Far right greases skids for GOP fall

Boston Globe ^ | April 25, 2003 | Robert Kuttner

[Cincinatus' Wife]

JUST WHEN Democrats were feeling stymied by the (short-term) triumph of the Bush Iraq strategy, some self-inflicted wounds have been opened in the coalition. Each, in its own way, reflects the hubris of the far right that dominates this administration. If Bush II goes the way of Bush I, he will have been done in by the excesses of his own camp.

[galt-jw]

Each, in its own way, reflects the hubris of the far right that dominates this administration.

So, if you don't toe the current moderate line, and actually follow the principles that got your tribe elected, you have "hubris."

If you are a moderate, and sell out your principles, creating a more leftist, socialist society in the process, you are in the right.

What a joke. These guys should be writing the ingredients on dog food labels, not anything that attempts to pretend to be legitimate.

[galt-jw]

"Call me Sam" Donaldson

you should win some sort of prize for that one. hilarious. wish i'd come up with it. killer.

[section9]

When Kuttner claims that Powell is a benign diplomat, "putting a reasonable face on a policy he abhors," he is in effect labeling the Secretary of State a hypocrite, and a callous opportunist.

Kuttner is just peddling the Conventional Wisdom that liberals tell each other. This is the kind of ignorant assertion that masques itself as simple deduction.

Powell understands the wreckage that was left behind by the Clintons, as Robert Kelly attempts to deal with the recalcitrant North Koreans that Bill Clinton thought he had bought off. You'll never get Kuttner to agree with this.

However, bear in mind that Kuttner is writing for a certain audience, liberal activists. These people make up the shock troops that make Democratic activism go. So Kuttner is going to tell them that the "Radical" Bushies are going to inevitably alienate swing voters. To tell them that the Bush Administration was pursuing a strategy designed to attract swing voters to the campaign through tax relief would be to remove all hope from liberalism.

For Kuttner to tell his audience the truth, that the Bush Administration is a lot less radical than he asserts, would be to undermine his whole argument. That doesn't make for good sales of The American Prospect now, does it?

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[The Wizard]

Fantasy from the Boston Globe

[cynicom]

The leftwing socialist enablers that backed clinton do not understand people on the right that speak up when they have an exception of policy or personnel.

In that vein, most people agree that Powell is a socialist in a republican suit.

[MissAmericanPie]

The skids greased for a fall are the ones greased by the far left that has exposed the Democrat Party as less of a political party than it is a den of organized crime. Did the Globe really think that no one would notice the elephant if they day dream out loud about splits in the Republican Party?

Perhaps they should rename their paper "The Fish Wrapper".

[genefromjersey]

The " Far Right ", of course being the centrists in the Party - who, for anyone's information ,share views that most closely correspond to the typical 1950's / early 1960's Democrat !

[grania]

This is beyond belief. The "radicals" they speak of are the core of the Republican Party. What would be more (or at least somewhat) accurate would be to write that certain policies are uncomfortable for the more liberal or financially conservative Republican Senators. But, a bigger problem is that there is no voice from the administration supporting conservative Senators...first Trent Lott, now Senator Santorum.

I really think a majority of the population would support a strong, consistant, conservative viewpoint. Is this administration trying to position itself differently for the next election?

[Free State Four]

The Bible is most effective when it is used to wave at the cameras when coming out of church the day your mistress is being questioned by a federal attorney.

Excuse me here. But to call ML his "mistress" is to elevate her far beyond her actual status. She was never anything more to him than a sperm recepticle. A mistress has the affection of her lover. ML never had anything like that. The man is incapable of affection (with anyone other than himself, of course).

Just keeping you honest! :o)

[carlo3b]

The reliably Republican vote is around 40 percent of the electorate, and the government-bashing, Bible-thumping, nuke-'em far-right electorate is substantially less than that. In the past, moderate Republicans saved this radical administration from itself - on tax and budget issues, on military adventures, and on tolerance issues. ....Now the radicals want nothing less than total victory.

...er...wait...THATS ME!!!!..(Waving arms)...he's talkin about ME...(jumping around the keyboard) Yehaaaaaaaa!

[Radix]

Personaly, I think that it is the Boston Globe is doomed.

I was getting it during the War, for my son to access when he returns.

Many of those people at the Globe are seriously out of touch. I let them know what I thought of their ideas concerning journalism a few times too.

[caly_dude]

christians are annoying