Republican Party: Losing the Battle for Brains

[Andy9o8 0]

http://www.uexpress.com/richardreeves/?uc_full_date=20090130

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01/30/2009
THE REPUBLICAN IDIOCY

LOS ANGELES -- It was John Stuart Mill in the middle of the 19th century who dismissed Great Britain's Conservative Party as "the stupid party." Commenting on that immediately after last year's presidential election, The Economist, published in London, said this:

"The title of the 'stupid party' now belongs to the Tories' trans-Atlantic cousins, the Republicans.

"There are any number of reasons for the Republican Party's defeat on Nov. 4. But high on the list is the fact that the party lost the battle for brains. Barack Obama won college graduates by two points, a group that George Bush won by six points four years ago. He won voters with postgraduate degrees by 18 points. And he won voters with a household income of more than $200,000 -- many of whom will get thumped by his tax increases -- by six points. John McCain did best among uneducated voters in Appalachia and the South."

The proof of that pudding was dramatized last week in Washington when every single Republican in the House of Representatives voted against the new president's economic stimulus plan. It is not that the nay-saying Republicans have a plan of their own; they agree on nothing except cutting taxes. Their leader, Rush Limbaugh, the entertainer, has told them that their job is to make sure that Obama fails.

In an American context, Republicans have been called America's stupid party for much of their history, but that title clearly passed to the Democrats in the 1970s and 1980s, and perhaps for most of '90s and on into the 21st century. Now, led by wacko pundits like Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter and a bunch of less-prosperous firebugs, the Republicans have lost all sense of what is happening in the country.

Their boy, George W. Bush, left the country in fear and loathing. Obama was seized on as something of a savior, and he has shown he knows how to play the role. There is no way Obama, or perhaps anyone, knows how to get out of the current mess. But he does know what most people want at this uncertain moment. As he made clear in his Inaugural Address:

"The stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end."

We are going to see a lot of trial and error from the White House, as generations before us did in the 1930s. But the point is, we have to try -- and odds are we'll figure something out.

If ideologically driven Republicans are seen as nothing more than obstructionists, they will end up in the worst place in their history. They are flirting with irrelevance these days, while Obama is dancing as fast he can, trying to extend a hand if they are willing to unclench their fists.

It wouldn't hurt either if Democrats in Congress unclenched their fists, too. There is more to political life than saying over and over again that we won the election and we can do anything we want. That, it could be argued, is how the Republicans destroyed themselves over the past few years.

"The Republicans lost the battle of ideas even more comprehensively than they lost the battle for educated votes, marching into the election armed with nothing more than slogans. Energy? Just drill, baby, drill. Global warming? Crack a joke about Ozone Al. ... During the primary debates, three out of 10 Republican candidates admitted that they did not believe in evolution," wrote the Economist.

"Richard Weaver, one of the founders of modern conservatism, once wrote a book entitled 'Ideas Have Consequences'; unfortunately, too many Republicans are still refusing to acknowledge that idiocy has consequences, too."

[kbordson 8]

Wow.

And comments are made about some "sore losers" here?!

[likearock 1]

The Dems are still making it competitive.

[pirana 0]

A very good magazine. I don't agree with all of their views, but they are as fair as it gets.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[hwt 0]

I am so sick and tired of one side blaming the other and here is another case of it.
All this does is distract us from the real issues.It takes both side to balance out the spending bill.I am an independent and i look from the right place , and thats in the middle without the political distractions of Republican vs. Democrat. If both sides concede, then it might be a more balanced bill.

[kbordson 8]

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I am so sick and tired of one side blaming the other and here is another case of it.
All this does is distract us from the real issues.It takes both side to balance out the spending bill.I am an independent and i look from the right place , and thats in the middle without the political distractions of Republican vs. Democrat. If both sides concede, then it might be a more balanced bill.

One can hope for the future.

[Para_Frog 1]

Good point.

Pelosi is much smarter. According to her, we're losing 500 million jobs a month. Even though the US population is ~305 million.

I couldn't make this shit up

THOSE are the brains we need.

- Harvey, BASE 1232
TAN-I, IAD-I, S&TA

BLiNC Magazine Team Member

[Andy9o8 0]

Hey this is fun.

http://www.banbloodsports.com/images/matador.jpg

[idrankwhat 0]

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I am so sick and tired of one side blaming the other and here is another case of it.

You have a point, but they're making it soooo easy

[billvon 2,411]

He's not a war reporter any more? Too bad. I enjoyed his news reports on the war; he consistently blasted war reporters for reporting news on the war.

Perhaps he will take a liking to his new role as a political strategist. I wonder if his first speech will slam political strategists?

[jerryzflies 0]

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I am so sick and tired of one side blaming the other and here is another case of it.

Given that it's a British magazine looking in from the outside, how do you make it out to be "one side"?

The comments about Limbaugh, Hannity and Coulter are right on.

If you can't fix it with a hammer, the problem's electrical.

[Andy9o8 0]

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I am so sick and tired of one side blaming the other and here is another case of it.

Given that it's a British magazine looking in from the outside, how do you make it out to be "one side"?

The comments about Limbaugh, Hannity and Coulter are right on.

[wmw999 2,132]

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If ideologically driven Republicans are seen as nothing more than obstructionists, they will end up in the worst place in their history. They are flirting with irrelevance these days, while Obama is dancing as fast he can, trying to extend a hand if they are willing to unclench their fists.

It wouldn't hurt either if Democrats in Congress unclenched their fists, too. There is more to political life than saying over and over again that we won the election and we can do anything we want. That, it could be argued, is how the Republicans destroyed themselves over the past few years.

