Faced with a quintuple rejection of their Bushian ideologies on heath care, immigration, terrorism, Afghanistan, and Doug Hoffman's loss over the last two weeks, the screeching and sheiking from the right has risen to such fever-bright heights that they've simply stopped even pretending to have any other ideas now other than "oppose everything Obama does until we can be rid of him."
Obama Derangement Syndrome is now the new default for the right. Bill Kristol:
What is the loyal opposition to do?Jennifer Rubin:
Oppose Obama's destructive proposals (health care, cap and trade) and try to defeat them. Expose the foolishness of Obama's ineffective policies (the stimulus, cash for clunkers) and show the American people their failure. And try to influence Obama's policy choices by persuasion (Afghanistan), embarrassment (political correctness in the fight against jihadists), or legislation (Guantánamo), so as to minimize the damage done to the country on his watch.
In all of this, Republicans and conservatives can succeed, especially if they keep two rules in mind: Don't celebrate bad news. Don't root for the bad guys.
And so what should conservatives be doing? Well now it’s obvious — oppose, obstruct, warn, and cajole. There aren’t many weapons at conservatives’ disposal, but there are some. And the greatest is to be found in the reservoir of common sense and decency of the America people, who, when stirred, have risen up to oppose pernicious legislation and those whom they mistakenly trusted to behave in a responsible fashion. As Kristol points out, three years is a long time, but the congressional elections are approaching and the argument has begun. And now conservatives know precisely what must be done: as best they are able, slow and stop Obamaism until reinforcements arrive and the voters can render their verdict.Even the limited voices of "conservative intellectualism" have admitted there's nothing left for them to do but attack Obama on everything they can, every time, and hope they can swing voters over.
I'm even less worried about 2010 than I was before.
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