Facing extinction: The "responsible Republican"

[dtotire]

Facing extinction: The "responsible Republican"

Warnings about right-wing extremism from Michael Gerson and ousted Bob Inglis are too little -- and much too late.

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/republican_party/index.html?story=/opinion/conason/2010/07/09/gop


By Joe Conason


What defines a "responsible" Republican in the era of Sarah Palin, Sharron Angle and Rand Paul? Ask Bob Inglis, soon to depart from Congress after six terms as a Republican representative from South Carolina. Having suffered a landslide defeat in a primary this year -- largely because he challenged the extremism of the far right and refused to pander to the "birthers" in his district -- Inglis is now speaking out about the direction of his party.

In what amounts to an exit interview with the Associated Press, Inglis warned that the GOP's eager embrace of a motley crew of media frothers, ideological fanatics and bizarre conspiracists is inflicting grave damage on the party's integrity.

According to the AP, he denounced the "death panel" myth popularized by Palin as an example of "the lowest form of political leadership. It's not leadership. It's demagoguery." He is also appalled by the undue influence of figures such as Rush Limbaugh and the Fox News gang, especially Glenn Beck, whom he described as a "divisive fear-monger" at a town hall meeting earlier this year.

"I think we have a lot of leaders that are following those (television and talk radio) personalities and not leading," he said. "What it takes to lead is to say, 'You know, that's just not right.'" The obvious result is that the country becomes too polarized and too distracted by phony issues to address real problems.

As a white Southerner, Inglis said he is also sadly convinced that racism is among the motives of the most fanatical Obama opponents. He recalled being "shocked" as he watched Tea Party protesters heckling Rep. John Lewis in the Capitol last spring. Although he was too far away to hear the alleged racial slurs hurled at Lewis, a veteran of the civil rights movement in the South, he saw that the behavior of the mob was "threatening and abusive." At the time he said to Lewis -- who was beaten by racists in 1961 in Inglis' home state as he tried to register black voters -- "John, I guess you've been here before."

The ousted Inglis is not alone in worrying about the takeover of his party by angry, irrational and potentially dangerous extremists. Today Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson voiced the same concern. The former Bush speechwriter is disturbed not only by Angle's rhetorical violence and Paul's libertarian excesses but by the Arizona GOP's pandering to anti-immigrant prejudice. A Republican victory in November is only likely to worsen these alarming tendencies:

The response of many responsible Republicans to these ideological trends is to stay quiet, make no sudden moves and hope they go away. But these are not merely excesses; they are arguments. Significant portions of the Republican coalition believe that it is a desirable strategy to talk of armed revolution, embrace libertarian purity and alienate Hispanic voters. With a major Republican victory in November, those who hold these views may well be elevated in profile and influence. And this could create durable, destructive perceptions of the Republican Party that would take decades to change. A party that is intimidated and silent in the face of its extremes is eventually defined by them.

Gerson is understandably affronted by these clowns, but it is difficult to understand why he describes the Republicans who acquiesce in extremism as "responsible." It would be more apt to call them "culpable" or "cowardly." If he's looking for responsible Republicans, they're the ones who are being ejected from office in primaries -- like Bob Inglis.

[WingDinger]

1. They muckrake, but ideas are bereft. And it will become obvious

[skepticscott]

2. That's all great, but

where has this dimwit been for the last 15-20 years? Is he just NOW tumbling to the fact that his party is controlled by racist, sexist, bigoted, fundamentalist extremists?

[Jade Fox]

3. "media frothers".....

perfect phrase describing beck/limbarf/faux.

[Alcibiades]

4. Republicans are not responsible

Not responsible for taking the nation to war on a whim, not responsible for the many pitfalls deregulation has unleashed, not responsible for the financial crisis, not responsible for anything.

It would be nice, though, if we got to the point when Economist-reading, solidly middle class aspirational Republicans left the party because they recognize that the GOP is not responsible, and supporting them is dangerously irresponsible. Some combination of the failure of Republican policies and the takeover of the GOP by its own most extreme elements is making this more likely every day.

[Dawson Leery]

5. The few responsible Republicans were ousted with

deficit spender Ronnie Reagan. The last remaining ones were ousted from the party by Gingrich and Bush.

Come to Connecticut, the only Republicans left in this Blue state are teabagger reactionary theocrats and 19th century corporatists who want to take this country back to the 'good ole days'.

[gtar100]

6. The unfortunate consequence is the deterioration of the Democratic party.

All those people unwilling to put up with the crazies have a home with the 'conservative Democrats', which is another term for 'Not Democrats'. What else are people going to do when there's only two choices?