Egghead and Blockheads – NYTimes.com
By MAUREEN DOWD Published: September 17, 2011
The Republicans are now the “How great is it to be stupid?” party. In perpetrating the idea that there’s no intellectual requirement for the office of the presidency, the right wing of the party offers a Farrelly Brothers “Dumb and Dumber” primary in which evolution is avant-garde. …
The occupational hazard of democracy is know-nothing voters. It shouldn’t be know-nothing candidates.
Egghead and Blockheads – NYTimes.com [hat tip to NewMexiken and to Pat]
Where are the compassionate conservatives? – The Washington Post
By Eugene Robinson, Published: September 15
Blitzer interrupted: “But Congressman, are you saying that society should just let [someone without insurance] die?” There were enthusiastic shouts of “Yeah!” from the crowd. You’d think one of the other candidates might jump in with a word about Christian kindness. Not a peep. ..
I believe the Republican candidates’ pinched, crabby view of government’s nature and role is immoral. I believe the fact that poverty has risen sharply over the past decade — as shown by new census data — while the richest Americans have seen their incomes soar is unacceptable. I believe that writing off whole classes of citizens — the long-term unemployed whose skills are becoming out of date, thousands of former offenders who have paid their debt to society, millions of low-income youth ill-served by inadequate schools — is unconscionable.
Perry, who is leading in the polls, wants to make the federal government “inconsequential.” He thinks Social Security is a “Ponzi scheme” and a “monstrous lie.” He doesn’t much like Medicare, either.
Where are the compassionate conservatives? – The Washington Post