Richard Cohen wrote this fabulous op ed piece. I just had to share it on the blog.
Christine O’Donnell, the Tea Party candidate from lil’ ol’ Delaware, confesses to have once “dabbled into witchcraft” — a fittingly ungrammatical revelation that not only was to be expected but explains what has happened to the Republican Party. Someone — possibly you know who — has cast a spell on it, and now it has a candidate whose main contribution to political thought or, indeed, the plight of the poor is to have railed against masturbation, which she likened to adultery. Only a spell can explain such thinking.
Only a spell also can explain how Newt Gingrich, possibly a presidential candidate, can attribute the politics of Barack Obama to “Kenyan, anti-colonial behavior.” Obama allegedly picked up this behavior from his father, whom he knew only fleetingly, which is to say almost not at all, and who has long been dead. This, as Gingrich and others under the spell can tell you, is proof of the demonic power that can come out of the grave, enter the White House (look, the gate-crashing Salahis did it) and pervade the very body and mind of the commander in chief. It’s enough to give you the willies.
Honestly, I WANT, no I NEED, the Republican Party to find its footing again. In order to find the best solutions, we need to have vigorous EDUCATED debate. We need to find our way back to that ying and yang that ultimately brings us to compromise or at least allows for informed disagreement.
This fatuous infatuation with the Constitution, particularly the 10th Amendment, is clearly the work of witches, wiccans and wackos. It has nothing to do with America’s real problems and, if taken too seriously, would cause an economic and political calamity. The Constitution is a wonderful document, quite miraculous actually, but only because it has been wisely adapted to changing times. To adhere to the very word of its every clause hardly is respectful to the Founding Fathers. They were revolutionaries who embraced change. That’s how we got here.
The analogy to the bible and constitution cannot be ignored. There are those who believe the bible is a guide, just as the Constitution was created as a guide, as a document to be interpreted throughout the evolution of society, so is the bible. I have NO interest in having my country governed by those who believe the bible is literal or that the constitution is some iconic piece of paper that holds every answer in the most simplistic format.
So, which one are you?
Alas, you know which I am.
As for the Constitution, every time I read one of these literalist conversations, I feel like I need to go buy a prairie dress. If the Constitution wasn’t meant to be an evolving body of laws there would be no reason to even have a Supreme Court or an amendment process.
Interesting op-ed. Nothing like reading the opinion of a moron. If you read carefully, on several occasions starts a sentence in one reality, and ends the same sentence in a completely different reality….and it’s really obvious, too!
Hey Cohen……stand up and turn around! 🙂
You can almost taste the fear in that article (Cohen). It’s very amusing! Thanks MH!!
Cohen is right. The Founding Fathers would have wanted us to question authority. It’s our responsibility to interpret the Constitution and the Founding Fathers would have been disappointed if we failed to do so.
The tea baggers are fond of platitudes like “We should adhere to the Constitution.” Really? What a brilliant and original thought.
As for the witchy woman from Delaware, someone should tell her to “Be gone, before a house falls on you too!” Bwahaha!
I didn’t post it. Elena did. But you are welcome, Marin. I will answer for her.
I am afraid of destructive plans also. I am especially fearful when people are oh so sure they are right and don’t feel like they have anything to learn.
Starry said:
Totally agree.
“Question authority”? The Tea Party is doing that exact thing right now with regard to the current administration and the Congress. And, yet, there are those who seem to want to define that as radicalism and extremism and even as bigotry and racism. For some ideologues such as Richard Cohen then, I would guess that the application of those terms depends on who is doing the questioning and who is being questioned. Actually, I think those doing the questioning are really what the Founders had in mind when they spoke of a need for citizen vigilance to preserve our freedoms. Jefferson himself said as much in words more extreme than I myself would use. And, as Ben Franklin once said, we were given a republic, if we could keep it. That is exactly what many of us are trying to do.
Hey Look! A squirrel is using sexual insults again. We can now disregard everything that squirrel writes.
As for interpreting the Constitution……that depends. Interpreting the Commerce clause to run roughshod over the states is obviously wrong, but has not been enforced. The Constitution has a proper tool for change. Amendment. Not judicial “interpretation.”
Wow, where was all this questioning when Bush was running up the tab? What are these conservatives really angry about? Where were their voices when the war was being paid for in supplemental bills? Where were their voices when the prescription drug act was passed costing almost 800 billion dollars?
