tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7871003.post3227016188994092523..comments2023-11-03T04:39:50.760-05:00Comments on Galley Slaves: Brief Political AsideJonathan V. Lasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17426165197358366129noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7871003.post-24297134158838403002009-04-28T19:35:00.000-05:002009-04-28T19:35:00.000-05:00Out here in San Francisco, on the night after the ...Out here in San Francisco, on the night after the last election, a liberal friend of asked me what message could the Republicans possible have in fours years that would get us the White House back?<br /><br />I told him it will be a very simple one:<br /><br />"Polls open at 7 a.m."Nimrodnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7871003.post-40313347073058433452009-04-28T16:51:00.000-05:002009-04-28T16:51:00.000-05:00I can't believe someone is saying this!
The reaso...I can't believe someone is saying this!<br /><br />The reason 'everyone' else says we need new intellectuals and ideas to re-energize the GOP is cuz 'everyone' is an intellectual offering fresh, sophisticated newly packaged and re-spliced ideas.<br /><br />I must admit I am getting pretty sick of these 'bright young things' who proudly live like maggots off what they claim is the carcass of the old guard that lost its way - and a lot faster than I got sick of Bush (the last guy to offer his father's wine in a flashy new bottle (compassion, blech!) and scold the old guard).<br /><br />Very few of them offer anything interesting or useful, for a party or ideological movement, except hairsplitting, condescension, and vacillation.<br /><br />Conservatism doesn't really need intellectuals who think events in their life are real 'game-changers' that call for new ideas they can will into being. <br />Not much has happened to make what people like Locke, Burke, Smith, Friedman and others said before any less valid. I love opinions, but come on - not every columnist is a philosopher, or even the next Orwell. <br /><br />And no party needs them. If anything ideas and consistent ideologies just get in the way of building coalitions. <br /><br />It is nice to see someone point out the big picture.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7871003.post-22607924251185720412009-04-28T15:01:00.000-05:002009-04-28T15:01:00.000-05:00Jonathan:
Does it make a difference that conserva...Jonathan:<br /><br />Does it make a difference that conservatives have placed more emphasis from the beginning on intellectual argument and cohesion, and liberals have been content with being an amalgam of factions united by getting goodies from government?<br /><br />Still, your point is a good one: the GOP had the tougher road and the worse candidate in 2008. But then, after 100 years of liberalism, it will always have the tougher road.Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7871003.post-3225670654487487422009-04-28T13:46:00.000-05:002009-04-28T13:46:00.000-05:00demographics demographics demographics. That has t...demographics demographics demographics. That has to be at the forefront of any such analysis.Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17810130347732893109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7871003.post-90171566094356944422009-04-28T13:28:00.000-05:002009-04-28T13:28:00.000-05:00So you're saying that Republicans just need to hop...So you're saying that Republicans just need to hope for more bad stuff to happen at the right time and hope that their 2012 nominee isn't ancient, weird, or tongue-tied? (I'm not criticizing, that's what I think.)<br /><br />It is funny to watch the liberals' conservatives emerge. The cable networks chose Megan McCain to play a fresh conservative who can damn those who came before. Now the Times does the same in print (to be sure, using a much smarter damner, albeit one whose columns the NYT editorial team could safely predict from his book). <br /><br />And with Brooks and Douthat, the NYT spans the entire range of conservatism, from B to D.tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7871003.post-28468080049069782352009-04-28T12:20:00.000-05:002009-04-28T12:20:00.000-05:00Ross Douthat is to "conservative columnist" as Arl...Ross Douthat is to "conservative columnist" as Arlen Specter is to "Republican Senator"Jeff S.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7871003.post-80581410154394090982009-04-28T12:00:00.000-05:002009-04-28T12:00:00.000-05:00"conservative columnist"
You're being ironical he..."conservative columnist"<br /><br />You're being ironical here, right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com