots, like Robert K. Dornan or William E. Dannemeyer. But the crackpot outliers of two decades ago have become the vital center today: Steve King, Michele Bachman (now a leading presidential candidate as well), Paul Broun, Patrick McHenry, Virginia Foxx, Louie Gohmert, Allen West. The Congressional directory now reads like a casebook of lunacy."
"It should have been evident to clear-eyed observers that the Republican Party is becoming less and less like a traditional political party in a representative democracy and becoming more like an apocalyptic cult, or one of the intensely ideological authoritarian parties of 20th century Europe."
"A couple of years ago, a Republican committee staff director told me candidly (and proudly) what the method was to all this obstruction and disruption. Should Republicans succeed in obstructing the Senate from doing its job, it would further lower Congress's generic favorability rating among the American people. By sabotaging the reputation of an institution of government, the party that is programmatically against government would come out the relative winner."
"This constant drizzle of "there the two parties go again!" stories out of the news bureaus, combined with the hazy confusion of low-information voters, means that the long-term Republican strategy of undermining confidence in our democratic institutions has reaped electoral dividends."
"Instead, they prefer to rail against those government programs that actually help people. And when a program is too popular to attack directly, like Medicare or Social Security, they prefer to undermine it by feigning an agonized concern about the deficit."
"While Democrats temporized, or even dismissed the fears of the white working class as racist or nativist, Republicans went to work. To be sure, the business wing of the Republican Party consists of the most energetic outsourcers, wage cutters and hirers of sub-minimum wage immigrant labor to be found anywhere on the globe. But the faux-populist wing of the party, knowing the mental compartmentalization that occurs in most low-information voters, played on the fears of that same white working class to focus their anger on scapegoats that do no damage to corporations' bottom lines: instead of raising the minimum wage, let's build a wall on the Southern border (then hire a defense contractor to incompetently manage it). Instead of predatory bankers, it's evil Muslims. Or evil gays. Or evil abortionists."
"It was not always thus. It would have been hard to find an uneducated farmer during the depression of the 1890s who did not have a very accurate idea about exactly which economic interests were shafting him. An unemployed worker in a breadline in 1932 would have felt little gratitude to the Rockefellers or the Mellons. But that is not the case in the present economic crisis. After a riot of unbridled greed such as the world has not seen since the conquistadors' looting expeditions and after an unprecedented broad and rapid transfer of wealth upward by Wall Street and its corporate satellites, where is the popular anger directed, at least as depicted in the media? At "Washington spending" - which has increased primarily to provide unemployment compensation, food stamps and Medicaid to those economically damaged by the previous decade's corporate saturnalia. Or the popular rage is harmlessly diverted against pseudo-issues: death panels, birtherism, gay marriage, abortion, and so on, none of which stands to dent the corporate bottom line in the slightest."
"Whatever else President Obama has accomplished (and many of his purported accomplishments are highly suspect), his $4-trillion deficit reduction package did perform the useful service of smoking out Republican hypocrisy. The GOP refused, because it could not abide so much as a one-tenth of one percent increase on the tax rates of the Walton family or the Koch brothers, much less a repeal of the carried interest rule that permits billionaire hedge fund managers to pay income tax at a lower effective rate than cops or nurses. Republicans finally settled on a deal that had far less deficit reduction - and even less spending reduction! - than Obama's offer, because of their iron resolution to protect at all costs our society's overclass."
"About a month before Republicans began holding a gun to the head of the credit markets to get trillions of dollars of cuts, these same Republicans passed a defense appropriations bill that increased spending by $17 billion over the prior year's defense appropriation."
"But how did the whole toxic stew of GOP beliefs - economic royalism, militarism and culture wars cum fundamentalism - come completely to displace an erstwhile civilized Eisenhower Republicanism?"
"Thus, the modern GOP; it hardly seems conceivable that a Republican could have written the following: "Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid." (That was President Eisenhower, writing to his brother Edgar in 1954.)"
"It is this broad and ever-widening gulf between the traditional Republicanism of an Eisenhower and the quasi-totalitarian cult of a Michele Bachmann that impelled my departure from Capitol Hill."
Pretty damning, and worrying stuff, and this can't just be dismissed as the 'bias' of some liberal. This is a guy who got on board the party of Eisenhower, and then proceeded to see the slow but undeniable decline of a once great political party. Is the trend reversible? I don't know but I think it is, if enough grassroots Republicans were able to take an honest look at what their party has become and demand something better, maybe it could. But I'm a bit of a dreamer like that.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/09/16 03:10:30
“We may observe that the government in a civilized country is much more expensive than in a barbarous one; and when we say that one government is more expensive than another, it is the same as if we said that that one country is farther advanced in improvement than another. To say that the government is expensive and the people not oppressed is to say that the people are rich.”
Adam Smith, who must have been some kind of leftie or something.
