tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321349.post110095835622313623..comments2024-03-18T22:21:33.261-07:00Comments on The Debate Link: Why Are You Pushing Me Away?David Schraubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04946653376744012423noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321349.post-1101083618463042922004-11-21T16:33:00.000-08:002004-11-21T16:33:00.000-08:00ROTM: your comments oversimplify some very complex...ROTM: your comments oversimplify some very complex issues. First of all, one can "understand how the game his played" and still be upset by it. In 1855, I could "understand" that slavery is how the racial game is "played," but still find it to be morally abhorrent. My anger at DeLay's comments isn't due to ignorance of the status quo, rather, its a statement on my part that the status quo of hyperpartisanship is morally unacceptable and that DeLay, more than anyone else, exemplifies the elements of the status quo that are anti-democratic and dangerous to America.<br /><br />Second, its quite possible to be "pushed away" from something I haven't joined. I can be "pushed away" from a door I haven't entered yet, whomever is pushing me away is perpetually keeping me on the outside. My current philosophies (socially liberal, economically moderate, hawkish on foreign policy/homeland defense) theoretically could match me equally well with moderate Republicans as well as moderate Democrats, but I can't vote for the Republicans because their MO is ethically offensive to me.<br /><br />Now, as to the "coherent republican ideology." I'm not particularly enamored of the "small govt, lower taxes" ideology. But that's immaterial, because the modern Republican party <EM>DOESN'T ESPOUSE THAT IDEOLGY</EM> anymore. From the FMA to the PATRIOT act to NCLB to the Medicare/caid overhaul, the contemporary Republican's closest thing to an ideology is "tax cut and spend." This is beyond incoherent, its non-sensical. In taking this tact, the GOP has managed to offend every one of my policy positions. By pushing the FMA, rejecting the Lofgren Amendment to the UVVA, and other similar tactics, they're not socially liberal (or even moderate). By pushing unaffordable Tax Cuts, they're not economically prudent or moderate. By running the deficit up, they make it impossible to even pay for the liberal programs I LIKE that they're nominally supporting. And the only area where the Bush administration has shown any willingness to cut costs is on Homeland Security of all things, the one area in which we can't skimp on. There's a reason why many prominent libertarians (Daniel Drezner, Andrew Sullivan, for example) endorsed Kerry this year. If you're still buying the myth that the modern day GOP still cares about "small government," then I have a bridge to sell you.David Schraubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04946653376744012423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321349.post-1101080796883276912004-11-21T15:46:00.000-08:002004-11-21T15:46:00.000-08:00David -
You wrote: "I almost didn't link to it, b...David -<br /><br />You wrote: <I>"I almost didn't link to it, because I was literally shaking after I read it."</I> <br /><br />What exactly caused you to shake in the Delay press statement? The game is politics and if it upset you, well you obviously don't understand how the game is played.<br /><br />You wrote: <I>"Why are Republicans pushing people like me away by clinging to oppressive, virtually autocratic leaders like DeLay?"</I> <br /><br />My question is how can they push you away when you've never been there in the first place. You state, <I>"As some of you know, I've transformed over the past few years from a hyper-liberal quasi-socialist to a moderate center-leftist. [...]I probably will continue to vote straight Democratic Party tickets for the near future..."</I> <br /><br />Now, I ask you, where in that discourse can you ever find a hint of a moderate Republican?<br /><br />You wrote: <I>"The Republican party has no coherent ideology anymore, just blind feality to a ruling class committed to power at all costs."</I> How about less government and fewer taxes? This ideology has been something the Republican Party has espoused for decades and seems to be working quite well.<br /><br />May I suggest more soul searching?rightonthemarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03896625636934109313noreply@blogger.com