An Interesting 40 Years

            Those of you who remember the 60's remember a time of social change during which participants were asked to "turn on, tune in, and drop out".  Conservatives were appalled that their children, however briefly, would actually follow those words.  Now those words paraphrase what the conservatives are doing.

            The turn on, in the case of conservative media whores like Rush Limbaugh, is painkillers and alcohol.  The tune in is the narrow focus on the conservative mythology with Ronald Reagan playing the role Zeus vacated.  The drop out is the conservative political ideology that dictates the best action is no action at all.  The social worm has turned, and it's time to ask the conservatives how they like all the negative attention.

            Instead of being the ones holding the fire hoses, conservatives are the ones getting sprayed.  President Obama enjoys a 68% approval rating which means that a lot of republicans are giving him the benefit of the doubt to take action on his agenda.  Note the distinction between republicans and conservatives, which is something the conservatives have yet to do.

            Small town republicans—even those with deeply held religious values, can do what the blustery conservatives can not: distinguish themselves from the conservatives in Congress and on the media.  Just because Limbaugh earns a fortune bellyaching about the terrors of the "left" doesn't mean he holds enough people in thrall to make the difference in an election.  That may not always have been true, but it's obvious today.  Just as many people laugh at Limbaugh as take that screed as gospel.

            Now it's time for Obama to take the power he was given by the electorate and do what he—and we—think is best.  That doesn't mean that we agree on Afghanistan, or maybe even the economic stimulus package.  It does mean that we like to hear a smart man make an effort to reach out to us in a transparent and conciliatory way for support.

            Conservatives will deservedly be called liars for years to come.  They have always seen the opposition as weak and foolish.  Now who's playing the fool, Rush!

 

February 10, 2009