How did we get here?

James P. writes:

On the radio this morning, the hosts interviewed Tucker Carlson about South Carolina. Carlson asserted that the Republican party was broken, and asked rhetorically how did we get to a point at which the Republicans have fielded such weak candidates? His answer: George W. Bush. He said Bush was a terrible President and no conservative, and miscasting his policies as conservative did lasting damage to the party.

LA replies:

In light of Carlson’s comment, I should say that all through the Bush years, this blog kept pointing out, probably more than any other publication in the country, the fallacy of believing that Bush was a conservative, and kept attacking mainstream conservatives for their extravagant support for him. Throughout the 2004 election cycle I repeatedly stated that it would be better for Bush to lose, because if he won, it would mean the destruction of the Republican Party as a conservative party. Bush’s second term led to the disastrous election of Barack Obama, and the continuing disarray in Republican / conservative ranks that we see today.

Mark Jaws writes:

I completely agree with the assessment about Bush—the human torpedo who sunk conservatism as a national movement for at least a decade. And why did I and millions of others support him—even in 2004? Unwarranted, foolish and reckless optimism, given the cards Bush had dealt us during his first term. It is a human trait which we all must acknowledge and guard against, in ourselves and amongst our colleagues. Even as I support Newt, I know the very same force is at play. But what is the alternative? The Moderate Milquetoast from Massachusetts?

Posted by Lawrence Auster at January 23, 2012 11:34 AM | Send