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Congressional scholars: Republican Party ‘has veered off the tracks’

Somerville

Somerville

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Both of these men were considered staunch conservatives at one time

Congressional scholars: Republican Party ‘has veered off the tracks’

Congressional scholars Thomas E. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein have a new book out - It’s Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism - that flies in the face of the conventional media narrative by blaming the Republicans for the lion’s share of Washington gridlock and blasting what they call “asymmetrical polarization.”

The book describes the Republican Party as “an insurgent outlier … ideologically extreme; contemptuous of the inherited social and economic policy regime; scornful of compromise; unpersuaded by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition.”

(video link at RawStory.com)
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Thomas E Mann

Norman J Ornstein
 
As usual, we judge generic classifications as a single mass. I know self-identified Republicans that are anything but extreme. They are caring people whose philosophies could be summed up as help others, just don't get lost in the moment.

Much too often Repugnantcans and Democraps are viewed by us normal people through the lens of their most extreme. No consideration is given to the other 200 million adults that wish we could get rid of these extremists and settle for a useful compromise.
 
specklebang said:
As usual, we judge generic classifications as a single mass. I know self-identified Republicans that are anything but extreme. They are caring people whose philosophies could be summed up as help others, just don't get lost in the moment.

Much too often Repugnantcans and Democraps are viewed by us normal people through the lens of their most extreme. No consideration is given to the other 200 million adults that wish we could get rid of these extremists and settle for a useful compromise.
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While generally true what you write about pols, the problem we face today is the extremism of one group that controls our lives. Which is what the book is about.
 
Is there a point to this thread, or is it just an appeal to authority without consent?

More meat and taters please.
 
specklebang said:
As usual, we judge generic classifications as a single mass. I know self-identified Republicans that are anything but extreme. They are caring people whose philosophies could be summed up as help others, just don't get lost in the moment.

Much too often Repugnantcans and Democraps are viewed by us normal people through the lens of their most extreme. No consideration is given to the other 200 million adults that wish we could get rid of these extremists and settle for a useful compromise.
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So do. They just aren't in congress right now. What I understand of the book, they largely point to the republican attitude of anything to win, even if it is bad for the country. They also note this isn't just republicans. No angels here. Just too much demonization, too much we work together so you look bad and we can win, and too little doing the work of the people. Not much there to argue with.
 
Somerville said:
Both of these men were considered staunch conservatives at one time




Thomas E Mann

Norman J Ornstein
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LOL from your own source:
Ornstein is a long-time friend of current U. S. Senator and left leaning comedian Al Franken. Ornstein considers himself a centrist
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In 1958, he defeated incumbent Republican Robert J. McIntosh to be elected as a Democrat to the 86th United States Congress. He was subsequently re-elected to the eight succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1959 to January 3, 1977. He represented Michigan's 7th congressional district from 1959 to 1965 and after redistricting due to the 1960 census, he represented Michigan's 12th congressional district from 1965 to 1977. Both districts were part of the Metro Detroit area.
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Conservative as hell :roll::roll:
 
Somerville said:
Both of these men were considered staunch conservatives at one time




Thomas E Mann

Norman J Ornstein
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I saw these guys interviewed by Jon Stewart. Stewart correctly noted the conservative line in Congress is that the government can't help provide solutions, and then they proceed to demonstrate that! :doh
 
OpportunityCost said:
LOL from your own source:




Conservative as hell :roll::roll:
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THIS is from the Wikipedia article on Ornstein (link in my OP)
Ornstein is a long-time friend of current U. S. Senator and left leaning comedian Al Franken. Ornstein considers himself a centrist
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THIS is not, instead it comes from the Wiki article on James G O'Hara
In 1958, he defeated incumbent Republican Robert J. McIntosh to be elected as a Democrat to the 86th United States Congress. He was subsequently re-elected to the eight succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1959 to January 3, 1977. He represented Michigan's 7th congressional district from 1959 to 1965 and after redistricting due to the 1960 census, he represented Michigan's 12th congressional district from 1965 to 1977. Both districts were part of the Metro Detroit area.
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When attempting to provide refutation, please pay more attention to what is on your monitor. It would make you look less clueless
 
"Flies in the face of conventional media narrative"?? Seriously? What bollocks.
 
:roll: yeah. It's all evil Republicans.

No; the Post-War Consensus just continues to break up.

...2012 American Values Survey
Partisan Divide Reaches New High

Americans’ values and basic beliefs are more polarized along partisan lines than at any point in the past 25 years. Party has now become the single largest fissure in American society, with the values gap between Republicans and Democrats greater than gender, age, race or class divides. The parties also have become smaller and more ideologically homogeneous over this period. Republicans are dominated by conservatives, while a smaller but growing number of Democrats are liberals.

The survey finds that neither party is solely responsible for the growing partisan gap. In different ways, both Democratic and Republican values have become more partisan over the past 25 years — and polarization extends to independents as well.
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cpwill said:
:roll: yeah. It's all evil Republicans.

No; the Post-War Consensus just continues to break up.
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Clear evidence of the over-application of persuasion science.
 
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