Politics and Culture

Peggy Noonan took Republicans to task, piling on the evidence that the Republican "brand" is tarnished.

Perhaps the Republican troubles go deeper than a little tarnish and only some Democratic rust will shine the Republicans up. Explanation:

When do you feel more conservative: When money's low and your neighbors are acting up or when you live off your fathers trust fund in his gated mansion?

Likewise, good times prompt Democratic victory, as the populace grows weary of improvement and just wants to relax. To put it another way, people will only vote for Republicans, the "course-righteners" in times of danger or perceived Democratic malfeasance.

The "malfeasance" manifests itself in the "giving away the store" idea, or, the belief that Democrats have or will irresponsibly damage society to benefit the object of their pity du jour. On social issues, this means affirmative action, gay marriage, sex education in kindergarten, etc. In economics, look at California where, after Grey Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger's inability to reverse Davis's spending, and despite large increases in revenue, we have a 14 billion dollar deficit and the same horribly-achieving schools.

Nixon won because of the radicalization of the Democratic party.

Reagan and Thatcher won because of the inevitable stagnation that comes from socialism.

Arnold Schwarzenegger won liberal California because he vetoes the most outrageous of Democratic ideas like drivers licenses for illegal aliens, gay marriage, and high taxes. Republicans won congress in 1994 because of Clinton's desire to run health care like one giant DMV and allow open gays in the military.

The problem for Republicans, nationally, is that most people have forgotten the seventies doldrums and the prevention of Clinton excesses by Republicans (It's no coincidence that the youngest Americans support the liberal Obama.). It's why "liberal" isn't as scary word anymore- people don't remember that frightening "malaise." It's why 1 per cent growth, 5% unemployment, a 20 per cent dip in housing prices after a fantastic run of five years has many Americans thinking they're in 1930s Oklahoma- they don't have a proper frame of reference.

Right now, in national security, the lack of terrorist attacks and the failure to find WMD in Iraq have caused attentions to wander, a natural and hopefully harmless reaction. Do people remember Carter or Clinton's handling of foreign policy?

If Obama wins, I don't hope that we have a political, Democratic-caused disaster and won't trumpet bad news like many Democrats do now with a Republican in the White House. But, if modern conservatism is the reaction to bad liberal policies and Democrats only louse up the country a little by, say, raising taxes only enough to slow growth and run a few businesses overseas, I don't see a break for conservatism anytime soon.