A Valuable Service

One of the best things about being a conservative is that you are almost guaranteed to feel the love and respect of those who disagree with your politics. Consider the lessons that John Hinderaker, writing at Powerline, has discovered. Hinderaker discusses a strategy memo he received from Ed Kilgore, James Vega and J. P. Green, who are apparently deep thinkers on the portside:

They begin by referring to a Washington Monthly article in which a blogger named Steve Benen "gave voice to a growing and profoundly disturbing concern among Democrats--that Republicans may actually plan to embrace policies designed to deny Obama not only political victories but also the maximum possible economic growth during his term in order weaken Democratic prospects in the 2012 elections."

What rat bastards these Republicans are! But if Steve Benen says so, it has to be true. Hinderaker demonstrates precisely how true such assertions are by fisking the hell out of them, an exercise that is well worth reading in its entirety. And see, that's the problem -- you can't be challenging the assertions of Democrats, especially given the Republican history of saying Really Terrible Things. It's worth considering the incendiary words of Newt Gingrich that the Democratic strategists have noted:

Republican leaders are now under enormous pressure to maintain a very belligerent, warlike rhetoric and style in all their activities. John Boehner is, after all, in the line of succession begun by Newt Gingrich, the first Republican congressional leader to explicitly argue for politics as a form of warfare (In 1994 Gingrich said: "This war [between liberals and conservatives] has to be fought with the scale and duration and savagery that is only true of civil wars")...

Hinderaker, channeling his belligerence, comments:

Actually, Gingrich said that in 1988, after Senate Democrats disgracefully slandered Robert Bork--a genuine instance of politics as warfare. His next words were, "While we are lucky in this country that our civil wars are fought at the ballot box, not on the battlefields, nonetheless this is a civil war." But what, exactly, is the point here? Theauthors resurrect Newt Gingrich's most incendiary quote of the last 30 years and it is supposed to be a news flash?

I assume it simply represents fealty to a core Democratic Party value, which is the importance of recycling.

A little perspective is important on the issues of the day, and it is valuable that Democrats and their allies are able to provide that perspective to us. Consider the wisdom of Keith Olbermann, who is able to look past the superficial harm caused by WikiLeaks and Julian Assange and get to a more representative source of evil in the world.

If we aren't sufficiently appreciative of this service, it's worth noting that Democrats have been remarkably diligent about providing such reminders, for a very long time now. Jeffrey Lord, writing at the American Spectator, reminds us of this tireless service:

The 2012 Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting is not very bright.

In fact, dumb as a post is a more accurate if blunt assessment..

Does this describe Sarah Palin? Yes -- if you choose to listen to the Inside-the-Beltway elites. But just in case she doesn't run for or win the nomination, don't worry. Whoever the GOP nominates will quickly assume this "too dumb to be president" role -- bestowed by many of the same people.

Why?

Because this "too dumb to be president" argument is precisely the same-old, same-old argument from liberal elites about Republican presidents or prospective presidents for decades. The argument is particularly relished when it comes to describing conservatives like the former Alaska governor. But even GOP moderates
can never escape this tag once they morph from unannounced candidate (and therefore not a political threat to liberalism) to actual frontrunner, nominee or, God forbid, the actual president.

Lord catalogs these efforts in detail, including the admonitions offered concerning Reagan, Goldwater, Ford and other dimly remembered Republicans. His piece is well worth a read, if only to remind us all of the selfless service the Democratic Party continues to provide in tutoring those of us who need instruction.