Posted under Conservatism & Constitution Party & Election 2012 & Political Philosophy & Politics & Republican Party & Ron Paul & Taxes
This is pathetic! I actually didn’t think Norquist would cave. Sadly, I guess I was wrong.
I hope this makes Sean and the rest of the moderation caucus happy. And make no mistake about it, moderation is what this is. You can toss around the names Burke and Kirk all you want, this is not responsible conservatism or realistic conservatism or any other kind of conservatism. It is moderation. It is moving to the center. It is conceding an important element of the fight to the left.
I want to know how Sean and Gallupo and the rest of the gang think it strengthens the Republicans’ hand to cave rather than to go down fighting! Obama stood tall and Boehner and Norquist et al flinched. That’s what people are going to see, and that’s what happened. This makes Obama look large and in charge and Boehner and Norquist look like a bunch of (I’m just going to say it) groveling bitches.
I’ve got news for Boehner, Norquist, and company. All revenue bills MUST originate in the House. The House is controlled by Republicans. The way to tackle this fiscal cliff issue is to repeatedly pass bills making the current tax rates permanent, and let the Dem controlled Senate and the President whine about it. But don’t send then any bills that raise taxes. No tax increase gets to the Senate and the President unless the Republican controlled House sends it to them. Then when we go plunging over the fiscal cliff (which does what the moderation caucus wants anyway – raises taxes and cuts spending ) scream from the rooftops that the Dems forced a tax increase despite the best efforts of the Republicans to hold the line.
Ask yourself this, how do you think Ron Paul is going to vote on “Plan B.”
If the Constitution Party is smart, they should start writing up the press releases now: “Republicans Raise Taxes!”
And for those who decry outside influences holding the GOP hostage, one huge reason why the GOP sees the fiscal cliff as intolerable is because it would cut defense and make the defense contractors unhappy. So again, I hope you’re happy. The anti-tax lobby takes it on the chin and the defense lobby wins.
Savrola on 20 Dec 2012 at 5:20 pm #
Boehner looks more like Bob Dole everytime I see his picture.
Norquist is a nonentity.
Ron Paul is retired, in case you missed that tidbit while searching for some news-item or random editorial to complain about.
A neo-con got his congressional seat, because of your failure to expose Jesse Benton.
Taxes are kind of not important to people anymore because only a tiny fraction of Americans are independent of government
The Constitution Party can issue all the jeremiads they please. No one is listening and no one is going to start listening. Talk is getting cheaper by the day.
It would be great if the anti-inflationists, the anti-spending types, and the hard money types decided to cut down their printing bills, spending other people’s money, and backed up their deflated quantity of words with hard action.
What does one do when confronted by a Leviathan? Screaming impotently at it, doesn’t seem to work.
RedPhillips on 20 Dec 2012 at 6:11 pm #
Ron Paul is still a voting member of Congress.
RedPhillips on 20 Dec 2012 at 6:31 pm #
It is by definition the nature of Leviathan that one man’s screaming is going to be impotent, but at least I’m screaming at it, not cheering for it.
You’re screaming at those who are screaming at it. That is supposed to be more effective than screaming at it yourself? Whatever?
Savrola on 20 Dec 2012 at 7:01 pm #
I’m screaming at you to do your job.
RedPhillips on 20 Dec 2012 at 7:39 pm #
But I thought we had already established that we don’t agree on strategy. And even if we did, you don’t seem to grasp the concept of division of labor. I have already conceded that I am temperamentally ill suited for mainstream activism within the ranks because I can’t bring myself to play the pragmatic political game. Isn’t that obvious? So surely there is a niche for some people on the outside to keep alive the rhetorical flame. You do your thing, and I’ll do mine.
Sempronius on 20 Dec 2012 at 9:52 pm #
“It would be great if the anti-inflationists, the anti-spending types, and the hard money types decided to cut down their printing bills, spending other people’s money, and backed up their deflated quantity of words with hard action.”
