The Alan Simpson Project was an American progressive Republican coalition, active between 1979 and 1997, consisting of lead man Alan Simpson (R-WY) and backup Bob Dole (R-KN) surrounded by a varying number of session Republicans. The band retained some relevance even after their active period but faded into obscurity in 2004 with the reelection of George W. Bush. They were finally put to rest in 2008 with the ascension of Sarah Palin and her merry band of nitwits, Sarah and the Baggers.
~
Alan Simpson appeared on Chris Matthew's Hardball last night and in six entertaining, if damn serious, minutes reminded us all why centrist Republicans are so missed in America today. We need 'em. Their sanity and their balance. The body politic works much more efficiently with the yin and the yang. Not the yin and the yaw.
Matthews and Simpson spent a few minutes discussing the fiscal cliff - curb, bump, what have you. With his charming Wyoming bluntness, Simpson ripped into obstructionists, idlers and ideologues who would as soon do nothing about America's financial mess as compromise on revenue and entitlements. You know, those teabaggers who love to put nihilism before country. God love 'em.
At the halfway point in the interview, Simpson laments, as only he can, the idlers:
these people never, never respond ... they react, they react ... and they're goin' to react right down to the last point, when there's goin' to be blood and hair and eyeballs and all over the floor ...
Old Alan's just getting warmed up. Wait until he hits Grover Norquist over the head - it's a beauty. Watch the gem here:
ALAN SIMPSON on HARDBALL
Do you get the sense that Alan's had it up to here with the wingnuts? Do you get the sense, too, that America might be better off with a few more Alan Simpsons and far fewer Sarah Palins? Hmmm.
Maybe the Alan Simpson Project has a few shows left. Maybe there's a second act. The country sure needs to hear from them - blood, hair, eyeballs and all!
Humanist Cafe ~ Truth Through Reason