Conservatize Me

I was reading a review of a book at Powells.com called:

Conservatize Me: How I Tried to Become a Righty with the Help of Richard Nixon, Sean Hannity, Toby Keith, and Beef Jerky

Which is a great title, and even a great idea for a book, but doesn't sound like such a great book. The author immerses himself in conservative culture, while simultanteously cutting himself off from NPR, the New York Times, and other liberal media sources.

He found the conservative standard-bearers to be a affable, congenial bunch in private, and a manipulative, hate-spewing mob publically. He noted the pandering to the lowest-common-denominator crowd.

Surprise!

And what a surprise that we can't have a productive political discourse in that environment. Maybe polarizing the debate makes it easier to win if you think your position is morally right. Maybe the top brass of the government doesn't think we at the bottom are sophisticated enough to "get" subtlety in a debate. If it's not a crack on the skull, we won't notice.

I hope the Democrats take their newfound power and use it to reinvent political conversation...but I don't think they will. I think they'll go with the time-honored, "We waited a long time, and now we've got ours" approach, and they'll be just as bellicose and pig-headed in power as the Republicans.

Go ahead, Nancy Pelosi, et al. Prove me wrong. I'll gladly eat some humble pie if you clearly state a vision and work towards what's best for the nation, not just what's best for the Dems.

Ev