JHB
JHB's JournalA couple of my old posts you might want to look at...
...just some of my own "talking points" when dealing with these people -- and remember, you're not necessarily going to convince them, but you might have more effect on bystanders, and even the "arguing with a brick wall" people can have seeds planted that eventually break up the bricks.
“People who just want stuff”: 1860
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021803220
(because they need to be constantly reminded that Lincoln's Republican Party was a liberal-left party)
Let's look at history: where did income tax brackets fall?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2576927
A Century of Tax Bracket Thresholds
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002400229
Today I discovered that Grover Norquist agrees with me about something...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021886942
This list came up last year. My answers remain: *regarding RW talking points that I've also had relatives post on Facebook)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=1580958
It's worth remembering we've been through this before: (Re: fearmongering about muslims)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=1506090
Finance isn't the "engine of the economy". It's the lube system.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=1367629
Lysenko Economics (naming the mess Krugman describes)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002857819
There's a pretty easy answer to that question...
It lost touch with reality for basically your entire adult lifetime, Mr. Frum. All the deals that you made, all the nutty groups you courted to win power, all the campaigns against "liberal media" and "liberal elitism", and the radicalism those things fed. You recruited these radicals -- as long as they hated liberals then the Republican Party wanted them.
You used all of that to gain power, and to enact your lower taxes, your notion of "reasonable regulation", and your imaginary "limited government", and you're just now noticing that they don't want to stop at a place that you think is reasonable. You fed this pack of beasts, and now you've discovered that since you're not completely with them, they regard you as a slacker, backslider, and backstabber, and they're happy to chew you up too.
And let's not forget how you've been a Useful Idiot for conservative billionaires who do not want "free markets, low taxes, reasonable regulation, and limited government" -- they want markets that work for THEM, no taxes on THEM (just on "the little people"
, regulation that doesn't limit THEM but does limit anyone who would cause THEM problems, and government that THEY can control.
The intellectual underpinnings of this were laid down in the 50s and 60s, the tools were sharpened in the 70s, your Great Crusade was launched in the 80s, and took on its present form in the 90s. If you're only noticing it now, just think back on the 20-40 years of excuses you've made for the radicalism that now has a firm grip on your party.
How did the Republican Party lose grip with reality? By ignoring reality, Mr. Frum. Just like you did.
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Gender: Do not displayCurrent location: Somewhere in the NYC metropolitan statistical area
Member since: 2001
Number of posts: 37,158
