Steve Benen's take.

Post #329,828 by Another Scott 7/18/10 2:42:51 PM Reply	Steve Benen's take. http://www.washingto...010_07/024781.php [...] The speed with which conservatives went from zero to hysterical in 2009 was impressive, but it's the mainstreaming of sheer madness that doesn't get the attention it deserves. As Milbank noted, "[A]ccusations that once were beyond the pale -- not just talk of Nazis and Marxists but intimations of tyranny, revolution and bloodshed -- are now routine." And they're common, not just among fringe media personalities and activists, but with the Republican Party establishment. It's tempting to think there will be eventually be a Joseph Welch moment, but no one in the party seems willing to step up and acknowledge that Republicans shouldn't follow the orders of unhinged zealots. On the contrary, they're afraid to disappoint the radical base, which may in turn undermine the GOP's "enthusiasm gap" edge. And so the Republican Party shows no meaningful qualms about becoming the party of conspiracy theories ("Birthers," Gulf oil spill was deliberate), wild-eyed accusations (ACORN, "re-education camps," Gestapo-like security forces, New Black Panther Party), and radical policy positions (a five-year spending freeze to address a global economic crisis, the belief that tax cuts pay for themselves, a freeze on federal regulations, willful ignorance about energy, health, and education policy, the entire Sharron Angle/Rand Paul platform). Rage and paranoia are not an attractive combination, but they're driving the GOP talking points and the larger political discourse. So, when a member of the Republican leadership talked about the GOP emulating the Taliban, no one in the party deemed this controversial. When Republicans regularity compare U.S. leaders to Germany in the 1930s, the party mainstream barely bats an eye. When GOP policymakers openly discuss the prospect of state nullification of federal laws, no one in the Republican ranks stepped up to say, "Good Lord, these people are mad." Best of all, Republican "leaders" are content to keep it this way. Indeed, it seems to be the centerpiece of the midterm election strategy. The point isn't that political radicalism is new; it's clearly not. Rather, the key development over the last 18 months is the ways in which right-wing extremism has gone mainstream -- with the consent of the Republican Party, which sees the electoral benefits of blind rage and fear. [...] Yup. Cheers, Scott.
Post #329,829 by beepster 7/18/10 2:52:28 PM Reply	Interesting, in that... ...just a few short years ago we were hearing about how the moveon.org and moviemaking folks didn't represent the core values of democrats and should be dismissed...but now the tea party folks and a couple of iowa farm boys are the heart of the republicans. this is the state of amusement that I spoke of being in a couple years back when the tables would turn. maybe this will poll better for them than blaming rush limbaugh for everything...since they seem to have stopped doing that. I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill.
Post #329,833 by Another Scott 7/18/10 3:29:24 PM Reply	Read it again. MoveOn was condemned by the Democratic leadership for many of their ads - http://www.google.co...&client=firefox-a . The teabagger rhetoric has been embraced by much of the Republican leadership, as Benen said. Your attempt at "balance" won't work here. Cheers, Scott.
Post #329,835 by beepster 7/18/10 3:40:06 PM Reply	Correct... ignoring is embracing. Got it. I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill.
Post #329,951 by jake123 7/20/10 11:42:59 AM Reply	I think it's pretty safe to say that it's a lot more than ignoring. I kinda hate to say it Bill, but I don't think you realise that the party is not what it used to be.
Post #329,955 by boxley 7/20/10 11:51:06 AM Reply	yeah, the democrats used to pretend to care for the people
Post #329,956 by beepster 7/20/10 12:03:38 PM Reply	And I think it's pretty safe to say that there's a huge amount of selective memory going on here. As easy as it is to assign fringe behavior from tea party to the Republicans is as easy as it was to assign same behavior from moveon and other organizations to the democrats when they were hunting for power. They didn't condemn or alienate those groups at that point either. Heck, Jimmy Carter had Mike Moore in his box at the convention. I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill.
Post #329,960 by jake123 7/20/10 12:20:29 PM Reply	Comparing Michael Moore to that other guy with the "us coloreds want you to pay taxes so we can have big screen TVs" screed does your integrity a serious disservice, Beep.
Post #329,965 by beepster 7/20/10 1:40:19 PM Reply	And that guy was summarily bounced within a day by the movement and the party. I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill.
Post #329,970 by jake123 7/20/10 3:27:06 PM Reply	Summarily bounced a day after someone finally said "enough". He's been ranting like that for a long time while everybody that was paying him said sfa.

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