2011/09/16 03:44:58
Subject: A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
I wonder what the Republicans would actually do if they took control of house, senate, AND presidency?
Frankly, I think the party would just fall apart even more than the Democrats did... the Dems did too much obstructionism during the Bush administration to be sure, but the Reps are pushing far beyond that...
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2011/09/16 03:45:56
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
2011/09/16 04:04:48
Subject: Re:A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
If the republicans took over, the House, the Senate, and the Presidency. We would probably just tip over, as a country.
Or it would be 2012.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
"Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not."
2011/09/16 04:23:55
Subject: A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
Imagine if the Republicans gain House Majority, Senate Supermajority, Supreme Court Majority, and Presidency?
How much could the Republicans do with total power? And could they survive knowing that they still have some moderates within their party that could possibly balk at the ideas being floated as to what the party would intend to do?
Such blatant destruction of institutions that Americans hold dear would destroy them from the inside out. Also, assuming they did pass their super tax breaks and the economy continued to sputter? Do you think they would claim the same mantra that tax breaks are what will truly fix the economy?
"Instead, they prefer to rail against those government programs that actually help people. And when a program is too popular to attack directly, like Medicare or Social Security, they prefer to undermine it by feigning an agonized concern about the deficit."
Year Congress President Senate (100) House (435) 2009 111th D D - 55*** D - 256 2007 110th R D - 51** D - 233 2005 109th R R - 55 R - 232 2003 108th R R - 51 R - 229 2001 107th R D* R - 221 1999 106th D R - 55 R - 223 1997 105th D R - 55 R - 228 1995 104th D R - 52 R - 230 1993 103rd D D - 57 D - 258 1991 102nd R D - 56 D - 267 1989 101st R D - 55 D - 260 1987 100th R D - 55 D - 258 1985 99th R R - 53 D - 253 1983 98th R R - 54 D - 269 1981 97th R R - 53 D - 242 1979 96th D D - 58 D - 277 1977 95th D D - 61 D - 292 1975 94th R D - 60 D -291 1973 93rd R D - 56 D - 242 1971 92nd R D - 54 D - 255 1969 91st R D - 57 D - 243 1967 90th D D - 64 D - 247 1965 89th D D - 68 D - 295 1963 88th D D - 66 D - 259 1961 87th D D - 64 D - 263 1959 86th R D - 65 D -283 1957 85th R D - 49 D - 232 1955 84th R D - 48 D - 232 1953 83rd R R - 48 D - 221 1951 82nd D D - 49 D - 235 1949 81st D D - 54 D - 263 1947 80th D R - 51 R - 246 1945 79th D D - 57 D - 242
And yet, the world hasn't ended, under anyone's watch....
"Blatant Destruction." This is what we are speculating now WarOne? Really?
And republicans aren't going to go after Medicare or Social Security. Too many elderly are on it, and the older one gets, the more "right leaning" one becomes. It's a proven fact.
It will be welfare and programs designed to feed the Liberal Voting Machine, such as programs that assist Illegals and Keep minorities in the back pocket of Democrats.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2011/09/16 04:40:45
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
"Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not."
2011/09/16 04:47:36
Subject: A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
Connor McKane wrote:Interesting Bit. The Republicans have held all seats of power beofe, as Have the Democrats.
And yet, the world hasn't ended, under anyone's watch....
Please read the article.
This isn't about what the the Republican party has become over the last couple of decades. What the Republicans did with majorities in the 60s, the 80s or even in the mid 90s is not relevant. Parties change over time, and what the Republican party has become right now is very worrying.
If an Eisenhower styled Republican party were to control congress and the presidency, there'd be no worry. I might not have agreed with them on every element of their policies, but above all else they were sensible people coming from a heritage of reasoned debate on the big issues of the day, and that led to a quality of governance that the US can only dream about today.
Seriously, please read the article, and consider if a party you support should have long term staffers leaving them and saying those kinds of things. And then consider if you and every other Republican grassroots member you know shouldn't be doing everything they can to bring that party back to being a genuinely conservative, sensible party.
“We may observe that the government in a civilized country is much more expensive than in a barbarous one; and when we say that one government is more expensive than another, it is the same as if we said that that one country is farther advanced in improvement than another. To say that the government is expensive and the people not oppressed is to say that the people are rich.”
Adam Smith, who must have been some kind of leftie or something.
2011/09/16 04:54:32
Subject: A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
Connor McKane wrote:"Blatant Destruction." This is what we are speculating now WarOne? Really?
You are free to ignore me. I have stated as such in the past that I am not worthy for commentary. Do so at your own peril.
In any event, the Supermajority that the Democrats enjoyed from 1961-1967 saw The Great Society programs enacted, to which conservatives seem to see as dark days for our country when liberals ran rampant.
