The Conservative Mind Has Become Diseased

[Daelak]

In today's Washington Post, Michael Gerson, a conservative, wrote perhaps the most succinct and stinging summary of the sickness that has befallen the conservative movement and republicans. It hits every nail on the head so precisely about how I feel things have gone due to Trump, his cult, and this bizarre paranoia on the right that the left is going to take everybody's guns and have the UN manage our schools and nonsense like that (and let's be clear, it is nonsense, and if you're going to argue otherwise, so see a shrink, you're an unwell person).

Many on the center and the left will see this and be like "well obviously". But to those here on the right, particularly this Trump supporting right, this is an indictment of the dark road you're walking down. Think about it before its too late.



The deeply irrational and paranoid fear that exists at the heart of Trump supporters is pathological and will do more to destroy conservatism than any liberal candidate will ever do.

They need to find sanity, decency and truth soon, or the wave that washes failures like Trump away will crash down upon the most fundamental beliefs of conservatism.

And frankly... if the right doesn't purge itself of this disease, it deserves what is coming to it.

This has been a problem with republicans since Goldwater and Buckley resurrected the confederates' mantle of authoritarian rule and the desire to dismantle the federal government so they could run roughshod over citizens living in their states without fear of a higher authority hindering their plans. With the repeal of the fairness doctrine, the conservative meme of "liberal media" was born to omit the truth and facts to further delude their following.

[Felya]

As I've been saying for so long - what's going on in the whitehouse right now is no longer Liberals Vs Conservatives, nor Democrats vs Republicans... it's Liberals, Republicans, Conservatives, Democrats and everybody else vs Insanely Stupid People. Stupid people who call themselves "conservatives/republicans" but really are not.

These are the same nitwits who think that every protest is a mass wave of liberals being upset - no, it's not. These crowds get large because a LARGER number of people than just "liberals" are joining in, and those including MANY Republicans... ACTUAL republicans!

Yep, and they are feasting on them. They have successfully created the idea of an awoke independent, who believes in the Fox News version of fair and balanced. Trump's campaign accused of collusion with Russia? The fair, balanced, awoke thing to do is blame Hillary for murdering a staff member. Trump fires Comey? Fox fairness dictate that the independent reply is that Clinton did it and democrats hated Comey. Muslim ban rebuttal of fairness and independence? Obama did it too... The reaction to Trump's cabinet involvement with Russia would be fair to scrutinize? Nope, Fox dictates the fair thing to do is to talk about Hillary emails.

It's why some of the most vocal Trump supporters during and after the campaign, claimed to be independent. They don't even recognize being manipulated...

[Dadwen]

extremism either direction is the Disease..
IMO listening to the other side with a somewhat open mind is the only cure.

Not holding out much hope for it getting a cure anytime soon, but at least it's entertaining

[Daelak]

This is not just a conservative problem. Fake news is just as big amongst liberals.

False equivalence once again. Listen to the "conservative thought leaders" on the radio and on Fox News, they have been making up shit since the mid 1980s.

[zenkai]

extremism either direction is the Disease..
IMO listening to the other side with a somewhat open mind is the only cure.

Not holding out much hope for it getting a cure anytime soon, but at least it's entertaining

Spot on


...

[Daelak]

Washington Post, the de facto source for all things conservative, right leaning, etc. /s

The article is very run of the mill, as far as pandering to Establishment fears and also locking onto the stereotypes/lowest common denominators of the right.

Grats on a low hanging fruit post though.

It's the opinion section of the WaPo, there are always plenty of conservative articles there. Another conservative conflating news to opinion, because that is the only argument you have.

[Bullettime]

extremism either direction is the Disease..
IMO listening to the other side with a somewhat open mind it the only cure.

Not holding out much hope for it getting a cure anytime soon, but at least it's entertaining

the problem is there's still a lot of us who are actual Republicans who see this new wave as an extremist blight. Seeing their side requires ignoring facts, science, and economic theory in favor of conspiracies, feels over facts, and religious levels of fanaticism.

[Daelak]

extremism either direction is the Disease..
IMO listening to the other side with a somewhat open mind is the only cure.

Not holding out much hope for it getting a cure anytime soon, but at least it's entertaining

Yes let's entertain how cutting 900 billion from medicaid is a prudent action that will make US citizens have a higher quality of life.

[Dadwen]

Yes let's entertain how cutting 900 billion from medicaid is a prudent action that will make US citizens have a higher quality of life.

buy some stock in popcorn...

[Daelak]

...or, maybe, just maybe - hear me out now; maybe the Right doesn't really think that but the Left has made you think that the Right thinks that in order to create an enemy to instill fear into their own base, via Climate Change and other radicalized notions of end times scenarios that will happen if we don't do X.

Maybe, just maybe, it is you who are the conspiracy theorists.

Nope. This has been brewing inside the right wing since Goldwater, who really just changed the Confederate States of America vernacular for 20th century.

[Felya]

extremism either direction is the Disease..
IMO listening to the other side with a somewhat open mind it the only cure.

Not holding out much hope for it getting a cure anytime soon, but at least it's entertaining

What happens if the divide is not on the left vs right, but on the right? What happens to extreme, when the center between the two parties is squarely on the right side? To me, that would make anyone who is left of actual center, be a left extremist on our political spectrum. At the same time, making extreme right politics, into a far shorter distance to our middle. It creates the idea that everyone that left of actual center, is an extremist in US. While anyone going right of center, will cross our middle and go into extremes on the actual scale.

Bill Clinton was the last great conservative candidate. In US, that simply can no longer happen. Our political scale shifted so much, that Bill Clinton is nowhere near center, but an extreme liberal.

