One thing that has surprised me is how quickly the GOP went from the party of no-nonsense, button-down seriousness to one of symbols and histrionic emotions; there is no argument they think they can't win with a moving, tear-jerker anecdote about soldiers, flags and Jesus. You don't need me to tell you how well that has served the party over the last few years. XMASTIME
If I had answered my own post I would've guessed the GOP went off the deep end at the 2004 election. Richard Posner via Sully nails it:
"By the end of the Clinton administration, I was content to celebrate the triumph of conservatism as I understood it, and had no desire for other than incremental changes in the economic and social structure of the United States. I saw no need for the estate tax to be abolished, marginal personal-income tax rates further reduced, the government shrunk, pragmatism in constitutional law jettisoned in favor of “originalism,” the rights of gun owners enlarged, our military posture strengthened, the rise of homosexual rights resisted, or the role of religion in the public sphere expanded. All these became causes embraced by the new conservatism that crested with the reelection of Bush in 2004,"
Of course, I would think now they're
2 comments:
The GOP loses when it emulates the Left(eg. out of control spending). The Left has a better chance of winning when it runs to the center and/or Right. The Left is all symbolism over substance. Atleast our tears are real. Who can forget Bill Clinton yucking it up at the Rob Brown funeral and in mid stride wiped an imaginery tear from his eye when he saw a news camera pointed his way. Or more recently Nancy Pelosi almost boo hooing about violence she witnessed in the 70's and trying to draw a line to present day tea bag participants and those threatening seniors at the townhall meetings. Meanwhile, the Dems continue to use the poor and minorities by dangling that carrot in front of them every election cycle. As for soldiers, flags and Jesus... Why not embrace these persons/symbols that serve as a reminder of why we are free?
just when im about to go off the deep end, "Anonymous" reminds me that Jesus is why we're free. thank you, Anonymous (and Jesus) Or, as they call him in Latin countries, "jesus."
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