Hypocrisy Too Late
Purple-faced liberals are screaming about GOP hypocrisy. It's really inconsistency, but they do have a point. Republicans were all for irresponsible spending before they were against it. David Paul Kuhn, no liberal, observes:
Many of the Republicans who backed the historic big government bill are shamelessly sanctimonious about spending today.
Fiscal conservative hypocrisy is so rampant we take it for granted. This is Eric Cantor, a Republican House leader, at a press conference two months ago: "Once again we see the Democrats asking to incur more debt at the same time they are claiming to be fiscally responsible; another day where it is more of, ‘Do as I say, not as I do.'"
The author then reminds us Cantor voted for Bush's grossly expensive Medicare drug plan (which the GOP gets no props for, btw.) He continues on, pointing out some Democratic hypocrisy, but Republicans bear the brunt of his fact-filled assault.
In the GOP's defense, spending as a percentage of GDP was "only" around 65% when they were in power. Since they lost congress it has climbed sharply to over 90%. We're damn near to the tipping point. If there were a time for big spenders to repent and turn hypocrite, it is now.
One-Size-Fits-All Statism
America’s political structure was designed to make legislation at the federal level difficult, not easy. Its founders believed that a country the size of America is best governed locally, not nationally. (The Economist)
Exactly. Obama and the Pelosicrats must relinquish their utopian dreams and let each state sort it out. We are too big, too diverse, and too modern for one-size-fits-all Politburo-style solutions from a gang of creaky, out of touch elitists.
The System Works
There's nothing wrong with American politics. They system is working. Too bad we didn't hit gridlock about 80 years ago. It would have prevented FDR from launching us upon this greased rail to fiscal hell.
Afterword: Hypocrisy is a Tired Charge
The charge of hypocrisy in the political arena is a tired one. I have leveled it only a handful of times in this blog. Adding to the confusion, it is now commonly conflated with inconsistency. Ramesh Ponnuru wrote a good essay on the subject back in 2005.
13 comments:
The charge of hypocrisy I would agree is a tired one but that is due to ever increasing practice of by politicians.
I dare say that when they are not being hypocritical they are then seen as being inconsistent.
I just wish everyone would get back to; 'Mean what you say and say what you mean'.
By the way, the picture ummmm are you infering something there??
It's too bad that the tired, ol' 'throw the bums out' movement never gains traction. With a scarce few exceptions, nearly every one of the current incumbents in the 111th Congress have voted at one time or other to spend like drunken sailors.
Now if half a dozen Republicans reversed course and voted in support of the Health Care Bill, no one from the Democratic party would be on TV decrying them as hypocrites. They would be hailed as moral, compassionate, enlightened...
Now that's hypocrisy.
Okay, just saying first off, I ain't into them there kinky things!
But I figger we need to handcuff Bo, Joe, Pelosi, Reid, Bawney and any crossover dressing Republicans to their own hypocritcal bed of iniquity. Sure would stop us folks from getting anymore screwed than we already are.
Or we can vote for gridlock! Balance of power works, if the Federal pricks can be made impotent with a One-Size-Fits-All rubber thingy.
Sorry bout that, been hanging out at Feed Your ADHD, so I'm a bit snarky this morning.
Okay, I have many differences with the majority of commenters at Western Hero and Silverfiddle, but I am for reigning in government spending.
So, the question is where do we start?
And... and this is the big question does anyone here feel the rhetoric, the daily 'death panel', socialist, white-hating, miranda rights giving, terrorist loving, cocaine snorting blather coming each and every day is acceptable?
Should Democrats and Liberals accept and ignore the speeches coming from CPAC, from Fox News, from Steve King, from Michelle Bachmann, from Sarah Palin, from R. Limbauhg, from Hannity from Beck and turn the other cheek and work with those same people who state LIBERALS HATE AMERICA AND WANT TO DESTROY IT?
Over the years, the Republican party and the Democrat party have become two sides of the same coin, with the Republicans being Democrat-lite. This is why we have never gotten anywhere through elections for years. I can only pray that the Tea Party movement will shake some real sense into the GOP. If not, then we will have no choice but to fight for a strong and viable third party.
I just thought the picture was funny...
Gene, let free speech ring! The American people are smart enough to sort the good stuff from the BS.
I don't know why someone would vote against the stimulus bill and then pimp for billions to come back to their district. It's D.C.'s business as usual, I guess. I do think it helps the chances the Democrats will get a second "jobs" bill through, particularly with Scott Brown aiding and abetting. Here we go again ... Republican chances squandered. It's the story of the party.
everything is wrong with it my friend!
"Over the years, the Republican party and the Democrat party have become two sides of the same coin, with the Republicans being Democrat-lite. This is why we have never gotten anywhere through elections for years. I can only pray that the Tea Party movement will shake some real sense into the GOP. If not, then we will have no choice but to fight for a strong and viable third party."
Spot on, and well put.
The RepubliCONS and DemocRATS are controlled by Elite interests (ie, powerful "higher ups"...who are pushing the "New World Order" globalist agenda) and do not represent the interests of the common people. The politicians are merely puppets of these elite powers behind the scenes.
This is why Bush proposed amnesty for illegals, and why under Bush and a Republican-controlled Congress government size & spending exploded.
This is why Obama is going back on his campaign "promises" to "end the Iraq war" and "stop torture".
Why? Because the Elites pushing this "New World Order" conspiracy (which amounts to plans for worldwide Communist tyranny) want the wars, want the illegal immigration, want big government, want to destroy civil liberties, want to destroy national sovereignty, etc.
The problem with political hypocrites is that they are all guilty.
I am a bit fed up with all the lies, it would be refreshing to find one honest person in DC.
Leticia. One honest person in DC... Indeed.
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