David Brooks: Running on Reform

[priller]

Another nonsense GOP apologia from Brooks. He's quickly becoming like a young George Will, offering seemingly intelligent sounding justifications for relentlessly bad GOP policy. Last week he tried to tell us that it was actually GOOD that the US had no post-war Iraq policy, because trying to manage a country never works (in other words, government bad!). Today he turns around and actually *wants* the government to try to solve problems and be progressive and change and reform --- but, wait for it, he thinks the Republicans are the ones to do it! Ha ha! Incredible!

------

http://nytimes.com/2004/01/03/opinion/03BROO.html

<snip>

Fortunately, there is one Republican leader who, at least at one point, recognized that the 21st-century G.O.P. could no longer be the party of Barry Goldwater. That's George W. Bush. When he ran for president in 2000, he made it quite clear that trimming government was not his main goal. "The American government is not the enemy of the people," he declared. "At times it is wasteful and grasping. But we must correct it, not disdain it. Government must be carefully limited — but strong and active and respected within those bounds. It must act for the common good."

<Does anyone remember Bush giving this speech?>

Bush promoted a new domestic governing philosophy: compassionate conservatism. To be honest, that hasn't panned out. So the task this year, starting with the State of the Union speech, is to come up with a new governing philosophy that will give domestic policy a sense of idealism, ambition and shape.

For my money, the best organizing principle for Republicans centers on the word "reform." Republicans can modernize the (mostly Democratic) accomplishments of the 20th century. That would mean entitlement reform, tax reform, more welfare reform, education reform, immigration reform, tort reform and on and on. In all these areas, Republicans can progressively promote change, while Democrats remain the churlish defenders of the status quo.

----

Okay, so he recognizes that most of these 20th century accomplishments came from Democrats, but now he thinks the Republicans are the ones to make these things better? Does he not realize to Republicans, "reform" = "destroy" when it comes to social programs?

[pasadenaboy]

1. actually his domestic policy philosophy is either

borrow and spend
or pass the buck to our children


You can take your pick on which term you like better.