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The Fix Isn’t In
The New York Times ^ | JUNE 12, 2014 | Paul Krugman

Posted on 06/13/2014 8:50:32 AM PDT by Kenny

How big a deal is the surprise primary defeat of Representative Eric Cantor, the House majority leader? Very. Movement conservatism, which dominated American politics from the election of Ronald Reagan to the election of Barack Obama — and which many pundits thought could make a comeback this year — is unraveling before our eyes.

I don’t mean that conservatism in general is dying. But what I and others mean by “movement conservatism,” a term I think I learned from the historian Rick Perlstein, is something more specific: an interlocking set of institutions and alliances that won elections by stoking cultural and racial anxiety but used these victories mainly to push an elitist economic agenda, meanwhile providing a support network for political and ideological loyalists.

<snip>

So whither movement conservatism? Before the Virginia upset, there was a widespread media narrative to the effect that the Republican establishment was regaining control from the Tea Party, which was really a claim that good old-fashioned movement conservatism was on its way back. In reality, however, establishment figures who won primaries did so only by reinventing themselves as extremists. And Mr. Cantor’s defeat shows that lip service to extremism isn’t enough; the base needs to believe that you really mean it.

In the long run — which probably begins in 2016 — this will be bad news for the G.O.P., because the party is moving right on social issues at a time when the country at large is moving left. (Think about how quickly the ground has shifted on gay marriage.) Meanwhile, however, what we’re looking at is a party that will be even more extreme, even less interested in participating in normal governance, than it has been since 2008. An ugly political scene is about to get even uglier.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: formerenronadviser
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Obviously the label "extreme" is a winner for libs. Conservatives need to fight this head-on or it's going to hurt us. I worry sometime if the Karl Roves aren't the only strategists in the Republican party or worse, if GOPe doesn't want to lose. Else how could this label have been used since Clinton with no real defense.
1 posted on 06/13/2014 8:50:32 AM PDT by Kenny
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To: Kenny

Dave Brat’s answer on this is good. It does need to be challenged, and the response needs to be coordinated.


2 posted on 06/13/2014 8:52:35 AM PDT by ilgipper
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To: Kenny

My understanding is that Brat beat Cantor by running of the GOP platform - pretty sad when the #2 GOP guy in the House can be beat because he isn’t following the party platform.


3 posted on 06/13/2014 8:54:23 AM PDT by kevkrom (I'm not an unreasonable man... well, actually, I am. But hear me out anyway.)
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To: Kenny

These folks will fall into full-on conniption when we win.


4 posted on 06/13/2014 8:54:36 AM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Kenny

Let’s get ugly! Where has ugly been the last 5 1/2 years?
I’m tired of tears.


5 posted on 06/13/2014 8:56:27 AM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: Kenny
Brat attacked the concept of extreme straight on.

He asked (I'm rephrasing), "is it extreme to demand that government live within its means, stop picking losers and winners to bail out, abide by the Constitution, and create a business environment where individuals and businesses can grow and prosper?"

Brat said these are not right or left issues - they're issues that are good for America.

Those are issues that led to the GOP sweep in 2010 and were promptly forgotten.

6 posted on 06/13/2014 8:58:09 AM PDT by randita
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To: Kenny

lol

the media is trying to paint conservatives as “extreme” for being against gay marriage.

A policy stance that both Bill Clinton (when he was president) and Obama (when he ran) and Hilary had when she ran and lost held.


7 posted on 06/13/2014 8:58:13 AM PDT by TexasFreeper2009 (Obama lied .. the economy died.)
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To: Kenny

Oh from the fish wrap Times and that extremely Communist Krugman. Yawn Krugman.


8 posted on 06/13/2014 8:58:34 AM PDT by Red Steel
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To: Kenny

extreme = being to the right of Hillary Clinton


9 posted on 06/13/2014 8:59:14 AM PDT by Count of Monte Fisto (The foundation of modern society is the denial of reality.)
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To: Kenny

I wonder if the NYTimes has a full-time crew just to clean Krugman’s spittle off the floor and walls or the job is included in the duties of their general spittle cleaning crew (which is obviously huge).


10 posted on 06/13/2014 8:59:21 AM PDT by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat Party!)
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To: Kenny
Obviously the label "extreme" is a winner for libs.

What has it won them?

11 posted on 06/13/2014 8:59:28 AM PDT by ConservingFreedom (A goverrnment strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them.)
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To: Kenny

Ha! Paul Krugman...

You cannot get any uglier than little Paulie.

What a buffoonish waste of breathable air.

Take your pill now Paulie, you’ll feel better in about 20 minutes.


12 posted on 06/13/2014 9:11:12 AM PDT by the anti-mahdi
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To: Kenny

(Think about how quickly the ground has shifted on gay marriage.)

Public opinion hasn’t shifted. Gay marriage has largely been instituted by unelected and unaccountable liberal federal judges.


13 posted on 06/13/2014 9:14:04 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Haven't you lost enough freedoms? Support an end to the WOD now.)
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To: Kenny

I love it; Krugman and his pals think they can conjure up absurd definitions out of the blue that lead to scenarios under which the GOP loses big time. I like to call this bowel movement liberalism and the stench of it is sure to alienate vastly greater numbers of voters than have been turned off by democrats to date.


14 posted on 06/13/2014 9:17:51 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: Kenny

Well, if Krugman says it, it must be true.


15 posted on 06/13/2014 9:24:51 AM PDT by oldbill
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To: Kenny

Krugman, a member of the 1%, has no clue about what is going on in the real world.


16 posted on 06/13/2014 9:29:27 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
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To: Blood of Tyrants

http://www.gallup.com/poll/117328/marriage.aspx

It has shifted substantially in a very short amount of time.


17 posted on 06/13/2014 9:34:04 AM PDT by sakic
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To: Kenny

I think this guy has an f-—ed up notion as to what “normal governance” means to most people outside New York.


18 posted on 06/13/2014 9:48:49 AM PDT by WayneS (Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.)
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To: Kenny

” Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”

Goldwater


19 posted on 06/13/2014 9:55:38 AM PDT by aquila48
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To: TexasFreeper2009
the media is trying to paint conservatives as “extreme” for being against gay marriage.

So why don't conservatives first talk about the extreme judges who fight the people then secondly talk about which extreme party is trying to make the extreme gay lifestyle mainstream.

20 posted on 06/13/2014 10:54:43 AM PDT by Kenny
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