When Did the GOP Lose Touch With Reality?

[Mr.Meanie]

When Did the GOP Lose Touch With Reality?
Some of my Republican friends ask if I’ve gone crazy. I say: Look in the mirror.

By David Frum


It’s a very strange experience to have your friends think you’ve gone crazy. Some will tell you so. Others will indulgently humor you. Still others will avoid you. More than a few will demand that the authorities do something to get you off the streets. During one unpleasant moment after I was fired from the think tank where I’d worked for the previous seven years, I tried to reassure my wife with an old cliché: “The great thing about an experience like this is that you learn who your friends really are.” She answered, “I was happier when I didn’t know.”

It’s possible that my friends are right. I don’t think so—but then, crazy people never do. So let me put the case to you.

I’ve been a Republican all my adult life. I have worked on the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal, at Forbes magazine, at the Manhattan and American Enterprise Institutes, as a speechwriter in the George W. Bush administration. I believe in free markets, low taxes, reasonable regulation, and limited government. I voted for John ­McCain in 2008, and I have strongly criticized the major policy decisions of the Obama administration. But as I contemplate my party and my movement in 2011, I see things I simply cannot support.

more... (http://nymag.com/news/politics/conservatives-david-frum-2011-11/)


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This is a very long read, but a must read IMO. Brilliant delivery and it perfectly encapsulates what is wrong with our current political system.

[Blart]

I don't agree with Frum's politics, but the man knows his party. Great article.

We have entered an era in which politics increasingly revolves around the ugly question of who will bear how much pain. Conservative constituencies already see themselves as aggrieved victims of American government: They are the people who pay the taxes even as their “earned” benefits are siphoned off to provide welfare for the undeserving. The reality is, however, that the big winners in the American fiscal system are the rich, the old, the rural, and veterans—typically conservative constituencies. Squeezing the programs conservatives most dislike—PBS, the National Endowment for the Humanities, tax credits for the poor, the Department of Education, etc.—yields relatively little money. Any serious move to balance the budget, or even just reduce the deficit a little, must inevitably cut programs conservative voters do like: Medicare for current beneficiaries, farm subsidies, veterans’ benefits, and big tax loopholes like the mortgage-interest deduction and employer-provided health benefits. The rank and file of the GOP are therefore caught between their interests and their ideology—intensifying their suspicion that shadowy Washington elites are playing dirty tricks upon them.

The GOP is in a Catch 22!


The business model of the conservative media is built on two elements: provoking the audience into a fever of indignation (to keep them watching) and fomenting mistrust of all other information sources (so that they never change the channel). As a commercial proposition, this model has worked brilliantly in the Obama era. As journalism, not so much. As a tool of political mobilization, it backfires, by inciting followers to the point at which they force leaders into confrontations where everybody loses, like the summertime showdown over the debt ceiling.

But the thought leaders on talk radio and Fox do more than shape opinion. Backed by their own wing of the book-publishing industry and supported by think tanks that increasingly function as public-relations agencies, conservatives have built a whole alternative knowledge system, with its own facts, its own history, its own laws of economics. Outside this alternative reality, the United States is a country dominated by a strong Christian religiosity. Within it, Christians are a persecuted minority. Outside the system, President Obama—whatever his policy ­errors—is a figure of imposing intellect and dignity. Within the system, he’s a pitiful nothing, unable to speak without a teleprompter, an affirmative-action ­phony doomed to inevitable defeat. Outside the system, social scientists worry that the U.S. is hardening into one of the most rigid class societies in the Western world, in which the children of the poor have less chance of escape than in France, Germany, or even England. Inside the system, the U.S. remains (to borrow the words of Senator Marco Rubio) “the only place in the world where it doesn’t matter who your parents were or where you came from.”


Amazing. I can't believe a conservative can see his own party with such clarity.

[W*GS]

epicFail, Hobo and the other 'bagger and 'bagger wanna-bes will not be able to read this.

