Given that the original “autopsy” report — performed by Bushies for Bushies, and coming to the astounding conclusion that what the Party needs is more and better Bushies — seems to have driven them to tactical distraction and manic scapegoating.
— The remedy for which, suggests Robert Romano of ALG, is to stop surfing the web and start taking conservative principles seriously:
Establishment Republicans are in the midst of what can only be described as an intellectual meltdown. They must be.
Whether it’s the revelation that American Action Network attempted to get the ever-controversial, exceptionally talented Lady Gaga to perform for $1 million at the Republican National Convention — an institution, to put it mildly, she shares almost nothing in common with.
Or Karl Rove’s American Crossroads push to defeat, not Democrats, but tea party candidates, the same movement that had helped the GOP to reclaim a majority in the House of Representatives in 2010.
To now the National Republican Congressional Committee’s (NRCC) hailing as a model for future Republican messaging Buzzfeed, a website that drives traffic with pictures of talking cats, celebrity gossip, sexual innuendo, and sci-fi. It’s hard not to ask what the heck is going on.
“BuzzFeed’s eating everyone’s lunch,” National Journal reports NRCC spokesman Gerrit Lansing as saying. “They’re making people want to read and be cognizant of politics in a different way.”
Yeah, by interspersing political stories amid pure trivial nonsense with headlines like “Floating Poop In Space — A Confidential Discussion,” “Which Kind Of Gamers Are The Best Lovers?” “The 28 Most Ironic Things That Have Ever Happened,” and “This Guy Is Obsessed With Becoming A Mermaid.”
Perhaps I am simply being obtuse. I’m certain the NRCC might respond that it was merely looking at Buzzfeed’s web layout as something to emulate to generate more clicks, something indicated in the National Journal story.
But Lansing went further than that, saying a site like Buzzfeed — which can only be defined as appealing to the lowest common denominator — was in fact some new way to talk about politics. Who knew floating poop in the void of space could be such an effective tool?
Here, the NRCC is acknowledging something that Barack Obama already knows and took full advantage of in 2008, which is that politics in America is dead.
Let’s face it. When a candidate’s appeal as a pop culture icon trumps any examination whatsoever of the issues facing the nation, when people are more driven by who’s advancing in Dancing with the Stars than what’s going on in their local community, then perhaps our society really has devolved into a lemming-like mob of sycophants.
[…]
[…] when political party organs attempt to merge themselves into pop culture, the question becomes not how candidates might make themselves appear more personable to voters with whom they are attempting to connect, but whether now the pop culture tail is wagging the policy dog.
[…]
So perhaps a better question is how Republicans might better spend their time, instead of figuring out how to win over celebrities, foil the tea party, or obsessing over massive, if not pointless, web traffic.
“Instead of wasting their time surfing the web, Republicans might consider pounding the pavement in towns like Youngstown, Ohio, a depressed community that finally has hope that things will get better, thanks to fracking,” Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson suggests.
[….]
Meanwhile, Republicans are apparently more concerned about the trivialities of pop culture, making concessions on climate change, defeating the tea party, and rebranding itself as “hip” than really getting with it and vigorously defending our economy against these forces that seek to destroy it.
Because, every community suffering through this recession is a Youngstown that could be rebuilt— by lowering the cost of doing business in America, whether through cheap energy, less regulation, lower taxes, or a strong, stable dollar.
We will not long remain the world’s preeminent economic superpower if all we produce are mouse clicks.
Instead of worrying about what people are posting on Facebook, perhaps Republicans need to get back to grassroots activism, you know, like that “crazy” tea party did back in 2009 and 2010 when it won back the House. It’s time to start talking to the people — in their communities.
For, if all that is left of America is Buzzfeed, then it indicates that not only is politics dead, but so are concepts such as individual sovereignty and independent thought — for they cannot coexist in the rampant groupthink that is on display in these places.
My god: if the GOP establishment believes tricking out Karl Rove’s whiteboard or casting Chris Christie as born-again pimp is the way to attract voters, I wish they’d simply get it over with and switch fucking parties.
Because there’s nothing more pathetic that watching old (or young, in the case of the babycons) fat country-club Republicans trying to play hipster in public — particularly if what it means to become a hipster is to trade in your foundational principles for the few votes you might win over on the “Bioshock: Infinite” online gaming forums.