To date, no conservative has answered my questions.
Does Christine O Donnel represent what this new “revolution” is about?
Justice Stephens was on NPR recently, it was a wonderful interview, I recommned people, who are so eager to talk about judicial activism listen, you may be enlightened by what you hear.
Oh, and where was this vigilance for freedom when FISA was disregarded by the former President?
Elena, actually the questions have been answered before. Many times over. Not just by me but by others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfYJsQAhl0
Moon, much of that was on other blogs at a time when this one was virtually imbedded in the controversy over the PWC “Resolution.” Mrs. W once told me that, if I dared to use the kind of language I was using in reference to Bush anywhere but in her presence alone, she would wash my mouth out with soap. Actually, it just might have been old George W himself who was one of the original “parents” and “sparks” of the Tea Party. Not to let Karl Rove off the hook.
At least she wasn’t threatening to hang your pelt up on the wall like she did before.
I am no fan of Rove. Oh trust me on this one. He sure turned tail and ran after 2 days. I didn’t realize Karl was afraid of anyone.
@Wolverine
marin, did you have razor soup for breakfast this morning. You think you have said things here. News flash. Not everyone sees everyword. Not everyone remembers every word.
And yes, I am horrified at your suggestion on how to have handled the crash. I think those beliefs are reprehensible. A government does what it must to protect its people and that includes economically.
All, I think you all are forgetting that we don’t all share the same view of things. I will say this without apology. I fear most of you all’s world views more than I fear the current administration. I don’t like everything in Obama world by a long shot but I am more comfortable there than I am in say what Marin has drafted out for us.
Also, the far right pundits have been so nasty about Obama I have defended him just because of the nastiness. Something to think about.
I think far too many people are setting themselves up as experts rather than just having an opinion.
And the days of states rights are about 150 years ago. Take it up with Abe Lincoln. He won and states rights got neutered. It is what it is.
Christine O’Donnell: I’m not doing any more national TV interviews
By Felicia Sonmez
Delaware Senate nominee Christine O’Donnell (R) gave on Tuesday night one of her few national TV interviews since recording a stunning upset over Rep. Mike Castle (R) a week earlier. She used the opportunity to announce that it would be her last national TV interview.
National exposure is now “off the table, because that’s not going to help me get votes,” O’Donnell told Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity. “I’m not going to do any more national media because this is my focus: Delaware is my focus, and the local media is my focus.”
She added that former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s advice, to focus on interviews with Delaware reporters and reaching Delaware voters, was “absolutely right.”
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/
Boy, she’s really afraid of the media.
If the 10th Amendment no longer applies, then we should abolish the states. What are their purpose? If we no longer follow the Constitution, as written and amended, with “interpretation” the watchword of the land, why use it at all? Let Congress run the whole thing based on case law. We won’t need a Supreme Court. In fact, Congress is no longer needed as the Executive can just enact regulations. That’s apparently how President Obama is doing it. Look at his latest “non-appointment” for the new farcical “consumer protection agency” funded by the Federal Reserve. He appointed a director that was not vetted by the Senate by putting her in charge, yet, she’s just a “consultant.”
Lincoln did not prevent succession or end states’ rights. He invaded an entirely separate country because THEY were stupid enough to provide an excuse by firing on Fort Sumter. Succession IS constitutional.
As for being “nasty” about Obama, how about the unqualified adoration that he received early on? Since he IS trying to do the things that he is accused of doing, and he has failed at helping the economy, and he does not seem to be competent or even aware of reality, in many cases, he deserves criticism. The terms ObamaCare, etc, show up, not at derogatory remarks, but as descriptives for what he was pushing. He is a progressive statist. He does not trust the free market or private enterprise. He does believe that everything economic can be “fixed” with government spending. He does believe in the Chicago way of rewarding only your allies, hence, “stiimulus” packages that went primarily to democratic districts. He does weasel words. He also lies. If he’s not lying, then he is completely uninformed about bills that he is supposed to sign.
