Send in the Clueless, and the Cynics and the Reality Show ‘Stars’
Dec 5th, 2011 | 19 responses
The criticism expressed by the pundits of the slate of Republican presidential wannabes has been quite fierce — from the Left and from the Right.
Judging from the muted, lethargic responses by Republicans — sometimes even agreement — including here at TMV, one would think that the GOP, this time, has decided to “Send in the Clueless” — or at least the “cynics” — to, first, “undersmart” each other and, subsequently, to attempt to beat Obama.
E. J. Dionne calls this spectacle “The GOP’s Rational Reality Show,” and goes down the list of what makes it so, concluding that the “Republican establishment” is essentially powerless to save matters, as it “sold its soul to the tea party, sat by silently as extremist rhetoric engulfed the GOP, and figured that swing voters would eventually overlook all this to cast a vote against a bad economy.”
At the New York Times, Paul Krugman takes a different tack.
In “Send in the Clueless,” Krugman first points out that while 2012 should be a year of Republican triumph, “the G.O.P. may nonetheless snatch defeat from the jaws of victory — because Herman Cain was not an accident.”
After explaining the basic requirements to be a viable Republican candidate these days –denounce Obama, denounce Big Government, denounce high taxes — Krugman concludes that there are only two ways to make the cut: “to be totally cynical or to be totally clueless.”
Read here which candidates make the cut and why, and why “whoever finally gets the Republican nomination will be a deeply flawed candidate.”
Of course, no story of the GOP’s Rational Reality Show would be complete without a reference to Mr. Cain’s significant contributions.
Referring to the dreadful possibility that “even a deeply flawed G.O.P. nominee might very well win the presidency,” Krugman asks, “But then what?” and says:
The Washington Post quotes an unnamed Republican adviser who compared what happened to Mr. Cain, when he suddenly found himself leading in the polls, to the proverbial tale of the dog who had better not catch that car he’s chasing. “Something great and awful happened, the dog caught the car. And of course, dogs don’t know how to drive cars. So he had no idea what to do with it.”
The same metaphor, it seems to me, might apply to the G.O.P. pursuit of the White House next year. If the dog actually catches the car — the actual job of running the U.S. government — it will have no idea what to do, because the realities of government in the 21st century bear no resemblance to the mythology all ambitious Republican politicians must pretend to believe. And what will happen then?
Read more here.
19 Responses to “Send in the Clueless, and the Cynics and the Reality Show ‘Stars’”
Ultra liberal Krugman said:
“the actual job of running the U.S. government — it will have no idea what to do, because the realities of government in the 21st century bear no resemblance to the mythology all ambitious”
Sound familiar, yes that is what they said about Obama.
The dog bit is cute, I approve, but the Dems have been doing that dog thing, where they clean themselves, for too long.
I don’t blame the Dems or the Reps, exclusively, but the Reps seem to be more aware of our dire economic situation.
Yes, the reps spent like a drunken sailor, but the Dems are the whole fleet.
Both sides need to grow up.
I agree completely with dduck and “both sides need to grow up”.
But part of growing up is learning how to give and take, compromise and live together in a communicative relationship.
Not sure politicians can learn to grow up given these requirements.
I don’t know what “today” has to do with it. Republicans have been electing the clueless for as long as I can remember. So when was the last time Krugman ran for anything? Clue is; if he knows so darn much about politics and what our country needs, maybe he should try his hand at it.
Another excellent article Dorian… Thank you.
But the ‘right side of the rooms’ attempt to make it about something all together different, along with their disproved on a daily basis “both sides do it and are equally to blame” straw-man argument, has already told you that you hit a nerve… Ergo, made a valid point.
Thanks, Steve K.
Although it is not my intent to “hit a nerve” –just to inform
–it has not escaped my attention that for some, the rebuttal is “both sides do it and are equally to blame,” 90 percent of the time on 90 percent of the issues.
But that’s OK, it just reinforces the point.
OK, you guys can be the 90%ers, constantly attacked on 90% of the issues raised here.
Perhaps the fact that 90% of the posts are by lefties might yield somewhat of an understanding.
When faced with the preponderance of attacks portraying the righties as just plain evil money grubbers that hate all poor people, except when they take advantage of them, it becomes tiresome since lefties will admit to doing no wrong, well hardly ever.
