Bruce Bartlett: ‘My Life on the Republican Right And How I Saw It All Go Wrong’

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Bruce Bartlett: ‘My Life on the Republican Right And How I Saw It All Go Wrong’

November 28th, 2012 3:16 pm Brad Friedman

Originally posted at The Brad Blog

We’ve been quite remiss by failing to offer the The BRAD BLOG’s much-sought, yet rarely-bestowed “Intellectually Honest Conservative” award to Bruce Bartlett, Ronald Reagan’s domestic policy advisor and George H.W. Bush’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy.

We were reminded of our delinquency again today upon reviewing his candid assessment of the downfall of modern Republicanism and its central core of pretend conservatism as published in a must-read article in the December, 2012 issue of American Conservative. The confessional includes, among many on-target money quotes, this one: “Living in the Fox News cocoon, most Republicans had no clue that they were losing [in 2012] or that their ideas were both stupid and politically unpopular.”

Bartlett begins by detailing his decades-long list of unquestionably rock-solid conservative credentials, all of which have earned him exactly nothing from today’s clueless, brain-addled, incurably propagandized Fox “News” “conservative” crowd. In fact, he has garnered their utter contempt by attempting to tell them the truth over the past decade or so, finding himself tossed “under a bus” along with The BRAD BLOG’s very few other past “Intellectually Honest Conservative” award recipients and dissident, reality-based Republicans such as David Frum and Andrew Sullivan.

“To this day,” Bartlett writes, “I don’t think they understand that my motives were to help them avoid the permanent decline that now seems inevitable…”

His entire treatise, entitled “Revenge of the Reality-Based Community: My life on the Republican right — and how I saw it all go wrong,” is very much worth reading. It includes his frank admissions that he was wrong about Keynesian economics, as he learned while researching for a 2007 book initially meant to describe it as a dead economic theory.

“After careful research along these lines, I came to the annoying conclusion that Keynes had been 100 percent right in the 1930s. Previously, I had thought the opposite. But facts were facts and there was no denying my conclusion,” he writes, concluding that George W. Bush’s Great Recession made clear that “We needed Keynesian policies again.”

“Annoyingly,” he says, “I found myself joined at the hip to Paul Krugman, whose analysis was identical to my own. I had previously viewed Krugman as an intellectual enemy and attacked him rather colorfully in an old column that he still remembers.”

“For the record,” he generously offers, “no one has been more correct in his analysis and prescriptions for the economy’s problems than Paul Krugman. The blind hatred for him on the right simply pushed me further away from my old allies and comrades.”

He talks candidly about his experience being “banned from Fox News” and fired from a right wing think tank for his various acts of Republican heresy (otherwise known as telling the truth), and that such acts have culminated in “what has been called ‘epistemic closure’ among conservatives — living in their own bubble where nonsensical ideas circulate with no contradiction.”

His “first exposure” to the Republicans’ Fox-fueled jihad of self-defeat, he explains, occurred while working on his 2006 book, Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy.

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Tags: 2012 election, brad blog, brad friedman, Bruce Bartlett, econoimcs, GOP, keynesian economics, right wing

ryueire

Instead of castigating him, Republicans who are sane and forward thinking ( may be an oxymoron there) should try to bring him back into the fold and listen to what he might offer in terms of experience and maybe an alternative realistic philosophy forward. As a party, the GOP currently consisting of screw ups, has beens, and greedy never was’ are dangerously lacking in any rationale or governance skills.

mtlaurie

Why? WTF!! Are you serious? Just let the GOP destroy itself. NOBODY wants the GOP to return to power. They will finish the middle class off. They will watch Scalia and Kennedy retire, and then put some 30-something’s in and hold the SC for the rest of our lifetimes. They will remove the right to vote and pass legislation to completely take over a woman’s body. They will destroy any shred of democracy and stop at nothing to wield absolute power. Look at them now: Record number of filibusters; Obama can’t even appoint judges!! And you want the GOP to return to power? Yes, this is the GOP that will be — stop wishing for the old form of the GOP. It doesn’t exist and really, was quite vile too.

bob eddy

“Living in ” Fox News cocoon, most Republicans had no clue that they were losing [in 2012] or that their ideas were both stupid and politically unpopular.”

