Chez Pazienza outlines why the never ending fight against Republicanism is tiring, thankless task:

How do you even begin to call out a movement which has made itself nearly bulletproof by virtue of its unwillingness to subscribe to facts — facts that anybody not currently tied to a bed at Bellevue accepts as a jumping off point for his or her opinions? It's no secret that conservatism as a political ideal is a shadow of its former, somewhat respectable self, having long ago been hijacked from within by its most lunatic fringe. All that remains now is that fringe and those who cater to it, and to extend the metaphor, you just can't argue with a crazy person — nor with the person who will do or say anything to inexplicably appeal to that person. The American political right, at this point in our history, is so thoroughly shameless and hypocritical — and so detached from the world that everyone else on the planet inhabits — that attempting to refute its nonsense with logic and reason is a fool's errand. And while I've been a hell of a lot of questionable things throughout my lifetime, I hope a fool was never one of them.

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Paul Krugman compares the Right's nonsensical arguments against global warming and economic inequality:

Think about climate change. You have various right-wingers simultaneously (a) denying that global warming is happening (b) denying that anyone denies that global warming is happening, but denying that humans are responsible (c) denying that anyone denies that humans are causing global warming, insisting that the real argument is about the appropriate response.

I’m not sure there are three levels (yet) on inequality, but we definitely have (a) right-wingers denying that inequality is rising and (b) denying that anyone is denying the rise in inequality, but attacking any proposal to limit that rise.

Obsfucation is the name of the game here – the Republicans say alot of different things according to their audience and hope that no one calls them out on their blindingly obvious contradictions. In the 24/7 news media age, this is pretty easy to do. The public doesn't really pay attention to what politicians are saying, they pay attention to how they are saying it. As long as Rick Perry appears Presidential and has his hair in the right place, it doesn't really matter what comes out of his mouth.

This means that policy plays a secondary role in politics, and when you don't have any policy, you make up for it with over the top rhetoric and acting. This is the primary reason candidates like Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry have made it so far in the Republican primaries. They are caricatures of politicians – so over the top and ridiculous that you couldn't invent them – and the reason why uneducated middle Americans who have been subjected relentless Fox News propaganda buy into them.

It's hard to know what to do to counter this dangerous trend. Do you argue with facts, or attempt to beat them at their own game? The latter might work in the short run, but I don't think it can be a long term strategy to combat the GOP's descent into utter madness.

One hopes that truth will prevail. We might just have to wait a while for it to work.

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A couple of years ago I made a decision to ignore arguments coming from the establishment Right. So far removed from reality, it seemed pointless to engage with people who didn't believe in evolution, thought Obama was a Muslim terrorists and believed tax cuts and slashing benefits to the poor were the only solution to a failing economy.

The modern incarnation of the Republican Party is not conservative by any stretch of the imagination – it is a fanatical party wedded to military imperialism, ruthless capitalism and the complete dismantling of government.The basic tenants of their philosophy have been discredited over and over again, largely as a result of George W. Bush's epicly disastrous tenure as President. After 9/11, Bush had free reign to test out brazen imperialism abroad and extreme capitalism at home. Both failed so spectacularly that it seemed impossible the Republican Party would try them again.

But Americans love a comeback, and Bush style economics have returned with a bang. The Tea Party now wields massive amounts of control over the GOP, and it must cater to its demands. The Republican Party is essentially run by fanatics – a fact the Democrats must contend with, no matter how difficult it is.

Negotiating with a fanatic is about as useful as negotiating with a corpse. You're never going to get a change of heart because the opponent is not only incapable of critical thinking, but incapable of seriously negotiating in the first place.

I have the luxury of not having to listen to insane Republicans. I can switch off my TV, ignore Right Wing websites and laugh off ludicrous statements made by my Republican friends.

President Obama does not have that luxury unfortunately as the Republicans control Congress and are essential if America is to raise the debt limit.

Obama must negotiate with them and hammer out a deal in order to stop the country from sliding into an economic abyss.

The talks over extending the debt crisis are a classic case of reason and rationale facing complete fanaticism. One side wants to listen and talk, while the other side will only do the latter. Notes Andrew Sullivan:

I longed for Obama to bridge this gulf in ideology. But he cannot bridge it alone, especially when the GOP is determined to burn the bridge entirely, even when presented with a deal so tilted to the right only true fanatics could possibly walk away from it. And so the very republic is being plunged into crisis and possible depression by a single, implacable, fanatical faction. Until they are defeated, the country remains in more peril than we know.

A deal will probably be reached, but the concessions the Democrats must make in order to get Republican on board will devastate the economy and most Americans in the process. It will be a deal that has the potential to ruin Obama's reelection campaign given he will appear to be responsible for the state of the economy, and we face the prospect of another Republican getting in to power and creating even more havoc post 2012.

It is a lose lose situation for the Democrats and another reason why something must be done to derail this highly dangerous movement that has hijacked the Republican Party and now holds the country hostage.

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MSNBC host Ed Shultz called Laura Ingraham a 'Right Wing slut' on his radio show and was rightfully suspended from MSNBC without pay for a week. His words were inexcusable and Schultz deserves every bit of the backlash he gets.

In a broader context, Schultz's remarks are indicitive of an insane personality driven news media that values feuding talking heads over serious reporting. It isn't Schultz's fault he has ended up feeding the beast – after all, everyone has to make a living – but he's part of a relentless drive by corporate America to disconnect the population from anything vaguely serious.

No one should care what Ed Schultz thinks about Laura Ingraham. In fact, no one should really care what Schultz has to say about anything. His prime time show is an opportunity to inform the public about interesting and serious matters around the world and around the country, and instead we are subjected to the opinions of a middle aged lefty in love with the sound of his own voice.

I happen to agree with Schultz on many issues and I think he's probably a pretty decent guy, but I don't feel the need to see the world through his eyes on daily basis. His feuds with right wing pundits are childish and boring, but as Ingraham wrote on her facebook page, "MSNBC suspends Schultz. Oh great, now his ratings will go up."

And that's the point.

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