As for our anger NOW, instead of during Bush’s term……Conservatives have been building to the Tea Party movement for years. Conservatives stayed home during 2006 because of Bush’s and the GOP’s spending. Conservatives spoke out against many parts of the Patriot Act. The Prescription Drug Act was just ONE of the many bills that conservatives voiced their concern about. It started with NCLB. It continued with Bush’s refusal to veto ANYTHING. Elena, you may not realize it, but Bush was not a conservative, to the conservatives. Are you as upset that Bush’s “disregard of FISA”, though it was never ruled unconstitutional, except in the press, is being continued, with most of all the same programs, by Obama. Most of the criticism against Bush is gone. It was ALL POLITICAL. The Left’s concerns were crocodile tears.
Heck, many conservatives think that the DHS should be abolished. Many decryed the ENTIRE Patriot Act. Many thought that Bush should have asked for an actual Declaration of War. However, subsequent research showed that, since WWII, such declarations, bring automatic changes to our society, like price controls. Previous Congresses put in automatic triggers with Declarations of War. Stupid. Of course, current Congresses won’t change anything. That might give future Congresses the idea that things can be repealed.
Where’s the actual substance in that Op-ed? What makes it so good? I’ve seen better stuff here in the comments. By Starry….
And he doesn’t get his facts straight:
“Similarly, only a spell can explain why much of the Republican Party insists on calling Obama a socialist. To apply this label to the very man who saved Big Finance, who rescued Goldman Sachs and the rest of the boys,”
Progressivism is a socialist political philosophy. It seeks to control private enterprise and make it dependent upon government largess. Thus, the “saving” of Big Finance, etc. Notice that it was only certain politically connected firms that got saved. GS’s competitors bit the dirt. He did the same with GM, paying off and giving control of it to political allies. The Banking bill helps big banks. Medical allies, big insurance companies, etc, are helped by HCR, but only if they play ball and accept government control.
Its not about helping the citizen. Its about power to control the economy. Progressives want to save us by controlling the evil free market.
States rights aren’t what they used to be. Much of the stuffing was knocked out of them by the Civil War.
Of course the Constitution is still in effect. We just live in 2010, not 1790. Times change, technology changes and with them, law and interpretation changes.
As for Bush, I didn’t hear any complaining and finger pointing and I certainly frequented conservative ‘joints.’
How about it–people make like who they want to like.
Clinton fan here. I didn’t turn on him over his piccadillos. I figured it was between him and his wife. His enemies sure wasted a lot of tax payer money trying to get the goods on him. Millions. As I have said, I never thought I would ever see anything like the viciousness over Clinton. I was wrong. It is ten times worse over Obama. And the pay backs will be tough.
I beg to differ that conservatives spoke out loudly against NCLB. If they spoke against it, it was in a whisper. I have followed this act like a hawk. There was no outrage. IN fact, many conservatives I know praised it and defended it. I also heard the same thing about the rx drug program, which I actually support.
I haven’t voiced a concern about FISA or the Patriot Act. I know others have from both persuassions.
What is the banking bill? TARP? Financial Reform?
@Moon-howler
Then you missed it. There were many conservative and libertarian bloggers that spoke out against it. However, back when it was passed, it was not a major issue. It was overshadowed by other events in 2001……Bush was at his peak of support.
As for a general outcry against Bush…this conservative revolt has not happened overnight. Its gathered steam for years.
The Banking Bill is the new bill that just passed in July. Its supposed to “rein in the abuses of the past.” One of the powers is that the Federal Reserve is getting a new “consumer protection agency” with police powers. Obama just appointed Elizabeth Warren as consultant responsible for the agencies set up, formation, staffing, future staffing decisions, etc, but…she’s not in charge. That would make her the director and subject to Senate review. I don’t have an opinion on her. Some say she’s an anti-business progressive, others say she’s a tough outsider that criticizes business and government. I haven’t seen any of it. She’s the one overseeing TARP.
BUT, she still needs to be vetted by the Senate. And the new agency is set up to fall outside of the authority of Congress. Its funded by the Federal Reserve, not Congress. So it can’t be de-funded or be overseen by Congress. What could go wrong…..?
Criticism of NCLB has been very limited. It is one of the most horrible pieces of legislation ever passed.
It is up for renewal again. It will probably sail through. It will continue to turn off kids and provide a false metric for evaluating kids, teachers and administrators. It will leech up funds and disproportionately funnel them into services for special groups of kids rather than all kids. Shame shame shame!
