Seven conservative mistakes

[applegrove]

Seven conservative mistakes

By Jennifer Rubin at the Washington Post


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2015/06/28/seven-conservative-mistakes/?postshare=2931435591751747

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First, the intensity with which one utters disapproval is not a measure of one’s conservative bona fides. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s hysterical rhetoric suggesting we defund the Supreme Court does not make him more conservative or more anti-gay marriage than other conservatives who disagreed with the court. Former Texas governor Rick Perry said, “I’m a firm believer in traditional marriage, and I also believe the 10th Amendment leaves it to each state to decide this issue. I fundamentally disagree with the court rewriting the law and assaulting the 10th Amendment. Our founding fathers did not intend for the judicial branch to legislate from the bench.” The former version not only turns off people who disagree with Jindal on this issue but a great many others who think now think he’s reckless.

Second, disobeying the Supreme Court is not an option. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and other GOP governors recognized this. (“Like many Hoosiers, I believe marriage is the union between one man and one woman, and I am disappointed that the Supreme Court failed to recognize the historic role of the states in setting marriage policy in this country. Nevertheless, our Administration will continue to uphold the rule of law and abide by the ruling of the Court in this case. Under our system of government, our citizens are free to disagree with decisions of the Supreme Court, but we are not free to disobey them.”) Inciting people to disobey the law or actually refusing to obey the law is not conservative and not acceptable. If Jindal can’t follow the law he needs to resign as governor. Threatening lawlessness turns off both people who disagree and people who agree with you on the underlying issue.

Third, hyperbole can make you sound like a nut. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) on Friday made this pronouncement: “Today is some of the darkest 24 hours in our nation’s history.” That is preposterous considering wars, stock market crashes, presidential assassinations, 9-11, natural disasters, riots and more. Speaking in such terms tells voters your priorities are screwy and your historical judgment is off-kilter.

Fourth, conservatives cannot rely on appeals to authority. In making the case against gay marriage conservatives consistently invoked history and religious precepts. But that is not enough. As Arthur Brooks argues, “citizens across the political spectrum place a great importance on taking care of those in need and avoiding harm to the weak. By contrast, moral values such as sexual purity and respect for authority — to which conservative politicians often give greater emphasis — resonate deeply with only a minority of the population. . . . Conservatives are fighting a losing battle of moral arithmetic. They hand an argument with virtually 100% public support — care for the vulnerable — to progressives, and focus instead on materialistic concerns and minority moral viewpoints.” There may not have been arguments other than moral and religious authority with respect to gay marriage (and hence a reason anti-gay marriage forces lost), but it should be a reminder in other contexts that “it’s the way we have always done it” is not going to win converts.



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[Warpy]

1. She's correct about all those things

Fortunately, conservatives running for office will continue to ignore them and try to out crazy each other in fighting losing battles, running into brick walls, and proposing treason, all in the hope of out crazying each other and capturing the tea party mandate, as though none other counts.

[hifiguy]

2. Just seven?

I'd guess somewhere around 7 x 10 to the 12th power.