On FoxNews Sunday with Chris Wallace:
“I think the other thing that I’ve found that’s been lacking over the last four years, especially the last two cycles–’06 and ’08â€â€we don’t know how to talk to people. We’ve absolutely forgotten how to communicate a message … to espouse those principles in the context of people’s everyday lives. … Our party needs to have a voice, it needs to have a relevant voice that people can identify with.â€Â
An okay start. But I’ll take it one step further and note that we need to articulate classical liberal ideals and contextualize them in concrete terms — self reliance, freedom, equality of opportunity, and individualism as they manifest themselves in everyday life (and run counter to many of the ideas “progressives” are hoping to couch in the language of moderation and pragmatism) — not simply talk about how we need to talk about such things.
Enough with the meta-naval gazing. Time to strap on our Eliot and find a few powerful objective correlatives through which we can bring the ideals of classical liberalism to life.
Reached for comment, FOXNews’ Shep Smith sneered, and noted that if Mr Steele were truly interested in being the “loyal opposition,” he wouldn’t have stood by and fiddled with the rest of the GOP while “his own people” were being carved up as jerky in the Superdome…
Comment by snuffles on 11/17 @ 11:27 am #
Ideas in themselves are timeless. They are not tied to individuals, much less to a people. They rest in a people, it is true, and affect their attitudes. Ideas, people say, are in the clouds. When someone comes along who can put in words what everyone feels in their hearts, each feels: “Yes! That is what I have always wanted and hoped for.”
-Some famous bad dude
Comment by dre on 11/17 @ 11:33 am #
“That is what happens the first time one hears one of Obama’s
Hitler’smajor speeches. I have met people who had attended an ObamaHitlermeeting for the first time, and at the end they said: “This man put in words everything I have been searching for for years.”David Axelrod aka Goebbels
Comment by happyfeet on 11/17 @ 11:46 am #
Chris Wallace bothers me. He doesn’t look like a real person.
Comment by happyfeet on 11/17 @ 11:48 am #
He doesn’t talk like a real person either.
Comment by Carin on 11/17 @ 11:49 am #
I like Chris Wallace, only because his every time daddy Mike tunes in he’s got just be asking himself HOW did that happen?
Comment by Slartibartfast on 11/17 @ 11:50 am #
It’s not all that surprising that snuffles is a Goebbels fan. Whatever it takes!
Comment by Silver Whistle on 11/17 @ 12:06 pm #
So Snuffles, are you comparing Jeff’s para on the need to present cogent classical liberal ideals with Goebbels’ thoughts on propaganda? Do elaborate.
Comment by snuffles on 11/17 @ 12:15 pm #
Everybody in a democracy who is trying to win votes for their party or ideology is paraphrasing Goebbels whether they know it or not, Silver.
Comment by JD on 11/17 @ 12:16 pm #
STFU, sniffles.
Comment by Bob Reed on 11/17 @ 12:18 pm #
I know a bit about Steele, originally being from Maryland and all…
I think that he’ll make a good RNC chairman; from the positions I’ve heard him espouse during his election runs, he believes in the classical liberal idealogy…
But the left will call him an Uncle Tom! because he’s not down with quotas, set-asides, and other discriminatory vehicles…
Comment by JD on 11/17 @ 12:19 pm #
Oreo, House n**ger, Uncle Tom, you name it …
Comment by alppuccino on 11/17 @ 12:20 pm #
How do you call a guy “Uncle Tom” when the president is black?
Shouldn’t he be called an “Aunt Bruce” or something?
Comment by Silver Whistle on 11/17 @ 12:34 pm #
Everybody in a democracy who is trying to win votes for their party or ideology is paraphrasing Goebbels whether they know it or not, Silver.
That, logically, is patently absurd.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 11/17 @ 12:35 pm #
Oh, lovely. We are all Goebbels, eventually.
Snuffles, I believe you have minimized your relevance. Your work here is done.
Comment by BJTexs on 11/17 @ 12:43 pm #
al: SEXIORACIST!
Comment by Rob Crawford on 11/17 @ 12:45 pm #
Hmmmm… that may just explain the left’s love of dictatorships. They view attempts to persuade as morally suspect, so prefer simply having the power to force others to their will.
Or, snuffles/alphie is talking out his ass, merely expressing his own moral confusion.
Comment by alppuccino on 11/17 @ 12:46 pm #
Sexi O’Racist was in the back line of the ‘98 River Dance company.
Comment by Ken Wiebe on 11/17 @ 1:00 pm #
Great Communicator + Ability to Tap Into Angst Generated by Opposition = Victory. You must have both.
Comment by pdbuttons on 11/17 @ 1:31 pm #
’tis a shame what goebbels did to his kids/ and it’s a shame what obama’s gonna do to our children
a happy fun parade is only a success if we go home with the free t-shirts..
alive!
Comment by Silver Whistle on 11/17 @ 1:40 pm #
Or, snuffles/alphie is talking out his ass, merely expressing his own moral confusion.
Can I take ass-talking for $50, Rob?
Comment by happyfeet on 11/17 @ 2:10 pm #
Speaking of communicationings. I keep getting stupid email from Robert M. ‘Mike’ Duncan, RNC Chairman. Pick a name, dorkwad. Not that I would read your email but I might not think you’re a total doof.
Comment by peter jackson on 11/17 @ 2:38 pm #
Everybody in a democracy who is trying to win votes for their party or ideology is paraphrasing Goebbels whether they know it or not
You only believe that because you share Goebbels’ premises about the efficacy of political power. Most conservatives believe that political power is of limited use in bringing about desirable social outcomes, whereas to the left it’s the end-all be-all. That’s why when conservatives are out of power it’s a bummer and all that, but for the left being out of power is that which cannot be endured.
Comment by JohnAnnArbor on 11/17 @ 3:50 pm #
Well put, Mr. jackson.
Comment by Rusty on 11/17 @ 5:27 pm #
#22
I disagree. It’s because she/it knows it lies and expects others to believe her/its lies, and furthermore she/it believes everyone lies in persuit of thier goals. It is a thouroughly dispicable creature.
Comment by ccoffer on 11/17 @ 5:42 pm #
Ever see the one from the other day where Shlep is interviewing Ralph Nader? Nader used the term “Uncle Tom”. Shlep is outraged that his Lord’s name was taken in vain. You would think Nader had said “blue-gum spear-chukker or sumpm’. He will defend his man’s honor just like a good life-partner should.
Comment by EW on 11/17 @ 5:57 pm #
I don’t know, he probably would be a good leader of the GOP but i think the Republicans need to be careful of just picking him because he will be a opposite to Obama, the GOP’s Obama. He won’t and can’t be that. The liberal illuminati will go after this guy just like they do all the Republicans, be ready for that for sure.
Comment by snuffles on 11/17 @ 7:32 pm #
That’s why when conservatives are out of power it’s a bummer and all that
At least you’re honest enough to claim Bush as a Conservative, Peter.
Comment by TKFarrow on 11/19 @ 3:02 pm #
Many of Steele’s sentiments are being echoed in other places in different ways. he may be on to something.
http://www.politicsandpunditry.com
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