Krugman gets it and I appreciate this particularly as so many just don't. What matters is party. Notice my saying I put up on my Twitter page, a quote from one of the great Radical Republicans from Lincoln's cabinet, Thaddeaus Stevens:
Principles indeed! Betray your principles and stand by your party! I have to say in politics, that's wisdom. More today than ever-there was a time during the mid twentieth century were there was a little more ideological diffusion between the parties-more liberals in the GOP, a lot more conservative Dems.
Today though if you have an agenda, it rarely makes sense-at least on national issues-to cross party lines. Recently, there's been some discussion as to whether Gabrille Gomez is a new kind of Republican? As Greg Sargent says, he might have an impressive biography that will help him but on the issues he's not really new.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/05/07/gabriel-gomez-a-new-kind-of-republican/
So the Krugman answer to whether he's a new kind of Republican or not is: who cares?
"So they just convincingly voted for Mark Sanford, a man who cheated on his wife, tried to cover his actions with an absurd story about hiking the Appalachian Trail, and trespassed on his ex-wife’s property, over an exemplary Democratic candidate. And you know what? Given their preferences, this was the right thing to do."
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/08/south-carolina-voters-get-it/
If ideas, policy, and issues matter to you, vote the party, not the man-or woman. Garry Wills, a political philosopher made this point well years ago, in 1979: the most intelligent, and knowledgeable voters are the frankest partisans.
http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Conservative-Garry-Wills/dp/0140055630/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368028965&sr=1-1&keywords=garry+wills+confessions+of+a+conservative
Incidentally, Will's a very good political philosopher and historian and if that's your bag, the price is definitely right.
Principles indeed! Betray your principles and stand by your party! I have to say in politics, that's wisdom. More today than ever-there was a time during the mid twentieth century were there was a little more ideological diffusion between the parties-more liberals in the GOP, a lot more conservative Dems.
Today though if you have an agenda, it rarely makes sense-at least on national issues-to cross party lines. Recently, there's been some discussion as to whether Gabrille Gomez is a new kind of Republican? As Greg Sargent says, he might have an impressive biography that will help him but on the issues he's not really new.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/05/07/gabriel-gomez-a-new-kind-of-republican/
So the Krugman answer to whether he's a new kind of Republican or not is: who cares?
"So they just convincingly voted for Mark Sanford, a man who cheated on his wife, tried to cover his actions with an absurd story about hiking the Appalachian Trail, and trespassed on his ex-wife’s property, over an exemplary Democratic candidate. And you know what? Given their preferences, this was the right thing to do."
"Look, we have an intensely polarized political system, and in Congress, at least, party affiliation is basically all that matters. When Massachusetts voters chose Scott Brown because he seemed like a nice guy, they were being idiots; his character (which I suspect they misjudged, but never mind) didn’t matter, while the loss of that 60th seat in the Senate almost killed health reform."
"Maybe, just maybe, you can make a case for choosing the right person for governor, regardless of party. But when you’re sending someone to Congress, all that matters is the R or D after that person’s name. It seems that conservative voters understand that; liberals and moderates should, too."
If ideas, policy, and issues matter to you, vote the party, not the man-or woman. Garry Wills, a political philosopher made this point well years ago, in 1979: the most intelligent, and knowledgeable voters are the frankest partisans.
http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Conservative-Garry-Wills/dp/0140055630/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368028965&sr=1-1&keywords=garry+wills+confessions+of+a+conservative
Incidentally, Will's a very good political philosopher and historian and if that's your bag, the price is definitely right.
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