[Spider]

LOL if those idiots did read this, they would shiat all over themselfs

[Play2win]

In short, we are becoming Rome. Unless we do something to change...

[TonyR]

I don't agree with Frum's politics, but the man knows his party. Great article.

The GOP is in a Catch 22!

Amazing. I can't believe a conservative can see his own party with such clarity.

That 2nd quote you posted perfectly pegs most of the righties who frequently post on this forum. They are so lost and so duped by what Frum describes here. Completely out of touch with reality. epicfail is practically the poster child for this.

[Bronx33]

All parties have lost touch lets quit pretending ok.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Nancy Pelosi loves that you guys keep voting her into a position to keep up her insider trading. John Kerry, Dick Durbin, and Spencer Bachus say thanks as well.

Throw Them All Out
http://www.amazon.com/Throw-Them-All-Peter-Schweizer/dp/0547573146/?tag=wwwbreitbartc-20

[El Jué]

September 14, 1901.

[epicSocialism4tw]

September 14, 1901.

Um...why are you bringing up the date of the assassination of a president?

[El Jué]

Um...why are you bringing up the date of the assassination of a president?

I'm bringing up the date of the inauguration of a president.

[epicSocialism4tw]

I'm bringing up the date of the inauguration of a president.

Thats the date that McKinley died from gunshot wounds.

Pretty sick there, chica.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Its not to cool to bring up presidential assassination when these OWS clowns are firing sniper rifles at the White House, guy.

[El Jué]

Its not to cool to bring up presidential assassination when these OWS clowns are firing sniper rifles at the White House, guy.

http://www.liturgy.co.nz/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Jesusfacepalmsml.jpg

[epicSocialism4tw]

http://www.liturgy.co.nz/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Jesualmsml.jpg

Maybe you shouldn't have posted something that suggests presidential assassination, don't you think?

Especially at a time when violent protests are becoming increasingly violent and protesters are firing bullets at the White House.

That's incredibly sick.

[El Jué]

Maybe you shouldn't have posted something that suggests presidential assassination, don't you think?

Especially at a time when violent protests are becoming increasingly violent and protesters are firing bullets at the White House.

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/1/10459/1380120-jesus_facepalm_super.png

[epicSocialism4tw]

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/1/10459/1380120-_super.png

Either you didn't know that Roosevelt assumed the presidency after McKinley was assassinated, or you are promoting assassination for political reasons.

Either way it doesn't look good on you.

[El Jué]

Either you didn't know that Roosevelt assumed the presidency after McKinley was assassinated, or you are promoting assassination for political reasons.

Either way it doesn't look good on you.

http://bulk.destructoid.com/ul/user/4/4536-80528-JesusFacepalmjpg-550x.jpg

[epicSocialism4tw]

http://bulk.destructoid.com/ul/user/4/4536-80528-.jpg

You still have yet to address the real issue...that you just promoted the assassination of a president on an internet forum.

Either that or you had no idea what you were suggesting.

Either way...not too smart there, burro.

[El Jué]

You still have yet to address the real issue...that you just promoted the assassination of a president on an internet forum.

Either that or you had no idea what you were suggesting.

Either way...not too smart there, burro.

I was suggesting that the GOP lost its way the moment Roosevelt became president, you buffoon. It didn't have diddly **** to do with McKinley.

And I'm running out of Jesuses.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1gGYksfb6uQ/Tjsu-8MxL5I/AAAAAAAAAFI/xK0ulr1bvtA/s1600/jesus+with+facepalm+dude.jpg

[epicSocialism4tw]

I was suggesting that the GOP lost its way the moment Roosevelt became president, you buffoon. It didn't have diddly **** to do with McKinley.

And I'm running out of Jesuses.

You posted the date of the day that McKinley died from assassin's bullets without any additional information.

Backpedal all you want. You should probably come up with some explanation for why you posted the date of the assassination of a president without any context.

Pretty dang stupid.

[El Jué]

You posted the date of the day that McKinley died from assassin's bullets without any additional information.

