The Future Is Now! Well, Unless It's Earlier...

Karl at Patterico contemplates the future of the Republican Party by visiting the past.

The Baseball Crank looks forward and explains the importance of ideological purity and consistency on spending in the current environment.

And in an alternate universe, the Scrivener contemplates the bailout of a struggling law school professor and his lawyer wife who borrowed too much against their residence.

Comments

[bad]

Michelle let her law license lapse at some point. And whined about student loans. Some states don't allow renewel of proffesional licences if you aren't current on student loans.

I wonder if that was an issue.

[centralcal]

I look forward to reading your links later this morning - gotta go to work right now.

But I am delighted that Specter is being humiliated (Mr. Moderate - pheh) and thrilled that Jeff Sessions will replace him on the Judiciary Committee.

No matter what - getting rid of the squishes (are you listening, Olympia? you too, Susan) are what we have needed to do for a long time.

[Sue]

I wish people would stop worrying about the death of the republican party. Are memories so short? In 2002, democrats and the MSM were wringing their hands wondering just how they were going to find their way back into power. I remember watching democratic pundits on television saying we have to go left, no we have to go right, no we have to learn how to talk to people of faith, we have to this and we have to that. What did they do? Nothing new. They repackaged old ideas in a new body. One that people liked. No one, and I repeat, no one, was going to beat Barack Obama in 2008.

One caveat to my what did they do question and response of nothing new. They didn't do anything new, but what they did was tear Bush apart. They used every tool in their creepy handbook, including using intelligence for political purposes, to undermine Bush. It worked. In fact, if I were so inclined, I could find the quote from Susan Estrich where she said, right after democrats lost in 2002, paraphrasing here...we have to go negative on Bush. Republicans in congress didn't help matters. The double standard that the media holds republicans to notwithstanding, when republicans act like conservatives, they win.

And on that note, everyone is welcome in the republican party. Reagan didn't attract new republicans by changing the core values of the party. In other words, Reagan didn't change his values to attract new party members, they were attracted to Reagan's message of conservatism. I am not pining for Reagan, I am pining for someone who can stand true to conservative values and make them attractive to a majority of the country.

[centralcal]

Oh, and if you missed it yesterday, Norah O'Donnell (msnbc) interviewing Grassley, did her level best to smear Sessions as a racist - old remarks about NAACP and KKK, supposedly. She tried her darnedest to get Grassley to say something negative about Sessions. He didn't bite.

The left only know smear, nothing else.

[Elliott]

That half-million dollar advance on royalties right before he took office was interesting, possibly explained by the $1.5 million decrease in income last year.

[PaulL]

That's an interesting third link. I had no idea that Brannon Braga is ultimately responsible for Barack Obama being President.

[Jane]

In 2002, democrats and the MSM were wringing their hands wondering just how they were going to find their way back into power.

GMTA. I was thinking about that last nite.

[Pofarmer]

In 2002, democrats and the MSM were wringing their hands wondering just how they were going to find their way back into power.

The left only know smear, nothing else.

Look, you've got a bunch that's willing to do or say ANYTHING to get into power, and aren't shy about using it once they're there. If you think it will be easy for ANY conservative to make headway against the winds of the MSM, then, well????

[Yes, I worry a lot.]

You've got to remember, the prevailing wind is at gale force. By that I mean the MSM, the liberal punditocracy. That will only change after wrenching revolutionary forces come into play.

[Sue]

Po,

I don't think anything will be easy. But changing our party brand to fit the democratic brand is not the answer.

[You don't need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows.]

Hah, Po, I wavered between gale force and riptide.

[pagar]

Remember on the third link, he had Rezko for a housing adviser. What we really need to know is who was his literary financial adviser?

[clarice]

Who okayed the giant advance to him for his autobiography for heaven's sake..the most absolutely fishy part of his entire odorific bio.

[Thomas Collins]

Forgive the OT, but did a United States Assistant Secretary of State really assert that the State of Israel should subscribe to a treaty that would result in Israel's being required to give up its nuclear arsenal (see LUN). Please someone tell me that I have misinterpreted this. Because if I have not misinterpreted it, the whole Administration is smoking something that has never been smoked before.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Look, you've got a bunch that's willing to do or say ANYTHING to get into power, and aren't shy about using it once they're there. If you think it will be easy for ANY conservative to make headway against the winds of the MSM, then, well????

Look, there's a reason the Catholics make despair a sin.