Surprisingly, they still have no clue at how unpopular their ideas are. The think Obabma won because he “gave away stuff!” This is not a particularly astute party, this tea bagger Republican party!

http://www.facebook.com/michael.salemme Michael Salemme

Unfortunately your hate for the right blinded you to the fact that liberal democrats ideas are destroying America, and the hard working people that helped create the once greatest nation in history, with the help of many weak republicans. The over spending will stop, but by then it will be to late.

northroader1775

Please step out of the bubble and do your research online
from credible sources…like the CBO…go look this up…who’s administration had the largest increase in spending? who’s had the lowest. In which years did the national debt grow…which years did it stabalize and shrink? Which years were more jobs created? which years sucked?

You will find that the middle class that built america does wonderfully well when Democrats have held power for more than four years…and when repubs hold it for more than four years the middle class is in tatters. It’s as plain as the nose on your face…just go look at the numbers.

Oh and BTW you are going to get a chance to see what happens to the middle class when the dems hold power for 16 years this time because there are no viable third parties and the repubs are still missing the simple reasons that cost you the election. If the GOP can’t distance itself from fox noise, and ASAP, it has NO CHANCE of winning. NONE!

I bet you have 8 years of Hillary coming right down your throat next. BTW Obama is a kitten compared to her so you’d better put your “F” game away and find the dusty hole you left your “A” game in, pull it out and get it in shape, because if she is running in 2016 you will get no mercy at all. If you parade another clown posse of morons out during your primaries I bet you will get trounced again but this time by a margin of 400-140 ish.

Jon Thomas

Well said northroader, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
dk

I wish I could vote up twice!

bob eddy

No. It was my insistence on relying on fact and truth that make me see that “liberal Democrat ideas” are NOT destroying America. It is ignorance greed and blind allegiance to the failed conservative agenda that pulled us into this rabbit hole. The ONLY thing you got right is that the working people built this nation and it was our strong middle class that made it exceptional…and different from almost any other nation. Now, thanks to the conservative agenda, we have almost completely destroyed that middle class as we give more and more to the rich and take more and more from everyone else. Over spending, my a55! We now have the lowest taxes in almost a century and while we are one of the richest countries in history we can not provide for our citizens, not because we are overspending, but because people like you, in your selfishness and your greed can not see it fit to spend on anything that does not give you a direct benefit. It’s not the right that I hate. It is their, greed, their ignorance and their dishonesty — even with themselves that I find contemptible.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Paul/1139915189 Richard Paul

Michael Salemme,

As an amateur macro-economist, I study the models to see where the US started going downhill. If you want to see that, start studying the models proposed by Milton Freidman and Hayek. These models have been followed over the last 30+ years. The Austrian Models refuse to take into account important issues, like innovation, GNP, etc. as important factors in Economic Growth. Further, they refuse to see that infinite wealth and infinite growth is unsustainable when you lack monetary demand, instead they just assume demand is omnipresent.

Also, as to the overspending, you might want to look at what groups have increased spending over the last 60 years. You might be surprised to find that Conservatives in general that have advanced the debt and deficit of the nation.

widollar

As the Tea Party misfits continue to destroy the GOP, I hope they will continue to spout out the dribble. Fortunately, Mitt the Paul were sent to the showers where they belonged all along. Bob Eddy you have it absolutely correct!

http://profile.yahoo.com/MYWRYYADB6OTF4F5JZX3WSCZYA John

How did Mr. Bartlett get to be Pres. W’s Deputy Assistant Economic Adviser, without having taken enough economics to learn about JM Keynes?

Oh yeah, I remember how much W valued expertise and knowledge. To Mr. Bartlett’s credit, he educated himself beyond Karl Rove’s worldview.

http://profile.yahoo.com/V5XAJ3PNU4PVBCHXHF4TMYM4DI Kentebe D

Once more, in many parts of the world, the mentally insane are quarantined and cared for so that they may neither harm themselves,nor others. Here, everyone is let loose and the crazies come together to form a political party that has caused so much pain and suffering to humanity-the republican party.

