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The Republican crack-up(Robert Reich weighs in on the Tea Party;)
Chicago Tribune ^ | December 27, 2011 | Robert Reich

Posted on 12/27/2011 1:59:00 PM PST by mdittmar

With the Iowa caucuses just days away, the Republican crack-up threatens the future of the Grand Old Party more profoundly than at any time since the GOP's eclipse in 1932. That's bad for America.

The crack-up isn't just Romney-the-smooth versus Gingrich-the-bomb-thrower. Not just House Speaker John Boehner, who keeps making agreements he can't keep, versus House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who keeps making trouble he can't control. And not just the GOP establishment versus the Tea Partiers.

The underlying conflict lies deep in the nature and structure of the Republican Party. And its roots are very old.

As political analyst Michael Lind has noted, today's Tea Party is less an ideological movement than the latest incarnation of an angry white minority -- predominantly Southern, mainly rural, largely male -- that has repeatedly attacked American democracy in order to get its way.

It's no coincidence that the states responsible for putting the most Tea Party representatives in the House are all former members of the Confederacy. Others are from border states with significant Southern populations and Southern ties.

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Illinois; US: Iowa; US: Ohio; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: chicago; chicagotribune; dwarf; illinois; iowa; ohio; partisanmediashills; reich; robertreich; robertreiich; teaparty; thechicagoway; virginia
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To: mdittmar; SunkenCiv; Clintonfatigued; jazusamo; AuH2ORepublican; Sean Hannity; holdonnow; ...
Reich delivers a 'Rats-eye view of the Republican Party and the Tea Party. When you're supporting a president running for re-election who is so unpopular, I suppose there's a tendency to fly totally off the handle and lose contact with reality in discussing those challenging your hegemony. Actually "ranting" here would be more accurate than "discussing."

Reich clearly longs for the "good old days" when his party held the White House, Republicans were minorities in both houses of Congress, and the GOP and played "go along to get along" with the dominant 'Rat majorities.

21 posted on 12/27/2011 2:48:29 PM PST by justiceseeker93
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To: mdittmar
Well Robert Reich, if that's the case maybe the South will rise again. Much better trained, prepared, equipped, and resourced this time I would suspect.
22 posted on 12/27/2011 3:11:40 PM PST by mosaicwolf (Strength and Honor)
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To: mdittmar

Holy Crap...just read the article. Reich needs to buy a history book. He even tries to co-opt the Civil Rights act, of which the RATS wouldn’t vote for.


23 posted on 12/27/2011 3:14:28 PM PST by stylin19a (obama - "FREDO" smart)
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To: justiceseeker93
Government Must Spend More To Get Out Of Debt
24 posted on 12/27/2011 3:17:54 PM PST by OddLane (If Lionel Hutz and Guy Smiley had a lovechild together, his name would be "Mitt Romney." -KAJ)
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To: Fu-fu2

Did you also tell them how the Tea Party has supported Herman Cain? Someone once said that the young are easy marks for totalitarian demagogues because they’re full of idealism for changing the world, and really know less that they think they do.


25 posted on 12/27/2011 3:18:17 PM PST by Jacob Kell (Osama/Obama the only difference is BS.)
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To: justiceseeker93

He wrote that when Michael was Speaker before Gingrich how it was so much better, the Republicans would rollover for the democrats, excuse me I think he actually said “compromise”.

I must add that when Newt was deposed and Hastert became Speaker the rolling over and spending spree began anew.


26 posted on 12/27/2011 3:20:14 PM PST by duffee (NEWT 2012)
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To: mdittmar

Robert Reich is embarassed. When it comes time to hang traitors like Reich, we won’t need a rope, but only kit string.


27 posted on 12/27/2011 3:23:35 PM PST by sergeantdave
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To: Repeal The 17th

Speaking as from a former confederate state— this bozo is working a personal paradigm he thinks will cause “knee jerk” oh yeahs from people.

Quite simply he is way beyond his limited capacities. The TEA party began on CNBC— he seems to forget that, and the make up is not demographically as he has described it. This is all wishful thinking— especially from a “instructor” who inflated his resume to economics professor, who worked for a president from a confederate state— whose mentor Fulbright voted against the Civil Rights Act. Jackass.


28 posted on 12/27/2011 3:27:47 PM PST by John S Mosby (Sic Semper Tyrannis)
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To: mdittmar
"It's also dangerous for America. We need two political parties solidly grounded in the realities of governing. Our democracy can't work any other way. "

The last few sentences of the article are weird, maybe revealing.

If Americans find this philosophy so abhorrent, would it not benefit the Democrats immensely? It seems Reich is far more interested in stopping this emergent force in the GOP than he is meeting it at the ballot box.

Yes, we're talking about the re-emergence of the Angry White Male...and we brought our wives and sisters with us this time.

I fully expect 75% of the white vote to vote GOP in 2012. Maybe 80%.

I know a couple of "mainstream California Progressives" at work and the only thing they know for sure is that they can NOT vote for anyone now running. Generally they like Obamas' political philosophy, but they cannot abide the overt filth, flaunting of law and general incompetence.

And the race baiting is beginning to bother even them.

29 posted on 12/27/2011 3:40:27 PM PST by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: mdittmar

Someone should send Commissar Reich a copy of Hayek’s “The Road To Serfdom.” Make sure the copy has large letters so Reich can understand it more easily. No, maybe someone should read it to him.


30 posted on 12/27/2011 3:50:03 PM PST by driftless2
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To: VeniVidiVici
"kommissar"

Congrats. You got there before I did. I guess this little jerk just can't stop being a lying a...hole I. He's now crossed the line into scoundrel territory.

31 posted on 12/27/2011 3:53:39 PM PST by driftless2
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To: justiceseeker93; AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; ...

Thanks justiceseeker93.


32 posted on 12/27/2011 6:00:35 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Merry Christmas, Happy New Year! May 2013 be even Happier!)
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To: mdittmar

Reich lives so far inside the liberal bubble that anything he says is worthless. He sees and interacts with people who only think like he does.


33 posted on 12/27/2011 6:36:53 PM PST by gusty
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To: All

Robert Reich proves that he’s a genuine lightweight even if he stood 6’5”...he’s a mental midget who is continually wrong about everything political, economic and labor related.


34 posted on 12/28/2011 4:09:50 AM PST by Prov1322 (Enjoy my wife's incredible artwork at www.watercolorARTwork.com! (This space no longer for rent))
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