Not bad Sav, not bad at all.
savrola on 20 Dec 2012 at 10:03 pm #
I’m not comfortable with your protrayal of yourself as a fearless non-compromising idealistic editorialist out of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, or something, and myself and a couple of others as cynical pragmatists.
What I have in mind requires enormous willpower, something conservatives are not well known for, not compromise, which they are.
Reduce, reuse, recycle is not a motto for paleoconservatives.
has this e-zine a mission statement other than “provide a home for disgruntled losers?”
Sempronius on 20 Dec 2012 at 10:51 pm #
“Mr. Jefferson stood out against Hamilton in every cabinet meeting, but he always lost.” –Albert J Nock
Nothing ever changes, it seems.
Pete on 21 Dec 2012 at 12:12 am #
‘Savrola’ must be Latin for obnoxious creep.
Tom Piatak on 21 Dec 2012 at 1:26 am #
Red,
I think your analysis is basically correct. Caving to Obama profits us nothing.
HarrisonBergeron2 on 21 Dec 2012 at 1:34 am #
Red,
Norquist is “conservative” only in economic matters. He’s not only for amnesty for illegal aliens, but wants “dramatically more immigrants” than we have today.
Like most Republicans, his loyalty isn’t to the real America, but to the institutions of power.
RedPhillips on 21 Dec 2012 at 4:07 am #
Thanks Tom. I guess I’m just not enlightened enough to get on board this tax increase program.
HB, I know there are huge problems with Norquist. I just didn’t think he would give aid and comfort to the Establishment on this issue because it is supposed to be his thing.
aware on 21 Dec 2012 at 11:44 am #
Norquist is a hireling of the Ruling Elite and always has been. Most of the “Conservative” movement are also hirelings pretending to be something they plainly are not. Starting with Buckley.
There is no plan, no blueprint, and no idea of how we get the Republic back that was lost forever with the New Deal and WW2, and modern “conservatism”, non-existent before the mid 1950s, is joined at the hip to the Garrison State, making it a hopeless vehicle to achieve the demise of Leviathan. In fact, contrary to the rhetoric, “conservatives” have proven to be critical allies in the growth of the State. The military/industrial complex, the biggest, longest running “government stimulus” ever, wouldn’t exist without them.
Buckleyism is a 3 legged stool consisting of 1-destroying the Old Right(the true opposition to Leviathan), 2-making Big Government palatable to those who wouldn’t ordinarily swallow it, and 3- a simple relief valve to diffuse the anger of those who think they are fighting against the command and control system and central planners.
Paleos, though you have my sympathy, will never be more than a sliver of a movement dominated by neocons and Buckleyites. The Norquists, Limbaughs, Morris’, and Riellys will always own “Conservatism” because they are they natural heirs of a movement started by Buckley.
HarrisonBergeron2 on 21 Dec 2012 at 1:24 pm #
aware,
You make some valid points.
When I was in the College Republicans, I was definitely a “Buckleyite,” supporting a massive military and a big government to protect us from international communism. I believed. And, as you say, we are now reaping the consequences.
The Neocons are clearly the successors of WFB and his ilk. They wield enormous power, and the Department of Homeland Security is their offspring. No debate from their militarism is permitted.
But I still believe there’s hope – after all, Buckley himself came to denounce the Neocons’ invasion of Iraq.
savrola on 21 Dec 2012 at 4:22 pm #
aware, in other words:
We’re dooooooooooooooomed.
Hawthorne on 21 Dec 2012 at 9:46 pm #
I think what is interesting is that Norquist was being hounded out of Conservative Inc because he married Muslim, and wasn’t a big war on the towel-heads sort, so the neocons saw an opportunity.
Norquist is apparently a survivor in this nasty business–it was clear the machine was going for the kill against him, and now they seem to have worked out a deal.
I have no time for his cynical outlook, but it’s good Kremlin watching.
savrola on 22 Dec 2012 at 12:06 am #
aware,
we’re dooooomed! doomed!