Conservative (neocon) David Brooks calls GOP extremist

Prominent conservative David Brooks has some harsh things to say about the Republican Party in this New York Times editorial:

The Republican Party may no longer be a normal party. Over the past few years, it has been infected by a faction that is more of a psychological protest than a practical, governing alternative.

The members of this movement do not accept the logic of compromise, no matter how sweet the terms.

The members of this movement do not accept the legitimacy of scholars and intellectual authorities.

The members of this movement have no sense of moral decency.

The members of this movement have no economic theory worthy of the name.

To members of this movement, tax levels are everything. Members of this tendency have taken a small piece of economic policy and turned it into a sacred fixation.

The struggles of the next few weeks are about what sort of party the G.O.P. is — a normal conservative party or an odd protest movement that has separated itself from normal governance, the normal rules of evidence and the ancient habits of our nation.

So many Republicans have taken an oath never to raise taxes. If they vote to raise taxes or eliminate exemptions, they’ll be accused of being wishy-washy. Not only are they greatly exacerbating the concentration of wealth, they also may do irreparable harm to the world economy and the environment. I fear for the nation and the world.

Of course, Brooks is not a typical conservative. Brooks is more of a neocon than a libertarian. The neocons want government and taxation so that they can wage their wars. The neocons are wrong and immoral (because of their imperialism and war mongering), but at least they’re still in reality.  In contrast, the libertarian Right and the Tea Partiers live largely in a fantasy world in which government and taxation are all bad.