TZToronto

Money for care of the bewildered has dried up. Those who used to be in institutions (some good, some horrid) are now walking the streets and haunting the off-ramps of the Interstates. I’m thinking that some of those who should have been in those institutions have somehow taken charge of the right and, in their confusion and state of paranoia, have espoused policies that simply make no sense. — Cut taxes and increase revenues. Tax the people who can least afford to pay them while letting the uber-rich indulge in their loophole frenzy. Slash social programs to let the poor pull themselves up by their bootstraps (of which they have none). Get rid of publicly-funded health care so that those unable to pay can get their medical services at the nearest emergency room (which is the most expensive treatment available). Get rid of Social Security and make the elderly, including many who have no income, support themselves (at the off-ramps, I suppose). And at the same time increase military spending while paying off the debt.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Paul/1139915189 Richard Paul

Actually, he was living in the Freidman bubble. He took raw data and applied Austrian and Freidman models to that data. He purposely refused to look at the Keynesian Models because they were contraindicative of the infinite growth/infinite wealth models he was trying to push. He explained what happened quite plainly.

http://profile.yahoo.com/RBAWVP4L32OVNKND2JZXX7JULY deborah

I wish any of the Republicans I know personally would believe one word of this article. I long for the Republican Party of yesteryear. I remember very well the Presidency of Ronald Reagan and while I did not agree with many of the things he espoused, found him sincere (socially wrong but sincere). I found his economics bad for the country in the short and long terms. Now those Republicans are truly a thing of the past and we have right wing wingnuts out there espousing President Reagan as the most glorious President EVER and not one of them can look at how the United States has changed from then to now. We are a different country and we need different things. This President is in my opinion the right man for the job at this point in time. Certainly should have been re-elected given who his opponent was.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1425480465 Liz Feeser-Regan

I was in my 30′s when Reagan was President and it was not easy, We bought our first home back then and interest rates were at an all time high, he was responsible for most of the homeless we see today. frankly Nixon was a better President than Ronald Reagan.

Jim Lou

For many Reagan was asleep at the wheel.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Darla-Jean-Christopher/1505135133 Darla Jean Christopher

For ALL, his Alzheimer’s began while he was still in office, in the opinion of his Drs. The IMAGE generation adores him; slow witted, big grin, and GIMMEEGIMMEEGIMMEE as “policy”. I was a small child when Nixon was in office but now understand how good he was, were it not for his paranoia. Bush II beats him as WORST of my lifetime, WORST of 20th & 21st century, thus far.

http://profile.yahoo.com/ZJ5BBSQIGTUMERPZFALES6HQNY Bill

People seem to forget that during the Reagan years mortgage rates were in the high “TEENS” not the 3-4% they are in right now.

Chris

I was barely old enough to know who Ronald Reagan was at the time. But, try to use some honesty here. A simple Google search shows the prime rate at the time he took office was 20% and the all-time high occurred 1 month before he took office. Did you expect the rate to immediately drop to the single digits? Political sites on both side of the spectrum are a joke now because it seems to be impossible to read through comments without coming across somebody who is either too lazy to do the research or too ignorant to understand trends, etc.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Darla-Jean-Christopher/1505135133 Darla Jean Christopher

EIGHT MONTHS, check again, and rates stayed high for two years.
chalkque

Reagan did nothing to bring them down. He was, I think, more concerned with the industrial defence complex and their “needs”.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Darla-Jean-Christopher/1505135133 Darla Jean Christopher

Best of my lifetime: NIXON, and I am a yellow dog DEMOCRAT. NIXON brought down the Soveits, not silly poses from Raygun. NIXON opened the door to Red China, now there are ‘experiments with capitalism’. The Republican Party has been going downhill since Ford, now, nothing but lumps of growling, slow witted HOGS.

