The Republican Party Is Stuffed Full of 'Frauds,' a Republican Argues
Republicans these days are riven by internal differences. That's partly because legislators recognize what's in their party's collective interest but won't, for individual reasons, take steps to make it reality. But it's also because of legitimate inconsistencies in the GOP's values. Republican communications consultant Liz Mair lashed out at the problem in a thoughtful Twitter essay Friday. The whole thing is worth a read.
Really starting to wonder if "conservatives" have lost all principles. First, "conservatives" backed Bush, father of Medicare Part D, NCLB..
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
Second, "conservatives" opposed Medicare cuts & campaigned against them. Third, we have "conservatives" making Dem arguments on tech policy.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
(note that by "traditional," I mean from the still very recent time when unions didn't want more immigration esp guest workers)...
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
Mair's "fourth" tweet seems to have been deleted. Update: looks like I may have just missed it the first time. Here it is.
Fourth, we have "conservatives" using traditional union talking points increasingly on free trade & outright & commonly on immigration...
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
Fifth, I have now seen multiple examples of "conservatives" talking about how by not getting the fed govt more involved in student loans...
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
... the Democrats are supposedly "screwing over" students. Because nothing says "conservatism" like turning the govt into a massive bank...
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
... involved in a bunch (more) unwise lending that inevitably helps to promote more inflation in education costs, rather than constrain it.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
Just a few examples. For a lot of people, "conservatism" actually means "economically liberal, culturally conservative and/or reactionary."
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
And the irony in all this is, no, it's not just the establishment GOP that dabbles in this. It's the populist, grassroots wing also.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
In fact, it may be even more the populist, grassroots wing than the establishment, overall. In any event, I find it depressing.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
I don't mind people who are legitimately 3-legged stool conservatives. I disagree w them on social policy & to an extent defense/forpol...
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
...but at least they are legitimately conservative and not, you know, frauds. What I can't stand are people claiming to be "conservative"...
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
...when they would, in fact, support a bunch of liberal policies if an R were advancing them or if Obama were advancing the opposite policy.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
Obama is obviously a big liberal, and rarely does he propose anything outside bog standard liberal policy. But Medicare cuts...
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
... and his (recent, occasional) embrace of free trade and more legal immigration are things where he's shown more market friendliness.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
And yet, you still get "conservatives" who are like "no Medicare cuts!" "no free trade!" and "stop (virtually all) legal immigration too!"
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
And then, because these "conservatives" want free things & big government too, they're like "turn the govt into a bank!" and "expand govt!"
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
You can criticize libertarians for having extreme minority viewpoints and espousing often impractical policy.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
But people who call themselves libertarians generally, you know, hold policy positions that are 90% legitimately libertarian.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
And we tend to be consistent in taking and holding those stances regardless of who's in office and what the derp du jour is.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
I was about to say the same about liberals, but actually, that's only vaguely true, and only if you exclude civil liberties & forpol.
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) June 28, 2013