I agree with you that it looks hard, but:

- Nixon was elected in '68 and '72 (and remember that in those years he was the conservative, such as we had one.)
- Reagan was elected in '80 and '84, and Bush in '88 (and again, remember that by comparison Bush_41 was the conservative.)
- Bush_43 was elected in 2000 and 2004, and God knows the "at any price" crowd was out then too.

Now Obama is making new enemies at an amazing speed, and we have new media, from Fox to blogs to twitter, to end-run the legacy media.

Despair leads to paralysis. It would be better if we remember that we have weapons of our own, and very likely an advantage in the number of people more or less on our side of the argument. Especially if we can figure how not to play "you're a RINO he's a RINO" and define the bounds so narrowly that we cut our own throats.

[bad]

Has anyone ever noticed that Dick Morris and Susan Estrich sound a great deal alike?

[boris]

"you're a RINO he's a RINO"

In a food fight it may not matter that much who started it, but if you think your side isn't flinging poo at every opportunity you are blind. Next time you want to tone it down you might want to take some credit for the mess.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Boris, if you think there's a "my side" that's a sign you don't read very closely.

[MayBee]

I wish people would stop worrying about the death of the republican party. Are memories so short?

I agree.
I hate it that Republicans are playing along with the Democrats' "Republicans are in disarray" meme. Time will tell us more.

There is just something so..nutroots about the need to determine the conclusion before things have played out. A way to determine the way the narrative will be written, as if that will control the way things actually will be.

I am reminded (tops will remember this) of the huge WaPo/Jay Rosen/Jane Hamsher freak out when Jay and Jane were trying to get the WaPo to write that Abramoff *would hurt* the Republican party, and investigations *would show* Democrats were less involved. Much of the fight was about trying to get the WaPo to write about the future a certain way.

There is no need to rush a narrative in advance of reality.

[MayBee]

I love the Scrivener piece, because it addresses something I find fascinating. The Obamas are trying to define "rich" (and demonize it) at an income level they admit they found a struggle. I'm not judging *that* Obama- it was their right to spend their money and their loans as they wanted. I'm judging *this* Obama, the one that wants to tell others how to spend their money (giving it to the government).

Barack Obama made the bulk of his money by campaigning. His citizen-funded, tax free campaigns have been like gigantic book tours for him. His wife's employment has always followed his fortunes, she in turn has been able to hire those (like Axelrod) he needs for the next election.
Which is fine, but I won't hear about others being rich, greedy, or building on a foundation of sand from him without scoffing.

[bad]

Hey Maybee, you arrogant thing, you...

I wondered if his head was gonna explode.

[MayBee]

How weird was that, bad?

Honestly, I went to bed last night wondering if Michelle Obama were anything but another mom at my kids' school (or at your kids school) if she would be anything but ordinary.

I don't think so.

There are so many parents doing the same or more, without the staff to make the vanity garden to go (grand)stand in once a month.
There are parents without babysitters who actually drive around from one restaurant to another to get food donations to bring to the food banks, rather than standing on a stage at a food bank event someone put together.

And you know, there are people with really cute wardrobes.

She's ordinary.

[Thomas Collins]

The death of GOP talk is twaddle and actually obscures the real issue, which is whether socially traditional GOPers will continue to turn out, volunteer and give money to GOP causes to the same extent as in the last forty years or so. The socially traditional GOPers are feeling used by the more secular GOPers, many of whom support or don't object to homosexual marriage, liberal school sex education and abortion rights (many secular GOPers who oppose late term abortion rights still would permit abortion rights earlier in the pregnancy). All of this is the usual give and take in a two party system, in which views of many different stripes constitute a party. The cleavages are less apparent with the Dems now, but are beginning to appear and will expand as cap and trade, national security and other issues show fissures among blue dog Dems, purple Dems, bread and butter union Dems and Obama Dems (who tend to be conciliatory internationalists in foreign policy, leftists in economic policy and anything goes in social policy).

[Jane]

I'm watching in amazement (and a sizable amount of glee) as Obama supporters are forced to take more radical positions than they ever imagined. Business owners are now applauding government taking of property rights; waterboarding opponents disparately trying to defend drone attacks killing civilians in a country we are not at war with; regulation proponents willing to walk around every regulation because "the means justify the ends".

Put it all in writing democrats. We can use that stuff.

[Thomas Collins]

In any event, I'm sure denizens of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts will be thrilled to learn that it appears as if the Boston Globe will be around to cover the fate of the GOP, as well as all of the other issues of the day! :-)) See LUN.

