In order to maintain control of their cult followers, they have created this mythology of Reagan. It is a growing cult, one that has been carefully manipulated and cultivated and has begun to explode into the conservative monolith of The Great Conservative God, Ronald Reagan. Unfortunately the truth is something very different. This is a “god” who gave us less than perfect “conservative” SCOTUS justices, yet he is cherished, his myth nurtured while George W. Bush is reviled for his less than perfect conservative record. He must be reviled and criticized at every possible turn. He must be taught that to venture toward a successful GOP Presidency is to possibly thwart the cult of Reagan. A successful Republican Presidency simply must not be allowed. The nomination and election of a John McCain cannot be allowed because then the American people would have rejected the Great Conservative Talk Show Monopoly.
Conservatives cannot allow anyone to question their increasingly ideological agenda of extremes. They cannot allow what they now consider a more “moderate” or “liberal” agenda. The bitter irony is the fact that what they would today consider “moderate” or even “liberal” would be considered “conservative” when Ronald Reagan was in office. They have used, manipulated, and corrupted what was once honorable and decent. They have become amoral to the point where their actions are almost those of the mentally disturbed. Afraid of confrontation, because of their tenuous hold on what is right, honorable, and sane, they lash out, destroying anyone who dares to disagree with them.
Only those who have pure conservative ideology must be allowed to survive. Only those who worship at the altar of Reagan must live long and prosper.
Reagan must remain “The Great”. No one who follows, no Republican, must be given quarter to come anywhere near Reagan’s greatness. That Republican must not be given any assistance in any way. If all else fails, our talk show mentality conservatives must demand that conservatives vote against our Republican candidates.
Never again will I call myself “A Conservative”. I am utterly and absolutely disgusted by what conservatives have become. The irony is the fact that I have not changed. I still have my same views. I was once quite “conservative”. Now they derail me and call me “liberal”. If I have not changed and they have, something is very, very wrong and it is not me.
I am angry. I am furious. If these people are not silenced or, better yet, marginalized as the increasingly irrational crack-pot, almost evil, carnival sideshow freaks that they are becoming, we are going to lose the White House in November. These fleas, these talk show hosts, conservative bloggers and pundits, these fleas on the elephant’s tushie will be nothing but an asterisk. History is a great thing. Agendas are eventually exposed to the cruel light of day, as are lies, canards, and prevarications. The mendacity of today’s right will relegate the current crop of “conservative” leaders to the same has-been status of Paul Weyrich, Howard Phillips, and Richard Viguerie. While they now claim fealty to Reagan, words spoken decades ago prove otherwise.
Article comments
1 - Shannon
While I support Ron Paul, I share your disappointment in the polictical selection process. Americans need to wake up and chose for themselves, not because the majority is choosing that person. Judge the candadites record, based on your beliefs. If you do not do that then we are doomed.
2 - Tim_Ohio
As another life-long Republican, I share your sentiments on the conservative media. However, were we differ is that I only see one true conservative in the mold of Ronald Reagan running --that being Ron Paul -- and will not vote for any of these other faux-conservatives.
The problem with the Republican party in 2008 is that there is only one true conservative running & only one republican that has the ability to draw voters from across the political spectrum in the style of Ronald Reagan. Unfortunately, it appears that most of the Grand Old Party is listening to the same conservative media's opinion that you so abhor, that Ron Paul is unelectable. If you say something oft enough, it becomes reality, isn't that how the game is played?
When 70% of the American people are against the Iraq war, it is folly to think that anyone who publicly states they want to stay in Iraq for 100 more years as Senator McCain has done, stands a chance in the general election. That sir, is the reality of your "conservative" candidates.
3 - John
"I have no problems supporting the eventual GOP nominee, no matter who that person is (with the exception of Ron Paul)."
The irony in this comment is astounding.
4 - Tim_Ohio
Whoops, just realized that my last line should have read "That MAAM, is the reality of your "conservative" candidates.". Way to read the bio after sending a comment :)
5 - James Moore
...except Ron Paul of course?
The mind boggles, ma'am. I think you've been so blinded by the globalist propaganda of the "new" cons, i.e. liberal Republicans, that you cannot see the forest for the trees. The GOP has been hijacked, but unfortunately not by those Republicans who dissent with the current faction in power. We're back...and we're pissed...and we're growing in numbers every day, slowly but surely.
Sit down, relax, and actually watch a few Ron Paul interviews from YouTube. You may be surprised at how much you really agree with the man, assuming you really are a conservative Republican that is.
6 - Rocko
RP is only a conservative in name only. Again, his supporters spam anything online. That alone is sufficient to disqualify him. It's annoying as hell. Otherwise, good article.
7 - Dave Nalle
Tim, the only similarities between Ron Paul and Ronald Reagan are their first names and the fact that they both ran for president at the same age.
BTW, this is a fascinating and impassioned article and I agree with much of what's said. I'm sure the author can look forward to being called a RINO by all of the typical pseudo-Republicans who think that their perverse version of Republicanism is the one-true-way.
Dave
8 - Maurice
If you need a good reason for conservatives to not be enamored with McCain consider his position on illegal immigration.
9 - handyguy
Before the talk-radio loudmouths turned their sights on McCain, they had used the same vile, over-the-top rhetoric and tactics on many others, for many years.
I'm glad the author is finally hearing this, but it's not as though these guys have actually changed the discordant, screeching tune they play. It's just that they're now aiming at someone you admire.