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Nope. This has been brewing inside the right wing since Goldwater, who really just changed the Confederate States of America vernacular for 20th century.

This isn't correct. Goldwater brought back American conservatism by trying to be rational, instead of inflammatory. That's not really changing the vernacular. His 'racism of lower expectations' isn't around anymore and was replaced by Reagan's actual transition of GOP into what we know now. From welfare queen, to war on drugs, to glorifying wealth, to religion and anti-environmentalism, was all born under Reagan. Even the dichotomy of Reagan's policy on corn and sugar destroyed American farms, those same people voted for Reagan and supported him loudly. This was the start of disconnect with reality, being driven by rhetoric. Goldwater denounced Reagan and what he did to GOP in the 90s.

[Lenonis]

Right isn't so bad

Sure. If you are a straight, white, rich, christian, male. Otherwise then yes they are.

same as the left.

False equivalence alert! I don't disagree that both the right and the left have shitty people, but trying to say it's the same is demonstrably false.

Trump's brand of success

Like the ability to get EOs to stand court review? Or the ability to get anything through a GOP controlled congress? Or maybe his ability to keep positive relationship with foreign (former) allies?

wittiness

Uh...what? I don't think I've ever heard Trump praised for his wit

hard work

Such hard work breaking records for spending on vacations and golf outings!

[Daelak]

This isn't correct. Goldwater brought back American conservatism by trying to be rational, instead of inflammatory. That's not really changing the vernacular. His 'racism of lower expectations' isn't around anymore and was replaced by Reagan's actual transition of GOP into what we know now. From welfare queen, to war on drugs, to glorifying wealth, to religion and anti-environmentalism, was all born under Reagan. Even the dichotomy of Reagan's policy on corn and sugar destroyed American farms, those same people voted for Reagan and supported him loudly. This was the start of disconnect with reality, being driven by rhetoric. Goldwater denounced Reagan and what he did to GOP in the 90s.

US conservatism started in the deep south, where human beings were property, an extreme minority holding all political and economic power, and a society where dissent and diversity of opinion and thought was met with brutal violence. Goldwater saw the intrinsic benefit of dog whistling the tenets of the deep south in the 20th century because the southern and midwestern states were in stasis since the civil war.

[Felya]

US conservatism started in the deep south, where human beings were property, an extreme minority holding all political and economic power, and a society where dissent and diversity of opinion and thought was met with brutal violence. Goldwater saw the intrinsic benefit of dog whistling the tenets of the deep south in the 20th century because the southern and midwestern states were in stasis since the civil war.

Yes, if that's you perspective, I disagree, but I do understand where you are coming from. My is issue is that it is not what is happening now. (Unintention over use of 'is' when talking Bill is awesome) Bill Clinton's actions were far closer to Goldwater, than Bush. My issue is with Goldwater starting what is happening now. The closest thing we had in public eye to Goldwater recently, was Ron Paul, and even he denounced his statements of Reagan ruining GOP, that he made in the 80s. There is no more Goldwater in GOP...

Edit: just golden showers! Just golden showers! Bazinga!!!

[Cinaedus]

So the OP considers himself a conservative and says that conservative minds are diseased? So in other words you've been brainwashed by your own brainwashing? How does that work exactly?

[Felya]

So the OP considers himself a conservative and says that conservative minds are diseased? So in other words you've been brainwashed by your own brainwashing? How does that work exactly?

He is talking about what it has become. It doesn't mean that those who continue to maintain previous values are gone, we just seem far more outnumbered.

[Dextroden]

So the OP considers himself a conservative and says that conservative minds are diseased? So in other words you've been brainwashed by your own brainwashing? How does that work exactly?

No. Clearly, he is the Neo-conservative. The only one to take the blue pill and save the world from the Trump robots.

[Cinaedus]

Million dollar question for the OP: are you going to do the unthinkable and vote Democrat in 2020? or will you be unable to commit such an overt act of betrayal to your own party and just abstain instead?

A bit like Tony Blair and Labour in the UK, can't vote another party for sentimental reasons, but won't publicly endorse his former party either.

On the plus side, we would all love to see Skroe vote for Hillary (the devil incarnate to the Republicans) or whoever the Democrats put up as a candidate, even if its Bernie Sanders.

[Felya]

No. Clearly, he is the Neo-conservative. The only one to take the blue pill and save the world from the Trump robots.

Neo? No, buddy, neocons is what contributed to this mess. What he is saying isn't neo, it's actually old school conservatism. He isn't the one who just voted in Trump, as a conservative figure head.

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Million dollar question for the OP: are you going to do the unthinkable and vote Democrat in 2020? or will you be unable to commit such an overt act of betrayal to your own party and just abstain instead?

A bit like Tony Blair and Labour in the UK, can't vote another party for sentimental reasons, but won't publicly endorse his former party either.

On the plus side, we would all love to see Skroe vote for Hillary (the devil incarnate to the Republicans) or whoever the Democrats put up as a candidate, even if its Bernie Sanders.

I'm pretty sure he voted Hillary, I know he didn't vote Trump.

[Dextroden]

Million dollar question for the OP: are you going to do the unthinkable and vote Democrat in 2020? or will you be unable to commit such an overt act of betrayal to your own party and just abstain instead?

A bit like Tony Blair and Labour in the UK, can't vote another party for sentimental reasons, but won't publicly endorse his former party either.

On the plus side, we would all love to see Skroe vote for Hillary (the devil incarnate to the Republicans) or whoever the Democrats put up as a candidate, even if its Bernie Sanders.

He spent a full year actively campaigning for Hillary. He'll vote Democrat.