Guess who’s still talking (and telling the GOP to turn “Hard a’Port!”)? Yep, it’s Obama Voter (and New York Times house “conservative”) David Brooks, who uses his formerly-coveted space in the Times today to tell Republicans that actually returning to a platform based in promoting fiscal conservatism and opposing radical, unprecedented borrowing/spending and government expansion is “totally misguided.”
Thankfully, GOP leaders appear to be wisely ignoring his “advice.”
Brooks, like David Frum, is a faux-conservative pundit who inexplicably claims that the way for the Republican party to succeed is to become a poor imitation of its Democratic opposition. Of course, Brooks — a self-proclaimed “moderate” — voted for that Democratic opposition this past November, despite the GOP nominating a “maverick” moderate who should have been not only palatable, but exciting, to a person like Brooks.
The House GOP is finally getting back on track, as evidenced by its unanimous opposition to the $1,000,000,000,000.00 pork-laden “stimulus” bill, its fiscally-responsible counterproposals to Democrats’ runaway spending plans, and its pledge to work with President Obama to reduce spending, cut waste, and improve transparency.
Brooks claims that he voted for Obama, in part, because he expected this young, inexperienced president to be a uniter who would work across the aisle to bring hope, change, transparency, and responsibility to Washington. Pushing a $1,000,000,000,000.00 pork barrel spending bill through Congress without letting a single Member read it, then following on the heels of that fiasco by supporting a $410,000,000,000.00 spending bill chock-full of (9,286) airdropped earmarks, is neither fiscal responsibility nor any sort of change from Washington-as-usual whatsoever.
House Republicans are not only standing against this waste, but are offering to reach across the aisle to help President Obama keep his campaign promises of increased fiscal transparency and accountability, and decreased pork barrel spending and airdropping of earmarks. Democrats, on the other hand, are working with President Obama to spend money like it’s going out of style, while simultaneously expanding government and astronomically growing the deficit and debt — yet it’s the fiscally-responsible, compromise-offering Republicans, rather than the tax-and-spend, kick-the-minority-to-the-curb Democrats, that Brooks sees as being “totally misguided.”
Combined with the fact that he is a Democratic voter anyway, do Republicans really need to be given any more reasons why they shouldn’t be listening to David Brooks?
OK, It's Time for an Embargo on These Guys
IJB Tuesday, March 10th at 10:23AM EDT (link)Seriously, why are some many at RedState wasting their time on Brooks, Frum, Buckley Jr., Sullivan and Parker?!
They aren’t worth the effort.
This is all a distraction campaign anyway - these guys are probably all under orders from the Obama Admin. to stir up trouble on the Republican side, and our side and this site keep on falling for it.
Let’s just embargo them - no further discussion of Brooks, et al. They aren’t Republicans, they aren’t conservatives, nobody reads them seriously, and they aren’t worth our time.
Let’s keep the focus (and fire) where it belongs - on Obama & the Dems.
The best fate for Brooks & co. is our permanently ignoring them - nothing will hurt them more than going about as if they don’t even exist.
Here's why I didn't ignore this:
Jeff Emanuel Tuesday, March 10th at 10:26AM EDT (link)It provided a great opportunity to highlight just what the GOP is doing right, in contrast to what Brooks claims to want and in contrast to what the Ds are doing.
Trust me — nobody here is a tool of the machine. We can think for ourselves
JE
I Still Think, From Henceforth, We're Better Off Ignoring Them All (nt)
IJB Tuesday, March 10th at 10:29AM EDT (link)Exactly!-It is Crazy-making
larryp Tuesday, March 10th at 1:26PM EDT (link)and the Donks are expert at it. Obama is saying one thing and doing the polar opposite. It is jarring to have the President constantly running down the economy and the country—Crazy-making!
We need to ignore it. and come out with a PLAN, and each time these goofy statements come out we reply rationally with well-thought out alternative scenario. And then,like in closing a sale, ask if that idea is not bettter than Frum’s article or Obama’s speech (whet ev he says).
Remember when the Democrats want to win they always run to the right.
The donks always put up Trojan-horse candidates that are center-right or right.
and they win! That is the proof that conservative ideas win.
No one except leftists care about Brooks, anyhow.
spainishirish Tuesday, March 10th at 10:35AM EDT (link)Here is what annoys me most. How many times do you hear Republicans and/or conservatives tell Democrats and/or liberals what they need to do? None. Zero. Nada.
The hubris of liberals–and that’s all Brooks is, and a pathetic one at that–nauseates me. He isn’t writing for us. He’s writing to pander to his smug left-wing readers. The White Hosue sent no less than four staffers to talk to Brooks after he wrote something mildly critical, and he promptly saw the error of his ways.
I’m glad you didn’t ignore him here because it shows, as you wrote, the Republicans doing something right and one of the Fifth Columnists trying to discourage them. It speaks volumes.