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Sehler/100000396279499 John Sehler

The last great Republican was IKE. Could we get him back.

mtlaurie

HELL NO!!!! All republicans are disgusting vile, diahrrea. They ALL need to burn in hell – where they belong. They hate America. They hate the People. All they want is money, greed, power….to hell with anything or anybody else. So excuse me, if I give it back to them.

chalkque

I remember when Reagan closed down the mental health facilities that were sheltered and protective homes for the many who became homeless. We never had homeless people in those great numbers before; I had never seen people on street corners asking for handouts like that before. That would never have happened with Jimmy Carter, who is, by far, a role model Christian more than any other model the republicans put out in front since then up to today. I am really shocked by the hypocrisy, half truths, gossip, slander, and outright lies that my fellow Christians embrace. No party is perfect, but the democrats seem better than any to uplift people, encourage people getting involved in government as opposed to corporate power running our government, prefer negotiation over war, take science seriously, and care for our precious and fragile environment -for us now and for future generations. We cannot live without clean water!

Charvi3

I think that just maybe…these republicans will get it right..I hope

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_OLT3BBICDAFJXQAHHKXXLJUCH4 Stella53

Wish I could be as optimistic, but I don’t think they’ll get it right. Their hatred of Obama is just too deep. Perhaps in a generation or two, but no time in the near future. To be frank, I don’t think I will see another republican president in what remains of my lifetime. And I’m glad. The GOP is awful.

http://profile.yahoo.com/ZGYX7ZNZLPF3YIFWAWS3WKFE5M RonaldS

Glad to see his conversion. The GOP still hasn’t come to grips with reality and sensibility due to their ideology and their still believing that the so-called Tea Party holds sway. However, I believe that most Republicans understand Keynesian economics but won’t budge for fear of losing their Congressional seats as many of their constituents are stuck in the past – a past that never really exisited.

chalkque

They should educate their constituency in the facts, at least be brave enought to do the right thing!

http://profile.yahoo.com/ZGYX7ZNZLPF3YIFWAWS3WKFE5M RonaldS

As for Fox “News”, their pundits are also worried about losing their jobs so they keep spinning their cocoon. The problem is Fox ownership. They can always find talking heads to spew their lies.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Darla-Jean-Christopher/1505135133 Darla Jean Christopher

Note Murdoch keeps most of HIS money out of the US, and spends a lot of time in Australia. Also, had Grannie invested in haliburton, she’d be set for life like Cheney. Quit looking for handouts, invest in unnecessary WAR.

foolsdance

“…living in their own bubble where nonsensical ideas circulate with no contradiction.” No truer words ever spoken.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Darla-Jean-Christopher/1505135133 Darla Jean Christopher

REPUBLICANS: “Iraq will pay for itself!”……….”We are in a CRISIS, THE DEBT IS DUE!”

AMERICANS: “Why did Iraq add two TRILLION to the DEBT?”

REPUBLICANS: “Socialist, you expected Cheney to live on $250,000 a year plus all expenses? Halibutrton alone had to make billions to net Cheney 5 million. My contributors needed another 500 billion to keep supporting me. Plus, Iraqis receive cradle to grave welfare. Now hand over that socialiat SS check, you commie, the DEBT is all that matters NOW”

stsintl

This once again brings up the question: “Ask not what Fox News [Rupert Murdoch] does for the Republican Party. Ask, what Republican Party does for Fox News [Rupert Murdoch]?

There are three groups of Republicans- Paliniots- Their IQs are less than or equal to that of Sarah Palin’s; Newt-Wits- Their IQs range between Sarah Palin’s and Newt Gingrich’s; Murdochites- They directly or indirectly work for Rupert Murdoch and control the party.

http://twitter.com/Stormyleewolf Karen Roberts

You forgot the third type, who liked Ron Paul. The call them Paul bots. We don’t know their percentage, but maybe they are the number of republicans that refused to vote. Perhaps because they believe Ron Paul won the nomination and the RNC ignored it.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Paul/1139915189 Richard Paul

While Ron Paul wasn’t a perfect candidate, I think people didn’t take some of what he said more seriously. He wasn’t an Austrian thinker, economically. He was indeed a New Keynesian thinker. He said that the whole economy was artificially bloated by idiots in his own party. People, both right and left, laughed it off. He is most certainly right and correct about that analysis, however.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Darla-Jean-Christopher/1505135133 Darla Jean Christopher

But get large sums from foreign defense investors that made a fortune off of IRAQ.

http://twitter.com/MortAlcoil1 Mort Alcoil

This might be the most sensible, well though-out and logical thing I have seen written by (or about) a Republican in the last 10+ years.