This really isn’t difficult: if to defeat them you really believe you must become them, save yourself the energy and just join them — and you have what you want: you’re now a winner!
Meanwhile, we here on the principled side of things will then do things our way and work to reform the Party in such a way that when people look up and realize the country has turned into nothing more than a sparkly, ostentatiously ironic and celebrity-obsessed encrusted ball of shit, they’ll have someplace to turn.
At which point, we’ll have plenty of room in our newly-fumigated big tent.
Win / win!
“How do we sell ourselves to the young people? What can we do to get their attention and pull them away from the socialists?”
“Um, could we try ‘freedom’ and ‘independence’ and ‘opportunity’? I’m led to believe that young people like that kind of stuff.”
“That’s just crazy talk!”
I guess the GOP hasn’t noticed that all the serious people have moved over to the Classical Liberal tent.
How could anyone entrust the GOP establishment with the conduct of a political autopsy? I mean, wouldn’t the GOP establishment have to know something about the fundamentals of politics in order to do that competently, as opposed to the fundamentals of pandering, or marketing, say?
“This Guy Is Obsessed With Becoming A Mermaid.”
Staunchly, no doubt.
…we’ll have plenty of room in our newly-fumigated big tent.
We’ll be needing a big aquarium, too.
We’re on a budget, Guins. The aquarium is out.
One of the problems is that there just isnt that many smart people involved in politics at the federal level. Well…they are smart enough to exempt themselves from obamacare and gun laws and budgets but that is just “smart” in a crooked sort of way. So… I’m kinda now thinking that we may be just expecting too much out of these crooked smart representatives of us not so smart in any sort of way people.
It looks like they have decided that there have always been low info voters but historically they have been split fairly evenly, however, today they mostly vote Democrat.
I think people have a right to be relatively low info voters. The republicans need to regain the trust of these folks but, I don’t think a Red Buzzfeed will do it. It has to be done in all media and institutions.
So, not happening, then.
:(
the first step is admitting they have a problem
check.
I can see Red BuzzFeed now.
First Day:
“This gay mermaid guy is crazy! Get a life and a job, dude!”
Second Day:
“We apologize and recognize that everyone is free to live the life as they choose, and in no way wish to disparage the LGBTQ community. We have fired this insensitive author from our staff. Plus we suspect he might have been racist, as he disliked black holes.”
Third Day:
“How wonderful is Elizabeth Warren!! And what secret place do YOU like to poop?!”
Forth Day:
Conservative success…?
What? Is Rich Lowry going to be the Editor in Chief there, too?
what’s step two pikachu?
step two is to identify people what represent the brand Team R wants to cultivate going forward I think
so when Priebus (sp?) says Huckabee is the role model, Team Rs should be deeply deeply worried
I think people have a right to be relatively low info voters.
I agree. In a functional republic with strict limits on federal power, there’s very little need or reason to pay attention to what’s going on in Washington. I wish we could return to a state in which political news stories commanded the same importance and respect as, say, Jessica Alba’s vacation photos.
I’m alternately saddened and infuriated that we’ve degenerated to a point where it’s vitally important to pay attention to the goings-on inside the Beltway. It really shouldn’t be like this.
how about if huchster gets a tatoo? maybe mom & mom for the gayz.
amen squid.
I also think it is annoying that having to worry about DC makes me often miss what shenanigans are going on in Sacramento.
I need to clarify my earlier comment: political stories should have way, way less importance than Jessica Alba’s vacation photos.
It’s all about priorities.
Rand Paul wins the CPAC straw poll, and these morons think we need more RINO’s? Lord, they really are the stupid party.
At this point, if they think this will work, let them try. When they lose even bigger next time, maybe, just maybe, the that will drive the point home.
We can take comfort at least Squid that Queen Michelle has the North Korean situation well in hand.
Who doesn’t love perpetually having friends and neighbors be surprised and confused at the level of government bureaucracy, Squid?
“It took me four hours to renew my license. That’s crazy! Anyway, I’m off to vote the Democrats more power!”
Shields “gloated that not even the Democratic National Committee was critical of the report
Meanwhile, in the universe where Spock has no goatee, this is considered to be a Red Flag of the first order of magnitude.
