Kill the Messenger - this time the LA Times

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

Not on the evidence, dear boy, not on the evidence. Threads with numerous posts by you that do not include less-than-justifiable railing at Republicans by you are more the exception than the rule.

You should qualify that by stating that TW is railing at the current crop of Republicans and not Republicans in general.

Even Warren Buffet and John Bogle, two incredibly smart men, have issues with the 'business at all cost' attitude of this adminstration.

I think pro-Communist leftists are wrong. I also think 'pure Capitalism' rightists are also wrong. Governments which let large amounts of their citizens starve don't last long, and there are inefficiencies in a purely caplitalistic system that can lead to systemic failure, especially when we move into a form of state-sponsored Capitalism where businesses are considered 'too large to fail' and are propped up using public funds.

Even the Bush adminstration has begun to concede this by finally taking action on pension funding to prevent a crisis that may become more expensive than the S&L bailout.

I do not think, for example, that the idea that it was overpaid workers who sunk GM is not being bought by the public. Anyone who has been in the market for cars, which includes a large segment of the population, realizes that the issue is that GM has failed to make cars that people want to buy. Noone believes that these kind of decisions are made by anyone other than 'top management', as TW correctly states.

Bogle and Buffet both seem disenchanted about the way this administration has approached regulating business as well as keeping the public finances. They know bad management when they see it.

I, as a Democrat for example, can criticize the Democratic party for failing to address racism and segregation until after 1960 without being anti-Democrat, since I am referring to distinct times within history. Currently, Republicans control two of the three branches of government. They are essentially responsible for every bad decision made by the goverment since they took control of Congress and the White House, which covers a lot of territory.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by richlevy

You should qualify that by stating that TW is railing at the current crop of Republicans and not Republicans in general.

A distinction, perhaps, but a mighty small difference, especially in that both he and they exist in this moment. Consider that his sole approach to Republicans is intemperate. You won't catch me making that mistake.

I, as a Democrat for example, can criticize the Democratic party for failing to address racism and segregation until after 1960 without being anti-Democrat, since I am referring to distinct times within history. Currently, Republicans control two of the three branches of government. They are essentially responsible for every bad decision made by the goverment since they took control of Congress and the White House, which covers a lot of territory.

To be fair, they are likewise and to the same degree responsible for the good decisions made by the government, which also covers a lot of territory. Breaking totalitarianism is good for all mankind, by definition. Totalitarian organization models have their uses, primarily in the organization remaining functional under extremely difficult conditions and if damaged, but when the totalitarian model is applied to entire societies, the resulting regimes exist only to oppress. Oppression is simply bad.

Partisan enthusiasm for the respective philosophies of either the Democrat or Republican parties very much does not define which is actually good and actually bad. What it does define is which one you're sold on.

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

A distinction, perhaps, but a mighty small difference, especially in that both he and they exist in this moment. Consider that his sole approach to Republicans is intemperate. You won't catch me making that mistake.

No, you are quite temperate in your approach to Republicans. Your comments on Democrats, however......

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

Partisan enthusiasm for the respective philosophies of either the Democrat or Republican parties very much does not define which is actually good and actually bad. What it does define is which one you're sold on.

Again, we are not talking respective philosophies, we are talking execution. Until recently, the Republicans in Congress have voted as a block in rubber-stamping policies the President has wanted. Some of these policies are overtly pro-business at the expense of a majority of citizens.

What has begun to disturb moderates of both parties is the total fiscal breakdown associated with forcing tax cuts while denying the true costs of the war in Iraq as well as anti-terrorism spending.

Having any real criticism of this direction painted by partisan hacks as un-patriotic does not help to foster bipartisanship.