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Mirror- and long-term-memory-deficient neo-con Likudnik Republican Jennifer Rubin has a moment of partial clarity occasioned by the demise of Rick "Oops" Perry's (Secessionist-TX) candidacy:
It is not hard to see how we got here. The MSM obsesses on trivial matters, almost priding itself on political coverage that ignores the substance of candidates’ messages, and fixates on a self-promoting mogul running a campaign about himself. The right-wing media bubble is part of a crass political culture excusing (promoting, even) ignorance, anger and paranoia. This serves to dumb down our politics and turn the electorate into a mob. Flagship conservative weeklies irresponsibly fan anti-immigrant sentiment and celebrate frivolous candidates. The result is debased political discourse and a sense of victimhood bent on attacking Republicans who dare to govern responsibly. Voters surely shoulder their share of blame. They run to embrace bad causes, gobble up a steady diet of political junk food, celebrate rotten behavior and buy into the notion that insufficient conservative extremism is the root of our troubles. If President Obama has done more than Republicans could have hoped to do on their own to unify the GOP and re-instill proper concern for national security, then the right wing has done more to undermine conservatism than any Democrat could have done. They are converting a serious party of ideas into an unattractive, angry racket for snake-oil salesmen. (our emphasis)We can't improve on Charles Pierce's rejoinder:
Conservative politics has been a fever swamp since long before our Jen began fulminating in Commentary. Once, the serious people in the party were able to rein in the flying monkeys. Then, the Goldwater campaign happened. Then the Southern Strategy happened. Then Ronald Reagan launched his presidential bid in Neshoba County, Mississippi, so that happened. Then Fox News happened. Newt Gingrich happened. Then impeachment happened. Then Bush v. Gore happened. Then 9/11 happened so the Iraq bungle happened, and all the other things happened that keep happening right unto this hour. Then the 2010 midterms happened. Then the 2014 midterms happened. Then Louie Gohmert, and Steve King, and Mark Meadows and Darrell Issa and Trent Franks and all the rest of the worst Congresses in the history of the Republic happened. I rise, Mr. Chairman, in defense of The Media, even the Right Wing Media. They didn't infect the party with the prion disease that is currently eating away its higher functions. They merely broke down the party's immunity to it. Rick Perry's presidential hopes always were as completely symptomatic of the disease as are the Trump, Carson, and Jindal campaigns. The party has not descended anywhere. The party is the fever swamp. (our emphasis)Meanwhile, the party "establishment" (as represented by the "emptiest suit in politics" Reince Priebus) thinks Republicans merely have to use gentler rhetoric to mask their ugly policies. We don't think Trump and the Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid Party base is down with that, Reince. Enjoy the fruits of your party's labors.
BONUS: Paul Rosenberg expands on the role played by the skewed "balance" of the "mainstream media" in getting us into this mess.
BONUS II: Ana Marie Cox piles on.
