Posted on 10/20/2008 4:39:39 PM PDT by Leisler
The segment of the Republican Party that I call the "conservo-lite" wing is mad at Sarah Palin. Maybe not so much mad as supremely contemptuous. These folks have been pretty upset over the pick of Palin as McCain's VP nominee, some of them even going so far as asking her to step down -- despite the damage that such a move would cause the party. Kathleen Parker, David Brooks, George Will, David Frum and others have announced their opposition to Palin and, consequently, their utter disdain for most of the members of their own party.
And now comes D.R. Tucker to tell us in his posting at Human Events that supporters of Palin are "causing a rift" that, if not healed, will "destroy" the conservative movement. Tucker thinks Ronald Reagan "must turn his head in disgrace" as he witnesses the party self-destructing over Palin.
But I don't think Mr. Tucker realizes what it is he's really seeing. We are not witnessing the destruction of the GOP but merely a highlighting of the factions that existed before Palin came upon the national scene. It’s a split that has been there since Ronald Reagan made his first bid against Ford in 1976. Palin is not the cause of the rift; she is merely a light exposing the fault lines.
When Ronald Reagan came into the national limelight, the old guard of the Republican Party turned up its collective nose. The Rockefeller Republicans, the bluebloods, and country club GOPers who were quite comfortable playing permanent second fiddle to the Democrat Party had always scoffed at the rise of the social and religious conservatives and the Reagan Democrats that saw the light of Reagan's lamp. To this wing of the party, position and resume were what was important, not ideology or even votes, for that matter.
The instant Ronald Reagan began drawing into that big GOP tent more voters than ever before, the rift was created. Reagan welded together a coalition from the disparate parts of traditionally conservative leaning America. He awakened the religious conservatives that saw a culture war raging without being confronted, the economic conservatives that longed for capitalism in a sea of socialist re-engineering, and, of course, the old blueblood country clubbers that finally began to think they just might actually win something for a change (among a few other factions). This was the new Republican Party that was more than its parts, only strong together.
But there was one major problem. Much of the party was led by the effete bluebloods. They were the ones with the money and the ones with the previous experience in government when Reagan came to Washington. And they had disdain for all the other factions and fought to keep intact their power, despite the desires of the rest of their new party members. For the most part they have won that battle, sadly. Since day one the country clubbers haven't been much interested in sharing.
Consequently, the truly conservative members of Congress have always had little real power. Even the brief shining moment of the Republican Revolution under Speaker Gingrich was ultimately as much bombast as it was real power. Since Reagan, and sans Gingrich, true conservatives have never had one of their own firmly seated in the driver’s seat. The conservo-lite Republicans have generally held sway since Ronald Reagan, even since before Eisenhower.
And now comes Sarah Palin, who represents that part of America with whom the country clubbers were always uncomfortable: often fiscally conservative, certainly socially conservative, not credentialed or of noted family background, not educated in Ivy League schools, but of the America that has had to fight its way to success, pulling itself up by the bootstraps every step of the way.
The Brookses and Wills of this country are quite happy to have the votes of Sarah Palin's America, as long as they shut up about policy and don't have the gall to offer themselves up as possible future leaders. The Parkers and Frums of the conservative side would rather the Sarah Palins of the party continue to know their place and silently nod their heads as their acknowledged betters do the heavy lifting of "real" leading.
Now, Mr. Tucker is correct that this infighting isn't the prettiest thing in the world. It's always difficult to see families fighting. But to imagine that it is somehow the end is just plain overwrought, nonsense. In fact, we need these internal debates. And when passions are high, it isn't always possible to expect everyone to play by the Marques of Queensberry rules. People get mad. They yell. They might even go for an eye or slip a blow under the belt. In truth, the internal fight is healthy to the degree that what doesn't destroy us makes us stronger.
There is one unseemly aspect of this fight that would be comical if it weren't so hypocritical. That is the whining from the bluebloods like Wills or Parker when the rest of us dare to question their judgment.
I am not saying they should shut up never to be heard. They have every right to speak up and need to do so to keep our internal debate rolling along. We need all sides to be heard to continue the fight in the arena of ideas so that we can better serve the constituency and keep conservatism vital. Let's face it, if it weren't for the intellectuals of the conservative movement -- those that built the foundation of critical thinking and philosophy of this movement -- we wouldn't even have a conservative party at all.
