Probably my favorite David Brooks column ever

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/opinion/brooks-…

Excerpt These days the fight is between the protesters and the professionals. The grass-roots protesters in the Tea Party and elsewhere have certain policy ideas, but they are not that different from the Republicans in the “establishment.”

The big difference is that the protesters don’t believe in governance. They have zero tolerance for the compromises needed to get legislation passed. They don’t believe in trimming and coalition building. For them, politics is more about earning respect and making a statement than it is about enacting legislation. It’s grievance politics, identity politics.

Of course, the professional politicians don’t want to get in the way of this torrent of passion and resentment. In private, they bemoan where the party is headed; in public they do nothing.

Thought this was pretty interesting coming from Brooks. He is obviously a more moderate Republican, but I can't remember him ever seeming so disenchanted with the party.

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Yeah, I think he makes a good points, but screw the establishment republicans. The Tea Party takes a lot of crap, but there are also some decent people out there too who are just fed up (same with OWS, as much as I hate to admit it).

This whole cycle has made me very cynical. And Brooks is just as guilty, with every flavor of the right pointing fingers at the others. We are the stupid party.

 
Scott IrishYeah, I think he makes a good points, but screw the establishment republicans. The Tea Party takes a lot of crap, but there are also some decent people out there too who are just fed up (same with OWS, as much as I hate to admit it).

This whole cycle has made me very cynical. And Brooks is just as guilty, with every flavor of the right pointing fingers at the others. We are the stupid party.

Agreed, although I think he is really just voicing the (widespread) frustration with the complete inability of our government to get even the most popular laws passed.

"For I am a sinner in the hands of an angry God. Bloody Mary full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now and at the hour of my death, which I hope is soon. Amen."
 

I will get more enfranchised with politics once floor members bring back the use of the concealed cane.

 

Political deadlock for conservatives is amenable because it stops the leftward drift. I don't think many conservatives think they can shift the electorate right. They certainly can slow the influence of liberalism though.

 

How about this. I don't want more governance passed. I want less governance. Reduce the size of government for god sake.

Start shutting down agencies and laying off Federal workers.

 
ANTHow about this. I don't want more governance passed. I want less governance. Reduce the size of government for god sake.

Start shutting down agencies and laying off Federal workers.

you need to pass bills to do any of those things. that's governance.

"For I am a sinner in the hands of an angry God. Bloody Mary full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now and at the hour of my death, which I hope is soon. Amen."
 

I find David Brooks, generally, to be an out of touch assclown. He's such a self-important little cuntrag, I can't stand it.

That said, I don't think this is off or anything, it's just not anything that others haven't already been saying.

Also, you can't even honestly talk about the Tea Party without talking about just how super far right they are on social issues. They're basically evangelicals in fiscal conservative clothing.

 

And hence the stalemate. The Tea Party has solid fiscal goals, but the left will never meet them half way because of their social stance and the Left will go down the road of financial ruin because it can never forsake their social stance.

 
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