We’re not doomed?
by Tom Sullivan
A couple of links I came across over the weekend gave me just a moment’s pause to think that maybe, just maybe, we are not doomed. Nancy LeTourneau at Political Animal points to a conversation Robert Reich had with a Republican former member of Congress:
Me: “So what do really you think of these candidates?”
Him: “You want my unvarnished opinion?’
Me: “Please. That’s why I called.”
Him: “They’re all nuts.”
Me: “Seriously. What do you really think of them?”
Him: “I just told you. They’re bonkers. Bizarre. They’re like a Star Wars bar room.”
Me: “How did it happen? How did your party manage to come up with this collection?”
Him: “We didn’t. They came up with themselves. There’s no party any more. It’s chaos. Anybody can just decide they want to be the Republican nominee, and make a run for it. Carson? Trump? They’re in the lead, and they’re both out of their f*cking minds.”
Me: “That’s not reassuring.”
Him: “It’s a disaster. I’m telling you, if either of them is elected, this country is going to hell. The rest of them aren’t much better. I mean, Carly Fiorina? Really? Rubio? Please. Ted Cruz? Oh my god. And the people we thought had it sewn up, who are halfway sane — Bush and Christie — they’re sounding almost as batty as the rest.”
Me: “Who’s to blame for this mess?”
Him: “Roger Ailes, David and Charles Koch, Rupert Murdoch, Rush Limbaugh. I could go on. They’ve poisoned the American mind and destroyed the Republican Party.
So maybe there is some common ground out there.
Another link that came over the transom is from Bill Maher’s show. Alexandra Pelosi interviewed New Jersey Republicans on what they want to see Big Gummint cut: pretty much nothing. Medicare? Nope. Social Security? Nope. Veterans’ benefits, education, military, unemployment benefits? Nope, nope, nope, and nope. But the waste, of course.
LeTourneau cites “movement conservative refugee” Michael Lind’s Politico piece on the decrepit conservatism the GOP clings to like Bill Buckley standing athwart history yelling Stop. The result, LeTourneau writes, is the “policy vacuum that has been filled by the likes of candidates like Trump and Carson.”
See, liberals and conservatives can agree on something. LeTourneau points to a clip I’ve seen before from filmmakers Annabel Park and Eric Byler. Watch it for the last few minutes and see someone’s eyes opened. Maybe it will make Monday a little more bearable for you.