To Kowalski:
spainishirish Tuesday, March 10th at 10:38AM EDT (link)On the other hand, I don’t think we should link to people like Brooks, Frum, Sullivan, ad nauseum. Certainly the latter two try desperately to get those hits and we should not enable them.
So Why Not Just Talk About What The GOP Is Doing Right...
IJB Tuesday, March 10th at 10:39AM EDT (link)…and leave Brooks out of it?
We do need to start ignoring these guys. They only have the power over us that *we* give them. We need to cut them out of our political equations entirely.
I think there are exceptions, like this one,
spainishirish Tuesday, March 10th at 10:49AM EDT (link)but I agree as a broad principle. Whenever a Fifth Columnist, who actually supported Obama, decries something the Republicans have done right it is worthy of note. Otherwise, not so much.
Brooks gives insight in an unexpected way
bk Wednesday, March 11th at 2:45AM EDT (link)I don’t know that he offers much of anything useful to a conservative, but from him you understand how the left views the right. They see Brooks as what should be a mainstream Republican, and anyone to the right of him is therefore a raving lunatic in their minds.
I agree.
Rod_Patrick Wednesday, March 11th at 4:16AM EDT (link)Their real objective is revealed. Their real intention is to literally split the Republican Party. Rush is like a glue that must be removed.
Although I find Rush’s words against McCain somewhat harsh, I think that Rush has freed himself and his listeners from the “ghosts of the past” (McCain and Bush). Like many of us, Rush is also awaiting for coming of a new real conservative who can unify and lead us again towards victory.
By doing what he is currently doing right now, Rush will not get any credit except for making it clear that we should never listen to what the Left says about us and that not one of the current self-proclaimed leaders is deserving of our trust.
When the right time comes, Rush and the rest of conservatives shall give all our support to that right leader in the near future … without any regrets.
Yeah.
Rod_Patrick Tuesday, March 10th at 10:50AM EDT (link)And all the democrats, liberals and some self-proclaimed Republicans (?) commenting in his article were cheering on him. And they glorified him as a faithful servant of Obamaism.
Now, I fully understand Frum’s motive; it will surely be an instant fame if a republican switches his allegiance to Obama.
To summarize the general reactions to Brooks’ article:
1. Republicans lost; they must undergo forced servitude to King Obama’s cool ideas and socialist agenda.
2. Republican Party, having no new ideas and no alternatives, must be re-engineered according to the tastes of its Democrat/liberal opponents and haters; if it fails, it must be split or destroyed to form a new party that is worthy to challenge the Great Imperial Democratic Party.
3. After its destruction, Republican Party must be the replaced by a New Party based on Brook’s visions.
I call it David Crook’s New KoolAid Party.
Brooks’s article is an EPIC FAILURE.
RINOs are wimps
franklinslocke Tuesday, March 10th at 11:02AM EDT (link)I agree not to mention these spineless, wimps anymore. Only Libs pay attention to them anyways. The “true” Conservatives need to stand up to these moderates and tell them to sit down and shut up. We did it there way and lost. Now it is our turn. We have candidates that win and ideas that work.
http://franklinslocke.blogspot.com/
Most RINOs are just opportunists;
Achance Tuesday, March 10th at 11:32AM EDT (link)they’re Republicans because that gave them the best shot at election at the time. Most don’t actually believe in much of anything but themselves, so it’s not like they lack the courage to stick up for their convictions; they don’t have any convictions. Think local TV anchorperson or the guy who does the tackiest car commercials
The Gingrich Revolution and GWBs two-terms cause the birth of lots and lots of Born-again Republicans at all levels. Our “big tent” theory caused us to adopt them despite the fact that most of them could hardly spell Republican. The Ds don’t have this problem; you WILL pass the litmus test.
In Vino Veritas
Tru dat
Alberta Tuesday, March 10th at 2:57PM EDT (link)But anytime we even think of applying some ideological consistency tests we are the bad guys.
Lincolns Republican Party had its litmus test…
Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.
Abraham Lincoln
Hey Mr. Brooks,
baserunr Tuesday, March 10th at 12:03PM EDT (link)I would rather go down in flames articulating the principles and ideals I believe in, than live quietly under years of rule by a Party that is the antithesis of everything I believe in. Yes, that might make me the minority for a very long time. But the path that you and Chairman Mao-bama are on leads to ruin, and I cannot and will not stand quietly by as you implore us all to destroy the country. You and your liberal colleagues can destroy the country until your turn is over. And our speaking out against you and your misguided and destructive policies is intended to end your turn as quickly and decisively as possible.
“The day you think you know it all is the day your trouble starts.”
Brooks has skin
HMHaanpaa Tuesday, March 10th at 12:08PM EDT (link)in the game and he wants to keep as much of it as possible. I vote for the ignore proposition and if that doesn’t work…. The “Free Press” has failed to see beyond their nose. They seem to have placed all their bets on the demise of the GOP. They can’t say it, but if they help nudge the demise and it happens, they look like their insights are genius. I think they are too big to fail, and, unfortunately they will get help.