Backpedal all you want. You should probably come up with some explanation for why you posted the date of the assassination of a president without any context.

Pretty dang stupid.

http://nintendoeverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Head-desk-300x225.jpg

[epicSocialism4tw]

http://nintendoeverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Head-desk-300x225.jpg

http://cdn.pimpmyspace.org/media/pms/c/28/8n/nv/burro.jpg

[Spider]

September 14, 1901.

:~ohyah!:

[Odysseus]

In short, we are becoming Rome. Unless we do something to change...

The Visigoths are already here. (Contractors)

[Odysseus]

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/1/10459/1380120-jesus_facepalm_super.png

Sorry. That was just funny. I don't care who ya are.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Maybe you shouldn't have posted something that suggests presidential assassination, don't you think?
Especially at a time when violent protests are becoming increasingly violent and protesters are firing bullets at the White House.
That's incredibly sick.
Says the hypocritical moron that posted this...

Hose the anarchists, communists, and socialists out of every public space in the country.
Maybe Obama finally understands after one shot at him in the White House.

[Odysseus]

All parties have lost touch lets quit pretending ok.

In the past people would start out Democrats and then when they became more established became Republicans. Why this is significant is that people are increasingly feeling a sense of not having anywhere to go.

Republicans have an opportunity reinvent themselves or better yet reinvent this entire country. We need a solid business leader who understands the values of innovation and isn't afraid to be inclusive in his policy considerations.

The hard core right has a stranglehold on the RNC and it's hurting this country. There will never be a third party. Any change that comes has to come from either the party in power (who won't likely change) or the party who is not in power (where change needs to come from).

Nobody is picking on the Republicans per se. It's just the most direct path to making real change happen.

[Rohirrim]

Its not to cool to bring up presidential assassination when these OWS clowns are firing sniper rifles at the White House, guy.

See? More juvenile and pathetic passive aggressive lashing out.

Of course, the guy who actually did the shooting claims to be Jesus, so I guess we can call this just another example of Christian terrorism.

As far as the OP and when did the GOP lose touch with reality? When they all signed Grover's pledge and abrogated their responsibilities as representatives in this Republic. Basically, they are all engaged in treasonous behavior. Why? Because not only do they refuse to do their jobs as outlined in the Constitution, but they also simultaneously attack our mode of government and strive to replace it with their ideological brand of fascism. As Washington pointed out, the basis of our government is "accommodation," not radical extremism. What the Right Wing is trying to foment in this country is another civil war.

[alkemical]

The Visigoths are already here. (Contractors)

How do you bypass the constitution?

By outsourcing!

[TonyR]

Nancy Pelosi loves that you guys keep voting her into a position to keep up her insider trading. John Kerry, Dick Durbin, and Spencer Bachus say thanks as well.

Funny, I've never voted for any of these people you list...

[Rohirrim]

Funny, I've never voted for any of these people you list...

Extremists like drama llama don't worry about facts.

[alkemical]

It's an example of how dogma kills thought.

[elsid13]

It's an example of how dogma kills thought.

Very similar to the Madrasah that are causing the world problems today.

[alkemical]

Very similar to the Madrasah that are causing the world problems today.

You know what's even funnier/worse:

Over here, you pay for it, so you attach some emotional quotient to it to have a weighted "value". So, since you have "invested" in it, it basically allows the self-perpetuation of indoctrination.

Think about that! People are willingly paying for their own brainwashing!

Tithing = Subscription to these guys.

[Odysseus]

It's an example of how dogma kills thought.

My dogma is better than your dogma! :)

I would rather seek a holy man than be one. The price of spirituality these days is very high.

Tithing is supposed to prevent the church leaders from being beggars. Some religions prefer them to be beggars but in non agrarian society this doesn't work so well.

Islam is widely misunderstood by Christians.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrasah --
"When articles mentioned 'madrassas,' readers were led to infer that all schools so-named are anti-American, anti-Western, pro-terrorist centers having less to do with teaching basic literacy and more to do with political indoctrination."