The Republican party lives in a fairy-tale of their own construction; a World where their wishes and dreams = reality! They were shocked when Romney lost, yet the rest of the sane, intelligent people in this country could see it coming.

When Nate Silver (who correctly predicted this election perfectly, including the popular vote) released his figures, the Republican propaganda machine unleashed a blitz of negative attacks on him, even going as far as to call him a “thin and effeminate man with a soft-sounding voice.” (obviously questioning his Manhood and his sexuality, as if they were 12 year old’s in school). Yet. NATE SILVER WAS RIGHT! Maybe if Republicans took his polls to heart, they could have done something strategically to improve Romney’s chances, but they chose to believe their own massively biased polls that were based on complete wishful thinking.

Republicans need to get a grip on reality; not their VERSION of reality.. I mean ACTUAL reality; the one that’s based on fact and logic and common sense and math and science. Until they can distinguish between their own self-generated propaganda and what’s real, then they will continue to be confused.

TZToronto

I like the idea that thinkers tend to gravitate to the party that believes in science and evidence rather than the party that believe in blind faith. That’s why the Democratic strategists won and the Republican strategists lost. And that’s why so many colleges and universities are viewed suspiciously by those on the right. There are thinkers there, industrious and studious, whose ideas would require intellect that is just too much trouble for those who think they already know everything.

nirjay

I am a Science and Business degree holder. The Mathematics of Republican arguments has never worked and will not solve any national problems. The Republican Strategists were telling people to cram their theory only the way they were telling them Democratic Strategists were only following Clinton’s strategy – “Do the Math”. I have never seen mathematics telling untruth. Done properly, the right answer will always tell the truth. No amount of Super Pac money can change the truth told by mathematics.

mtlaurie

Now , THIS is by far, the best comment on this board. As a Computer Scientist/Mathematician who holds an MBA, I could not agree more with your entire post. Bravo. Everywhere republiacan policies have been implemented around the world, from the beginning of time…..THEY’VE FAILED MISERABLY!!! That is an indisputable fact. So, why in the hell do people keep electing them? They’re ignorant and stupid and the Democrats do a piss-poor job of political communicating. They let the communist “frame the discussion” every single time. That has got to frustrate the Democratic base to no end.
In short, to long for the GOP to rise again — in any form — is asking for Armageddon. They will destroy this country down to the ground. Believe that.

Del WS

Ooh, I like this “Intellectually Honest Conservative. Is there some way we could clone him and then do a “pod people” thing and substitute the clones for those who just plain refuse to see?

http://twitter.com/Stormyleewolf Karen Roberts

Thanks, I’ll give it a shot!

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_KOPKDFAUQPIIRAFI3HEXNMSHLQ Ed

Basically Ronald Reagon started this country on the road we find ourselves today. His blind attack against taxes, regardless of deficit. His assault on the socials safety net. His lies about the “Welfare Cadillac” and the “woman with 7 Social security numbers, 50 crediot cards and a bank account over a million dollars”all live today in Republican minds.

nirjay

You said it right. I have been telling my friends this for past 32 years. I never agreed with Reagan’s campaign in 1979 saying “We will cut Taxes (-),” increase defense spending (-) and balance the budget”. I don’t know how can you have two negative numbers when added to national spending, create a balanced equation. In 1979 US had cumulative deficit at $909 Billion. It has increased every year except in 2000, when Clinton’s surplus reduced it. The Nation cannot afford the Math that adds to the pockets of 2% and subtracts from 98% (job losses, food and energy inflation and decline in buying power).

http://www.facebook.com/people/Darla-Jean-Christopher/1505135133 Darla Jean Christopher

Republicans cut INCOME taxes, for those both inside & OUTSIDE the US; the tax INCREASES for those inside the US are never mentioned: PROPERTY, SALES, FUEL, USE…..you owe the state & local governments ten times you what you saved in INCOME taxes. Plus, it costs more when many different entities collect & spend.