Get rid of the Dept. of Education all together. Education should not be a federal activity.
MH to #15,
Razor soup? I didn’t say anything remotely nasty. The observation was posted that no conservatives have answered those questions. We have. Many, many times over. I pointed out that the claim was in error but never did a sombrero dance around it, didn’t call out Elena at all. My comment was respectful in just point out that it was in error.
For the crash question on the other thread. The question was asked, I answered it. On a few threads it’s been openly discussed that TP, conservatives or anyone right of center doesn’t have an answer other than to say no. We do have answers and we put them out there. What do we hear from the left? No. It plays both ways but only one side gets called on it. I have no problem if anyone objects to my ideas, my world view or my opinion. That’s perfectly ok. At the end of the day my feelings aren’t hurt about it.
The way that I see things is that the electorate is irked off. Congress has done these massive ‘fixes’ and changes but the average Joe on the street hasn’t felt it. They’ve only seen unemployment go up. They’ve seen bailouts for the rich bankers and state governments. But, the guy on the street that has a job is getting squeezed tighter and the guy without a job has to hope that govt keeps extending his benefits so he can stay home and collect that check. What’s being done? From the average guys perspective what has the government given us? Nothing.
People are desperate, scared and need to know tommorow will be better. They need someone to come out and say, “I have a solution and I think it’ll make your life and the lives of your kids better.” We aren’t hearing that from the -D or even from the -Rs. We are hearing that from the TP.
To be brutally honest I don’t see much difference in how Obama ran his Change campaign and how the TP is interjecting themselves in our public debates and election. They’re advocating change as well and you know what? People are buying the message.
Both parties are VACUOUS, AMORAL, and DEVOID OF RATIONAL THOUGHT. So there you go.
Politics is usually a referendum on the incumbent. So, I’m cheering for this crazy woman, and others like her, to send a message. I’d certainly love to see Sharon Angle beat Harry Reid too.
@marin, I didn’t say you were rude. razor soup implies a bad mood. (ask Lafayette)
The content in one of your posts was very offensive to me, not how you said it though. If is offensive to me that anyone feels as you do. However, they are your feelings.
People are sheep.
I feel it is a govt’s job to protect its people whether from forces outside the country like an invading army or from elements within, like an economic crash.
@ Rick
Agreed re both parties. I disagree about Sharon Angle. Why would we ever want someone like that in a leadership position. She has recently been rubbing elbows with the John Birch Society. She is totally unacceptable for public office in my world.
I will agree here. it can become a small agency for whatever education needs are out there, and there are some.
Cargo is right on the mark – and that is why Obama is in sooo much trouble. He encouraged the Congress and they simply went too far. In most cases, conservatives, moderates and independents now have somebody (albeit locally) to vote for.
MH, a point of historical disagreement. States rights were not usurped as a result of the Civil War; they were usurped by the need to end illegal and unconstitutional segregation – that had been resolved by the Civil War – coming to a boiling point in the 1960s. Those southerners who stood out there and supported separate but equal and jim crow and opposed integration of schools and other public places caused the Federalism problems we have today. The problem is that Congress and the Federal government never quit expanding their powers.
States rights were decimated by federal busing, Abortion rights, education funding, the special interest reward strings attached to transportation and welfare funding and many more actions that should have been left to the states and in the courts.
Congress and IMHO too many democrats like — seek – the Paris centric French Model of republican democracy – not the American version. Its time to push the restart button.
Maybe Obama can be sent to the corner for time out.
Many historians would disagree that the real erosion of states rights began fairly soon after the Constitution was ratified and that the Civil WAr was the real beginning of the end. Different people have different opinions. You are free to have yours.
Unconstitutional segregation? Now which amendment would that be in? Sounds like over-reaching to me. I have no interest in arguing segregation but I don’t think it is mentioned in the Constitution. Perhaps I overlooked it.
WHAT? Exaclty WHAT is the TP, I assume you mean Tea Party, offering as fixes for the economy? If TARP had not been implemented, what do YOU think would have been the fall out Marimn?
Also, I have heard rumblings of how people did not like some of the Bush initiatives, not sure anyone has been crystal clear though. Was it the tax cuts for the upper 1% that have not been paid for yet? Was it the Iraq war that has cost us billions? NCLB? See, I NEVER heard one word from republicans about those initiatives being wrong. So I find it odd that all these people have suddenly “found” their voices. If people had been so pissed off, why did Bush get elected a second time.