But, the hypocrisy reveals itself in the fact that the bluebloods have always held the majority of the power in this party and have generally won the battles for policy direction. They have rarely worked with the social conservatives, in fact most often working against them and siding with the Democrats on issues that "social cons" champion. And now, lo and behold, the social cons finally get one of theirs within striking distance and the bluebloods can't take it. So, we end up with people like D. R. Tucker complaining that it’s the end of the Republican Party because of the argument.
The social cons have been swallowing junior status from the bluebloods for decades yet have continued to keep the faith, as one light-hearted conservo-lite after another has taken leadership positions. Lately we’ve seen Trent Lott, Bill Frist, and John Beohner, but the names go back in an endless string of half-hearted, go along to get along Republicans that don't have the stomach to stand firm on conservative principles. Grumbling, but acquiescing, the social cons have stayed the course and supported the party for the greater good.
And now, for one of the first times in the party's history, it is the country clubber's turn to suck it up and give one to their partners. Sarah Palin is ours, George Will. Vote for her anyway, Kathleen Parker. Love it or lump it, Brooks and Krauthammer. We aren't willing to turn you folks out over her, granted, but for once sit down, shut up, and observe Reagan's 11th commandment. Take one for the GOP for a change. You can't win EVERY time. Let it suffice that you have successfully kept three quarters of your own party under your thumb for decades, please.
They hated Reagan, too.
As I like to say: “It’s their stuff.”
I tried to read that stupid DR Tucker piece the other day. I didn’t finish the article, it failed to be convincing. The GOP elitists are most likely the same crop of pinheads who would find a real housecleaning (Alaska style) of corrupt DC Republicans to be barbaric or unsettling. Screw em.
We ‘Joe the Plumber’ types are sick and tired of it. Did the vehement response to the bailout teach them nothing?
tagline.
Ivy League degrees seem to be framed on the walls of everyone responsible for the financial mess.
All that ivy must choke common sense.
The impact Palin has had on the McCain campaign and the base is so clear and obvious that it can’t be denied. McCain was dead in the water until she energized the campaign. The size of the crowds, increased donations, more volunteers, etc. are just some of the manifestations of her impact. Another measure is the ferocity with which the Left attacks her and her family. Win or lose, the Reps must come to the realization that the future of the party rests with the conservatives. If not, then there will be a a split.
I hope some “real” conservatives figure how to get rid of the lites, maybe then we could have more “real” conservatives on the ballots.
Sarah is my kind of politician. I wonder how much the population of Alaska will grow in the next two years if the ticket loses. I bet a bunch.
Palin has way better instincts. Too bad the ticket is not reversed. Still, Palin is a well developed adult. People don’t change. She’ll be super in a few years.
Agreed. She would do well to cloister at the Reagan library for about a year. Diamond in the rough and all that...
In other words, Palin is the beginning of the end for the “stodgy” “old” Republican Party. She is the bridge between the outgoing old and the up and coming new Republicans. Hopefully, Sarah and Jindal will be the new faces of the Republican Party for the next 12 to 16 years.
“McCain was dead in the water before selecting Palin”
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Yes, as far as I was concerned.
I fully intended to stay home out of disgust with the GOP until Sarah entered the fray. I suspect there were many with the same mindset.
Robert Fulghum is a Democrat Unitarian minsister. What exactly is it you want the rest of us to learn from him?
2-3 weeks before the national election is not the time for the RINOs and weak-kneed to have it out over the Palin nomination. By attacking the ticket in this way they are trying to hand the election to the Democrats.
There is a time and a place for party fraticide, and this is neither the time nor the place.
Good heavens, even Bill & Hill can at least pretend to support and work for the Obama/Biden ticket, as much as they would love to openly savage it.
Rational, responsible people do not try to destroy their own party’s candidates just a few weeks before an election.
oops, that should be “fratricide”
We may be seeing some attempted “matricide” too, as certain writers take out their own psychological issues on Sarah Palin.
Generally, the RINOs have more to fear from conservatives than from Democrats. Indeed, I would suggest that the big reason so much Democrat vote fraud goes unchecked is that RINOs benefit from it even more than Democrats do.
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