I read a review for a new book written by Sam Tanenhaus (editor of The New York Times Book Review and that paper’s Week in Review) titled, “The Death of Conservatism.”
The reviewer stated the author writes about Conservatives who identify government itself as being with the ‘forces of evil.’ Then the book delves into the obvious question of what their strategy will be since political power can only operate through government.
Good question!
He concludes that rigid absolutism, personal attacks and reflexive stonewalling will be the death of the Party.
fnord
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
Some Conservatives are pursuing yet another option – the establishment of a Christian theocracy and fundamentalism at the heart of American power. Wonder if this book includes mention of that strategy?
I’m still reading “The Family,” which details the absolute evil behind these men of “C” Street who hide their imperial ambition under a cloak of public service.
Kansas will soon be ahead of the curve in this endeavor – Brownback as governor and either Tiahrt or Moran as Senator!
I agree with the last sentence, unless there is a real change in the party it is a farewell party like has not been seen since the Wiggs. I still say the average Republicans are not paying close enough attention to what the party is doing. But the current attitudes and tactics can totally back fire on those using them.
The time will come when the average Republican will finally hear something that they can not dismiss as liberal spin and end up saying WTF!
partisanship is often a form of being deaf, or should I say selective hearing. That which is contra to what you think or believe is dismissed as partisan spin. That is what happened with Bush, much of what was happening was so outlandish that it had to be a liberal lie.
I am not kidding when I say quite a bit of what is being said is what I would have imagined it was like in a 1933 Munch beer hall. I am paying attention so I know the half truths and out and out lies.
It was sadly effective for too long. I think the backlash is coming. You can’t vilify everything the opposition says eternally…it makes people curious as to why. Just wish they’d asked questions a few years earlier.
But with the likes of Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter, Hannity and O’Reilly – do you really think Conservatives will wise up and actually listen to something other than the current flavor of koolaid these overpaid, under-brained talking heads are shoveling?
And to mix in the Religious Righties Conservatives – I really don’t hold out too much hope. I know these Fundies – they are scary people.
God, himself, would be booed by these people. They are thirsty for blood and I’m afraid of what is going to happen in the next few months unless there is some sense of sanity soon.
BTW – On my way home from work, I passed by this business on the corner of West Maple and Meridian – Apple Graphix. They had a sign outside saying ‘I left my heart at Chappaquidick (sp?)’. I am assuming this is a dig at Ted Kennedy but WTF??
But this business ususally has signs stating some Christian belief (which is okay – after all, it is their personal sign).
But when a professing Christian business feels the need to put up a sign as tacky and rude as this one about Kennedy – do I really think these people will listen to logic and reason – I’m not holding my breath.
May have to get this book next. Now I’m reading a biography about John Kennedy: An Unfinished Life.
I will look tomorrow to see if I can find the passage; JFK was telling someone that a president faces a lot more divisiveness when he works on domestic policy vs. international policy. Then it talked about his brief efforts to extend health care to more people which was (surprise, surprise) villified by Republicans as socializing medicine – which was particularly hypocritical since JFK was so anti-communist.
The above was in 1960. My point from this example is that the GOP has been doing this for a long time. Where is the cost? How will it be their death?
Personally, I am not expecting any funeral soon…
“JFK was telling someone that a president faces a lot more divisiveness when he works on domestic policy vs. international policy.”
If true, can you even imagine the conditions or divisiveness if bush the lesser had attempted more than his idea to invest social security monies in the stock market? Can anyone remember another domestic issue he gave any attention to?
The GOP has been ‘doing this’ for a long time, but they used to have an occasional idea (usually flawed) and they had representation from a broader base. Now, in the Senate for example, they represent a tiny region of America.
Outside their region they have old white men who would prefer blacks and women still not have the right to vote. Those old geezers, thankfully, aren’t going to be around forever. Their numbers aren’t as strong in the younger generations.
With a weakened GOP any loss puts them on their death bed. To be relevant they have to attract new members.
But they have their wannabe Obama in Michael Steele – don’t they? Wasn’t he the one that was going to bring in all the minorities?
The remaining 22% population who claim to be Republicans think that if only they can get the right marketing campaign – then their numbers will start rising again.
What they don’t realize is their product they are trying to market stinks up to high heaven and educated people know when to pass on buying a stinking, dead fish.
Only the stupid people or truly ignorant people won’t see that the fish is stinking and some of these people still wouldn’t believe it when they are shown facts the fish is stinking dead. Case in point – the birthers???
But the problem we have is that stupid and ignorant people are the first ones to get on any reality television show and become celebrities – don’t they?
And these are the ones that yell the loudest and are given the microphone to spread their stupidity and/or ignorance even further.