One of the ways Republicans lost touch is they think they own Jesus. They sold him out too.

[alkemical]

My dogma is better than your dogma! :)

I would rather seek a holy man than be one. The price of spirituality these days is very high.

Tithing is supposed to prevent the church leaders from being beggars. Some religions prefer them to be beggars but in non agrarian society this doesn't work so well.

Islam is widely misunderstood by Christians.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrasah --
"When articles mentioned 'madrassas,' readers were led to infer that all schools so-named are anti-American, anti-Western, pro-terrorist centers having less to do with teaching basic literacy and more to do with political indoctrination."

One of the ways Republicans lost touch is they think they own Jesus. They sold him out too.


Eye-Dolls exist, and everyone tithes whom they TRUST



Oh, My Lord!
When I'm on I feel good
Trust (good Lord)
When I'm on I feel good
Trust

Who do ya trust if U can't trust God?
Who can U trust - who can ya?
Who do ya trust if U can't trust God?
Who can U trust - who can ya?

Come and see

chorus

wait, I want ya with me



I'm not going to wax on Christianity & Islam - for me - i don't understand EITHER anymore. The SENDERS of the message aren't coherent. :)

[Odysseus]

Eye-Dolls exist, and everyone tithes whom they TRUST

I'm not going to wax on Christianity & Islam - for me - i don't understand EITHER anymore. The SENDERS of the message aren't coherent. :)

I was talking to a friend of mine about investment strategies and he told me his strategy. "I"m spending all my money on whores and brother PUSSY futures are looking really good." He's a crazy Marine hillbilly from Alabama and I swear he tells the funniest stories. He's happy and that is all that matters. How that man has not contracted every known venereal disease there is a miracle.

Everybody has their own path. It doesn't matter. It's just talk. Oh yeah. All the "senders" are dead. You have to figure out for yourself what they really meant and trust me it isn't easy.

[alkemical]

lol... pussy futures!!!! i like that....hahaha

I understand what you mean about discernment. it took me a while to figure that out.

I whois websites to see who owns them, and what or why is this content created. my one buddy was watching me do this for the 'thrive' movie and i found a company that sells domains to EVERYONE, so they have a lot of spam complaints. The registrar email address "looks" like a hex address (but i didn't get it to resolve).

No matter what, there's a paper trail...sometimes the reciepts tell the best story.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

All parties have lost touch lets quit pretending ok.

Well, I guess deflections like this one are one way to avoid any examination of your party.

But the unexamined life is just SOP for right-wingers.

[Odysseus]

lol... p***Y futures!!!! i like that....hahaha

I understand what you mean about discernment. it took me a while to figure that out.

I whois websites to see who owns them, and what or why is this content created. my one buddy was watching me do this for the 'thrive' movie and i found a company that sells domains to EVERYONE, so they have a lot of spam complaints. The registrar email address "looks" like a hex address (but i didn't get it to resolve).

No matter what, there's a paper trail...sometimes the reciepts tell the best story.

He told me this prior to 2008 waaaay back when I thought I was a smart investor and my rock star returns were untouchable. I don't regret my decision to invest in the compromised and abusive markets. It was morally ethical high road but troubling to think his point might be valid.

Our society seems focused on lowering the standards of mediocrity, debasing education opportunities, and rehashing the vomit of our subconscious fear as some kind of expensive luxurious pastry.

[mosca]

Its not to cool to bring up presidential assassination when these OWS clowns are firing sniper rifles at the White House, guy.
No need for you to bring up the Christian Shooter who recently targeted the WH.

[mhgaffney]

Mr Meanie,

Your friends apparently are unaware that the GOP is no longer a party of conservatives -- but extremism.

True conservatives abhor the handouts to the rich, the war economy, and the failure to protect the environment.

The neo cons are not true conservatives. Ron Paul is the only one left.

I am on the left -- but feel much kinship with libertarians like R Paul. maybe becaue of his integrity -- now a vanishing virtue.

MHG