Posted on 11/05/2009 10:34:17 AM PST by steve-b
This past weekend, a small brouhaha erupted over a Halloween display on Capitol Hill. The display, in essence, mocked the death of the Republican Party and the conservative movement...
Though distasteful, the display makes a point that has become increasingly common in American political discourse, that the Republican Party and American conservatism are dead...
Of course, this is oversimplification and hyperbole. Conservatism is not dead, just civil conservatism. You can still hear some semblance of conservatism in the streets when Tea Partiers march, still see it on the television when you watch Fox News. In ever more hysterical tones, conservatism lives sadly on in Rush Limbaugh and Joe Wilson, he of the "you lie" outburst on national TV.
The problem is not that Ronald Reagan's principles have faded into obscurity, it's that his style is no longer employed. The charm, the wit, and the intelligence that he exuded have given way to vitriol, anger and irrational outbursts.
Reagan's ideas maintain lasting import, but are parroted poorly by the Glenn Becks and Bill O'Reillys of American punditry...
It's no wonder that many independents, those who might once have listened if approached reasonably, are no longer interested in the party of Joe Wilson or a movement with birthers and 9/11 truthers. Who can blame them for being turned off by intolerance and parochialism?...
The Republican Party is just beginning its own stint in the desert, and the initial sense of hopelessness is giving rise to false gods. But perhaps, with a little flexibility, a spot of fresh thinking, and a respect for reasoned discourse, the conservative movement can emerge from its tomb faster than history might indicate...
(Excerpt) Read more at network.nationalpost.com ...
“Civility” is overrated.
Besides, has anyone today ever seen what they said about each other two hundred years ago?
Can you say, “libel lawsuit”?
Ha, ha. Excellent.
This is disengenuous propaganda. The lunacy of the left that has now become the face and base of the democratic party is obnoxiously verbose and has made their presence and influence through bombastic antics. They get covered by the press and "normal" citizens roll their eyes at how goofy they are. Problem is, now it is these folks, planted in that camp, in positions of power in this nation, that are looking outside and assuming everyone else is goofy.
"Bush lied soldiers died?" Dem politicians were saying this radical stuff. "Republicans want old people to die?" Remember that?
Reality is, the message and discourse of conservatism has changed very little. Support and numbers have wained, but not the message.
The Republican party got drunk with power starting in the 90's when they took over congress and continued through Bush's two terms and lost their way.
It is the people that are trying to get our representatives back on track.
Finally - 9/11 Truthers are part of the fringe RIGHT wing? Truthers hated Bush and are liberal wackos and he lumps them in with those nutty conservatives.
The liberal/democrats are crapping in their pants at the
thought of a reborn conservative republican party.
I’m a born again Republican, now get out of my way!
“You can still hear some semblance of conservatism ....., still see it....”
You could easily find it in a nifty little document that was developed when this country was founded. The author is correct, to liberals that document is dead.
That's a very nice turn of phrase, and I believe the reason why it is true has to do with the Utopian nature of Progressivism. Opposition to any element of their belief system is taken not as the result of reasoned, articulated thought, but as evidence of wrongness at least, and evil intent at worst.
Conversely, Progressives become so confident in their own rectitude that they are almost uniformly non-reflective and obdurate.
Just like Obama; I guess the author of this article is pretending to ignore the election returns in NJ and VA too.
Independents flocked to the GOP in these states. So sorry Mr. Hack, go spin your wheels in your liberal mud pit. Your attempt to scare the Indies back to your Libtardedness is so Fail.
The Republican Party needs to recognize the mood of the nation and get the representatives in place that actually represented the conservative nature of this nation.
I was born a Republican but I became a conservative as I learned more and gained wisdom.
Civility went out the window when it was no longer reciprocated.
Now we are uncivil, fast approaching the need for violence in accordance with with Jefferson’s warning that the tree of liberty needs to be watered with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
VA & NJ happened, and Conservatism is on the ascendancy. Which is why we're seeing more articles like this one. Liberals and RINOS are scared of what they see on the horizon of the political landscape.
perhaps we will be perceived as civil if we make a movie about murdering a sitting, opposition president. is anyone ready for the sequel to death of a president?
Seriously, all this talk of lack of civility is coming from people who have shrieked their throats raw screaming imprecations against Bush. It's good for a laugh but you can't take it seriously.
I first got involved in politics just out of high school in 1979 working on the ground game for Reagan's run in 1980. Then conservatives were the RINOs, the outsiders dooming the party to future failure. Reagan won based on ideals and understood that each piece of legislation needed the support of nonconservatives.
He understood that anyone who supports a majority of his agenda was a friend. Maybe not BFF but someone you don’t call out for not fully agreeing.
Fast forward to the gains in Congress during the Clinton years. Again, ideals codified in the Contract With America sweep Republicans and conservatives into power. A majority of voters likely did not agree with all the items in the contract but a majority agreed with a majority of the items; although the majority on any certain item might be a different mix than on another. That’s how the big tent works.
Hey, I live in the northern Mexico state of California so I have my problems with John McCain, the poster child of RINOism, he was not my 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice for Republican nominee for Prez but it was he that stood tall when things were not going well in Iraq while many “conservatives” seemed to be voting “present.” HE was also one of the few voices that had tried to call attention to the brewing mess in the mortgage industry from the early 2000’s, sure his strongest opposition to that came from the left but the Republicans were in the majority then. It was the collapse of the economy more than anything else that caused the Republicans to become the minority party.
Tim, this is why it’s so important to hold off on the election post-mortems until after the votes get counted.
Personally, I, like Patrick Swayze in “Roadhouse”, define civility as being nice until it’s time...to not be nice.
There is a psychosis in the liberal camp that is reminiscent of the 60's hippy high. It is devoid of logic and knowledge. Consider for instance, endangered species. If the human race were to be placed on the endangered species list, what would the left's reaction be? What actions would we be encouraged to take? Make babies? I doubt it. That is simple and logical.
Ironically in nature, history, science and math, there is logical cause and effect. It can be reviewed and proven. Social behavior has a long history in nature as well. Somehow, all things come down to one Utopian idea for liberals, we are too stupid to really take care of ourselves let alone advance our civilization for future generations. We need to be told what to do for our own good.
People act logically everyday, it is the essence of what makes us human. A moth flies into a flame of death because that's what moths do. A snake will eat their young. Birds push their young out of a nest regardless of their development. But humans slow down when they see someone crossing the street in front of them, even though they have never run over anyone before.
Liberals stop thinking and simply accept teachings and preaching about what is "good" for them without actually thinking about it. What is the basis of this trust?
You can't tell someone that jumping of a 10 story building will make them live for ever. But you can tell a liberal that the government can provide more healthcare, at a lower cost, for more people without going deeper in national debt and they just say, "OK! Right on!"
You can tell a liberal that because man invented an engine that produces power from fossil fuels the earth is warming and the total existence of the human population is at peril. We can solve the problem by taking more of your money and giving it to other people. "OK! Right on! Let's save the world."
I cannot figure out how or where the brainwashing took place that puts these people in this place where they believe they are helpless and will take marching orders without direction or question right into misery.
Pretty courageous in this echo chamber to:
—note that Reagan made compromises and was civil
—note the good things McCain did
Well, what the uppity journalist with all the big words doesn’t realize is that demure charm and wit doesn’t hold a candle to red-faced yelling. If you want someone to stop what they’re doing, turn their head, and listen to what you’re saying, you have to cause a scene. That’s just the way it is.
-DPW
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