NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > Blogs > Entertainment blogs > Manhattan Diary > GOP 'may no longer be a normal party'

Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

GOP 'may no longer be a normal party'

Posted on Thursday, July 07, 2011 at 10:05 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

50 Comments

RSS

Archives

It's not just conservative David Brooks who's getting a sinking feeling that a sizable faction of the GOP caucus is willing to default rather than make a deal with Democrats on our national debt.

Brooks argued in a July 4 column for The New York Times that if Republicans can get 85 percent spending cuts and 15 percent tax increases, that's a great deal. 'Democrats have agreed to a roughly 3-to-1 rate of spending cuts to revenue increases, an astonishing concession,' he wrote this week.

But the GOP's insistence that any and all tax increases are off the table in any debt ceiling deal demonstrates that: 'it has been infected by a faction that is more of a psychological protest than a practical, governing alternative,' Brooks contends.

'If you're going to reach an agreement in a two party system, you have to give the other party something. You can't just pretend it doesn't exist.'

But since Republicans look like they have no intention of taking this deal, Brooks writes 'the Republican Party may no longer be a normal party.'

This might be the moment to reflect that the GOP has delivered over three trillion in cuts that the wealthiest have enjoyed in the past decade - coupled with the worst jobs creation record since WWII to show for it.

The GOP first manipulated the populist Tea Party movement but now it's extremist candidates are in office they're finding it difficult to absorb them in the wider movement.

Stung conservatives had a predictable response to Brook's observations this week but the fact remains: the GOP is in real trouble when conservatives challenge their ability to govern.

E-mail

50 comments

Next Page 1 of 4 pages

maloney | Jul 20, 2011, 03:39 PM EDT

It's amazing how you have so much to say seano but never say anything at all.

Report abuse

rpmschevy | Jul 20, 2011, 02:01 AM EDT

Poor seano I do understand rhetoric and irony, I just love it when you all invoke it, especially since you can only do so with insults. When you cannot defend with facts you return with belittling showing your inability to have intelligent conversation on a subject. As far as check out chick, I do not spend idle time on social wasteful sites. A little hard to know about something so far away and irrevalent.

Report abuse

seanomelbourne | Jul 19, 2011, 07:43 PM EDT

you do fail to see the point. You are correct when you state I do not believe in God unfortunatley the irony is lost on you. I did apologise to the check out chicks maybe my humour just misses your head.I am really sorry and I will "Plainspeak" in future so can understand. I will really try not to use Rhetoric or irony,it's wasted on you anyway.

Report abuse

rpmschevy | Jul 19, 2011, 01:59 AM EDT

Oh man Seano still cannot talk intelligently and just brings on the insults. Someone brings up facts, does real research and challenges a liberal, they come back with cry baby insults like playground bullies who get knocked down. Amazing. Sexually innuendo, false statements, insults and no facts. It is almost laughable if not so serious. Why do you invoke God when you do not even believe in Him? Love that too about liberals. As for an attorney, thought about, could not afford when I was younger, but would love to be able to defend the Constitution of this great country against those who encroach on it. And exactly how are my thoughts all over the place? Oh it is because I have an ability to think independently and deduce on my own without influence from hate speech individuals like certain unnamed people here?

Report abuse

seanomelbourne | Jul 18, 2011, 07:49 PM EDT

go chew on some tea leaves after Aug.3rd thats all you will have unless Obama can come to your aid. Ask your accontant about debt and the ability to pay.I cannot believe that the good old GOP allowed itself to be dragged down by teahadist extremist who wouldn't know a debt ceiling from a check out chick ( my appologies to the check out chicks).

Report abuse

seanomelbourne | Jul 17, 2011, 08:23 PM EDT

Thank God your not a lawyer your mind is all over the place.I have no intention of reading your teahadist junk.Typical accountant one tracked mind how nfortunate.

Report abuse

seanomelbourne | Jul 16, 2011, 09:30 PM EDT

Chevy you have difficulty seperating rhetoric from fact poor lad.

Report abuse

seanomelbourne | Jul 13, 2011, 07:44 PM EDT

chevy as you help your billionaire friends lift their bags of cash into their car boots ,they will thank you for your support.They may even give one of their dollars that trickle down to the average American.Tell me who is really conducting "class warfare"? You need to quit looking and listening to the tainted (dirty)NEWS LTD. After all it's owned by one of your "classless billionaires".

Report abuse

rpmschevy | Jul 13, 2011, 02:44 AM EDT

No seano it is the Democrats who promote class warfare, and have for decades. Real Americans do not separate groups. Democrats want to keep people on welfare and keep them "dependent" just like drugs on them. That way they can stay in office. Those who believe in the American dream of hard work and prosperity by making something out of nothing do not call people by a separate designation. I have for decades detested classifying people as that creates the class warfare you speak of. Man woman, black, white, brown pink or orange should not matter, you are American or you are not. Enjoy, love, appreciate your heritage be it from anywhere or religious background. Celebrate Christmas, or whatever holiday, but be American. No class. But the Dems, no they need to have Hispanic, White, Black, Asian on the census. Why? There should be a box, American Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Guest. That is all. No class. So what if you are Black Mr Obama, are you American?

Report abuse

rpmschevy | Jul 13, 2011, 02:37 AM EDT

CarolMaske I am not a republican, but I do believe in our Republican style of government. You say look at the past of what they have done? What did Obama ever do? What has Ron Wyden ever done? What has the majority of politicians ever done in real life to deserve their stations? At least McCain fought for this country, and sufferred. And I do not like him either. He is now a professional politician.

Report abuse

hancock | Jul 13, 2011, 01:59 AM EDT

Australians.

Report abuse

seanomelbourne | Jul 12, 2011, 08:18 PM EDT

Pery can mount his old nag and take his re--peater rifle to DC and demand a banana republic for Texas.

Report abuse

CarolMaske | Jul 12, 2011, 02:26 PM EDT

I can't imagine how the GOP persuades its voters! All one has to do is look at history to find incompetence in the GOP's elected and their foul play in our elections. Which evidences their "mobster-like" approach to politics. I don't think there is an elected Republican that represents his or her constituents - they keep their party politics first and foremost. It is mystery to me why people vote for them.

Report abuse

seanomelbourne | Jul 11, 2011, 07:21 PM EDT

You shlould go love in Egypt maloney your already in "denile"

Report abuse

maloney | Jul 11, 2011, 03:31 PM EDT

The shareholders don't make the decisions at GE, the liberal idiots calling the shots do. seano, have you ever considered telling the truth? The change would do ya good. "The point" is on top of your head.

Report abuse

Next Page 1 of 4 pages