Lunchpail Republicans . . .

[Ibby]

I was careful NOT to say that YOU were assuming it, which is why I used "we" somewhat facetiously to mean "whoever titled it that". I think that he by all means oughtta been fired long before this, but I'm fairly confident ratings musta been the motivator. Still, I don't understand the... significance of posting the video, I guess. The "fringe" on the left - including actual legitimate paid television hosts like Cenk Uygur and Dylan Ratigan - have been saying that exact thing, sans-pro-Pauliness, for a LONG time. That speech sounded pretty mainstream to me, and I think at least a pretty broad swathe of the American public would agree that it's not particularly shocking or revolutionary, and without arguing that it was why he was fired, I don't understand it's greater significance, I guess. What's the "then again" of this? How does this factor into our debate? Why is an asshole like Napolitano saying it any more relevant than, well, any of the other host of assholes who say it saying it? What, if I can say this without coming across as rude, is your point? Where does that video fit in the "lunchpail republican" discussion? He was basically arguing the opposite, I think, of the lunchpail republican ideal - a "smaller", economically conservative government that DOESN'T fight on behalf of or even defend working-class employment.

I think supporting manufacturing and "blue-collar" jobs is vitally important to the American economy. I'm glad some republicans, lunchpail-labelled or otherwise, still support working-class and blue-collar jobs, and are willing to speak out to defend them, but I think far too few do.