Interesting demise of democracy by TP. I wonder, where are the lobbyists who are making all the money on Capitol Hill? The energy lobbyists, the wall street lobbyists, the insurance industry, etc etc.
Tax cuts do not have to be “paid for.” Its OUR money. The problems with his tax cuts were that they were too complicated and not permanent. How about we cut taxes to 0% for everyone below $1,000,000 and lower everyone above that to 10%? Or is that too much of a tax cut? Is it beyond the pale that everyone should pay the same percentage? How about a flat 15%? EVERYONE got a tax cut under Bush. In fact, that’s why Obama is trying to keep them now. If you’re worried about unpaid for tax cuts, then we need to give the middle class tax cut back more because THAT cost us even MORE BILLIONS and will cost us about 700 billion over the next ten years.
NCLB – Passed in 2001 – Kennedy’s bill – many conservatives, not necessarily GOP objected. 9/11 overshadowed any controversy and it was considered a minor problem except to political junkies like us.
Iraq war – necessary. Won’t convince you so why bother. If you’re worried about billions, the one year’s stimulus cost more than ten years of war in the Iraq theater.
Bush got elected the second time because Kerry was an unmitigated disaster. Bush got elected because the Democrats could not be trusted with the war. Bush got elected because many conservatives still believed that he was a conservative and also they were not politically involved. There was no alternative. Bush got elected because a majority trusted him more on the economy which was thriving, on the war, and on national security.
2006 showed the result of the GOP not living up to its own principles. They lost. 2008 showed the same when they were stupid enough to run McCain.
Unless you spent a lot of time surfing the conservative blogs back then, you would have missed it. It was the liberals that were dominant on the internet back then. These were small blogs. Most conservatives DON’T bother with politics, or at least, didn’t. That’s changing.
The O’Carter Aministration is leading us to a renewed moring in America. The TP is just the vehicle.
Whatever that means.
Response to #34,
My proposed solution for not using TARP was posted in another thread. That is the post that MH says she sees as offensive. Not the wording but the idea that allowing millions to die so that hundreds of millions could be saved. I stand behind it.
Bush 1st term was great. Bush 2nd term was an Obama progressive.
@Moon-howler
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704129204575505822147816104.html
Re #37 The WSJ picked up on a line from your friend shivers Mathews.
I have no idea who you are talking about. I doubt if you have heard me quote people named Mathews. @ TP
Marin, or none could die. Good Hell, we don’t live in the middle ages. I actually don’t think you have had the life experiences to doom millions to die. Stand behind it all you want. It is a contemptible thought. Barbaric even.
Things seem to getting mighty hot in Ohio. On Monday, while speaking to a meeting of the United Steelworkers in Monroe County, Ohio Democratic Party head Chris Redfern called all Tea Party people who oppose the health care reform bill “f*****s.” My, what class. Ka-ching, ka-ching, and ka-ching. More votes into the Tea Party bank.
http://gawker.com/5645103/dem-chairman-sick-of-these-tea-party-fckers
I don’t know…I have been called a lot worse.
Did you see Jon Stewart on O’Reilly? I will try to post.
Winning the hearts and minds for us. I love it. Can’t wait for November!
The guy was talking to a bunch of steel workers.
Who is to say he was talking about TPP? Why are they except from being called F******?
Everyone else gets called on…although probably not quite as publically.
O.K., if you insist, Moon. I’ll break my own rules this one time: Chris Redfern is a………………nah, just kidding. I don’t want to sink to that level. Looks to me like Redfern is pushing the November panic button, and nobody is answering. I am wondering how many of those steelworker union members for whom he was elevating discourse to such a gentlemanly level actually have jobs these days. I ran into a member of the Ironworkers Union in a Michigan motel parking lot. I didn’t know him from Adam. It took him all of fifteen seconds to volunteer that there were no jobs out there for him and his union buddies,.
And I had forgotten who Chris Redfern was. He probably wants to know who filmed him. That should tell him right there that everyone in the room wasn’t in agreement.
And if you broke your own rules, I wouldn’t have tattled to Mrs. W.
Wolverine–please read your email that you have linked to moonhowlings. Serious question for you.