"Instead, they prefer to rail against those government programs that actually help people. And when a program is too popular to attack directly, like Medicare or Social Security, they prefer to undermine it by feigning an agonized concern about the deficit."
Social Security is flawed, needs to be scrapped and completely redone. It's been screwed for years.
WarOne wrote: ...dark days for our country when liberals ran rampant.
Agreed.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
"Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not."
2011/09/16 04:58:50
Subject: Re:A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
Amaya wrote:Social Security is flawed, needs to be scrapped and completely redone. It's been screwed for years.
The US system for Social Security is fine, provided you have a government with the foresight and standards of governance needed to ensure present revenues are sufficient to cover future liabilities. Even now you could bring it back to long term financial with a small increase the charge. But the idea of increasing revenue now for the sake of future payments is just not an option in this political environment.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
WarOne wrote:A past Republican idea has been private accounts for Social Security. Do you think this could work?
They work very well in a lot of countries, including Australia. They do accept a certain level of personal risk, and also the issue that not everyone's private savings will be enough to sustain them in later life, so they can't ever be seen as a complete replacement for the pension, just a means to have 80 or 90% of people provide for themselves in their retirement.
But does anyone here honestly believe that the Republican party we've seen in the last few years, complete with a contingent that actually wanted to bring on debt default, could win office and then set about calmly producing extremely forward looking superannution legislation?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/09/16 05:15:38
“We may observe that the government in a civilized country is much more expensive than in a barbarous one; and when we say that one government is more expensive than another, it is the same as if we said that that one country is farther advanced in improvement than another. To say that the government is expensive and the people not oppressed is to say that the people are rich.”
Adam Smith, who must have been some kind of leftie or something.
2011/09/16 05:23:40
Subject: Re:A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
sebster wrote:But does anyone here honestly believe that the Republican party we've seen in the last few years, complete with a contingent that actually wanted to bring on debt default, could win office and then set about calmly producing extremely forward looking superannution legislation?
Given the charged political climate, the Republicans would have to sweep a third of the Democrats out of office over the next two election cycles in order to gain that Senate supermajority of 60 seats in order to do so.
Assuming they do do so, the Republican party platform would probably not do so.
Entitlement Reform
The job of modernizing Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid calls for bipartisanship, not political posturing. Through the last four presidential terms, we have sought that cooperation, but it has not been forthcoming. The public demands constructive action, and we will provide it.
Social Security
We are committed to putting Social Security on a sound fiscal basis. Our society faces a profound demographic shift over the next twenty-five years, from today’s ratio of 3.3 workers for every retiree to only 2.1 workers by 2034. Under the current system, younger workers will not be able to depend on Social Security as part of their retirement plan. We believe the solution should give workers control over, and a fair return on, their contributions. No changes in the system should adversely affect any current or nearretiree. Comprehensive reform should include the opportunity to freely choose to create your own personal investment accounts which are distinct from and supplemental to the overall Social Security system.
Social Security is flawed, needs to be scrapped and completely redone. It's been screwed for years.
A past Republican idea has been private accounts for Social Security. Do you think this could work?
The current system doesn't make sense. Everyone pays in x amount and gets x back. Why are people who make millions a year getting any money back when they retire? Shouldn't they be expected to have the foresight to save something...
At the very least the retirement age needs to be adjusted. People are living longer and are healthy and capable of working longer.
I think though, that if the point is take care of the retired elderly who need financial aid than the entire system should be scrapped and replaced with a tax that solely serves as a means to help that specific group and not everyone.
Amaya wrote:At the very least the retirement age needs to be adjusted. People are living longer and are healthy and capable of working longer.
Maybe then it is the societal expectation that is killing the system. A person works til they reach a certain age, then because of paying into a system they are told will protect them, they expect to be protected.
Perhaps we need to reword the meaning of Social Security as the "Pay into system for those who need it, not necessarily those who think they deserve it."
WarOne wrote:Given the charged political climate, the Republicans would have to sweep a third of the Democrats out of office over the next two election cycles in order to gain that Senate supermajority of 60 seats in order to do so.
Assuming they do do so, the Republican party platform would probably not do so.
I really doubt whether the present day Republican party, even with a supermajority, is producing the calibre of leaders who could actually put into place system reforms that would take a decade or two
I mean, their inability to even begin to debate health reform in a sensible manner was very damning, and that was just them sitting in opposition. Actually taking the lead on something as major as funding retirement... I mean just read the article and ask if that party is capable of long term economic reform.
Entitlement Reform
The job of modernizing Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid calls for bipartisanship, not political posturing. Through the last four presidential terms, we have sought that cooperation, but it has not been forthcoming. The public demands constructive action, and we will provide it.
