Posted on 07/06/2009 3:07:59 PM PDT by lewisglad
Reihan Salam, an influential young player in the effort to revive the Republican Party, writes this weekend that Sarah Palin's resignation is another sign of the fading culture wars:
What does seem increasingly clear is that Palin's collapse represents the end of a certain kind of politics. If the culture war really is ending, culture warriors like Palin will fade from the scene.
I can hear many mainstream Republicans sharing Salam's sigh of relief. I think they're fooling themselves.
It's wishful thinking by the GOP's non-social conservatives, who want the party to double down on fiscal conservatismespecially now that Democratic spendthrifts are running the countryto regain its competence in governing and to step back from divisive culture war issues.
Rather than marking the twilight of the culture wars, however, the GOP's love/hate relationship with Alaska's outgoing governor illustrates a persistent conundrum for the party: The religious conservatives whom Palin represents are a Republican minority that can't be counted on to deliver the presidency or congressional majorities, and yet they constitute the most crucial part of the party's base.
Republicans can't win with them alone, but they can't win without them.
Successful Republicans like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush knew this. They mobilized the religious conservative base while managing to transcend it.
Sarah Palin is incapable of such transcendence. But no other Republican in the country touches her power to mobilize, to draw huge crowds. Without that, the Republicans may boast intellectual firepower, governing prowess, and smart messaging and they'll still be out of power. Who will sign up new voters, knock on doors, and make phone callswho will counter Barack Obama's grass-roots armyin the lead-up to Election Day?
Lots of Republicans know this. It's why the 2012 Republican presidential field is dominated by unabashed culture warriors like Palin, Mike Huckabee, and Newt Gingrich; softer, George W. Bush-style religious conservatives like Bobby Jindal and Tim Pawlenty; and wannabe culture warriors like Mitt Romney.
Palin's resignation isn't a sign of the culture wars' end. Her meteoric rise is a sign that they're still very much with us.
Palin's collapse?....I need read no further....
Coulter’s article was illuminating about how people are looking for answers and it is right in front of them. This is another example of writers not comprehending what they read. Sitting here shaking head at some of what I have been reading about Sarah.
Some of these people in for a shock in the months ahead so their heads can explode once again.
The problem is that there are folks at the GOP who listen to liberal moles like Reihan in the first place.
Just gonna ping you here....and here you are.
I smell misogyny...and typical RINO BS...
If the Newsweek editors and reporters had bothered to look at a map, and reflect on the careers of Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey before they ran against each other for President, they would have written an entirely different article.
Palin is not withdrawing from the battle. She is repositioning her guns, all the better to rake the enemy. And Newsweek, of course, is part of the enemy. LOL.
Congressman Billybob
US Snooze and Slurred Report does it again!
Mohammadan ?
Gee! Michael Steele as RNC Chair is really working out great for the GOP-not.
I think this country has raised a group of students who have ZERO reading comprehension and a lot are in the drive by media.
I was coming back to ping you and SoCal after I had a phone call.
Where do these people come up with this crap? She sure has a lot of people scared on what her future plans might be is all I can say.
All these so called “conservative” pundits from inside the beltway must all be smoking from the same bag. I have never heard so many clueless opinions spouted by so many people that know so little about Sarah Palin and what is going on.
These folks not only don’t know anything, they don’t even suspect anything.
God save us from these idiots.
I wouldn't mind if he were a real American Conservative. But he is a RINO enabler... I think he is a Mittster.
The grassroots work will certainly NOT be done by lazy, self-centered pro-abort, pro-homosexual, anti-gun investment bankers. Social conservatives have an easily wieldable veto against any soulless materialist candidate. No GOP POTUS candidate can ever win without enthusiastic support from the social conservatives. That is as it should be.
Me either. What a load.
I just ordered one of these bumper stickers for 99 cents, including shipping. It's at patriotdepot.com No, I'm not associated with the seller -- just seemed like a great deal, so I'm passing it along.
So just another liberal, party-destroying scumbag.
Reihan Salam is a long time Mark Sanford Bot
Reihan, like the DC shooter thinks Neo Con is a bad name
Do you have that link for Palin supporters? What do they call it? Web may be interested.
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