Comments on: The Two Party System at Work

By: laysee26

laysee26 — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:03:00 +0000

The comments prove that right wing conservatives are immediately scared and therefore must attack when someone points out exactly how our system works. He doesnt need to blatently list what X or Y1 etc are to prove he has a point. We all know what X etc are. And we know Conor is right. Kudos to him for pointing out the B.S. that conservatives rely on the rest of us never noticing/finding out. Im sure my comment will be attacked but its not going to stop me from agreeing with Conor and disagreeing with the rest of you right wing-nuts.

By: Apple of Doubt : The Two Party System at Work

Apple of Doubt : The Two Party System at Work — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:42:55 +0000

[...] The Two Party System at Work, Connor Fiedersdorf Posted by Friar_Zero on Thursday, July 22, 2010, at 2:42 pm. Filed under political. [...]

By: Conor Friedersdorf

Conor Friedersdorf — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:07:23 +0000

There wasn’t much to engage with until now!

By: jcapan

jcapan — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 23:15:50 +0000

“Better comments, please! Jesus.”

Ditto that. And it’d also help if CF engaged.

By: misterparaphrastic

misterparaphrastic — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:06:46 +0000

I also should have had a phase of the above conversation about Wyden-Bennett, the most “free market” solution that was ever on the table, opposed by the Republicans because it would have ended the tax subsidy for employer plans. And about the hypocrisy of Republicans opposing Medicare’s creation, complaining for years that it was full of fraud and waste, then taking power and expanding the program and expressly adding in a new layer of waste (Medicare Advantage), and then, when the Dems propose cutting the waste and fraud out that the Republicans have been complaining about, opposing these cuts and characterizing them as “pulling the plug on Grandma.”

But that hypocrisy is so extreme and pathological, I don’t know that it could be added into your story, without muddying the picture.

By: misterparaphrastic

misterparaphrastic — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 23:30:19 +0000

Better comments, please! Jesus.

OK, so what I think is missing, is that with each revision of their plan to deal with X, Liberals try to make their proposed solution more moderate, more palatable to both Conservatives and the public, to no avail.

Take the debate on health care, running from 1948 through this year.

Liberals: It seems like a real problem that some people can’t get health insurance, and end up relying on emergency rooms and not paying the bill. Maybe we could just have the government insure everybody.

Oh, that’s too socialist? OK, fair enough. How about instead of that we have the government set up non-profit HMO networks that compete with one another on a regional basis to keep costs down, and issue everybody a membership?

Oh, it’s too scary for people to lose the insurance plans they’re used to, fair point. Some people want to keep what they’re used to. Well, how about we just require employers to cover their employees with private plans, so at least all workers have coverage?

Tyranny, you say. OK. Well how about we just eliminate pre-existing condition bans and price discrimination, but also require everybody to buy insurance so the companies can stay in business, and also create a non-profit public plan in case people don’t want private insurance: basically what your guy did in Massachusetts, and what you were saying was a good idea last time we argued?

You say the thing about the public plan is too dangerous? Fine, it’s gone. Private insurance only, but with discrimination outlawed. I assume you’ll vote for it now?

Conservatives: Government-run health care!!! Socialism!!! Hitler!! Gubment takeover!!! Europe!!! Death Panels!! Blargle!!!

By: voxoctopi

voxoctopi — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 01:16:37 +0000

I think someone’s stopped taking his medication.

By: The Functioning of American Parties

The Functioning of American Parties — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 14:33:18 +0000

[...] Conor Friedersdorf describes The Two Party System at Work. [...]

By: drtesla

drtesla — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:20:43 +0000

Dennis,

Don’t run away….stand up for your liberal convictions. Tell us why we should be on board with Obama’s agenda. Don’t be a coward.

By: drtesla

drtesla — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:19:08 +0000

Conor’s main problem with the two party system is that it’s not a one party system run by Obama Democrats. When do Democrats ever compromise with Republicans on anything when they are out of power? Why the outrage and shock that Republicans would wisely refuse to compromise on Democratic legislation that is widely disliked by a majority of Americans, especially ObamaCare? That’s smart politics for Republicans, and they are right that ObamaCare sucks.