Posted on 08/30/2009 6:50:33 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
I got an e-mail from a prominent Republican asking why I am so anti-Republican these days. Since many of my friends ask the same thing I thought I would share my reply:
I think the party got seriously on the wrong track during the George W. Bush years, as I explained in my Impostor book. In my opinion, it no longer bears any resemblance to the party of Ronald Reagan. I still consider myself to be a Reaganite. But I don’t see any others anywhere in the GOP these days, which is why I consider myself to be an independent. Mindless partisanship has replaced principled conservatism. What passes for principle in the party these days is “what can we do to screw the Democrats today.” How else can you explain things like that insane op-ed Michael Steele had in the Washington Post on Monday?
I am not alone. When I talk to old timers from the Reagan years, many express the same concerns I have. But they all work for Republican-oriented think tanks like AEI and Hoover and don’t wish to be fired like I was from NCPA . Or they just don’t want to be bothered or lose friends. As a free agent I am able to say what they can’t or won’t say publicly.
I think the Republican Party is in the same boat the Democrats were in in the early eighties — dominated by extremists unable to see how badly their party was alienating moderates and independents. The party’s adults formed the Democratic Leadership Council to push the party back to the center and it was very successful. But there is no group like that for Republicans. That has left lunatics like Glenn Beck as the party’s de facto leaders. As long as that remains the case, I want nothing to do with the GOP.
I will know that the party is on the path to recovery when someone in a position of influence reaches out to former Republicans like me. We are the most likely group among independents to vote Republican. But I see no effort to do so. All I see is pandering to the party’s crazies like the birthers . In the short run that may be enough to pick up a few congressional seats next year, but I see no way a Republican can retake the White House for the foreseeable future. Both CBO and OMB are predicting better than 4% real growth in 2011 and 2012. If those numbers are even remotely correct Obama will have it in the bag. Also, Republicans have to find a way to win some minority votes because it is not viable as a whites-only party in presidential elections. That’s why I wrote my "Wrong on Race" book, which no one read.
That was never said. You are guessing. My guess is that his is bothered that the right does not want a center right coalition, aka BIG TENT.
The democrats triangulated a center left coalition.
Bruce Bartlett - In 1976, Bartlett changed careers, going to work for Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas)
In September 2007, Bartlett wrote an article for The New Republic, where he continued his criticism of the FairTax, including his claim that the FairTax/national sales tax has its origins with the Church of Scientology.
Look who is calling who a lunatic.
In August 2009, Bartlett wrote a piece for the Daily Beast in which he attributed the recession of 2009 to George Bush and Republicans
The economy is going to be anemic for a few years and Obama’s policies are going to keep it that way. If Obama does manage to land a second term he will do it with an opposition Congress that will both check his efforts and likely repay the Democrats with a bunch of investigations. I see the Dems losing at least 30 seats in 2010 and maybe up to 35. The 2012 election will lose them another 20-25. The trend looking forward is that the Repubs will own both the House and Senate in 2014 if Obama wins a second term.
complete baloney
“Instead, it’s because the GOP is too conservative?
That was never said. You are guessing. My guess is that his is bothered that the right does not want a center right coalition, aka BIG TENT.”
“I think the Republican Party is in the same boat the Democrats were in in the early eighties — dominated by EXTREMISTS unable to see how badly their party was alienating moderates and independents. The party’s adults formed the Democratic Leadership Council to push the party back to the center and it was very successful. But there is no group like that for Republicans. That has left lunatics like Glenn Beck as the party’s de facto leaders. As long as that remains the case, I want nothing to do with the GOP.”
Ha! I didn't actually date him, he's not attractive.
Read his diary. Otherwise, you don’t know what you’re talking about. What Reagan said in public didn’t always go with what he DID in private.
The National Colonoscopy Practitioners Association...
Their theme song is “Moon River”, followed by Preparation H’s theme song “Ring of Fire” by Jonny Cash...
Those meetings are a hoot!!!
The GOP is in trouble because it opened up the party to people who do not share its core values. That was the "Big Tent" that included a Welcome, Amigo! immigration policy, a more "even-handed" approach to the Middle East (moral equivalence between Israel and Hamas, except Bruce likes Hamas better), acceptance of a huge Federal Government, gargantuan Federal spending along with a new prescription drug entitlement program, and acceptance of abortion as just a "lifestyle choice".
Thanks, but no thanks. That's not America's center: it's Washington and New York's idea of America's center.
The Reagan coalition - a center-right coalition - lies considerably to the right of where the GOP is today. In order to get back there, which is to say if the Republican Party ever wants to be relevant again: they need to promote a clearly-defined set of principles.
Then they can welcome new members who discover they agree, welcome back those who left in disgust (like me), and let those go who cannot agree with them, like the esteemed Mr. Bartlett, who I think would be much more comfortable with the Lew Rockwell Brigade.
No doubt Mr. Bartlett wants me to buy his books. Too bad he didn't give me a reason to do so in the article that began this thread.
So you are calling Reagan a typical two faced politician, saying one thing in public, then stabbing people in the back in private. Is that what you are saying.
You are saying that Reagan's public persona was a fraud, is that what you are saying ?
Now, the Republicans occupy a space a little further to the left than before, while the Democrats have gone hard-left. So, Bartlett’s helpful suggestion is for the GOP to move a little more to the left?
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Bartlett is confused. Sometimes he writes very perceptive things, but this one makes him seem blind.
You’re funny. I’m saying you are a fraud, because you know who Reagan was, and what he was for, and are deliberately misrepresenting history.
You said “Read his diary. Otherwise, you don’t know what you’re talking about. What Reagan said in public didn’t always go with what he DID in private.”
I said “So you are calling Reagan a typical two faced politician, saying one thing in public, then stabbing people in the back in private. Is that what you are saying.
You are saying that Reagan’s public persona was a fraud, is that what you are saying ? “
You need to retract what you are saying. You need to admitt you were wrong or you wrote incorrectly, or else you will have this statement hung around your neck like “potato” was hung around Dan Quayle.
LOL. Neither you, nor anyone else here, can “hang” anything around my neck. I suggest you do some soul searching as to why you hate one of the greatest presidents in American history and misrepresent his record, not to mention his intentions.
You made a stupid comment and you can’t defend yourself and then you call me a fraud because you can not refute my statements in an intelligent way.
Okay, one more time.
You said “Read his diary. Otherwise, you don’t know what you’re talking about. What Reagan said in public didn’t always go with what he DID in private.”
I said “So you are calling Reagan a typical two faced politician, saying one thing in public, then stabbing people in the back in private. Is that what you are saying.
You are saying that Reagan’s public persona was a fraud, is that what you are saying ? “
That is the way I see it. Clarify your statement, retract your statement or refute my statement.
So this jackass’ problem with the GOP is that it isn’t LIBERAL ENOUGH????? Just go be a Democrat ya little douchebag!
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