Why "conservative solutions" don't work.

[edhopper]

There was a time when conservatives offered solutions to problems that meant actually dealing with them. We could debate whether market solutions or tax breaks and credits were the best options, but the ideas were worth at least talking about. I think of Jack Kemp who genuinely wanted to help inner cities and promoted Enterprise Zones as a tool.

The problem with what comes out of the GOP and Conservative Think Tanks today is they aren't really trying to solve problems. They are just using problems to move forward their true agenda of lowering taxes on the rich and corporations and getting rid of regulations.
None of their plans, in healthcare, jobs, poverty... are really designed as solutions. They are Trojan Horses to give the rich further power.

Give Social Security to Wall Street, use healthcare to give more tax cuts to the rich, lower wages to enrich corporations who won't add jobs.

So when I hear the two sides should come together and compromise on their differing ideas, I only see one side that is acting in good faith.

Dem plans aren't always good and don't always succeed, but they have the advantage of actually trying to address the problems.

[smirkymonkey]

1. K&R

[Buzz cook]

2. But they do work

They work at enriching the already rich, raping the national treasury, and throwing raw meat to the base.

[edhopper]

8. that's the point

they are designed for something other than the intended problem.

[guillaumeb]

3. And some of the GOP "solutions", like voter ID laws,

are solutions to non-existent problems.

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. The problem with all of this is these solutions can't

Be proven wrong in advance, so by design they are put into action. By the time it's determined that they don't work it's too late.

An example of this kind of gamesmanship was the Invasion of Iraq based on the existence of WMD. They knew damn well that nothing would be found, but they also knew that it couldn't be proven unless we went ahead with the invasion, and then it would be too late to turn back. The same strategy is used over and over.

[edhopper]

6. Except for

trickle down economics, which has been proven not to work over and over.

Deregulation of finance has also been proven to bring on economic turmoil.

[RoccoR5955]

5. The main reason why "progressive solutions" are not implicated

Is because too many times, many of the Democrats feel that they are cooperating with Republicans when they give away goals.
Also there needs to be more education, both of the public and elected officials as to how these progressive solutions will work, if fully implemented.
Another reason is that so many folks buy into the Reagan myth that the government can do no good. So I ask: Why do we vote for people to public office who say that government can do no good, then, when in office, go on to prove it?

[edhopper]

7. as Obama said

they cling to their God and their guns.

[RoccoR5955]

13. So do many Democrats.

So that is not the only reason. As I stated many times in the past, they "cooperate" too much with the Republicans, and give away everything that they were fighting for in the name of cooperation.
Candidates who are middle of the road, or what some call "Republican-Lite" don't cut it when ballot initiatives that are far more progressive than the person running pass. This is true in the current leadership of the DNC, and it would serve them better if they were to run much more progressive candidates. We might win for a change. Look at how it helped the teabaggers. Sometimes your opponent can give you insights as to what your strategy should be, especially when you are losing, and the Dems have been losing seats for quite some time now.

[Bucky]

9. The last real conservative ticket was in 1996: Dole-Kemp. Honorable men.

That was back when they believed in market solutions, economic fair play, and free enterprise. What the Republicans have drifted to since 2000 is something better described as "state capitalism" in which the government supports large industries and assumes most of the risk and underwrites the capital, while private citizens can then redirect profits into their pockets by virtue of contacts within the government.

[edhopper]

10. that is a very accurate description

[Wounded Bear]

11. I have often said...

that Democrats look for solutions to societal problems, Republicans look for ways to exploit societal problems for financial gain.

[tenderfoot]

12. "There was a time when conservatives offered solutions"

You know what... bullshit!!!! When was this? 1950's? 1870's? When? I ask because I have seen ZERO evidence of this? I was born in the early 1960's... Conservatives have NEVER offered solutions. Conservatives have NEVER shown an interest in GOVERNING. I am so sick of those LIES!!!

They've never been fiscal prudent, savvy or conservative either.

[RoccoR5955]

14. The EPA, the Interstate Highway system.

were two Republican solutions, when they were sane.

[Albertoo]

15. The Republican Party has been on a suicidal course for the past 4 terms

• on money: refusal to come to grasp with exploding income disparities
• on 'values': refusal to evolve out of brown-nosing the silly creationists
• on foreign policy: GW, one of the worst presidents ever