"Dean: No question that this administration learned from Watergate, and the landscape has changed significantly in the past three decades. When I returned to writing I never contemplated I would be writing political commentary, but when others were not talking about what was so obvious to me, I felt I had to do so. Republicans have taken Nixon's disgraced tactics and approach to presidential power as their starting point. They have learned that if caught, deny it. If that doesn't work, ignore the fact you have been caught and just keep doing it, and claim you have the inherent power to do so. They can get away with it because right-wing talk radio and Fox Cable News have become the cheering section that did not exist during Watergate. As for oversight, during the first six years of the Bush/Cheney administration, the GOP-controlled Congress could not even spell the word "oversight." Only now are we approaching real tests of whether the Democratic Congress will go the distance to get the information they are entitled to have.
Amazon.com: You describe yourself as a "Goldwater conservative on many issues," but note that conservatives' "fundamentally antigovernmental attitude" can make it hard for them to govern effectively. In other words, if people hate government, why would they be good at it? What do you think are the models of good conservative governance? Dean: Senator Goldwater said during the 1964 presidential campaign--and I have found him saying the same thing years later in speeches--that when history looked back on his political philosophy that he would be called a liberal. Goldwater conservatism is actually drawn from classic liberalism. I particularly admire Senator Goldwater's positions on "process" issues, the way he rejected the incivility and intellectual dishonesty that has overpowered conservatism. While he did not like big government--in fact, nobody does and he was merely ahead of his time in raising the issue--he believed that which was essential must function in the best interest of all Americans, not merely Republicans. He never embraced the Reagan mantra that government is the problem not the solution. I always thought Senator Goldwater's definition of conservatism a good motto for good conservative governance: "a conservative draws on the wisdom and best of the past to apply it to the present and the future." Today, conservatives are drawing on the worst of the past, not because they are true conservatives; rather they are radicals more interested in power for themselves and other Republicans instead of serving the general public interest."
Actually you only said most level headed Americans and as one level headed American I was responding. I guess, based on your response you are admitting that McCain/Palin supporters do not fall under the 'level headed Americans' umbrella? I would tend to agree. So, I guess, thanks for the acknowledgment that Obama supporters can consider themselves to be the level headed Americans. I really didn't expect such high praise coming from you. Nice to know people can change.
Pages
"Questioning the patriotism of people that don't agree with you seems to be a favourite tactic of the Republican Party"
And Fox News. If the Fox-Republican alliance had been in place in the early 70s, Nixon would never have had to step down.
Guild Member since 2009
You're not kidding.
Look at the books that John Dean, fmr White House Counsel to Nixon himself http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dean, has been writing the last few years:
Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush http://www.amazon.com/Worse-Than-Watergate-Secret-Presidency/dp/031600023X
Broken Government: How Republican Rule Destroyed the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Government-Republican-Destroyed-Legislative/dp/0143114212/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222549947&sr=1-1
"Dean: No question that this administration learned from Watergate, and the landscape has changed significantly in the past three decades. When I returned to writing I never contemplated I would be writing political commentary, but when others were not talking about what was so obvious to me, I felt I had to do so. Republicans have taken Nixon's disgraced tactics and approach to presidential power as their starting point. They have learned that if caught, deny it. If that doesn't work, ignore the fact you have been caught and just keep doing it, and claim you have the inherent power to do so. They can get away with it because right-wing talk radio and Fox Cable News have become the cheering section that did not exist during Watergate. As for oversight, during the first six years of the Bush/Cheney administration, the GOP-controlled Congress could not even spell the word "oversight." Only now are we approaching real tests of whether the Democratic Congress will go the distance to get the information they are entitled to have.
Amazon.com: You describe yourself as a "Goldwater conservative on many issues," but note that conservatives' "fundamentally antigovernmental attitude" can make it hard for them to govern effectively. In other words, if people hate government, why would they be good at it? What do you think are the models of good conservative governance?
Dean: Senator Goldwater said during the 1964 presidential campaign--and I have found him saying the same thing years later in speeches--that when history looked back on his political philosophy that he would be called a liberal. Goldwater conservatism is actually drawn from classic liberalism. I particularly admire Senator Goldwater's positions on "process" issues, the way he rejected the incivility and intellectual dishonesty that has overpowered conservatism. While he did not like big government--in fact, nobody does and he was merely ahead of his time in raising the issue--he believed that which was essential must function in the best interest of all Americans, not merely Republicans. He never embraced the Reagan mantra that government is the problem not the solution. I always thought Senator Goldwater's definition of conservatism a good motto for good conservative governance: "a conservative draws on the wisdom and best of the past to apply it to the present and the future." Today, conservatives are drawing on the worst of the past, not because they are true conservatives; rather they are radicals more interested in power for themselves and other Republicans instead of serving the general public interest."
http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Government-Republican-Destroyed-Legislative/dp/0143114212/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222549947&sr=1-1 (much more)
Sounds like Obama supporters also...and they have also been known to put words in peoples mouths.
Angry?
Wow are you speaking for all the Obama nuts?
<<<<<<>>>>>>>>.
Actually you only said most level headed Americans and as one level headed American I was responding. I guess, based on your response you are admitting that McCain/Palin supporters do not fall under the 'level headed Americans' umbrella? I would tend to agree. So, I guess, thanks for the acknowledgment that Obama supporters can consider themselves to be the level headed Americans. I really didn't expect such high praise coming from you. Nice to know people can change.
McCain spoke
Sopal
<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" />
Pages