The Zombie Party
Thursday, April 21, 2016
An article about the Republican primaries written before the debacle in New York contains the following bit of wisdom:
GOP chairman Reince Priebus deliberately encouraged the clustering of 30 primaries and caucuses in March on the dubious theory that a foreshortened presidential race would produce a consensus nominee.Too many Republicans, Priebus included, merely oppose (or reluctantly go along with) the left, rather than standing for individual rights. And among the "opponents," how many make arguments that some leftist proposal is noble, but impractical, or otherwise object only on pragmatic grounds? And how many -- including the few ideologues -- disparage ideology as such? Freedom provides obvious benefits over serfdom, but understanding or supporting it is not just a matter of common sense. It is precisely this fatal allergy to ideas or the discussion thereof that has led to a candidate selection process devoid of debate and designed to avoid substance. The fools in the GOP got exactly what they deserved, but I am not gloating about this: I had hoped for a real alternative to whichever socialist or fascist the Democrats nominate this fall. Should Trump be the nominee, I will almost certainly vote against him or abstain from the top of the ticket.
Instead, Priebus earned a place of honor among political leaders who arrogantly believed that they could outsmart the Law of Unintended Consequences. Democracy without time for deliberation produces chaos -- and a delegate lead for Trump, a candidate who embodies the authoritarian temptation in 21st century garb. [bold added]
Has this election killed the GOP, or has it merely proved that it was dead all along? Judge for yourself.
-- CAV
Updates
Today: Added formatting note to block quote.
2 comments:
"Too many Republicans, Priebus included, merely oppose (or reluctantly go along with) the left, rather than standing for individual rights."
Gus, while the GOP deserves the fate its feeble leaders have currently earned, the veil of two,competing U.S. political parties has been a failed paradigm whose veil needs piercing. A renamed successor that is just as feeble as the GOP accomplishes nothing but a waste of more years.
The party supported by more attorneys (in Congress, on K-Street, and on Main Street) than the GOP has rendered the latter its complicit handmaiden, content to stay in the game to win once in a while, like the Baltimore Orioles. No longer do key party visions differ in the reality of actions complied.
Socialism by all of its fancy names (TPP, Internationalism, Globalism, New World Order) is still a sorry path to loss of sovereignty, declining standards, illegitimate opportunities, and vanishing liberties for most citizen/subjects.
The current Pope appears to advocate for a socialist new world order as does the GOP. I prefer our union of 50 competitive U.S. states. Unfortunately congress and the Supreme Court are content to gradually whittle away our Bill of Rights.
Just my 2 cents.
Vigilis,
Apologies for the longer than usual delay in posting your comment.
I think you ascribe too much power to attorneys. We still have freedom of speech and the vote in this country, and I think a party that offered a real alternative to socialism, articulated that alternative well, and helped the public understand how that alternative would be better for them, personally, could do very well, regardless of how many lawyers opposed them.
Gus
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