Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Ersatz Conservatives

Sadly, the Right seems torn by divisiveness these days. Many self-described conservatives – David Brooks, Rod Dreher, Kathleen Parker, et al – seem to think that the main function of Republicans is to serve as a mass of barnacles on the Ship of State as Captain Barrie and the Democrats continue on their invariable course toward socialism – but why retard the progress of the journey if you admit the inevitability of the destination? Perhaps the most fatuous of their complaints against people like Rush Limbaugh and other outspoken opponents of the Democrats’ colossal overreaching is that Republicans just keep saying “No.” They are overlooking the fact that every “no” is simply the obverse of a “yes.”

Saying “No” to the stimulus bill (and the omnibus spending bill and the bailouts) is saying “Yes” to taxpayers (present and future) and to their right to enjoy the fruit of their own labor without the encumbrance of the State’s arbitrary attachment thereof.

Saying “No” to the wilder claims of climate alarmists is saying “Yes” to vital industries, job creation, genuine science and right reason.

Saying “No” to the invertebrate foreign policy of the Obama administration is saying “Yes” to a strong America and to the hopes and aspirations of people everywhere who look to our country as a beacon of freedom.

The Vichy conservatives seem to think that you can simply split the difference between Left and Right, and that people will rally to the banner of a heterogeneous ideology that is neither fish nor fowl. I’ll stick with people like Limbaugh and Palin and Jindal and many others, in and out of government, who take delight in mounting a spirited opposition to the leviathan state, and whose minds are not clouded by the leftist ethos of the Beltway culture.

Update: The Other McCain has a roundup of links to other folks who have had enough of the so-called moderates.

6 comments:

Mr. Bingley said...

A lot of conservatives these days are simply squishy liberals who like to wear blue blazers.

Anonymous said...

Well said Paco.
True Mr Bingley.

Anonymous said...

Thank God for Rush right now, thank God. He is the closest thing conservatives have to a national glue right now. This is not to disparage a Hannity or a Beck but they lack the national (moral)footprint that Rush has. I would also question whether they have the logistical capability that Rush has (the Reid letter on Ebay and his offer to Obama to debate).

Talk about having skin in the game. It also is a good example of what people are capable of when they don't let others define who you are, it can't be easy.

He is not just standing in front of that tank, he is advancing on it, and by doing so he is giving a great many others cover to do the same thing. Look at the Republican votes on some of these measures, especially in the House. Would they have taken place without his steadfast stand?

He is as close to a current example of "Nuts!" as we are going to get.

RebeccaH said...

I never cared for Rush Limbaugh's style of politics, but in this case, I'm with him all the way. He's drawing the Democrats out from under cover, and showing the American people what the Marxocrats are all about now.

Anonymous said...

I'm really liking the pup tent option. As opposed to the big tent option -- the major problem with that are all the drips that would be inside.

Mercurius Aulicus said...
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