The many ways the right wing has become dysfunctional

By Erich Vieth on October 05th, 2009

Not all right-wingers have completely lost it. Not yet. Now before you assume that I’m a knee-jerk liberal, keep in mind that I voted for Ronald Reagan, and I am still attracted to many traditional positions of conservatives. And I fully admit that there are still many thoughtful conservatives out there.

That said, check out the current crop of the salient qualities of prominent Republican spokespersons.   As David Brin sums it up so very well, this hasn’t been Barry Goldwater’s party for many years.  Not in the least. What are the most bizarre changes we’ve seen? Here are a few from Brin’s long list:

* prudence to recklessness
* accountability to secrecy
* fiscal discretion to spendthrift profligacy
* consistency to hypocrisy
* civility to nastiness
* international restraint to recklessness
* efficiency to no-tomorrow wastrelness
* personal rectitude to flagrant licentiousness

I would differ with Brin on one issue.  I wouldn’t attribute these dysfunctions to “stupidity.”  Rather, I interpret them as the results of a combination of fearfulness, groupishness, over-reliance on disgust as a form of morality, and deep compulsion to constantly display badges of group membership.

Lawrence Kohlberg has written about the differences between the conventional (conservative) and post-conventional (liberal) moral development. Conservatives do, in fact, live in the box and believe in the box so help me God.  Conservatives don't cotton to anything that wants to change the status quo.


Liberals, on the other hand, want to strengthen and make the box better. It is any surprise when big changes are needed, the public elects Democrats who want 'a brand new bag.' In World War 1, during the Great Depression and in World War 2, Democrats were elected president. Only Democrats seems to be able to deal with the ever changing world. This is why Obama was elected president.


Rightardia thinks some more big changes are in store for America once Obama gets the big one done, health care. The Employee Free Choice Act needs to be passed to help the middle class recover from years of conservative anti-union activity, Gitmo needs to be closed and the Armed Forces need to become gender neutral. This could be accomplished immediately with an Executive Order. No change to public law is need to protect gays and lesbians.


It is starting to look like a public works programs or government employment programs are needed. Private enterprise doesn't appear to be up to the task of getting Americans back to work.


Republicans will whine about the government spending your money, but the GOP has never been restrained in over spending on defense which has resulted in the biggest increases to the national debt. The real issue between the two poltical parties has been spending priorties.  


Before Bush left office the US has spent nearly $800 billion in Iraq which would have paid for the US health care system. A massive infusion of tax dollars is also needed into the the crumbling US infrastructure. America needs to rebuilt. We need to start thinking big again like the Chinese are. The status quo needs to be changed with or with the help of the Party of No.



Source: http://dangerousintersection.org/2009/10/05/the-many-ways-the-right-wing-has-become-dysfunctional/


Subscribe to the Rightardia feed: feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/IGiu


Netcraft rank: 7376 http://toolbar.netcraft.com/site_report?url=http://rightardia.blogspot.com