Brooks is lying: Paul Ryan has a good plan, Reps have 2nd Zero Cost Stimulus Plan, and so on so on!
Rod_Patrick Tuesday, March 10th at 12:35PM EDT (link)And Brooks was able to conjure his readers that somehow, the Republicans, have no alternatives.
BROOKS IS A CROOK!
/Sorry. I just can’t resist. I’m gnashing my teeth.
Maybe
humboldt Tuesday, March 10th at 2:51PM EDT (link)Brooks, Frum and RINOs are EXACTLY the people we should be listening to. Afterall, we didn’t get as many votes as they did last time, these are people who are sympathetic to what we believe and are the most likely to switch their vote BACK to Republicans in the next election.
They are telling us exactly what we need to do to get their vote back - the very votes that will bring us a victory the next election.
Why in the world would we NOT listen to that?
I’m not saying I agree with Brooks, Frum, Sullivan, or anyone else all the time or even some of the time. but they are the voters who left the party these last few years and are the most likely to come back to us the next time, if we just accept them.
Name calling and belittling and mockery doesn’t win any new friends and certainly doesn’t win elections.
We don’t have to do everything they say, but we damn sure should be listening carefully if we ever want to be a majority again.
I hope that this is a joke.
tcgeol Tuesday, March 10th at 5:04PM EDT (link)We are fighting the left for the future and soul of our country. Why in the world would we ever want to be like them?
Let those “moderates” go their own way. If they have no concern for our principles, they don’t belong in the party anyway. I don’t care if copying the left guaranteed our victory for the next 50 years - if we don’t stand for liberty and the Constitution, we don’t deserve to win and I wouldn’t lift a finger to help.
Just your typical bitter gun- and God-clinger
55555! nt
Rod_Patrick Tuesday, March 10th at 5:08PM EDT (link)nt
humboldt Tuesday, March 10th at 8:51PM EDT (link)I really hope that you are joking. You would rather let the Democrats run things for the next 50 years than let someone with a slightly different opinion than your own be a part of your party?
Remember, the Dems think they stand for liberty and the Constitution too. Terms like that don’t get us there.
Remember too that there is a difference between being a Republican and being a conservative, Most conservatives are Republicans, but not all Republicans have to be conservative, That is the way we win.
Define "slightly different". [nt]
Martin Knight Wednesday, March 11th at 6:57AM EDT (link)To me, “consensus” seems to be the process of abandoning all beliefs, principles, values and policies. So it is something in which no one believes and to which no one objects … There are still people in my party who believe in “consensus” politics. I regard them as Quislings, as traitors … I mean it.
- Margaret Thatcher
NOTE: “consensus” = “Bipartisanship™”/”Centrism™”
So early...
HappyBunny Wednesday, March 11th at 7:29AM EDT (link)Toad. Bunny thinks the “we” in your last sentence refers to the “people” who won the last election. You’re certainly part of that coalition.
Go read a comic book. Or watch Hannah Montana. Or play with your HotWheels. Or maybe Dodge-’em on the I5 at morning rush hour.
And just what, exactly, are we winning if we compromise to win the votes of idiots like Brooks?
janis Wednesday, March 11th at 7:47AM EDT (link)This is a man so obtuse that he couldn’t look at Obama’s radical record and realize that he’s a hard leftist radical who would do exactly what he is doing–ruining our country. Even knowing what Obama is doing now doesn’t seem to phase him as he’s still trying to justify voting for the bum.
I’m not compromising to get votes such as his. Doing so just means we’ve thrown away any principles we ever claimed to have. Which is apparently perfectly fine with the likes of you. Worked out so well this election, didn’t it?
I disagree
Jack_Savage Tuesday, March 10th at 5:27PM EDT (link)“Name calling and belittling and mockery doesn’t win any new friends and certainly doesn’t win elections.”
It sure went a long way for the Democrats in 2006 and 2008.
If and only if
Rod_Patrick Wednesday, March 11th at 1:59AM EDT (link)the 59 millions+ who voted for McCain won’t smell a rat in such kind of suggestion.
Please don’t assume the 59M are constant believers. They don’t express their views but they are very sensitive to the kind of people you’ve mentioned.
Brooks was totally stupid on This Week
robmikpet Wednesday, March 11th at 12:49AM EDT (link)In the roundtable he said “The Republicans want to go back to Reagan to 1982 and that is just dumb”
Rush said it best when he asked “why is it ok for the Dems to use FAILED policies from the 1930’s but the Republicans are wrongly “clinging to Reagan and 1982.
It was one of those times I wish I was on TV so I could look him directly in the eyes and say Mr. Brooks you are truly an idiot.