"The New Republicans" by Paul Krugman at the NY Times
The New Republicans
by Paul Krugman at the NY Times
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/20/the-new-republicans/
"SNIP........................................
There has been a lot of talk since the election about the possible emergence of a new faction within the Republican party, or at least among the conservative intelligentsia. These new Republicans, were told, are willing to be more open-minded on cultural issues, more understanding of immigrants, and more skeptical that trickle-down economics is enough; theyll favor direct measures to help working families.
So what should we call these new Republicans? I have a suggestion: why not call them Democrats?
There are three things you need to understand here.
First, on economic issues the modern Democratic party is what we would once have considered centrist, or even center-right. Obamas Heritage-Foundation-inspired health care plan is to the right of Richard Nixons. Nobody with political influence is suggesting a return to pre-Reagan tax rates on the wealthy. Fantasies about Obama as a socialist, redistributionist hater of capitalism bear no more resemblance to reality than fantasies about his birthplace or religion.
........................................SNIP"