Posted by Tina
In an otherwise thoughtful opinion piece Christopher Buskirk includes what is to me a strange paragraph in his article in the NYT, “If There’s a Red Wave Election in 2018, This Will Be Why” Here’s the paragraph:
Republicans have long criticized Democrats for dividing the country into competing grievance groups. Some now realize that the Republican analogue has been to divide the country into radically autonomous individuals based on a cartoonish misreading of libertarianism that replaces the free markets and free minds of Friedrich Hayek with the greed and hubris of Gordon Gekko. But that is changing quickly. There is a renewed emphasis on addressing America and Americans as a community characterized by fraternal bonds and mutual responsibility — what Lincoln called the “mystic chords of memory.”
In what way have Republicans actively and politically divided the country “into radically autonomous individuals based on a cartoonish misreading of libertarianism that replaces the free markets and free minds of Friedrich Hayek with the greed and hubris of Gordon Gekko?”
I’ve seen Democrats label Republicans as such. They’ve spent a lot of time creating the image of the greedy, thoughtless, Republican They twist the ideals of individual freedom and responsibility into cartoonish misrepresentations to deceive the naive and uninformed…and to feed the hungry minds already controlled by the divisive political rhetoric of the left.
I have no experience of any Republican promoting “radically autonomous individuality” or advocating” Gordon Gekko style greed.” If any of you can provide even one quote that does I’d appreciate it.
The article seems to champion those in the Republican Party that are fighting to replace an old guard that won’t fight for the people or the principles of the party. But this paragraph is an effort to make equivalent the attitudes and objectives of the two parties…they are both “divisive” and “radical.”
As I said, I have no experience of Republican activism that promotes disinterest or thoughtless autonomy…what amounts to a party of antisocial uncaring greedy b’tards.
Your thoughts?
My heart weighs 15 stone. Charles Krauthammer will soon no longer be with us. God bless and godspeed Charles on his next great adventure. I will miss you, my friend.
Ditto. Charles’ wit and wisdom has been sorely missed.
One of the standing principles of the Demwit party is to accuse others of what they themselves are doing. Example: Claims of Russian “collusion” against TheDonald when all the while it was the Demwits and $hrilLIARy in bed with the Russians.
Nothing has changed.
Want some more food for thought?????
http://www.wnd.com/2016/08/clinton-death-list-33-most-intriguing-cases/
“As I said, I have no experience of Republican activism that promotes disinterest or thoughtless autonomy…”
Well, then, what do you call it … when the Republican party savages the revenue base of a country up to it’s elbows in debt?
And they have accomplished this, in no small part, by funding, via Rupert and others, the intellectual degradation of a large and cartoonish segment of their party who believe that you can dub a national security investigation, “SpyGate” … that Sandy Hook is a hoax, that PizzaGate is a real thing … that Obama was born in Kenya.
Such people can be got to believe anything, including trickle-down economics.
So the rest of us have to sit around and watch the deficit balloon, and the next recession set in.
Sigh.
Libby Dear quit “sighing” and engage, please.
You write: “what do you call it … when the Republican party savages the revenue base of a country up to it’s elbows in debt?””
First of all it can’t be called promoting “disinterest or thoughtless autonomy…” in the citizenry as accused by the left.
Second where is the evidence that the Republican Party has “savaged” the revenue base? A
And as for the debt, both parties have served through decades of rising debt, none have addressed it significantly…and Democrats are responsible for introducing and passing the entitlement programs that are the biggest contributors to our debt. Democrats won’t even admit the debt inducing unworkable aspect of these programs.
You wrote: “…the intellectual degradation of a large and cartoonish segment of their party who believe that you can dub a national security investigation, “SpyGate” … that Sandy Hook is a hoax, that PizzaGate is a real thing … that Obama was born in Kenya.”
Please provide evidence that the “segment” in question is “large” in any of these assertions.
2. An investigation can be called “SpyGate” for several reasons: a. Free speech, b. There IS an ongoing investigation, with evidence accumulating, that Trumps campaign was illegally spied on for political purposes, and that it continued after he won, c. You lefties coined “Watergate” before the convictions why not “SpyGate”…or do you think yourselves special?
Libby, your party is champion, hands down, when it comes to labeling and lies.
Let’s list a few:
1. 911 was an inside job – bombs brought the towers down
2. There were no terrorists in Iraq
3. President Bush didn’t have congressional approval for the Iraq war.
4. America’s evil “gun culture”… (implies a lot that is not true with little to support that it is)
5. “Gun violence”..a real beauty…guns are inanimate objects.
6. Republicans are racist
7. Cops target and kill blacks
8. Obamacare wouldn’t add to the debt…HAH!
9. Trump is waging war on poor
10. Nixon “escalated” the Vietnam War
11. “White privilege
12. “White” Hispanic
Read Sharyl Attkisson, “50 Media Mistakes in the Trump Era: The Definitive List.”
You probably bought all of them.
We’ve had a recession every ten years for the last six decades. But our nation has gone into recession hundreds of times.