Lately, it is intelligence and lack of morals that are driving the news, and since there is only one presidential circus, the Reps, it is great for the left and money in the bank for comedians. My urologist said radiation therapy is the gift that keeps giving, today Whoopi Goldberg said the same thing about Herman Cain.
I’m sorry the right can’t point to other than the 2008 Dem candidates for comic relief, but alas this time the left can have all the fun.
Please continue to believe that the left is pure and the right is rotten, if it makes you feel superior, oh 90%ers..
DD
Sorry that life is such a beach [sic] [sorry for my Spanish accent]right now.
But, not to worry,as soon as the general elections begin, the swiftboaters,the birthers, the truthers, and all their buddies will be out in full force to more than make up for lost time and lost opportunities.
And the ducks of the world will give them what they want… Mindless sycophants that have nothing else to contribute.
LOL
Ultra liberal Krugman said:
Why is K-Thug given this label, yet the partisans at Heritage, Hoover Institute and AEI are just “moderates” or (not ultra)conservative thinkers.
Duck-
This place has a talent for turning lefties against lefties, so you are correct, with the ego thing….but…
What it is brotha…with today’s right, apparently, is what it be, with regard to rich against poor and the continuing disappearance of those in between. Your urologist gets paid, mine does not and he’s pissed. So you tell me what is fair, your rich urologist or my lesser rich one? Meanwhile, we both have an appointment that neither of us want, but must have to live.
…and the hyena quietly and undetected, ushered the boy away from the sleeping starving mother, into an area a few meters away. It stroked the boy gently and reassuringly with it’s head as it pushed. It brushed against the boy as if to coddle as it’s large mouth closed around the boy’s head. In one swift movement the boy’s head was crushed to a pulp without a sound in the darkness of black, black night and civilization lost another round.
At least Mr. K (Dr. K? he has a Ph.D.) pointed out the absurdity of the claims made by the far right (Obama is slashing defense spending, Obamacare is government takeover of health care, any tax increase on the wealthy will kill the economy, etc.) Much, much more of this needs to happen. The lies have to be shown to be lies. This includes Obama and friends (Simpson-Bowles suggested 2 trillion in taxes–instead of the 1.2 T, Obama claiming 60% of his promises are done, Congressional Republicans have introduced dozens of bills on social issues and other topics, but “zero on job creation.”)
I have to check nearly every statement from politicians just to see if they are true. That SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. We need them to tell the facts. They can spin them any way they want, but they need to be factual.
“Something great and awful happened, the dog caught the car. And of course, dogs don’t know how to drive cars. So he had no idea what to do with it.”
I love it. It’s like a parable. Btw, I reckon if calling Krugman “ultra liberal” is a reference to his down to earth and straightforward opinions then so be it.
“Mindless sycophants that have nothing else to contribute.”
Thanks, that’s enough to make my point.
Enjoy.
Duck-
..And you made it Duck. God speed!
If the dog actually catches the car — the actual job of running the U.S. government — it will have no idea what to do, because the realities of government in the 21st century bear no resemblance to the mythology all ambitious Republican politicians must pretend to believe. And what will happen then?
Then we would have another unprepared president like Obama I guess.
JSpencer we could debate whether Krugman is an ultra-liberal or not, but his positions are every bit as extreme as someone like Eric Cantor’s (or the institutions Rudi mentions). Anyone supporting a balanced approach to deficit reduction, namely raising taxes and controlling spending, should reject both Krugman and Cantor. This isn’t saying “both sides do it”, it’s refusing to be forced to choose one of two extreme positions.
OK, I will retract “Ultra”, I had just come from brushing my teeth and that word popped into my mind. And, I should have realized that appellation would not be appreciated by some.
He is just an ordinary liberal.
“He is just an ordinary liberal.”
Well, he considers himself to be liberal, so that’s accurate enough, but “ordinary”? Don’t be so grudging my friend. We are talking about an unusually gifted and accomplished Nobel Prize winner. Feel free to brush up:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Krugman
(I know dd, some people are just never satisfied.
)
JS, please note: Nobel Peace Prize winner, Obama.
OK, liberal columnist Krugman wrote:……………………..
Klein can be called a liberal. Krugman is more of a high-level Democratic hack.