Republicans "No Longer a Normal Governing Party," "Unfit for Government"

[octoberlib]

Outrage is growing over Republican sabotage of … well, everything.E. J. Dionne Jr. in the Washington Post, writing in It’s our system on the cliff, (emphasis added, for emphasis) The United States faces a crisis in our political system because the Republican Party, particularly in the House of Representatives, is no longer a normal, governing party.The only way we will avoid a constitutional crackup is for a new, bipartisan majority to take effective control of the House and isolate those who would rather see the country fall into chaos than vote for anything that might offend their ideological sensibilities.

Michael Tomasky at The Daily Beast, in The GOP Brings Politics to a Crisis Point,
Really, what is to be done about this Republican Party? What force can change it—can stop Republicans from being ideological saboteurs and convert at least a workable minority of them into people interested in governing rather than sabotage? … They are a direct threat to the economy, which could slip back into recession next year if the government doesn’t, well, govern. They are an ongoing, at this point almost mundane, threat to democracy, subverting and preventing progress the American people clearly desire across a number of fronts. They have to be stopped, and the only people who can really stop them are corporate titans and Wall Streeters, who surely now are finally beginning to see that America’s problem is not Barack Obama and his alleged “socialism,” but a political party that has become psychologically incapable of operating within the American political system.

Mark McKinnon, also at The Deaily Beast, All I Want for Christmas Is a New GOP, (emphasis added, for emphasis)
But here’s the deeper point and the bigger problem for the GOP. Increasingly, it is becoming clear that the party is against everything and for nothing. Nothing on taxes. Nothing on gun control. Nothing on climate change. Nothing on gay marriage. Nothing on immigration reform (or an incremental, piece-by-piece approach, which will result in nothing). It’s a very odd situation when the losing party is the party refusing to negotiate. It may be how you disrupt, but it is not how you govern, or how you ever hope to regain a majority.

So here we are. A destructive, radical group is in control of part of the government. It is bent on sabotage and destruction. When you elect people who hate government, don’t be surprised when they set out to destroy our government.

http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/13565-republicans-no-longer-a-normal-governing-party-unfit-for-government

[Mojo2]

1. Thanks

Very interesting read.

[riqster]

2. The last sentence hits the core

When anti-government people get elected to government, it is not likely to be a good thing.

[indepat]

3. A destructive radical group in control of part of the government, not due to the will of

the voting public, but due to radical gerrymandering. The only way to kill it is to cut off its head, metaphorically speaking, of course. May it be done with a thousand cuts

[Filibuster Harry]

4. this is how the Rs want to play it. Ditto with the electing people who hate government but why if

they hate government would they want to run and be part of its payroll? And pension? And social security? Can anyone say treason? I cannot believe that some of their constituents won't be affected by the "cliff" and start giving them hell for it? And the bankers, and the businesses when we all go over together.


This could get ugly. What a way to start the new year and show our international friends and investors.

[lumberjack_jeff]

5. They ran for office on the idea that government does nothing good.

it should be unsurprising that they're disinclined to prove themselves wrong now that they're in office.