Republican Faith-Based Politics: The Dumbing of America

[Joanne98]

For OpEdNews: Bob Burnett - Writer

Republican panic about the size of the Federal deficit is wildly inconsistent with their plea to continue Bush-era tax cuts for the rich. Nonetheless they keep harping on both themes. It's emblematic of Republican faith-based politics; they believe we're too dumb to notice their schizophrenia.

For thirty years GOP faith-based ideology has played on a single seductive theme: it's possible for Americans to have it all - guns and butter; low taxes and robust governmental services; cheap energy and a healthy environment - without paying the tab. Republicans promised the political equivalent of manna from heaven. And the Party faithful bought it.

The Republican dumbing of America began in the Reagan presidency when conservative economic ideology began to dominate American political discourse. The Reagan hymnal featured three tunes: helping the rich get richer will inevitably help everyone else, "a rising tide lifts all boats;" markets are inherently self correcting and there's no need for government regulation; and the US does not need an economic strategy because that's a natural consequence of the free market. The cornerstone notion was that crucial policy choices carry no price tag; there's no need for sacrifice. Over time, faith supplanted reason.

The modern apostle of the Republican creed was George W. Bush. At the onset of his "war on terror," Bush didn't ask Americans for broad sacrifice: he didn't ask us to conserve gasoline or to donate blood or do any of the things previous Presidents have requested in time of war; he suggested we go shopping.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Republican-Faith-Based-Pol-by-Bob-Burnett-100827-68.html