In a column that portends a possible recovery by Republicans from their lunatic stupor, David Frum, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and erstwhile conservative icon, has composed a defense of sanity over the “recklessness and political cowardice” represented by the Glenn Becks of the world. Frum’s commentary is supportive of the Cass Sunstein nomination (confirmed yesterday by the Senate) that has drawn attacks from Beck despite being hailed by respected conservatives and free-market economists. Here are a couple of excerpts:
“Glenn Beck is not the first to make a pleasant living for himself by reckless defamation. We have seen his kind before in American journalism and American politics, and the good news is that their careers never last long. But the bad news is that while their careers do last, such people do terrible damage.”
“We conservatives are submitting our movement to some of the most unscrupulous people in American life. This submission disgraces conservatism, discredits Republicans, and damages the country. It’s beyond time for conservatives who know better to join us at NewMajority in emancipating ourselves from leadership by the most stupid, the most cynical, and the most truthless.”
Well said, David. But on this morning, when much of the conservative rabble is applauding the childish antics of Rep. Joe Wilson (who heckled President Obama’s speech on Wednesday), it may be tougher than you think to wean these wankers off of their adulation of clowns like Beck, Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann, and Joe the Plumber. But good luck to you.
Huh. Well I suppose he’s right in some respects, but until respectable conservatives extend their outrage to the officials of their party, like Michael Steele, or the elected professionals like Inhofe I’m no impressed. It’s easy to go after pundits like Beck as there is no down side. What’s Beck going to do? Abandon his viewers and stop going after Obama and his administration?
Also, is conservatism a “movement” if it advances old discredited ideas? Calling your political philosophy a “movement” is disingenuous if that philosophy has been driving economic policies for the last 60 years.
Still, it’s good to know that when Beck states the liberals and socialists are trying to silence him we can tell him it isn’t just us.
I dunno. Is attempting to go backward “movement”? “Standing athwart history” certainly isn’t, but Buckley’s admonition became inoperative long before he did.
Alert: “FOX NATION VICTORY” – Census bureau announces it is ending it’s partnership with ACORN!!!!!!
Newscorpse alert: Little Pisher still hasn’t made it into the bigtime, thus his continuing nonsense alternating with irrelevance on this blog. And I won’t even point out the [sic] in his latest.
Since I’d rather not subject myself to checking it out personally, anyone know what kinds of comments Frum is drawing? The favorable/unfavorable ratio will do, and thanks in advance. PS or does he even allow feedback?
There is actually a spirited debate in the comments. There is a heavy contingent of Beck disciples who are unable to form cogent arguments, but there are also those defending Frum.
In another article Deepak Chopra made a similar assessment of the GOP. But he called for a much more mild response. It’s still interesting and he has a couple of good zingers.
Thanks. I’ve now read both posts – both reasonable and well-argued (though Frum could have tightened his defense of Sunstein to better make his larger point), from a conservative standpoint, and actually read a few comments before deciding there was nothing original or interesting to be gathered there.
Lol chaser 22
Employed by Fox?
C’mon man be honest
David Frum, imo, maybe the last true intellectual conservative left out there..He certainly does not genuflect to El Rushbo when he is critical of his own party..Michael Gerson will also make salient points in his writings, but all to often ends up shilling for his former boss..With that said though it is to bad the current crop of cons takes its cues from pundits who write and draw in crayon….
For to long TRUE AMERICANS have sat by and let this scrap Heap of liberals grow until the worst example of everything this great country stands for has attained high office,NOW the liberals who have always been this country’s enemy think they will go unchecked..THINK AGAIN you immoral,unethical morons!! to many TRUE AMERICANS have given their lives to protect FREEDOMS that liberals take for granted. DRAFT DODGERS(cowards),DRUG DEALERS.PIMPS and PROSTITUTES,AND IGNORANT CAUCASIANS ADVOCATING for LAZY IGNORANT MINORITIES,ILLEGAL ALIENS,and anyone else who cant carry their own weight.When the talk does not work, then let’s TAKE IT TO THEM,THE TRUE COST OF FREEDOM IS LIFE…
Oh, so YOU are the arbiter of “true” Americans. I was wondering who was making that list.
And criteria for being a true American consists of those giving their lives to protect freedom (unlike Bush and Cheney who both dodged military service); not being involved with drug (unlike Rush Limbaugh with his Ocy-Contin); staying away from prostitutes (unlike Sen. Vitter and Dick Morris); not helping illegal aliens (unlike Mitt Romney who employed them).
If the true cost of freedom is life, why haven’t you paid up? Hypocrite.
wow , have you been specially trained in the use of ridiculous racist propaganda, if so, you might want to tell your handlers they lose. forever. from here on out. otherwise you sound amazingly ignorant. oh…yeah right…
you know who TRUE Americans are? mostly a repressed minority, though i have to admit, they have you morons spending amazing amounts of cash on gambling.
Seriously,don’t you know the house that makes the rules …actually makes the rules?
I’m relatively certain your last representative said it quite succinctly…
“elections have consequences” admittedly, he was a moron, but then again…oh, yeah, sorry.
I’m all for bipartisanship, and equal representation. But seriously, just because you were born white, doesn’t mean you are privileged. it means you got more genes that lead to melanin deficiency, so get over it already. I mean seriously… I do get it, you were chased out of Africa a Millennia or so ago because you were not dark as the rest of the population, so okay, primitive man was primitive… that doesn’t mean you have to keep following that idealism until you destroy the rest of us who got over that a few thousand years ago. sure, if you’ve been repressed, speak out. otherwise, what the fuck are you even talking about?
oh, and if you couldn’t tell, I love you all, especially those of you who are irrepressibly special. and yes, that really does go both ways.
holy crap… but really, WOW. Did you really just say:
“NOW the liberals who have always been this country’s enemy think they will go unchecked..THINK AGAIN you immoral,unethical morons!! to many TRUE AMERICANS have given their lives to protect FREEDOMS that liberals take for granted. DRAFT DODGERS(cowards),DRUG DEALERS.PIMPS and PROSTITUTES,AND IGNORANT CAUCASIANS ADVOCATING for LAZY IGNORANT MINORITIES,ILLEGAL ALIENS,and anyone else who cant carry their own weight.When the talk does not work, then let’s TAKE IT TO THEM,THE TRUE COST OF FREEDOM IS LIFE”
?
becuase if you did…allow me to remind you, true americans have thousands of years of history living those freedoms you suddenly find important, but then we, oh we silly white folk, we invaded this land, we took them hostage, forced them into “reservations”, infected them with the worst viral agents we could manage at the time (smallpox if you didn’t already know)and forced thousands on a death march (see the trail of tears)sometimes those “minority illegal aliens” arrive with a better arsenal. you’d better be damned sure you know what you are talking about before you incite hatred. Life has a way of correcting itself. it’s often referred to as democracy. be well
Thanks Mark Andrew Hines for proving my point….go to any cross burnings lately have we???