Want a copy of a Deed you paid to record? $5.00; parking at a public building? $10.00; file an adoption? $450.00 to the Clerk; fuel tax? 300% INCREASE, etc. The states have to get money somewhere,

http://profile.yahoo.com/H2RYK7EC3VPEM7DBXCKSJAQXIA Andrew

glad to hear you say that mr. bartlett…………..at least someone from your side see’s the reality………………..i am a democratic voter for the most part, but i would really like to hear your views on gov. christie…………because i think i, like yourself would love to see someone from your party tell everyone……..repukes and demagogs…………….this is how it is and this how i will fix it…………..my first vote as an eligble voter was for ronald reagan……….and the closest person i see to bring everyone to the middle is gov. christie…………………he will fix all of this…………
http://profile.yahoo.com/H2RYK7EC3VPEM7DBXCKSJAQXIA Andrew

by the way thank you mr. bartlett for standing up and being a man of principle……………..
http://profile.yahoo.com/H2RYK7EC3VPEM7DBXCKSJAQXIA Andrew

heck , you should run…………………
http://profile.yahoo.com/H2RYK7EC3VPEM7DBXCKSJAQXIA Andrew

oh i forgot this is america………..a person with dignity and principle could never win.
DukeDacat

“At this point, I lost every last friend I had on the right,”

This sounds like most of my imediate family……………………..
http://www.facebook.com/people/Alice-Johnson/1354867656 Alice Johnson

I had wondered how the Republican party, or that part closest to Romney’s campaign, could be so incredibly helpless and shocked, standing around with their mouths open, when President Obama’s winning election results started to come in on election night. I thought it was just a little bit of snarkiness on Romney’s part that he’d refused to write a concession speech to have it ready just in case. And I thought the report was exaggerated that Ann Romney sat sobbing on the couch for half an hour when the news came that Romney really, truly had lost the race. I was willing to call them rude and arrogant, but not stupid. And now, come to find out, Romney had believed all the bogus hype that his closest friends and employees had made up. Even Karl Rove believe the bullshit he’d been creating. It’s really sad when someone like Rove lies – then believes his own lies. I wonder what the Koch brothers think now?

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Myers/100001512942781 Jim Myers

Replying to Alice Johnson -

I am sure that Rove did the honorable thing and told all the Super-PAC contributors that the refund checks are in the mail.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Darla-Jean-Christopher/1505135133 Darla Jean Christopher

“Only 1 billion more and 2014 is in the bag!”: K. Rove

http://twitter.com/LostAnarchist S-3

Fuck this fat bag of shit and kill everyone who supports him. That’ll fix America greatly.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Myers/100001512942781 Jim Myers

Replying to S-3 -

Although I may agree with the basic idea of getting rid of Norquist, I do not appreciate the language.

You have good ideas. Please try to keep it clean.

http://profile.yahoo.com/FMUBMRNDEXOIF55F47MWM4U6ZY Right view

It does not matter Republican, Democratic or Independent if your policies are for only
the rich and against helping the working American then people will not support you & the
Republican past history was always hurting the little guys no wonder they will definitely
be history soon or later ( no one will vote for them in the next 20 years unless they really
want to change to help people )

http://www.facebook.com/people/Darla-Jean-Christopher/1505135133 Darla Jean Christopher

“Trickle down” doesn’t work when MULTInationals get hundreds of billions, they many times choose to spend it IN ANOTHER NATION.

