"INTELLIGENCE MATTERS"~ Speaking of republicon Ignorance~

"In the fall of 2008, as the global economic crisis started to come into focus, then-Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson spent a fair amount of time talking to lawmakers from both parties. The Republican cabinet member was able to size up the intelligence and credibility of lawmakers in his own party.

Meetings with Senate Republicans were "a complete waste of time for us, when time was more precious than anything" (page 275). Ideas that Republicans do add are "unformed," like Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor's plan to replace TARP with an insurance program. In a rare moment of sarcasm, Paulson goes off on the minority Whip: "I got a better idea. I'm going to go with Eric Cantor's insurance program. That's the idea to save the day" (page 285).


This isn't entirely new. Kevin added that last year, Paulson offered plenty of praise for Democratic officials, but considered Republicans to be "preening, ignorant, ideologues."

Remember, this was Bush's Treasury secretary, commenting on lawmakers from his political party, and reflecting on the fact that they appeared to be complete idiots.

I mention this in part because it's interesting, and in part because it speaks to a larger truth -- congressional Republican too often seem like they are so conspicuously unintelligent, the notion of them being in a position of power and authority during a time of crisis can be rather terrifying.

Years ago, when I was, say, 14 or 15, I had certain assumptions about the political world. I thought, for example, that members of Congress must be fairly bright, regardless of party or ideology. Even those on the far right with whom I disagreed had to be knowledgeable and well informed, I thought, because there they are, shaping federal policy of the United States government.

It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized that the moron caucus on Capitol Hill has a few too many members. What's more, it wasn't until I actually worked in Washington that I realized finding a reasonably smart Republican lawmaker was nearly impossible.

This is not to say that all conservative Republicans are dumb. This is to say that conservative Republicans in Congress are dumb, or at least do a surprisingly convincing imitation of being dumb.

It wasn't always this way."

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—Steve Benen 11:10 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (74)
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In "Game Change", enroute to the WH meeting McCain asked Bush to hold, an aid of Boehner's rode with him at the request of Davis because by law, campaign staff could not go. The aid, Mike Sommers, thought he could bring McCain up to date on the issues and instead McCain was on the phone with Cindy telling her he was on the way to the WH and asked her what they were doing for dinner that night.

Lots of good stuff in that book.

have to actually know anything..the corporatemediawhores have their backs while they sit around and chat about "what's for dinner?":silly:

it's a fact that they don't have to actually know anything. Big business is there to tell them what to do.

Does a ventriloquist's dummy have a brain? Does he need one? Same difference.

has a few too many members."

They don't mind looking stupid bc after 8 years of them&bushcheney running the country into the ground and they lost the election big time..they insanely want to do the same thing again bc it means saying NO to Pres Obama.