E.J. Dionne: Ideological Hypocrites

[babylonsister]

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/02/20/ideological_hypocrites__113174.html

Ideological Hypocrites
By E.J. Dionne


WASHINGTON -- When we talk about hypocrisy in politics, we usually highlight personal behavior. The multiply-married politician who proclaims "family values" while also having affairs is now a rather dreary stock figure in our campaign narratives.

But the hypocrisy that matters far more is the gap between ideology and practice that has reached a crisis point in American conservatism. This Republican presidential campaign is demonstrating conclusively that there is an unbridgeable divide between the philosophical commitments conservative candidates make before they are elected and what they will have to do when faced with the day-to-day demands of practical governance. Conservatives in power have never been -- and can never be -- as anti-government as they are in a campaign.

Begin by asking yourself why so many conservative politicians say they're anti-government but spend long careers in office drawing paychecks from the taxpayers. Also: Why do they bash government largesse while seeking as much of it as they can get for their constituents and friendly interest groups?

Why do they criticize "entitlements" and "big government" while promising today's senior citizens -- an important part of the conservative base -- never, ever to cut their Medicare or Social Security? Why do they claim that they want government out of the marketplace while not only rejecting cuts in defense but also lauding large defense contracts that are an enormous intrusion in the operation of the "free market"?

snip//

This is why our political system is so broken. Conservatives keep pretending that they can keep anti-government promises that they know perfectly well they are destined to break. We won't have sensible politics again until our friends on the right bring their rhetorical claims into closer alignment with what they do -- and what it takes to make government work.

[Surya Gayatri]

1. Thanks for posting, babylon...

Really appreciate E.J. Dionne and his incisive intellect.
Why aren't more pundits bringing up this monumental hypocrisy?
How can anybody pretend to take these jackasses seriously?

SG

[JohnnyRingo]

2. kick

Thanx for posting.
EJ Dionne makes such efficient use of a minimum of words, he's a great read.

[underpants]

3. E.J. accurately painted them in 2006 as "the party of the South" they still are & Santorum is proof

I see alot more of Dionne being allowed back onto TV talk shows. That is fantastic. Frank Rich would also be great but he gave up his position at the NY Times and so he is forgotten.

[Relentless Bitch]

7. Rich is at the New Yorker

I've seen him on Tv a few times this year.

[underpants]

4. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected...

and prove it.

- PJ O'Rourke

[stopbush]

5. Now that he's got that column out of the way, perhaps EJ can pen one on the

hypocrisy of his fellow Catholics on the birth control issue.

[bjb]

6. EJ

I agree stopbush and I am a Catholic....

[RBInMaine]

8. I constantly bash right wingers on their hypocrisy, and we ALL need to do so at every turn. Read on:

They love THEIR SS and Medicare. They LOVE THEIR roads, bridges, sidewalks, public schools with the public football teams etc.
They love THEIR public parks of all sizes. They love THEIR public police and fire departments. They love THEIR public water and sewer systems. They lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllove the military which is the most socialistic organization there is.

They vote against laws, like the stimulus, and then show up at the ribbon cuttings to take credit.

They say "keep government out of our private lives" but want the government to tell us who we can marry, what our doctors should do for us, what to do with our bodies, what we can smoke, what we can read, that religion should be shoved in our faces, and on and on.

They are pure hypocrites.