With the GOP, one day you're the Hero. The next day you're the Goat -- the scapegoat for all the the Party's ills.
You're only offense -- speaking the 'common sense' truth, about the Party's tunnel vision.
Mr. [David] Frum, 49, is best known as the author of the phrase "axis of evil" - though he claims his version, changed by George W. Bush, was "axis of hate" - which the Canadian-born political analyst and activist coined during his brief stint as a speechwriter for the former president.
More recently, Mr. Frum has emerged as a leading critic of the populist conservatism espoused by radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh and other champions of back-to-basics conservatism. In a recent Newsweek cover story, Mr. Frum described Mr. Limbaugh as an "aggressive and bombastic, cutting and sarcastic" figure, who is happy to accept the mantle of Republican leader that the Democrats seek to bestow upon him.
A larger group, the Limbaugh wing, believes the party must return to a strict adherence to market principles coupled to a firm embrace of social conservatism.
[...]
[Continuing]
But, Mr. Frum observes, that presumes that "there's a huge conservative majority out there, and people will rally to us," when in fact there isn't.
Besides, America is a very different country from the Age of Reagan. More young people have a college degree [...]
Can this David slay Republicans' Goliath?
Apr. 10, 2009
With the GOP, Stubborn is, as Stubborn does!
If only they can bring back the 'Ghost of Reagan' -- their "Picket-Fence" World, would be set right back on its axis again. ... Too bad for Frum however, he has a more normal idea -- of "Normal", than your average Joe The Plumber:
Social Conservatism
Justin Quinn, About.com Guide
Origins of the Movement
Social conservatism was ushered in to American politics with the so-called Reagan Revolution in 1981, and renewed its strength in 1994, with the Republican takeover of US Congress. The movement slowly grew in prominence and political power until hitting a plateau and stagnating in the first decade of the twenty-first century under President George W. Bush.
http://usconservatives.about.com/...
Social Conservatives
Social conservatives believe in promoting traditional moral values and social mores to preserve and improve American society. They have been especially active in taking traditionalist positions on issues involving sexual standards and gender roles. Social conservatives oppose abortion and gay marriage. They are doubtful about affirmative action, arguing it too often turns into quotas. They tend to support a strong military and are opposed to gun control. Most social conservatives oppose illegal immigration, which puts them in opposition to the business community. [...]
States' rights
When liberals are in power the GOP usually supported smaller federal government. Typically this translated into keeping power in the hands of powerful state governments, as in civil rights, abortion laws, regulations on marriage, and mapping of voting districts.[6] However conservatives in recent years have demanded federal intervention to oppose state laws [...]
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
With the GOP, Conservatism seems to be a means unto an ends.
What that "Ends" is ??? -- is anyone's guess, it seems. Although it IS commonly accepted GOP Dogma, that only Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and Glenn Beck, know the way back to that Primrose Path, in that Norman Rockwell Portrait. ... and ONLY THEY, and their ilk, hold the keys to the Conservative Cadillac, that's all gassed up and ready, to roar back to those "Good Old Days". They want that Dream SO bad -- well, There's NO Reasoning with them!
So, Don't Doubt the GOP Dogma --Unless you want to be outcast to the land of the heathens, and socialists. aka. the free loaders, and misfits. ... The land of Free America -- moving forward!
Welcome aboard, David F.
Conservative Fired for Speaking Truth to Limbaugh?
Mar 25, 2010
Frum, who has been pitching moderation in the GOP [...] As Frum sees it, the GOP is letting the Rush Limbaughs of the world lead it around by the trunk, and the result is a Democratic victory that will be with us for years to come.
Here’s a telling chunk from the post that might have gotten Frum fired:
When Rush Limbaugh said that he wanted President Obama to fail, he was intelligently explaining his own interests. What he omitted to say – but what is equally true – is that he also wants Republicans to fail. If Republicans succeed – if they govern successfully in office and negotiate attractive compromises out of office – Rush’s listeners get less angry. And if they are less angry, they listen to the radio less, and hear fewer ads for Sleepnumber beds.
http://www.truthdig.com/...
WHAT are Conservatives, trying to Conserve, anyways?
Besides, their tenuous grip on Power ... on Profits ... on Reality?
OR are they simply trying to "conserve" their Rewrite of Recent History?
It's kind of ironic wouldn't you say, that the Party the claims such vaulted Social Values, is so willing to treat the People's Business like their own Personal Poker Game.
Going for Broke, on foisting your morality, is a smart move -- What could go wrong with that? Yup! It may be a Good Time to Double Down, Indeed!
Should the GOP Double Down on Social Conservatism?
LittleGreenFootballs - Politics, Nov 5, 2008
Some interesting comments from David Frum, as the GOP soul-searching and finger-pointing begins:
[...] College-educated Americans have come to believe that their money is safe with Democrats – but that their values are under threat from Republicans. And there are more and more of these college-educated Americans all the time.
So the question for the GOP is: Will it pursue them? To do so will involve painful change, on issues ranging from the environment to abortion. And it will involve potentially even more painful changes of style and tone: toward a future that is less overtly religious, less negligent with policy, and less polarizing on social issues. That’s a future that leaves little room for Sarah Palin – but the only hope for a Republican recovery.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/...
How'd that Double-down work out for you Gophers?
Must be time to go "All in" about now, after that 'Reverse Waterloo', you just pulled off, eh?
David Frum:
In the wake of yesterday’s bruising result, the Republican party faces an excruciating and divisive choice between two very different futures.
The first choice is the choice on display at the excited rallies that cheered Sarah Palin all through the fall. This is a choice to fall back on the core base of the Republican party. The base is almost entirely white, almost entirely resident in the middle of the country, moderately affluent, middle-aged and older, more male than female, with some college education but not a college degree. Think of Joe the Plumber and you see the core of the Republican party.
[...]
Joe has not changed much over the past two decades or so. But the country has. The Hispanic population of the United States has almost doubled since 1990. The proportion of white Americans with a college degree has jumped from 22% in 1990 to almost 28 ½% .
In order to keep competitive, the GOP has had to win more and more of the Joe vote.
David Frum: Republicans face fraught choice between two roads to revival
Kelly McParland -- Nov 05, 2008
Sorry about that David Frum -- sorry that speaking Common Sense about the GOP -- only gets you banished from your job, from your platform, from those way-cool rallies, with all those Average Joe-The-Six-Packs.
But with every Crisis, there is usually an Opportunity -- I hear the Dems are still in need of some serious Messaging and Framing Talent. Some plain talk, that speaks the obvious, to the general public. In other words, Easy Gig, eh?
Mr Frum, you just may want to apply for the Messaging Job? Dems ARE the "Big Tent" Party afterall. And there's plenty of room for 'Common Sense', in this ever growing 'College-Educated' Party.
And you know, 'Telling the Truth' is kind of a Prerequisite for becoming a Dem. ... and Educated Opinions are NOT cast out to the hinterlands, when Democrats disagree. That's par for the course.
But then again, we don't suffer well-sponsored Fools lightly, either -- those who speak out day-in and day-out, AGAINST THE INTERESTS of the 'Average Joes' ...
SO ... Welcome aboard, Mr. David Frum! (if you can handle the lack of censorship, lol)
Scape-goating is SO over-rated, don't you think?