Politics Daily has another list. This one details the largest change of hearts Republicans have had based on the changing political atmosphere. Basically it shows how many Republicans could care less about actual policy and are only concerned with the politics behind it. Here is the list and some highlights:
1. Financial disclosure: Republicans (including Mitch McConnell) once supported transparency as a means of stopping corruption. Now that idea would, according to McConnell, “Shred the Constitution.”
2. Cap-and-trade: It was the idea of free-market conservatives to allow people to buy the right to pollute. The first Bush administration used “emission trading” (cap-and-trade) to curb sulfur dioxide emissions. Now that it is unpopular, all Republicans who have supported it (McCain, Graham, etc.) oppose it.
3. Immigration: W. and Ted Kennedy had a plan. Eleven Republicans supported it and are still in office. Again McCain leads the charge in completely changing his mind. What a maverick.
4. Deficit Spending: Deficit spending was okay to support W.’s agenda, but not for the suffering unemployed.
5. Bipartisan deficit-reduction commission: Six Republicans who proposed the bill to create the commission voted against it. Purportedly because it might recommend raising taxes. Because we don’t need to raise funds if we want to reduce the deficit. Obama formed it anyway.
6. Individual insurance mandate: I’ve written before how this was a Republican idea. It was originally conceived of by free-market conservatives as a way to protect the private sector. Imagine that! The huge socialist plot to destroy our country was thought of by conservatives as a way to protect private industry. (I wonder if Dr will read this or just revert to socialist fear mongering.)
7. Medicare spending curbs: This is a fun one. The same Republicans that spread fear to the elderly (about this and death panels) wanted to do the same thing. McCain’s actually had a plan to cut $1.3 trillion from Medicare and Medicaid as a part of his 2008 campaign. But they saw the opportunity to scare old people (who vote) and jumped at it. What’s especially funny is that many conservatives originally opposed the entire notion of Medicare because, you know, it’s socialized medicine. But as soon as it became a good way to score points they had to defend it as though it were their only child. “Keep your government hands off my Medicare!”
This is an interesting list because many of this issues are still salient. As long as they think it is politically beneficial to vote no, they will continue to do so, regardless of what they believe the effect of a policy will actually be.
Enjoy Papi winning the Home Run Derby.
Adam Feser
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Boy this sounds like some other crap politician South Dakota had 6 years ago, but it was ok when he did it.
Oh the poor suffering unemployed. Good God. Everyone wants a government handout these days. I have no problem helping people when they need it but when its abused, I have a huge problem. Maybe I am sort of blind to it b/c Aberdeen’s unemployment is 3.5%
See, I like what FDR did in the 30s. Create jobs with government funding. The Aberdeen Civic Arena was one such project. Its fine if you need government help, but we are going to put you to work to get the help
Cap and Trade will raise energy price. That’s a good idea
As I have said, reform is needed(you seem to forget that I have said that) I do not like that I am told I HAVE TO HAVE insurance. Its my choice…however if you decline, you are on your own and there is no bankruptcy option on medical care bills
K, I am done now
What I enjoy is the idea that Republicans and Democrats see each of the topics Adam listed the same way but only when it’s convenient. If only it were that simple, while both sides often agree that changes are needed, how often do they agree on the specifics? Pretty naive post Adam. The Republicans aren’t doing anything to Obama that the Dems didn’t do to Bush. It’s not always right, but it’s politics on both sides of the isle.
Like Ray implied, politics is a game, so its not surprising that the players will change their positions when it’s useful for their side.
To me modern republicans don’t care much about policy. In fact, they like it when policies fail. It gives them an excuse to rail against gov’t and lower taxes.
Democrats on the other hand seem to like the idea of passing bills, but they have no interest in administering them.
Not a good combination.
Wow. Dr, use your examples if you’re going to make a claim. You seriously think those left unemployed because of a bad economy created by horrible government oversight are just looking for a government handout? That doesn’t even make sense. People are trying to find work and it’s hard. They’re struggling to keep houses and feed children. It’s incredibly callous to dismiss that as “everyone wants a government handout these days.” Then you go on to say that things are bad ideas without acknowledging that they are free market conservative ideas, which is the point of the post.
Ray, what’s naive about it? I said exactly what you did about Republicans. The way politics affect them is the same, but the effects different. Modern politics force all politicians farther right than where they start. Republicans that would support moderate things, like immigration reform or helping the environment, move farther right to appease the far right. Democrats that ostensibly support things like gay marriage and a public option move farther right to appease moderates. This isn’t a law but it is the way things seem to go. Maybe it’s because people fear change.
And the Dems didn’t stop a damn thing Bush wanted because Republicans had more balls.
I miss moderate Republicans and true liberals, because there doesn’t seem to be many left.
John, it’s not surprising but it is disappointing. There are few people left that seem more interested in good policy. I can remember one instance of a politicians choosing good policy over re-election that I have written about: http://theamericannews.net/election/?p=602. There should be many more examples, but it isn’t so.
What seems to be missing in all these comments is any indication that what Republicans are doing is disingenuous and wrong. Is it right to come out and say horrible things about policies that you either created or supported? It isn’t just that it’s lying, it’s that they are treating Americans like idiots. If someone compiles a similar list with shit Democrats have created than came out against, I’ll be the first to call BS. When Stephanie fails the unemployed in the name of being able to say, “I’m fiscally conservative,” I don’t like it and say so.
This is a very interesting conversation. Is anyone interested in seeing how I answered a question on how to fix Congress in my Comprehensive Final Examination for American Government?
I’d be interested in how you answered that question Adam.
Here’s an interesting link concerning whether Obama is a socialist:
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/government/official-obama-socialist/?test=latestnews
That link isn’t about whether or not he is a socialist. It’s about whether or not people believe he is. Enough people repeat it over and over then people believe it. Obama does not want public ownership of the means of production. It just is not true, and saying otherwise is ridiculous.
I’ll make a post out of that answer later.
Of course it’s disingenuous and wrong, but it’s politics. Disingenous and wrong are par for the course.
Oh those big bad republicans its all our fault.
Sarcasm is not a defense. It’s just a cheap way to deflect criticism without responding to it.
I have an attention span of about 5 seconds…long winded posts lose me.
How am I supposed to trust any research you do or any policy stance or candidate you support when you are unable to actually read about them?
If you have ever noticed, most of my sources are from shorter pieces.
Just saying.
So am I
DR does research?
Sorry that I haven’t posted my answer to that comp question. I realized it may violate our academic honestly policy (or some such thing). I may just end up trying to summarize my answer, but I’m going to check with a few people to see if this is legit.