For ages now, I have been complaining about a political pattern. Democrats pass unworkable socialistic plans, and then Republicans step in to make them work:
That last post about health care forces me to ask a couple of philosophical questions about Republicans.
It seems to be a given that Republicans devote inordinate amounts of time to policies which amount to tinkering with socialism in order to make it work.
Let’s face it; that’s what this Hillary health care triangulation strategy is.
Republicans are so resigned to socialism, so resigned to big government welfare statism that they’re in a race to embrace it.
That was then (2006).
This is now:
WASHINGTON (AP) – At the prodding of business organizations, House Republicans quietly secured a recent change in President Barack Obama’s health law to expand coverage choices, a striking, one-of-a-kind departure from dozens of high-decibel attempts to repeal or dismember it.
Democrats describe the change involving small-business coverage options as a straightforward improvement of the type they are eager to make, and Obama signed it into law. Republicans are loath to agree, given the strong sentiment among the rank and file that the only fix the law deserves is a burial.
“Maybe you say it helps (Obamacare), but it really helps the small businessman,” said Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., one of several physician-lawmakers among Republicans and an advocate of repeal.
Oh well, in that case…
This is mind-numbingly predictable. Republicans want to help business, and business wants Obamacare to be made more workable so they can stay in business. So Republicans end up doing the dirty work and manning the trenches to prop up yet another socialist program. Not that they want to do that consciously. But they have to deliver something, and if they sit around and do absolutely nothing, the clients who fund their campaign coffers will get sick of them.
Which means that if socialism — its latest face being Obamacare — is a fait accompli, the Republicans will have to smooth out the ugly details in the hope of minimizing its impact on their fat-cat clients, and make it more “fair.” That this only cements it further into place and guarantees its continuation does not seem to matter.
You’d almost think the left depended on the bastards to save their ass.
(I can say ass, can’t I?)
Comments
8 responses to “Deja vu all over again”
Chesterton was right.
Tax collectors for the welfare state…
The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected. Even when the revolutionist might himself repent of his revolution, the traditionalist is already defending it as part of his tradition. Thus we have two great types — the advanced person who rushes us into ruin, and the retrospective person who admires the ruins. He admires them especially by moonlight, not to say moonshine. Each new blunder of the progressive or prig becomes instantly a legend of immemorial antiquity for the snob. This is called the balance, or mutual check, in our Constitution. — G.K. Chesterton
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Note: Campaign contributions for the Rs will dry up if they actually SOLVE the problem (repeal socialism). They do best with empty promises.
Little wonder so many conservatives love the War on Drugs.
And it all comes down to two “arguments”:
The Mr. Mackie and the Michael Medved:
Drugs’re bad, mmmmkay?
Drugs have always been illegal
(and we’re at war with Eastasia, we have always been at war with Eastasia, Eurasia is our friend)
“Pas d’ennemis à gauche, pas d’amis à droite, and for God’s sake don’t rock the boat.”
Half the Republican Party has the damnedest case of Stockholm Syndrome I’ve ever heard of. And unfortunately, it’s the half that raises money and vets candidates.
Eric questioned:
(I can say ass, can’t I?)
Per our self-appointed style expert, Mr. Joseph, I would say that you can only do so in a broad southern accent as in, “Do Y’all be goin’ to tha ass-cream social?”
Now remember that ass should be pronounced oss in this circumstances and I will heartily condemn any juvenile linguistic hi-jinks that say otherwise.
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