Comments on: The Fat Cat In The Hat, Conservasneetches, And Obama's Budget http://www.chrisweigant.com/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/ Reality-based political commentary Sat, 16 May 2026 07:55:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Chris Weigant http://www.chrisweigant.com/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4484 Chris Weigant Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:57:44 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/index.php/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4484 akadjian - I just had to say that "woo the rational" is a nice turn of phrase. ChicagoMolly - You raise a good point. Republicans quite obviously care more about "purity" than getting elected right now. We'll see how far this gets them. My guess is, not too far. What they don't seem to get is that it's not that their political philosophy is not popular (it isn't, but I don't think that's their biggest problem), it's that <em>extremism itself</em> is not currently popular. At least that's my off-the-cuff read of it, but I could be wrong. It will be very interesting to see whether Republicans continue to toe the line, or if they start to fracture as we get closer to the midterm elections. -CW akadjian -

I just had to say that "woo the rational" is a nice turn of phrase.

ChicagoMolly -

You raise a good point. Republicans quite obviously care more about "purity" than getting elected right now. We'll see how far this gets them. My guess is, not too far.

What they don't seem to get is that it's not that their political philosophy is not popular (it isn't, but I don't think that's their biggest problem), it's that extremism itself is not currently popular. At least that's my off-the-cuff read of it, but I could be wrong.

It will be very interesting to see whether Republicans continue to toe the line, or if they start to fracture as we get closer to the midterm elections.

-CW

]]> By: ChicagoMolly http://www.chrisweigant.com/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4482 ChicagoMolly Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:42:52 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/index.php/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4482 What's really funny about this is seeing people on the Far Right tail of the curve acting like people on the Far Left of the curve back in the '60s. It's been noted in some other blogs that when Michael Steele made his groveling apology for disrespecting The Fat Man it looked like a self-criticism session during Mao's Great Cultural Revolution. If he goes missing all of a sudden I'd start looking around to see if he's been sent to a pig farm in Nebraska to shovel slop. What's really funny about this is seeing people on the Far Right tail of the curve acting like people on the Far Left of the curve back in the '60s. It's been noted in some other blogs that when Michael Steele made his groveling apology for disrespecting The Fat Man it looked like a self-criticism session during Mao's Great Cultural Revolution. If he goes missing all of a sudden I'd start looking around to see if he's been sent to a pig farm in Nebraska to shovel slop.

]]> By: akadjian http://www.chrisweigant.com/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4480 akadjian Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:34:34 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/index.php/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4480 Amen. Some of the speeches from the CPAC conference are, to quote James Brown, kur-azy. Everyone who doesn't agree with them is apparently a communist or a socialist (This would seem to make 60-70% of the nation communist/socialist). I guess it's meant to preserve the base, but also seems like an opportunity for Dems to woo the rational. -David Amen. Some of the speeches from the CPAC conference are, to quote James Brown, kur-azy.

Everyone who doesn't agree with them is apparently a communist or a socialist (This would seem to make 60-70% of the nation communist/socialist).

I guess it's meant to preserve the base, but also seems like an opportunity for Dems to woo the rational.

-David

]]> By: Chris Weigant http://www.chrisweigant.com/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4479 Chris Weigant Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:39:19 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/index.php/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4479 OsborneInk - Was Rahm responsible for promoting Rush to "party leader"? I didn't know that. You're right, he deserves a hat tip for that if he's the one behind it. The GOP has painted itself into Rush's corner. They can't disavow him without enraging a large part of their base, and they can't ever expand their base without distancing themselves from him. Maybe we should start calling him Rush "The Albatross" Limbaugh... -CW OsborneInk -

Was Rahm responsible for promoting Rush to "party leader"? I didn't know that. You're right, he deserves a hat tip for that if he's the one behind it.

The GOP has painted itself into Rush's corner. They can't disavow him without enraging a large part of their base, and they can't ever expand their base without distancing themselves from him. Maybe we should start calling him Rush "The Albatross" Limbaugh...

-CW

]]> By: ChicagoMolly http://www.chrisweigant.com/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4478 ChicagoMolly Tue, 03 Mar 2009 03:51:45 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/index.php/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4478 Rush Blowhard doesn't even know the difference between the Preamble to the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Rush Blowhard doesn't even know the difference between the Preamble to the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

]]> By: Osborne Ink http://www.chrisweigant.com/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4476 Osborne Ink Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:13:36 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/index.php/2009/03/02/the-fat-cat-in-the-hat-conservasneetches-and-obamas-budget/#comment-4476 Oh! The places he'll go! with such a strategy. Puns aside, it's a welcome thing, this new emphasis on accomplishing goals and mastering the process instead of "bipartisanship." It gives me hope that Obama can follow through on the big priorities: health care reform, green energy, and education. O/T, I also think Rahm Emmanuel needs a hat tip today. His strategy of promoting Limbaugh as the leader of the Republican Party is brilliant. He's defining the GOP and framing the discussion on a guy who can't withstand real scrutiny. Oh! The places he'll go! with such a strategy.

Puns aside, it's a welcome thing, this new emphasis on accomplishing goals and mastering the process instead of "bipartisanship." It gives me hope that Obama can follow through on the big priorities: health care reform, green energy, and education.

O/T, I also think Rahm Emmanuel needs a hat tip today. His strategy of promoting Limbaugh as the leader of the Republican Party is brilliant. He's defining the GOP and framing the discussion on a guy who can't withstand real scrutiny.

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