Republicans: Thugs R Us

Mitch McConnell, Republican, Kentucky 

Here's what passes for punditry now a days.  David Brooks, deep thinker that he is, the man who has power lunches with all the movers and shakers in Washington, the man with inside information closes the door to his study and thinks about how he can get to the conclusion Mitt Romney ought to be elected.

Brooks has to get past certain, ahem, problems, with Mr. Romney: Namely, that he has no character, if you define character as what you do when you think nobody is looking. The only thing that matters to Mr. Romney is who is looking: So he says government regulation is all that is standing between America and prosperity when he is speaking to the Republican right, but when he is speaking to a mixed crowd, he is the new champion of government regulation--can't live without it he says.  The man is the definition of an empty suit: No conviction, no courage, just a con man doing the soft shoe trying to sell you a used car he knows is a lemon but he figures he'll be gone by the time you figure it out.  This truth about Mr. Romney poses certain, not disqualifying issues for Mr. Brooks. 

So, here's how Brooks comes to his grand insight.  Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the U.S. Senate states, baldly and honestly that he has never and will never vote for any bill which might improve the U.S. economy because that might improve the chances Mr. Obama will be re-elected. He says so on national T.V., and it runs on The News Hour. In one sense, this is not surprising: It is exactly what the entire Republican House of Representatives has been acting like. It is clearly the strategy Republicans have reached in their caucus, behind closed doors. It is the ultimate scorched earth policy.  

So, Brooks reasons: Well, the Republicans are die hard partisans. They don't care if they burn down the whole building, as long as they take Mr. Obama down with them. His destruction is their only goal. Given that mind set, the only way to govern this country is to elect Romney and then the Republicans in the House and Senate will behave in the interests of the country and they'll undo the gridlock, and we'll have a functioning government again.

So, the question Mad Dog wishes to put before his thoughtful readers is this: Do you see anything wrong with this picture?



P.S.:  Unrelated but wonderful cartoon

Matt Davies, Tribune Media Services