Funny: I’ll believe that Bruce Bartlett is serious about helping the GOP recover…


…when it takes me less than ten minutes to track down his Congressional District (VA-10, Frank Wolf) or his local party apparatus (Fairfax County GOP).  Neither of which is particularly mentioned in his bio page, although a link to his book slamming President Bush is.  Prominently.  Where it’s the first thing that you can see, really.

This is fronted (via Instapundit) because this is the problem: we have lists and lists of people who want some nebulous Little Red Hen to fix their pet problem with the GOP.  Fixing the problems themselves?  Not so much.

Moe Lane

PS: Sure, you can join next year, Bartlett. Just don’t expect to be given a task more involved than “make a sign to bring”…wow.  Can you even imagine Bruce Bartlett standing on a street corner, waving a homemade sign around and encouraging people to honk if they’re tired of the government spending too much of their money?  No, neither can I.

Which is more or less my point.

Crossposted to Moe Lane.


RSS feed

13 Comments Leave a comment

Another useless Frum clone

WarEagle01 (Diary) Monday, August 31st at 10:17AM EST (link)

Just when things are starting to look (a tiny bit) up for the GOP, we get another one of these has-beens telling us how we need to start acting more like Democrats. Gee, thanks for the help Bruce. Don’t call us. We’ll call you.

“A wise, doughy leg with rich tingly experiences will always reach better conclusions than will a more tanned, muscular leg that hasn’t felt those thrills.” –Chris Matthews’ Leg

“The alternative to the awful extremity of abortion is the indispensable joy of introducing this flawed world to someone who might make it better.”–John Hayward (AKA Dr. Zero)

 

Too smart by half

ti_bab Monday, August 31st at 11:02AM EST (link)

Last line from Mr. Bartlett’s article is best: “That’s why I wrote my Wrong on Race book, which no one read.” After reading his editorial, I doubt that I’ll be reading the book any time soon. I don’t know if the Republicans can win without people like Mr. Bartlett? He doesn’t think so. But is he sure they can win without people like me?

 

There's a difference between...

RedBeard Monday, August 31st at 11:10AM EST (link)

…whining about the Republican Party and constructively working to populate it with principled conservatives. Bartlett is whining.

Standard-bearer for grouchy curmudgeonry since, oh, 1975 or so.

Which, of course, makes him red meat for MSNBC, etc. (nt)

RedBeard Monday, August 31st at 11:11AM EST (link)

Standard-bearer for grouchy curmudgeonry since, oh, 1975 or so.

 
 

Who is Bruce Bartlett?

tominkorea Monday, August 31st at 11:16AM EST (link)

Never heard of him.

Bruce Bartlett Is An Apostate Historian of Economics

Ausonius (Diary) Monday, August 31st at 6:39PM EST (link)

who worked in the Reagan and Bush I Administrations, but who has become infected with D.C.-itis.

Bartlett correctly criticized W. Bush for not following conservative economic principles, so that he could attract left-wing voters.

However, he has recently contradicted his earlier conservative principles, blaming the entire recession and banking crisis on W. Bush without mentioning Messrs. B. Frank, C. Dodd, et al. as sharing responsibility after 2006.

A recent book examines the supposed failure of Reaganomics, This quote for “The New American Economy” tells you everything

“”Bruce Bartlett is right. The welfare state isn’t disappearing. And if Republicans continue to try to roll it back the by using tax cuts to “starve the beast” or trying to privatize Social Security and Medicare, they’re history. Wise thoughts from one of the creators of Reaganomics who has seen the light.”–Robert Reich, Former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Professor of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley ”

See:

http://www.amazon.com/New-American-Economy-Failure-Reaganomics/dp/0230615872/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251758202&sr=1-1

Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.

Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.

Cato@rock.com

If Reich ever agreed with me...

Neil Stevens (Diary) Monday, August 31st at 6:41PM EST (link)

I couldn’t shower enough after.

RS contributing editor, technical administrator, and “a hardy variety of crabgrass.”
Read the RedState Posting Rules

Unlikely Voter: Poll Analysis, Election Projection.

“I rejoice that America has resisted.” – William Pitt, the Elder

 
 
 

Small bone to pick, but

suzieQ (Diary) Monday, August 31st at 11:27AM EST (link)

I don’t see why the GOP needs to “recover”. With Nobama’s numbers falling daily, and people who are tired of being taxed into the poor house, it is definitely not the GOP that needs to “recover”.

“Andy Stern, the head of the Service Employees International Union, is the union leader who probably best understands the challenge of the world market and the need to make American union members productive in the face of world competition.” – Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich Co-Sponsored a Global Warming Bill Calling for ‘International Agreement on Population Growth’

“I would have signed the assault weapon ban that came to his desk. I said I would have supported that and signed a similar bill in our state.” – Mitt Romney 2008
Gun Owners Of America on Mitt Romney

5

Neil Stevens (Diary) Monday, August 31st at 6:41PM EST (link)

It’s the embattled Obama administration that needs to recover.

RS contributing editor, technical administrator, and “a hardy variety of crabgrass.”
Read the RedState Posting Rules

Unlikely Voter: Poll Analysis, Election Projection.

“I rejoice that America has resisted.” – William Pitt, the Elder

 
 

The tipoff...

Brian Faughnan (Diary) Monday, August 31st at 11:35AM EST (link)

is Bartlett’s comment that the party needs to reach out to people like him.

Is there anyone that doesn’t want the party to reach out to him/her? I really care about the competitive balance in baseball, but I think it’s unfair for people to propose a solution that penalizes owners who’ve been willing to lay out real money to improve their teams. I want a solution that helps the DC Nationals, without hurting the NY Yankees.

And until the Republican party reaches out to people like *ME,* there’s no way it can be competitive nationally. Unless the Democrats really screw up. (It’s important I give myself some cover.)

I think the RS response is ...

skorrent1 (Diary) Monday, August 31st at 4:53PM EST (link)

People should “reach out to” the local GOP and make it into a dynamic organization that attracts people with enthusiasm. Let’s stop sitting back and waiting for the Party to “reach out to” us.

 
 

I read 3 paragraphs of Bartlett's piece today

peg_c (Diary) Monday, August 31st at 6:16PM EST (link)

upon finding the link on Instapundit, then remembered why I wrote Bartlett off as an idiot a few years ago. Why was Glenn linking this?, I thought. Frum clone is right; just read his piece on Colin Powell. Bartlett says Powell needs to become the leader the Republicans need. POWELL VOTED FOR OBAMA!! Has Bartlett been lobotomized?

And please someone shoot me if Powell ever becomes a Republican leader. OMFG.

Government cannot be the solution when government is the problem.

 

Big Bucks for Bashing Conservatives

bc3 Monday, August 31st at 11:28PM EST (link)

Like Ed Rollins and Peggy Noonan, Bruce Bartlett hasn’t been relevant for more than 20 years, but they all make big bucks and are the toast of “insider” cocktail parties for bashing conservatives.

bc3