Archie’s Boy

When has it *ever* worked?

http://www.facebook.com/michael.salemme Michael Salemme

WOW!! what a bunch of lunatics on this page, no wonder this country has fallen so deep. Why is it you want a weak, broke America? What the hell is so bad about working for what you want and need?

lana ward

You got that right, brainwashed robots. They’ll soon find out what a traitor red rag is!!

anyasnote

Any Republican that will go along with Dem’s is doing to preserve his job and the paerksa that comes with it. They don’t give a hoot about you and the country. ALL POLITICIANS ARE SELF SERVING. and the rich don’t care. They take their money out of the country. Just stop and think, how much if would affect his life style if he have to pay 3% more on his millions vs a person who makes 20K a year and pays 15% vs Romney 13% on 25M??????
Any answers Republican brainiacks???? I would gladly pay my share based on my income and deductions that law allows me to take. Stop and think – if you own a home and have a mortgage and they take away your mortg. Interest deduction, and even RE taxes just stop and think how much MORE some of you will pay in taxes. Learn economics and accounting.
To make money YOU have to spend some money, it takes money to start a business and you need customers to buy your goods, no money to buy U R out of business..Taxes, tax breaks and all that BS do not create jobs. SUPPLY AND DEMAND DOES. Simple.
Jim Lou

It is a hard awakening of those who were sheltered in a cocoon. What came out wasn’t a butterfly or even a moth but a phantasm.
bstockinger

One of the hardest things to do is make fact-based decisions. One of the things that politicians hate are facts. More and more, Republicans refuse to accept any facts that contradict their version of the world. As a result, we get complete denial of climate change; AIDS epidemics; broken educational systems; broken health care systems; broken pension systems; broken tax systems; and a dysfunctional political system.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Paul/1139915189 Richard Paul

Good for him. At least he understands that without innovation, and constant infinite growth/infinite wealth doesn’t and can’t work. These are the flaws within the Austrian/Freidmanism movement. The models refuse to accept innovation into the equations for looking at any GDP growth.
donbronkema1

Defending truth is an anabasis…what a price we’ve paid

–death/injury in two wars
–87 trillion unfunded/unfundable liabilities
–reputational ruin, loss of global influence
–violation of due process [torture/detention/kidnapping]
–costly or fatal delay v-a-v carbon/methane abatement
–metastatic chasm separating rich/middle class/poor
–despair amongst ‘denker und dichter’
donbronkema1

What irony–business itself does better under Demos, owing to strong inverse correlation of profits & taxes.

Adding to ‘the price’ [our comments infra] is failure to fund basic science [climatology, epigenomics, smart-materials, informatics, cosmogony, robotics, ad inf].

Lest this seem too technocratic, we suggest compulsory Greek & Latin in secondary curricula; then citizens will appreciate that

Pan ta-rhei kai auden menei [Heraclitus].
&
Quiquid agunt homines, nostri est farrago libelli [Plutarch].

Classics are not just for coastal ‘E-lights’, but everyone; their joys not, as perceived among the polloi, ‘N to the square-root of minus-1′.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3WBTMJTJTKZB7YBPNMMPWMV5TI Minell

start with a racist democrat first and go from there. You changed after the civil rights and black folk could vote and become 100% male rather than 3/4 of (.75%) of a man.
jstsyn

I never thought there were not good, clear thinking Republicans out there. They are few and far between. They need to stand up like Mr. Bartlett has. I think Mr. Hagel from Neb. is another. Not as much like Mr. Bartlett but a sensible man. His nomination will likely be a fight.
Archie’s Boy

When an individual or a group — in this case, the Republicans — listen to nothing but their own propaganda and doctrine, and act as if that was real, there’s no word for it but “delusional.” Remember when they decried “reality-based” thinking (they still are)? They thought if they just acted according to what they believed was true, that would *make* it true. That’s why they were so shocked at the Romney loss. Let’s hope that this lunacy will burn itself out ASAP.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joan-Maurer/100000910841619 Joan Maurer

The goal of the current GOP is to limit the size of government. They want the government to be totally ineffectual in all endeavors. Most Americans do not really want “smaller” government no matter what they say. Most Americans want a government that works for them…

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Bruce Bartlett: ‘My Life on the Republican Right And How I Saw It All Go Wrong’

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