[Ignatz]

Here's an excellent piece from Forbes on bailouts, TARP, Chrysler and the rule of law, or lack thereof.

[Topsecretk9]

Maybee

I emailed you.

Gosh, do I remember the Hamsher comment jihad? The weird thing abut Rosen is all the journalistic controversies he seems to want to wade into are all in behalf of the nutroots and yet he's this respected objective educator?

And yes, I agree that the 'GOP is doomed' meme is just a meme from a increasingly paranoid left that KNOW that fortunes change on a dime otherwise 8 years ago they would have been described as doomed too.

GOP is now for the 1st time beating the Dems on generic ballot AND out fundraising the Democrats like crazy with a so-called un-popular leader in Steele and super crazy popular Teleprompter Jesus president on their side...go figure?

[bad]

Maybee, in my kids schools, many parents would consider her to be a slacker.

As for our "friend," I think our courtesy and lack of vitriol is driving him nuts.

BTW, did you catch he has a Porche 951 and is extremely well off from some European/Asian investments he made because he knew Republicans were going to screw the world's economy with their expensive war and tax cuts.

He invested in 2001 (two years before the war)and got out in 2006.

I'm so in awe of his ability to see into the future....

[Ignatz]

-Has anyone ever noticed that Dick Morris and Susan Estrich sound a great deal alike?-

Has anyone ever noticed that except for that weird just-got-a-shot-of-novacain thing Morris does with his lower lip and Estrich's I'm-way-too-old-for-this hairdo they look a great deal alike?

[MayBee]

Maybee, in my kids schools, many parents would consider her to be a slacker.

Amen.

I missed the Porsche. He's a very special special man.

[bad]

I'm suspicious, Ignatz. So much so that Dick Morris is sooooo undibbed and now available.

Have they ever been seen together? And I'm talking real life, no split screen TV arrangement....

[bad]

I think it was DoT who caused him to punch up his profile. LOL

Speaking of our friends, I thought RC was going to have a stroke at some point yesterday.

It's really tough to have your hero get so beat up. However, RC is very adept at moving the discussion to inconsequential matters and away from the substantive issues.

You are great with both. DoT is awesome. Keep it up.

[MayBee]

bad- xoxoxoxoxo!!!

[Thomas Collins]

Jane, my glee is from speaking with the self described free market folks in the sterile southwestern Boston burbs. These folks routinely defend Obama. From my admittedly random survey, substantially all of them are still impressed with Obama's intelligence. To avoid losing friendships, I have to avoid laughing out loud.

[Porchlight]

GOP is now for the 1st time beating the Dems on generic ballot AND out fundraising the Democrats like crazy with a so-called un-popular leader in Steele and super crazy popular Teleprompter Jesus president on their side...go figure?

Great points, Tops (and Sue in her original comment). Also I believe Sarah Palin is still helping to rake in dough for the GOP despite having been trashed by the MSM for six months straight.

It's also possible the "GOP is doomed" meme is actually helpful in that it may cause Dems to become overconfident and misunderestimate their opposition. 2004 took almost the entire Dem party by surprise, I think. They thought Kerry had it in the bag. And the slew of "whither the Dems?" articles afterwards is something that also bears remembering.

[clarice]

We need to think how to reach the blue dog dems who largely are still getting their news from Dem Captive media. Most of Murtha's constituents hadn't a clue about what he said re Haditha or his corruption because the local papers are in the tank for him, his consituents are often old and poorer and have little other access to information about him.

[matt]

The election was 52-48 after 8 years of a muddle, Wall Street out of control, and a war that had been ginned up as unwinnable by 90% of the media.

Burnout is always an issue with one party in power, and the Republicans spent and mismanaged themselves into the loser's column.

We now have a president who is the most radical in our history. He is taking over the banking and automotive sectors, and has aims on health care next.To date, he has accomplished little except to act as a lightning rod for building criticism. Thing is, the MSM is not reporting this. This is more akin to the fall of the East German government, when we really didn't know how upset the people were, and it was only when there were massive demonstrations in Leipzig and Jena that our media and even our intelligence services realized this was a schwerpunkt.3 weeks later, the government fell.

I think Obama is guilty of the greatest hubris we have seen since the cults of personality in Eastern Europe and China, and if events continue the way they have been, we are going to see a massive backlash.

The Republicans have to regain their integrity. They have to focus on their core beliefs while respecting those of others who have similar but differing beliefs on some issues.

