Here’s some food for thought: (via The Hedgehog Blog)
I wonder if you would consider the discussion that I initiated, regarding the – and what is growing more and more apparent to many of us non-elites in the flyover country that is not NY/Wash/CA – growing schism between the Republican Party elites and the rest of us “an argument amongst friends?” I didn’t bring it up merely in order to castigate the elites, but rather, I raised the issue in order to start a dialogue that I believe is overdue … between the elites of the Party and the movement, and its true grass roots “base” – both of whom (elites and grass roots) are necessary to a successful political movement and governing coalition.
If the perception continues to grow amongst the grass roots that the elites are out of touch with us, then support for the Party and the movement will surely wane, especially at the polls where it matters most. And for those elites who consider themselves to be big-C Conservatives more than big-R Party Members, the only hope the big-C’s have to actually influence public policy rests solely within the Party. Otherwise they’ll never have the majorities needed to get their conservative heroes elected.
Unfortunately, we are seeing far too much commentary amongst the elites that amounts to little more than threats to “stay home,? or even work actively against the Party or its current leader, Mr. Bush. They actually are working actively against his SCOTUS nominee, Ms. Miers, at this time. And if they carry out their veiled threats, it could put us into another one of those dreaded Clinton dark ages, for at least for 4 or even 8 years (by which point everything will be thoroughly mucked up and the reactionary cycle then begins yet again).
If the big-C elites would just stop and think logically and not emotionally and, truth be told, not petulantly, I think they’d see the big picture and use this opportunity to say to Mr. Bush (and to the rest of us), “OK … you asked us to trust you, and because of what you have already done on our behalf, with other judicial nominees like Prior, Clement, Owen, and Brown, and with the War on Terror, and with the Bush Tax Cuts, we’ll go with your judgment this time. You are not your father – we don’t need to read your lips. But with the next SCOTUS nominee, we expect to see someone nominated out of our group of fine candidates.”
If the Noonans, Ingrahams, Krauthammers, Kristols, et al., reacted in that way, the Coalition is preserved, the lib/dem’s new “wedge issue” goes away, the President can get on to tending to the People’s business (War on Terror, immigration reform, tax reform, spending reform, saving Social Security, etc. etc.) and the elitists would not appear so, well, “elitist” as they do now.
And like the very old saying goes, “You catch many more flies with sugar than with vinegar.?
Anyway, I think that we have begun this year to see the emergence of a very large metaphorical Gorilla in the room – this growing chasm between the elites and the rest of us – and nobody in the Conservative/Republican leadership or the conservative media within this room seems willing to acknowledge its presence. If we continue to ignore it, the Gorilla is going to hurt someone – probably all of us – eventually.
In that respect, and if the elites would wake up and act in the appropriate manner, the Miers debate could in fact be the best thing to happen to the Coalition since the re-election of GWB.
What is pissing me off is the fact that the elites in the Conservative side dare to think they speak for me. Just as the elites in the Liberal side do to their Democrat brethren. I trust this President and none of you ultra Conservatives speak for me so get a life.
What is pissing me off is the fact that the elites in the Conservative side dare to think they speak for me. Just as the elites in the Liberal side do to their Democrat brethren. I trust this President and none of you ultra Conservatives speak for me so get a life.
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That commentary NAILS IT!