Comments Posted By DSmith
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The Beckian Wing of Conservatism
Jeebus. "Real conservatives" "they actually want to lose" "But there is little doubt it marginalizes conservatives even more than they were on November 5 of last year"
What twaddle.
Beck, and Limbaugh, and yes even the hated Coulter, are often over-the-top, but more often they are *right*, and therein lies their popularity.
If Limbaugh is so marginalizing, why is he so popular?
If the brand of intellectual conservatism espoused here is so worthy, why is it mostly unknown?
If rationalism is so wonderful, how did we get where we are? Haven't all the Harvard and Yale grads, Left and Right, been running things for some time, in gov't and out? How's that working out for us?
Limbaugh, Beck, and the others are all populists, in the good sense. They try to speak to, and for, the little guy, but the American little guy, the little guy who sees his best interest in Liberty, and the freedom to order and improve their own lives to the best of their ability. The Dems speak for the little guy too (or claim to), but their little guy is someone who thinks their life will only be improved by the efforts of others.
The problem with intellectuals is that they don't understand or even like the little guy. Speaking of spittle, look at how much of it around here is projected in their direction. So when you talk marginalization, remember this: you'll never win any elections just getting the intellectuals to vote for you, and you'll never get the little guy to vote for you while you look down your nose at him. Yes, I know, Democrats do, but they're pros at it.
Really, selling conservatism in America is easy. It's all about liberty. The right to be left alone, the right to keep what you earn, the right to live where and how you want, to say what you want, and to defend all that is yours. Very simple, and things that most Americans believe in. Not hard to sell, as Reagan proved.
The trouble is that most professional Republicans don't really believe in those things, because every one of those things implies a smaller and less powerful gov't, and what's the point of striving to be in control of something that's worth less, in terms of power? To say nothing of the fact that the more power the gov't has the more the rich will attempt to influence the elected with money, so a less powerful gov't also means that elected positions are worth much less in terms of money. This basic tension is why the Republican Party doesn't "work", at least so far as the Limbaugh, Beck, and Coulter constituents are concerned.
If conservatism (which is not Republicanism) is to regain power in America, it will be on the backs of, and due to the efforts of, those very people you so disdain. Not due to the sneering of self-appointed intellectuals.
Comment Posted By DSmith On 12.04.2009 @ 10:52