Society is becoming more screwed up, not less, and when the backlash inevitably occurs, the Republicans have to be ready to resonate with the revulsion of the people against the excesses of the left.

[glasater]

We love Sarah Palin in our neck of the woods.

LUN

[matt]

by the way, the unfunded mandates of the federal government are also a huge win for the Republicans. The feds keep on mandating the states spend huge amounts of money, which is why Texas and Oklahoma have declared sovreignty.

[narciso]

I brought up Claire McCaskill in an earlier thread, apparently she's one of those tax cheats, Geithner was warbling about.

[sbw]

TS9: "yet he's this respected objective educator?"

Rosen? By whom? Not by me. Not by a long shot.

[sbw]

Clarice: "We need to think how to reach the blue dog dems who largely are still getting their news from Dem Captive media."

My Rep considers himself a blue dog and it is not the media that keeps him captive. Rather it appears he has to behave in order to get table scraps. We need candidates on both sides willing to settle for one term and out and thus, willing to tell the leaders to go pound salt.

[glasater]

Stress test leaks?

See LUN for some thoughts. However, I truly believe that the WH--Rahm--is playing dirty once again.

This administration is destroying this country.

[Rick Ballard]

"This administration is destroying this country."

It's sure trying to. Bill Gross (a true Fascist's Friend) pens a missive on bootlicking that is well worth a read. If you own PIMCO, I'd suggest putting on track shoes and sprinting. This puke will sell out anyone for a nickel.

[Ignatz]

-If you own PIMCO, I'd suggest putting on track shoes and sprinting.-

On princicple perhaps, Rick, but I suspect, just like every other fascist's crony, he and his clients will make out, literally like bandits during the coming redistribution.
The guy is and always has been a tapeworm in the belly of the US economy.

[matt]

Gross and his partners has always been crooks.They basically stole Pacific Mutual when it converted from a mutual fund into a "C" corp and made themselves billionaires overnight.

The self enriching, self dealing activities of people like Gross are one of the key reasons our economy is so badly screwed up right now. What is really weird is that they almost invariably vote democratic these days, which leads me to believe they figured out the democratic party is the party of crooks.

[Jane]

From my admittedly random survey, substantially all of them are still impressed with Obama's intelligence.

TC

Yeah I hear the same thing. Until something hits them personally it will stay that way. No reason to pay attention in the meantime - move right along.

And even then it may not click. One of the times of my life when I wasn't watching politics was when Jimmy Carter was in office. Interest rates were 18%, we were going to hell in a hand-basket and I absolutely intended to vote for him for re-election until a boyfriend put together the cause and effect so I could see it. Most people just think this is the way it goes so we may as well have the cool people in office rather than the ones who go to church.

Perhaps the only thing that will focus the mind is another terror attack which it appears that our president is doing everything he can to cause. The other salvation could be the tea parties. We shall see.

[matt]

one of the things I have noticed about many intelligent people over the past number of years is that so many of them know one thing very well to the exclusion of most everything else. I think its the result of specialization. they could be listening to the greatest line of jive ever and never clue in to the fact that it is all lies.

Doctors are notorious for this in the investment world. Great at what they do, but clueless on business and common sense outside their field. I have seen businessmen I know do some of the dumbest things imaginable outside of their own narrow expertise as well, especially in M&A work. They get lost in their egos in so many cases.

The reduction in the classics curriculum could be another cause. People don't study logic or philosophy or ethics as they used to. They pretty much jump into their specialty and come out 4 years or 7 years later eddicated.

[Michael]

contemplate the future of the Republican Party by visiting the past.

This is a thread I wish could follow. As a child I heard about how the Republican Senators had frustrated President Truman's drive for a National Health Plan. So to me, Republican Senators, as staid and as American Gothic as they might otherwise look, had been the political Magnificent Seven. I wonder were they like Specter or Snowe or Hruska or what were these giants like?

[clarice]

matt--true..add large classes, multiple choice questions and less interaction between children and adults and tie it up in a bow:Idiocracy coming to movie theaters near you.

[matt]

it was a great flick, clarice, and is about where I feel the country has gone in the past 20 years.

Brawndo's got electrolytes!

[pagar]

:Idiocracy coming to movie theaters near you.

O/T, but also to campus dorms..Today's NYTs.

http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/co-ed-dorm-room/?hp

A Co-Ed Dorm Room? That Wasn’t Mentioned on the College Tour