Krugman: GOP Has Become A "Party Of Whiners"

In an editorial, economic Paul Krugman describes the Republicans as a "party of whiners":

As the new Democratic majority prepares to take power, Republicans have become, as Phil Gramm might put it, a party of whiners.

Some of the whining almost defies belief. Did Alberto Gonzales, the former attorney general, really say, "I consider myself a casualty, one of the many casualties of the war on terror"? Did Rush Limbaugh really suggest that the financial crisis was the result of a conspiracy, masterminded by that evil genius Chuck Schumer?

Read the whole thing. Krugman also touched on Gonzales' quote in a blog post this week, saying he was "having a vocabulary problem" attempting to describe "the kind of person who considers his mild discomfort the equivalent of torture, crippling injury, or death for other people."

Gonzales gave the description of himself as a 'casualty of the war on terror' in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, in which he discussed his plans to write a book on the Bush Administration.

"What is it that I did that is so fundamentally wrong, that deserves this kind of response to my service?" he asked the paper. "For some reason, I am portrayed as the one who is evil in formulating policies that people disagree with."

Comments

[realspirited]

Dear Republicans: Okay gang, you've got 3 years to get your game together! Stop pointing fingers and crying about everything. You messed up on a grand scale and it is time to re-educate yourselves to a new way of politics..­.old school does NOT rule anymore. If you want me to listen to you, you've got to do a whole lot better than you did this time around. Get with it or get out of the game!!!

[vjoseph]

Three years won't be enough

[Grunty1]

The next national elections are only 22 months away

[JeanPaulSatire]

Dear Rethuglicans:

Yes, you ARE victims and it would be excellent (as W. might wish he'd have said) "strategery" if you all were to stay on message with that simple talking point for the next, say, 50 years.

Of course, you are victims of your own lies, mean-spiritedness, and hubris, but victims nonetheless. And that particular bit of "strategery" would be excellent for the Democrats.

But please do carry on -- it is soooo amusing to watch you implode.

[dwillisno1]

The Aristocratic Party has always thought the Kool Aid they are drinking is a New Whine.

[raker]

"Party of Whiners" is the headline, but Krugman's key insight is that the Republicans long ago became a party of racists. Racism is not just a consequence of the party's other philosophies, it is the bedrock of neoconservative Republicanism. If not for fear and hatred of the other, the Republican Party would have nothing.

[Grunty1]

That's been common knowledge for the last 50 years.

[protagonia]

It is what emotional and intellectual adolescents do.

The very nature of a neo-con NEVER transcends that chronologically frozen state.

[dwillisno1]

Republicans are proof that there is a fine line between Fine Whine and Sour Grapes.

[MaryT63]

GOP, party of small government - what a laugh!!! They want small allright by privatizing everything walking. We still pay for it thru our taxes. You, patriots, most of the military is privalized now brought to you by Mr. Dick Cheney and his cronies.
I agree w your article, esp the part about the gop using government to hurt minorities. They did. But now their policies are hurting white people. Go figure.

[Sabreen60]

The policies have hurt white people (especially poor and middle class) for a long time. Unfortunately, they were sold a bill of goods - the 3 G's - g0d, g.uns and g@ys.

[mjc]

Can't really improve on all the comments here but this op ed piece by Krugman was terrific, as usual, and I sent it to most of my email buddies including a dyed in the wool of Republicanism a brother; he even admired it.....a bit.

[MarsAmbassador]

"The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it."
-- P.J. O'Rourke

[vjoseph]

PJ is a republican right? Funny that he is so prescient

[N2Sman]

The Repugs will "swing around" back to power like Planet X - in 3600 years.

[isis]

When you whine about welfare (2% of the budget when Ronnie started whining about it) and environmental regulations and consumer safety you most certainly are the party of whiners. I even saw a Heritage Foundation letter whining about librarians. Rush Limbaugh made a fortune being whiner. Stations that carry Rush should be ashamed but they are owned by Lowry Mayes, a Bush buddy so of course they can't change course no matter how badly things are going.

[Horus45]

Excellent article, Paul always hits the nail on the head!

[garymc8]

Not really. He left out the part of : thieves, liars, torturors and illegal wire tappers and closet anit-gay gays.

[Horus45]

Good point, the latter still puzzles me to this day.

[Wide Stance]

And in other current events, the North won the war.

[FaceYourFears]

It's what they do best!

[BlueStarMom]

"Becoming" a party of whiners?

Since when HAVEN'T they been whining about something?

[LeeVing]

My thoughts exactly. I'm nowhere near as smart as Dr. Krugman here, but I've been hearing nothing by whining from these losers for the past 30 years!

[MajorKong]

Heck, they whined when they were IN power. Now they're whining twice as loud.

[Durango]

Isn't it amazing how they have to play the victim?

They were oppressed these past 8 years when they held nearly all the strings of power.

Kinda like 3 year olds.