Krugman writes: 'The larger point, however, is that whoever finally gets the Republican nomination will be a deeply flawed candidate. And these flaws won't be an accident, the result of bad luck regarding who chose to make a run this time around; the fact that the party is committed to demonstrably false beliefs means that only fakers or the befuddled can get through the selection process. Of course, given the terrible economic picture and the tendency of voters to blame whoever holds the White House for bad times, even a deeply flawed G.O.P. nominee might very well win the presidency. But then what?"
Portrait, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, 06/15/09. (photo: Fred R. Conrad/NYT)
Send In the Clueless
05 December 11
here are two crucial things you need to understand about the current state of American politics. First, given the still dire economic situation, 2012 should be a year of Republican triumph. Second, the G.O.P. may nonetheless snatch defeat from the jaws of victory - because Herman Cain was not an accident.
And you also have to denounce President Obama, who enacted a Republican-designed health reform and killed Osama bin Laden, as a radical socialist who is undermining American security. So what kind of politician can meet these basic G.O.P. requirements? There are only two ways to make the cut: to be totally cynical or to be totally clueless.
Mitt Romney embodies the first option. He's not a stupid man; he knows perfectly well, to take a not incidental example, that the Obama health reform is identical in all important respects to the reform he himself introduced in Massachusetts - but that doesn't stop him from denouncing the Obama plan as a vast government takeover that is nothing like what he did. He presumably knows how to read a budget, which means that he must know that defense spending has continued to rise under the current administration, but this doesn't stop him from pledging to reverse Mr. Obama's "massive defense cuts." Mr. Romney's strategy, in short, is to pretend that he shares the ignorance and misconceptions of the Republican base. He isn't a stupid man - but he seems to play one on TV.
And Mr. Gingrich has some advantages none of the previous challengers had. He is by no means the deep thinker he imagines himself to be, but he's a glib speaker, even when he has no idea what he's talking about. And my sense is that he's also very good at doublethink - that even when he knows what he's saying isn't true, he manages to believe it while he's saying it. So he may not implode like his predecessors. The larger point, however, is that whoever finally gets the Republican nomination will be a deeply flawed candidate. And these flaws won't be an accident, the result of bad luck regarding who chose to make a run this time around; the fact that the party is committed to demonstrably false beliefs means that only fakers or the befuddled can get through the selection process.
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The GOP is still selling snake oil, however wrapped or packaged. Huntsman is the only true conservative, and he's trying not to be.
I always wonder what would have happened had Obama truly believed in himself as we did.
Those who are critical of Obama are pro Republican. Beware of them.
Sir,you sound like an intolerant dictator!callin g us the one that criticize Obama for his broken promisess,pro-republicans is totally unappropiate. Please,read the article that appeared in ALTERNET,other progressive news provider" 20 ways the Obama administration has intruded on your Rights" . Would be good if you read what Theodore Roosevelt said: "...TO ANNOUNCE THAT THERE MUST BE NO CRITICISM OF THE PRESIDENT,OR THAT WE ARE TO STAND BY THE PRESIDENT,RIGHT OR WRONG,IS NOT ONLY UNPATRIOTIC AND SERVIL,BUT IS MORALLY TREASONABLE TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH SHOULD BE SPOKEN ABOUT HIM OR ANY ONE ELSE.BUT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO TELL THE TRUTH,PLEASANT OR UNPLEASANT,ABOU T HIM THAT ABOUT ANY ONE ELSE".
"Roosevelt in the Kansas City Star" May 7,1918
http://contract.rebuildthedream.com/?rc=rtd_home
If President Obama wished to run in 2016, I would wish him well, hoping he had learned what is required to truly represent all of the citizens of this nation, not just the wealthy 2%.
Also, should, by a miracle, Obama lie himself out of office anyway, I think we would see a 'Cheney-Like' republican
V .P. to 'assist his President' in any Important Given Directions
It is not only the GOP who are clueless in political principle or Obama who is clueless politically and intellectually; We the people are clueless about what to do.
One of Paul Krugman's points may be that if the Republicans win in 2012, their
ideology could end up being the best way ever to turn the American public to liberal ways of thinking and governing. We've seen this already in the backlash after voters realized the ramifications of the 2010 elections where so many Republicans were voted into office.
However, four years would be a long time to suffer with a pretend clueless but really very dangerous Republican president.
It still seems there is a better chance to advocate for real reform if Obama is elected again.
This is blanket statement and completely untrue.
There are many "progressives" who are critical of Obama, and are in NO WAY "pro Republican"
and the Kochs.
Just like in the lead up to the 2008 election, millions of 'democrats' will have to start pretending all over again again that they are opposed to most of what Obama has been doing since he's been president.
It is not Obama's fault that even though he promised transparency there are still some people who are still unable to see through him.
Obama does NOT cave. When someone continually and repeatedly goes along on everything with someone else whom they 'claim' to be opposing, it's not 'caving'.
It's the plan. The INTENTIONAL plan.
Look carefully at his re-election "strategy"...
On July 07 Doyle McManus published an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times on Team Obama's victory plan, analyzing Senior White House Adviser (the "brains" behind the president's 2008 campaign) David Plouffe's comments at a breakfast Wednesday, July 6, 2011, organized by Bloomberg news.
First, Plouffe suggested, Obama has an opportunity to improve his standing among independent voters -- many of whom deserted the Democrats in the 2010 midterm election -- by working with Republicans toward bipartisan deficit-reduction measures.
http://antemedius.com/content/it-not-obamas-fault
Well, the country will be totally lost. That's what will happen if the Repukes somehow end up in the White House next year. I read so many voices here who are disappointed in Obama, and I include myself among you. BUT I'm not naive enough to think we will be better off putting the Repukes back in office! And that is exactly what you will be helping to do if you vote for a third party candidate. Folks, the only hope here is to keep Obama in and continue supporting OWS in their work to CHANGE THE SYSTEM! We need to boot just about every Rep in Congress out of office, and all the Blue Dogs too, and replace them with progressive Dems. I know the system corrupts even people of honor once they make it to congress, but my fervent hope is that with OWS and the country at their back, shining the light on what Wall St/corporate America are really doing to the country, those in office in the coming years will see that they MUST work to change the corrupt system. Surely there are SOME ethical people of strong character we can elect to Congress who WANT to change it just as we do.
1. Any republican will be much worse than Obama on his worst day.
2. The president as part of the separation of powers can only do so much, so we need to get rid of the legislature that isn't supporting the goals we want to see accomplished.
3. That means primaries and good by to Blue Dogs defined broadly and to republicans to be replaced by Elizabeth Warren lookalikes.
No reason to stand around being clueless about what action can be taken. Go for it!!!
Going on and on about what a screwed up political/economic system we have get you nowhere. Take focused realistic ACTION!
Clay Stouffer
Substance and true discussion of issues, let alone IDEAS, is the last thing they want!
And this part about Newt Gingrich sums up what I've thought of him since I first heard of him: Gingrich "...is by no means the deep thinker he imagines himself to be, but he's a glib speaker, even when he has no idea what he's talking about."
To me Gingrich has always seemed like a charlatan, a crooked revival preacher, a traveling snake oil salesman, the music man, a confidence man using smoke and mirrors to baffle the faithful conservatives. And it worked! IT STILL WORKS!!
These two ass clowns were leading the polls among the GOP base. You can't make this shit up.
Did I hear you say, "What 'best' Republicans?"
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