Realizing this isn't an American article, nevertheless, it's talk exactly like the previous two paragraphs, when written by the Republicans about the Democrats 8 years ago, that began the polarization. Because the Republicans believed it, and decided that power was better than compromise.

We live in a republic; the people vote for the representatives. There will always be a need for compromise.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[kelpdiver 2]

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Wow.

And comments are made about some "sore losers" here?!

It's a valid point.

After one of the poorest Administrations in some time, the best candidate the GOP could come up with is one that promised more of the same thinking that got us to here. This is not a very effective strategy.

Where is the new party leadership in the GOP? If all they can do is obstruct in the name of national interest, they will be irrelevant quickly. Someone new has to emerge with a real message, much like Newt did in 1994.

The Democrats were suffering from the same problem, with retreads like Gore and Biden and HC, people who had been around since the 80s and early 90s. Whether or not Obama lasts, he at least shook up that party in the political version of a revolution.

[kelpdiver 2]

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Barack Obama won college graduates by two points, a group that George Bush won by six points four years ago.

So how did Bush do that in 2004? We probably would want to look at the historic trends on this cohort, but in a tight election won by the GOP, I'd expect it to go the other way.

[idrankwhat 0]

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Where is the new party leadership in the GOP? If all they can do is obstruct in the name of national interest, they will be irrelevant quickly.

Thanks, I've been looking for a place to share this cartoon

[Andy9o8 0]

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Barack Obama won college graduates by two points, a group that George Bush won by six points four years ago.

So how did Bush do that in 2004? We probably would want to look at the historic trends on this cohort, but in a tight election won by the GOP, I'd expect it to go the other way.

That statistic caught my attention, too; but I was in too much of a rush to post-whore and scoot to have time to research it.

[FallingOsh 0]

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I am so sick and tired of one side blaming the other and here is another case of it.

Given that it's a British magazine looking in from the outside, how do you make it out to be "one side"?

The comments about Limbaugh, Hannity and Coulter are right on.

Because there were no comments about Olbermann or Maddow being equally hard headed and mind-numbingly paritsan. Pointing fingers at only conservatives pretty much defines one sided.


The liberals love circle jerking themselves into thinking their ideas are the only correct ones. Anyone who disagrees is regarded as a simpleton. I find it funny/ironic that he claims conservatives are idiots while the British people protest in the streets to regain rights.

--------------------------------------------------
Stay positive and love your life.

[TankBuster 0]

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The liberals love circle jerking themselves into thinking their ideas are the only correct ones. Anyone who disagrees is regarded as a simpleton. I find it funny/ironic that he claims conservatives are idiots while the British people protest in the streets to regain rights.

Excellent point. And how does the author wish to label the 11 Democrats who voted no? Since they aren't part of the stupid party they must have had good reasons. Finally the Republicans are showing some balls.

The forecast is mostly sunny with occasional beer.

[Amazon 7]

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Finally the Republicans are showing some balls.

I think they have been doing that a lot.... Larry Craig..... Foley.... Jeff Gannon... Carefull though the backlash from the "values voters" is pretty harse for ball showing and bouncing.

[nerdgirl 0]

One of my favorite Republicans – & there are quite few favorites former Oklahoma Representative Mickey Edwards (who also happens to be married to a Democratic strategist) has made similar criticisms with regard to the rise of an anti-intellectual theme with in the Republic party:

“The Republican Party long stood for the principles at the heart of the American Constitution, including a belief in the wonderful possibilities of self-government (instead of the anti-government rhetoric it has since embraced). It celebrated ideas instead of the rabid anti-intellectualism it has come to cherish.”[/url]

For those inclined, I highly recommend Rep Edward's book “Reclaiming Conservatism: How a Great American Political Movement Got Lost–And How It Can Find Its Way Back.”

If you prefer listening over reading, one can also listen to him speak at the Library of Congress last March. To paraphrase Rep Edwards, being thoughtful, reflective, and educated should not be characterized as a ‘bad’ thing.

Anti-intellectualism, of which anti-science is a sector example, doesn’t benefit the country regardless of party/region/class/race/ethnic group.

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[Capt.Slog 0]

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I am so sick and tired of one side blaming the other and here is another case of it.

Given that it's a British magazine looking in from the outside, how do you make it out to be "one side"?

The comments about Limbaugh, Hannity and Coulter are right on.

Because there were no comments about Olbermann or Maddow being equally hard headed and mind-numbingly paritsan. Pointing fingers at only conservatives pretty much defines one sided.

You have clearly misread the article, or are deliberately misinterpreting it. It's NOT about liberals or Democrats, it's about REPUBLICANS.

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The liberals love circle jerking themselves into thinking their ideas are the only correct ones. Anyone who disagrees is regarded as a simpleton. I find it funny/ironic that he claims conservatives are idiots while the British people protest in the streets to regain rights.

Another error. "Republican" does NOT equal "conservative", "Democrat" does not equal "liberal".

[TankBuster 0]

Wow - that's just hilarious. What do you have against gays?

The forecast is mostly sunny with occasional beer.

[billvon 2,411]

>To paraphrase Rep Edwards, being thoughtful, reflective, and educated
>should not be characterized as a ‘bad’ thing.

It means you're a snooty ivory tower elitist who probably speaks French! Joe Six-Pack, Joe the Plumber, Sarah Palin and all the other real Americans out there aren't brainiacs on the nerd patrol like this guy.

[Amazon 7]

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Wow - that's just hilarious. What do you have against gays?

Nothing what so ever....except for the closeted ones.. who go out of their way to damage the rights of other gays by their actions.... and creating a climate where its ok for closeted homophobic men to beat and kill a gay man because of their inner desires.. or their former experements... and their NEED to show their good buddies that they could not POSSIBLE be GAY to cover those feelings and desires..

How about you..what do you have against them???