Krugman takes down Repubs' rebranding effort

Paul Krugman has some choice words today (New York Times) for Republican efforts to cope with their decisive defeat last November.

He writes that ". . . prominent Republicans have begun acknowledging that their party needs to improve its image. But here’s the thing: Their proposals for a makeover all involve changing the sales pitch rather than the product. When it comes to substance, the G.O.P. is more committed than ever to policies that take from most Americans and give to a wealthy handful."

He then specifically goes after Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who seems to be positioning himself as a 2016 presidential candidate.   In a recent speech, Jindal said, "We must not be the party that simply protects the well off so they can keep their toys. We have to be the party that shows all Americans how they can thrive.” 

Krugman points out, however, that Jindal offers no suggestions for how they might do that;  and, at the same time, he is pushing a plan to eliminate his state income tax and make up for it with increased sales taxes, which hurts the poor and middle class and benefits the wealthy.

Krugman exposes the underlying hypocrisy.   The Republicans are focusing on changing their image, trying to appear "more sympathetic and less extreme," while actually advocating policies that amount to "a reverse Robin Hood-ism:  taking from ordinary families and giving to the rich."

I think Krugman is right that, for many of them, it's not intentional meanness or dishonesty;  it's that they "live in an intellectual bubble. They get their news from Fox and other captive media, they get their policy analysis from billionaire-financed right-wing think tanks, and they’re often blissfully unaware both of contrary evidence and of how their positions sound to outsiders."

Which leads Romney to be clueless as to why his 47% remark was so devastating and why he lost the election.   I may be less kind to them that Krugman.   I think some are clueless, but I also think that others, like Karl Rove and Rush Limbaugh in particular, are mean SOB's who are quite aware that they are manipulating others who are more principled.

As long as the Democrats are winning, we can just let them stew in their own bubble of cluelessness.    But their efforts to gerrymander districts and suppress voters access to polls are really dangerous for Democracy.

Ralph