New York Times columnist David Brooks debated Republican Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) at an American Enterprise Institute forum Thursday and, amid a large degree of back-patting, the writer came to the conclusion that the GOP, in its current legislative form, is exhibiting a sort of obstinate “rigidity” that is damaging to the political process.
Here’s what Brooks had to say about the current debate over deficit control by cutting taxes and spending (transcript via ThinkProgress):
Brooks also explained his vision of the Democrats’ ideology.
“They have much greater faith in planning than I do, and the health care plan that came out of that, it reflected their faith in planning that bunch of smart guys sitting around in Washington can plan the health care system in this country,” Brooks said. “They want to have — if you read what they’ve written for the past 20 years — a more actively planned society which does a little more redistribution.”
David is really a moderate. That will probably make him persona non grata at all future American Enterprise Institute forums. That is the problem with both political parties. Neither can handle disagreement with their primary view.
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