And it's look who's finally showing up for The Normalizing? David F. Brooks ("Fellow Trump Critics, Try a Little Listening") asking all his friends to take a hopeful and helpful attitude to the president-elect and his interesting plans:
Long version at The Rectification of Names.
Whether it’s reforming immigration or trade policy, his governing challenge is going to be astoundingly hard and complicated. Surely this is not the moment to get swept up in our own moral superiority, but rather to understand the specificity of the proposals he comes up with and to offer concrete amendments and alternatives to address the same problems.
It's just like November 2008, right, when he asked Obama's opponents to cut him some slack and assist him to govern responsibly, by engaging with the Democrats' proposals. Oh, wait, no he didn't, he told the president-elect to listen to his opponents and look for ways of engaging with them, because the election was a sure sign that America was moving to the right:I’m dreaming of an administration led by Barack Obama, but which stretches beyond the normal Democratic base. It makes time for moderate voters, suburban voters, rural voters and even people who voted for the other guy.... there won’t just be a few token liberal Republicans in marginal jobs. There will be people like Robert Gates at Defense and Ray LaHood, Stuart Butler, Diane Ravitch, Douglas Holtz-Eakin and Jim Talent at other important jobs. ("Change I Can Believe in", 11/7/08)Obama did hire Gates and LaHood, too, as if he'd read that stupid column, as he probably did. I wish he'd hired my girl Ravitch, now that she's ended up on the radical side, instead of that tool Arne Duncan. Trump's discussing Jerry Falwell, Jr., as a possible secretary of education. I see lots of ways of collaborating with that and finding a way to split the difference between our views. Maybe we can talk him into allowing evolution theory to be taught in high school biology alongside the approved theory from Genesis 1. Compromise! But it's always the left side that has to compromise with the right, because reasons.
Long version at The Rectification of Names.
4 comments:
Yes, I remember in 2008 just how much compromise republicans had on their minds when the day of President Obama's win Yertle the Turtle said they were going to be sure and make Obama a one term president. Asshat.
I hate to repeat myself but F'em
Bobo articulates the following well:
In our country as it is and has been for decades, liberals/progressives/Democrats are considered by everyone to be red-headed step-children, and must adhere to the following rules:
-They must speak only when spoken to.
-They must include all "natural" children - conservatives/Republicans - in their play, and to share their toys - while the others don't need to include or share ANY thing with them.
-They must give the "natural" children "first dibs" at the table.
-And they must be at all times respectful of their betters.
-Finally, if they are in any way groped, beaten, or otherwise abused, they must humbly ask, "Please Sir/Madam, may I have some more?"
Did I miss anything?
I don't know about anyone else, but Nixon, Reagan, and Bush II were bad enough, I'm willing to draw the line at t-RUMP and say, "NO MORE!!!"
I think the consistent principle here is that whoever gets more votes, and his/her followers, have to listen to whoever gets fewer votes.
Thine piece shall not writeth itself. Nor shalt thee, if pressed, allowed thine mouth to move, less torrents of meal falleth upon the earth there to be devoureth by vermin or cast about among the Winds.
- the Gospel According to Paul [Weyrich]
From the DavidBrooks Compleat Bibliography to Guiding Ye Olde Principled Republican in Matters of Interpersonal Conversation with Non-Believers, Condensed Version, a.k.a. The Brooks Field Guide to Ducks ["Quack!"]:
- That's an entirely specious comparison.
- The two cases aren't remotely comparable.
- I haven't thought about it, because quite frankly it never would have occurred to me that anyone would ever suggest such a thing, and now that you have, I really don't see the point in spinning wheels.
- I don't understand your question, nor do I think you do either, and besides I have a much more interesting point to make here so why don't the two of us just pretend you never said those words and I'll agree not to be ashamed on your behalf and indignant on my own behalf.
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