Republicans Can't Govern Because They Hate Government, Bill Press and Guest Airily Agree

December 5th, 2012 7:30 PM

In their reverence for all matters governmental, more liberals should know the difference between conservatives and anarchists.

Instead, it's the left winger's most hackneyed conceit -- that because Republicans see immense and wasteful government as undesirable, they are intent on wrecking instead of reforming it. Hardly a week passes that I don't hear this argument, just as that length of time rarely elapsed years ago when I was a leftist and fell back on it myself. (audio clip after page break)

I heard another variation of this earlier today on Bill Press's radio show when he was talking with Democratic strategist Karl Frisch (audio) --

PRESS: You can't be in Washington here without giving your opinion about whether or not we're going to go off the fiscal cliff and should we? And a lot of Democrats are saying today, hell with it, let's go over the cliff and show the American people who's responsible.

FRISCH: Well, you know, unfortunately Democrats tend to be the responsible party in terms of actually wanting to govern. I mean, it's no surprise that when Republicans are in power, government doesn't function well.

PRESS: Because they hate it.

FRISCH: Right. I mean, why would you make something operate well that you don't like?

To which the conservative answers: I'd make bad government work well, since there is no rule of law without it. To which the anarchist responds, scrap it altogether and we're better off.

Is what Press and Frisch claim much different than a Republican pointing that since liberals so often hate businesses and corporations, they can't possibly run them? Then again, this would explain the meager popularity of Current TV and Air America Radio no longer clogging the airwaves. (h/t, Tim Graham)