Reality emerges UPDATE 2
After months of media frenzy and, after November 2, days of hysterical chatter, finally someone gets it right–Ross Douthat (I won’t say of all people, but this is the best column he’s written for the Times):
“The Unready Republicans.”
“When a political party suffers two consecutive thrashings at the polls, its supporters can usually look forward to a long period of exile — a time to lick wounds, settle scores, feud over policy and gradually map out a road back to relevance.
“Not so the Obama-era Republicans.” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/08/opinion/08douthat.html?_r=1&hp
And we wondered why Republican candidates wouldn’t say what they’d do in office!
UPDATE: Anne Applebaum–not a liberal–has a zinger of a column on the contradictions in the Republican agenda. “Even if some legal obstacle prevents her from becoming senator, Murkowski’s write-in campaign got the most votes. When offered a direct choice, in other words, the majority of Alaskans chose the corrupt, big-spending Republican Party of Murkowski over the shallow, hypocritical radicalism of Miller.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/08/AR2010110804485.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
And this: “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is maneuvering behind the scenes to defeat a conservative plan aimed at restricting earmarks, setting up a high-stakes showdown that pits the GOP leader and his “Old Bull” allies against Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and a new breed of conservative senators.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/44888.html#ixzz14oL4Pqku
I agree that it’s a very good column. Its ideas are so sensible that we may safely assume that it will be disregarded by both parties.
Okay, I’ll say it…”Of all people…!” Though I think Ross Douthat is rightly worried (ooh, pun alert) that the GOP has so little idea of what to do that they’ll be on the receiving end of electoral whiplash in two years time.
Interesting, there are those conservatives who aren’t unhappy at the prospect of a “do-nothing” Congress:
We’ll see how much Joe Carter, or anyone else, likes gridlock in two years. Should we put him in touch with Gene McCarraher?
No need, Peggy.
Of course I like gridlock — as does anyone who realizes that neither party has a coherent or effective strategy for economic revival at present. If the GOP is as clueless as Douthat says, would you really like them to “do something”? The Democrats have already shown us how feckless and venal they really are.
Besides, the elections show us how utterly incoherent the electorate is. A lot of the gridlock originates in the people, not the government.
On the “update”: As I said, excellent news — if the GOP is really that divided, they won’t be able to inflict much or any more damage. Let’s hear it for gridlock!
BTW, apparently Rand Paul has already sold out on earmarks! Wait, I think that’s the sound of Hannaway/Flanagan/Bender/Proska’s crest falling….
Speaking of policy, the world needs antidotes to rock-headed politicians and partisan think tanks. Here’s something for policy wonks seeking bipartisanship. It’s the site of the Bipartisan Policy Center that was founded by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole and George Mitchell. It’s at:
http://www.bipartisan policy.org
The Center studies many sorts of issues, e.g., energy, health care, transportation and terrorism. It seems solution oriented. Here’s one of its reports from a committee chaired by Bill Gates and JEff Immelt of GE, about the energy problem.
http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/library/business-plan-america’s-energy-future
Of course I like gridlock — as does anyone who realizes that neither party has a coherent or effective strategy for economic revival at present.
To me, the possibility of economic turnmoil amid prolonged gridlock brings forth the spectre of the the Weimar Republic and its fate.