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| Paul Krugman |
Paul Krugman published an article in the New York Times titled The Fix Isn’t In where he discussed movement conservatism. Movement conservatism was a term I was not
familiar with; but I have seen it in action and recognized it as the bait and
switch that the Republican Party has played with their ignorant base and the one
percent they actually support, since the time of Reagan.
Below is an excerpt from his article and a link to the full writing. It is a short piece and worth reading: food
for thought.
"I don’t mean that conservatism in
general is dying. But what I and others mean by “movement conservatism,” a term
I think I learned from the historian Rick Perlstein, is something more specific: an interlocking set
of institutions and alliances that won elections by stoking cultural and racial
anxiety but used these victories mainly to push an elitist economic agenda,
meanwhile providing a support network for political and ideological loyalists."
This article seems to truly, in simple terms, explain the Republican Party of the last four decades.
the Ol’Buzzard
Read something interesting yesterday: http://crookedtimber.org/2014/05/30/what-made-evangelicals-come-out-of-the-closet/#more-33084
ReplyDeleteBasically it says what got the Bible-Bangers political was the IRS removing the tax deduction for segregationist schools. It was during the Nixon administration. Abortion wasn't the problem (as a matter of fact the Baptists thought Roe v Wade was a good decision) and nobody cared about gays back then. But losing the tax deduction for church schools (segregation academies) got them riled up.
I've told some of those that spout the Reich-WingNut bullshit that they are being played, but as Mark Twain said, "It's easier to fool someone than to convince them they've been fooled."
Every once in a while I get hopeful that my fondest wish will come true, that the GOP will become the Whigs of the 21st century. Then again there's another saying, "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the average American." Same goes for politics where some take the question, "How fucking stupid are you" as a challenge!!
I wonder if you are familiar with the Austrian Libertarian Economic Saint, von Hayek? His writings are used as rationals to "prove" the rantings of Ayn Rand.
ReplyDeleteHe was absolutely wrong about everything and was still awarded the Nobel Prize in 1974. His classic work was The Road to Serfdom, written in 1944 which included a chapter entitled, Why The Worst Get To The Top.