Social Security
We are committed to putting Social Security on a sound fiscal basis. Our society faces a profound demographic shift over the next twenty-five years, from today’s ratio of 3.3 workers for every retiree to only 2.1 workers by 2034. Under the current system, younger workers will not be able to depend on Social Security as part of their retirement plan. We believe the solution should give workers control over, and a fair return on, their contributions. No changes in the system should adversely affect any current or nearretiree. Comprehensive reform should include the opportunity to freely choose to create your own personal investment accounts which are distinct from and supplemental to the overall Social Security system.
Yeah, all that means private investment funds. Which is a good system, and has the added benefit of providing an immense amount of savings that can fund new investments in the private sector. But it takes an immense amount of time to set up, and while Republicans like the sound of it because it is a market based solution, there's all kinds of protections, regulation and government incentives that have to be put in place to make it work.
“We may observe that the government in a civilized country is much more expensive than in a barbarous one; and when we say that one government is more expensive than another, it is the same as if we said that that one country is farther advanced in improvement than another. To say that the government is expensive and the people not oppressed is to say that the people are rich.”
Adam Smith, who must have been some kind of leftie or something.
2011/09/16 11:58:54
Subject: A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
And we know how much Republicans loathe regulations, despite the fact that lax regulations is one of the big reasons why we've had our biggest economic crashes.
Considering quite a few local tea party members (or hell, in some cases, national ones whom are currently in positions of power!) still believe in that birther bs, make accusations of communism, and even make openly racist comments about Obama, I have no confidence in the movement.
The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
2011/09/16 19:27:51
Subject: A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
sebster wrote:
"Thus, the modern GOP; it hardly seems conceivable that a Republican could have written the following:
"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid." (That was President Eisenhower, writing to his brother Edgar in 1954.)"
"It is this broad and ever-widening gulf between the traditional Republicanism of an Eisenhower and the quasi-totalitarian cult of a Michele Bachmann that impelled my departure from Capitol Hill."
.
You have to take into account the fact that, by today's republican standards, Eisenhower was a raging commie...
Virtus in extremis
2011/09/16 21:32:03
Subject: A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
sebster wrote:
"Thus, the modern GOP; it hardly seems conceivable that a Republican could have written the following:
"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid." (That was President Eisenhower, writing to his brother Edgar in 1954.)"
"It is this broad and ever-widening gulf between the traditional Republicanism of an Eisenhower and the quasi-totalitarian cult of a Michele Bachmann that impelled my departure from Capitol Hill."
.
You have to take into account the fact that, by today's republican standards, Eisenhower was a raging commie...
That is the point the author was trying to make. The party has changed so radically (and become so radical) that even Reagan (the reality, not the myth) would be to liberal.
Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
2011/09/17 02:51:55
Subject: Re:A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
While this man's statement is very specific to all the things wrong with the current Republican party, I think the core of it explains what is wrong with all of the American parties. . . extremism. I think extremism is one of the most frightening things out there.
As a registered Republican, I really dislike many of the outspoken "leaders" (the term being used loosely) of the party. I think it is interesting that probably the most centrist candidate for the party, Mitt Romney, is being heavily attacked for being centrist. I hate that!
Frankly I don't refer to myself as a Republican, I see myself as a "moderate conservative". If that madwoman Bachman is on the ticket I will either vote Democrat or not vote (of course I live in the People's Republic of California so my presidential vote rarely matters).
My hope is that just as there is a silent majority of voters, there is a silent majority of true conservatives in the Republic party that will see the benefits of being more central on social issues while maintaining a strong fiscal and defense stance. Maybe I am dreaming . . .
Many people on Dakka speak of Republicans/Conservatives as being crazy, please understand that to the right your out-spoken "leaders" look equally crazy and dangerous.
Cheers!
WFB armies: Wood elves, Bretonnia, Daemons of Chaos (Tzeentch), Dwarfs & Orcs 'n Goblins
40K armies: Black Legion, Necrons, & Craftworld Iyanden
2011/09/17 04:43:21
Subject: A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
Bastion of Mediocrity wrote:Many people on Dakka speak of Republicans/Conservatives as being crazy
Well when talking about the likes of Bachman and Palin it sometimes is hard not use such language, but I understand how it can come across as all. In short posts we also aren't always as clear as we probably should be. It also doesn't help that you run into the issue of people taking a critique against a Republican or Conservative in specific as an attack on its entirety. There are still thoughtful, intelligent Republicans and Conservatives, but they are being marginalized really badly by their own party at the moment.
Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
2011/09/17 04:47:41
Subject: A Republican staffer of almost 30 years talks about what has gone wrong in his party
Amaya wrote:The day Palin was select to be McCain's running mate was a dark day.
Not to the Democrats it wasnt, it was a glorious day filled with wonder, joy, and an absolute certainty that the election was in the bag.
We are arming Syrian rebels who support ISIS, who is fighting Iran, who is fighting Iraq who we also support against ISIS, while fighting Kurds who we support while they are fighting Syrian rebels.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