The fact that there is so much vitriol in some people's brain stems that they can actually say that if McCain wins, the GOP will be permanently damaged or destroyed....well, this boggles the mind. Some of them would actually rather lose the election than see him win. This weird worldview requires a particular brand of apocalyptic masochism.
I tend to be cynical about dewy-eyed predictions, but maybe a McCain-Obama contest in the fall really would permanently change politics for the better.
10 - Michael J. West
If you need a good reason for conservatives to not be enamored with McCain consider his position on illegal immigration.
Yeah. Reasonable, humane, and decent. How DARE he?
11 - handyguy
Maurice, we get it that you and others differ with McCain [and therefore also with Bush] on immigration issues. But surely this isn't enough to make a sensible guy like you join the "McCain will destroy the GOP" ranks.
If one doesn't agree with a candidate on every issue, is the only recourse to aim destructive rhetoric his way [not that you have, but others who agree with you on immigration have]?
And do you really think that McCain would single-handedly institute an immigration policy that would ruin the country? How about a Democratic president and congress's immigration policy? Will you like that better? Because that's what you're likely to get, especially if McCain is not the nominee.
I know, I'm a liberal Dem, so why am I getting into this discussion? I just find these destructive intramural fights puzzling and fascinating.
12 - Clavos
Handy,
I may be wrong (probably am), but I'm not so sure Maurice was actually criticizing McC's immigration policy so much as he was simply pointing out why conservatives don't like it.
13 - JustOneMan
EDITOR...
How could this be labeled OPINION when it is clearly Satire!
This is obviously written by a Dumbocrat pretending to be a Conservative Republican!!
McCain and Mike Huckabee - Conservatives? These guys are one step right of the likes of Kerry and Billary!!Why these to idiots couldnt carry Reagans jockstrap!!!
Please reclassify this dribble!
JOM -"McCain - A figment of the left-wing media's imagination"
14 - Leslie Bohn
Yes, "reclassify this dribble" or be called for traveling.
15 - JustOneMan
well if you travel chances are youll step in this pile of shit article
JOM -"McCain - Just what this country needs - An old angry man in the White House"
16 - Dan Miller
"fascinating and impassioned article. . . ."
Yeah, it is that.
Somewhere in this modern world there must be software which can count adjectives (maybe adverbs, too) and calculate their percentage in an article. I don't have anything like that, but would be willing to bet that the article has an excessive, overpowering, super abundant, absurd, ludicrous, shameful . . . stupefying and incredible percentage. Hell, I can't see the article for the adjectives, to coin a phrase.
Dan
17 - Baritone
First, I think SJ should come out and say what she really thinks, instead of being so wishy-washy.
Handy is right, of course. Limbaugh and the other assholes on the conservative airwaves have aimed their vitriole at about everybody left of Atilla the Hun. Most of them are so far to the right that they robotically jerk to attention, click the heels of their jackboots, right arms rifling upward while barking out a hearty Heil, Hitler! every few minutes.
Now that their aim has scanned even further to the right, they are now taking pot shots at those they feel are too middle of the road, namby-pamby, left leaning cocksuckers. Ah, if only they could reincarnate Reagan or Mussolini or Hesse or Franco, or at least, Goldwater.
RJ would have written nary a word of complaint of Rush & Company were just spitting out their normal venom against Hillary and Barack. That would be perfectly fine, as they obviously deserve it what with their being liberal pinko commies, let alone the fact that one is a raving bitch whore and the other a member of the "mud races," with allegiance to Allah.
SJ, you obviously just don't stand far enough to the right. Move over girl!
B-tone
18 - Baronius
Yes, Baritone, everyone who disagrees with you is a Nazi. They're all Reaganite fascists. And you know how you can tell? Because Reaganite Nazi fascists always insult people. That's what they do. They goosestep and insult people.
19 - Baronius
SJ, I can see some of those complaints being supportable, but not against Limbaugh. There are certainly cranks with radio shows. Sean Hannity comes to mind. He's not interested in making a case. He just attacks.
I think Rush has pretty well laid out his case against McCain. On tax cuts, immigration, support of the war effort, and campaign finance, McCain has strayed from the conservative base. Is that indictable? That's up to the individual voter to decide. But it isn't like Limbaugh is just arriving at these positions. And it's not one or two issues; it's a wide range. And several other conservatives have made similar arguments. I've heard De Lay, Will, and Santorum criticize McCain just as strongly.
The fact is, no elected official including Reagan has ever adhered to "movement conservatism" perfectly. When someone strays from conservatism, it's fair for conservatives to complain. Liberals complain about their people in the same way. And moderates complain when someone is becoming too radical.
I mean, look at how much criticism Bush has received from the right. Remember the Harriet Miers nomination?
20 - DagneyT
"Once this is in play, our overlords of the airways will not longer be able to ply their monologues of dissension and cruelty, but will be forced to either behave themselves or be removed from the airwaves."
Being a "republican" does not qualify you as a conservative. Your pedantic adherence to strictly GOP demogoguery does not qualify you as a conservative, to which is the category all of those you castigate belong. As we (conservatives) demonstrated when they tried to sneak through the McCain-Kennedy amnesty travesty, we will similarly demonstrate if they should attempt a return to the further restriction of the first amendment by re-introducing the so-called "fairness" doctrine. Blind adherence to a party, be it GOP or Democrap, is the height of arrogance in the real world that we face today.