More From Bruce Bartlett
Literally as I was posting the excerpt from Bruce Bartlett on The GOP’s Misplaced Rage, Steve Benen quoted Bartlett from an email conversation:
I believe that political parties should do penance for their mistakes and just losing power is not enough. Part of that involves understanding why those mistakes were made and how to prevent them from happening again. Republicans, however, have done no penance. They just pretend that they did nothing wrong. But until they do penance they don’t deserve any credibility and should be ignored until they do. That’s what my attacks on Bush are all about. I want Republicans to admit they were wrong about him, accept blame for his mistakes, and take some meaningful action to keep them from happening again. Bush should be treated as a pariah, as Richard Nixon was for many years until he rebuilt his credibility by more or less coming clean about Watergate with David Frost and writing a number of thoughtful books.
One reason this isn’t happening is because the media don’t treat Republicans as if they are discredited. On the contrary, they often seem to be treated as if they have more credibility than the administration. Just look at the silly issue of death panels. The media should have laughed it out the window, ridiculed it or at least ignored it once it was determined that there was no basis to the charge. Instead, those making the most outlandish charges are treated with deference and respect, while those that actually have credibility on the subject are treated as equals at best and often with deep skepticism, as if they are the ones with an ax to grind.
Says Benen:
I find this overwhelmingly persuasive. Bush/Cheney policies failed so spectacularly, Republican candidates and officeholders are generally reluctant to associate themselves with the tarnished name of the previous administration. But Bush/Cheney policies are still those of the contemporary Republican Party. Nothing has changed. Failure and defeat haven’t chastened the GOP at all, and if given a chance to govern again, Republican leaders are quite anxious to return to the exact same agenda they embraced when they were in the majority.
And the political mainstream seems to think this is sane.
7 Responses to “More From Bruce Bartlett”
Which is why reform needs to happen. If no one is willing to chastise the republicans, then its up to the democrats to punish them for their reliance on identity politics, fear-based argumentation, a fact-loathing approach to issues and cramping partisanship.
Bartlett, Larison and Bacevich are voices of reason, and can be an enjoyable read even for a liberal. But the likes of Monica Crowley, Buchanan's, Ann Coulter and Tucker CVarlson are the MSM pundits from the Right…
The problem with Mr. Brenen is that is believes the opposite of Mr. Bartlett. Mr. Brenen wants the Republican Party to double down on the failures of the Bush Administration by supporting more entitlements, more spending, more regulations, more immigration, more nanny state programs, more international adventures. Whereas people like Mr. Bartlett and Mr. Larison are for smaller govenrment and isolationism.
I find it odd that everuyone of the left is quoting Mr. Barlett but reaching the opposite conclusion.
I don't agree with SD very often but this time I do – Democrats are picking and choosing what to take out of Bartlett's article. Bartlett is saying Bush failed largely because he didn't support supply-side economics, smaller government and control of pork barrel spending. In short, Bush failed partially because he was acting like a Democrat.
It seems to that this is main point of Bartlett's article:
[...] More From Bruce Bartlett | The Moderate Voice By JOE WINDISH, Technology Editor Mr. Brenen wants the Republican Party to double down on the failures of the Bush Administration by supporting more entitlements, more spending, more regulations, more immigration, more nanny state programs, more international adventures … The Moderate Voice – http://themoderatevoice.com/ [...]
Lets face it, the best governments for this nation have been divided ones, neither party can or should be trusted to run it on its own. Next election I'm taking my moderate hat off and voting against my Democratic Congressman who I've supported the last 4 elections and will vote for Attila the Hun if he ran against him. The Democrats promised change when they took over Congress but all we are seeing is Nancy Pelosi using Tom Delay tactics. Until the Democratic monopoly is broken on federal power, picking the best candidate for the job is out the window.