The last recession lasted 18 months. The problem wasn’t the recession; the problem was the lousy recovery. Obama’s policies killed chances for a solid economic recovery. We had prolonged misery that featured a near elimination of the middle class…the rich got richer while the number of poor got bigger and poorer!
And you have the unmitigated gall to slam “trickle down” (supply side economics) which is now, as it did under Kennedy, Reagan, Clinton, and Bush, lifting the middle and poor classes for the first time in ten years!
NYT: May 04, 2018 · Wages and the Fed. Economists expect that low unemployment will lead to increasingly big pay bumps for workers as employers fight over a dwindling number of candidates.
You still did not cite instances where Republicans promoted “disinterest or thoughtless autonomy…”
We do not promote “selfish individuality”…another left construct that’s a blatant misrepresentation of what is meant by “rugged individual”…a lie!
“You still did not cite instances where Republicans promoted “disinterest or thoughtless autonomy…”
Yes, I did … you simply refuse to see, accept, or acknowledge it. Setting the nation on the path to economic ruin … again … (Reagan, Clinton, Bushes … Kaboom! THE GREAT RECESSION !!!) … is how the rest of us remember it) to advance their personal interests is about as autonomously disinterested (in the rest of society) as a Republican can get.
And talk about history repeating itself …
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/what-happens-when-a-bad-tempered-distractible-doofus-runs-an-empire
It finishes: “The real lesson of Kaiser Wilhelm II, however, may be that Trump’s leaving office might not be the end of the problems he may bring on or exacerbate—it may be only the beginning.”
Amen. Tracking Buskirk this morning, I ran across the site “American Greatness” … BLOODY TERRIFYING.
No wonder you’re such a failure at communication!
The paragraph in question was an attempt to create an equivalence between the two parties.
I’ve never seen or heard of a Republican leader calling on constituents to organize to push “selfish individualism” or “indifference” to the suffering or plight of others.
The very idea is opinion…it’s an argument based on a false premise.
Democrats, on the other hand, regularly call on constituents to organize against, whites, Christians, the Tea Party movement, cops, “deniers,” the rich, corporate America, oil, coal, tobacco….and in the process create division in the population and a lot of strife.
So no, You did not address the subject, rather, you changed it!
“Setting the nation on the path to economic ruin … again … (Reagan, Clinton, Bushes … Kaboom! THE GREAT RECESSION !!!)”
I notice you left Kennedy out….and included Clinton. At any rate the idea that policies of Reagan or the Bushes created the “Great recession” is a demonstrably false premise. Your opinion is based on attitude and politics more than facts or even economic disagreement.
I’ve spent years showing you evidence that refutes your biases and misconceptions and it continues to be you who “refuse to see, accept, or acknowledge” even a single point.
You slavishly cling to those radicals on the left who judge President Trump based on the same types of attitude and political biases and then believe they can predict the future before Trump has even served two years. Absurd! This is the same crowd that fawned over Obama whose record is less than adequate…often destructive…both at home and abroad.
These extremes and lies from media and academe prevent actual communication and the resolution of problems. They only further the divisions and discord in our nation.
Ive asked you to explain how raising taxes works to build a strong economy and jobs and you haven’t deigned to do it. You also will not address how the tax and regulate policies under Obama resulted in an extended lousy economy, lousy jobs, increased homelessness, and lots of misery.
A thing isn’t true just because you want it to be true. You really are going to have to do better.
Regarding a “distractible bad-tempered doofus” running a country and the aftermath…
Your guy Obummer was smooth as silk and never saw a problem he couldn’t avoid, complicate, or send right down the toilet. Smooth talkers are often phony…all show and no go. He’s defended still by the media you believe and showcase. Aren’t you even a little disturbed by the sycophant nature of the reporting on Obama from these supposed journalists? Or their utter hatred for Trump?
It’s taking awhile but we are cleaning up the messes Obama made, at home and across the world, post haste.
“BLOODY TERRIFYING”
Such hyperbole! You do get that it doesn’t represent coherent thought.
“I have no experience of any Republican promoting “radically autonomous individuality” or advocating” Gordon Gekko style greed.”
Again, what do you call tax breaks that favor the top twenty percent of income earners … who, in fact, “earn” most of their income in our usurious stock markets?
This is a definition of greed, Tina.
I’m discussing organizing…you are moving to policy…and I’ve made my point.
So I will move on to address yours.
Tax cuts for corporations result in improved economy and jobs and that translates to higher revenues to gov’t.
May 2018, Investors, “Tax Revenues Jump 13% To Record High In April — When Will Dems Admit They Were Wrong About Trump’s Tax Cuts? ”
Investors, “Turns Out, The Rich Will Pay A Bigger Share Of Income Taxes Under GOP Tax Cuts”
Repeating liberal political talking points is just not the way to go Libby.
And, as to “radically autonomous individuality”… does the name Trump ring a bell ??
If ever there was a boy who believes the rules do not apply to him … right up there with Kaiser Bill is the Trumpster.
Tuesday morning!
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/391852-judge-rules-mueller-must-identify-unnamed-individuals-in-manafort
Take THAT, Mueller!