The RNC called me the other day. I told them that most of those guys in Washington don’t belong there and they aren’t getting a dime from me.
I really should have said, “As soon as you start backing candidates who actually represent me, I might consider talking to you.”
I still wouldn’t give them any money, though.
there’s a reinces monkey that you’re making sad
I can live with that.
No, it’ll still be our fault for not falling into line because of the sheer awesomeness of their PowerPoint presentations.
I would point out to these folks that you perform an autopsy on something to establish the cause of death, not to diagnose and prescribe a cure for a malfunction.
Beat me to it, BMoe.
An autopsy isn’t necessary. There’s few people left who care how the GOP died; but care only that it’s dead.
I’m sharing that sentiment. There’s little left of that Party that I feel need to support.
I mean, can I be abandoned any more than I’ve already been abandoned? Gets to a point that the unrecognizibleness overwhelms the camaraderie.
Unfortunately, it’s not dead.
They will be soon, they are very ill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grbSQ6O6kbs
speaking truth to rinos
What Did Charles Krauthammer Say About Obama That Shocked a Fox Panel Into Silence?
It can’t die fast enough.
I don’t like the Bush’s bushistic bushiness anymore than you do Jeff. But here’s the rub: the family has established itself as a central pivot in our nation’s politics. And when you recognize the centrifugal force of Progressivism in America’s technologic cities (which I think you do) then you’ll recognize that its tug on this pivot has forced it to lean to accomodate that tug.
I do not like it, but there it is, and I cannot fault the family’s scions for genuflecting accordingly. But, there is a foundation under this pivot that bears closer inspection for its herald to hope.
I’m not going to waste your readers’ time with another dry defence of W. We’ve heard it all before, and there’s nothing I can add to the litany of accolade and demation spewed before…
Except to say: He pinned the tail on Social Security – it is a Ponzi Scheme, and its mandatory deduction from workers’ paychecks is the bread-and-butter of the Fed’s preferred “capitalizers,” and about the only thing keeping the boat afloat at this time. And he gamed what the Democratz’s do if a Moozie maniac with a string of indictments at the UN threatened Southern Europe with nukes (Answer: Nothing!). And he did, gamely and with real risk, dip his policy wang into the Democrat’s syphilitic theatrical Courts, demonstrating dexterity and daring in heaps in the process: his AG’s prosecution of Martha Stewart for “insider trading,” and positioning of Alberto Gonzales athwart New Mexico’s voter fraud scams, BOTH, indicate a flair and gusto for the battle for America.
Let’s not forget the entire record, while we continue to tug at li’l Jeb’s hems.
All well and good, steveaz. Except, the presidency isn’t the House of Lords. As many a native of the EU can tell you, sometimes it is time for a dynasty to call it quits.
This is one of those times.
Yo, Steve. How’s that inevitable working out for you?
Bushes? I wouldn’t walk across the street to piss on their heads if their hair was on fire.
See: first rule of hole digging.
“the family has established itself as a central pivot in our nation’s politics”
How are those Kennedys working out nowadays?
No. Just no.
Just sayin’s all!
I think there’s some wheat in the chaff’s all.
On the Buzzfeed-copyin’. Go ‘head ‘n copyit. It is only one node worth simulating, and simulation is practice. And Practice makes perfect.
We’ve got to start somewhere!!
And then go on to innovate ten more, original nodes, some contradictory even (the Left uses its nodes to mirror memes back to its broadcast forts, lending them credibility by repeating them. In this circle-jerk, some contradiction is permissible and even desireable as the befuddlement it generates in a complicit audience can generate deniability for the mirrors’ engineers (Al Gore did too sell Current TV to Al Jazeera!)).
And, because, as with all human endeavors, flaws will occur. And, inevitable as they are, they can be cuddly, calming things to der Menschen. We’d rather lie with a cackling strumpet, than decline with a steel robot – if you know what I mean.
poor monkey
GHWB was installed by GOP stalwarts as Reagan’s minder. His selection in ’88 was the start of a long series of GOP candidate-weaklings.
Followed by Bob Dole, a hopeless throwaway candidate, offered as a sacrifice against Bill Clinton’s popularity.
Bush Jr will always be associated with the awkward invasion of Iraq. The Bush name has been painted by Leftists as author of the epitome of the most costly of modern boondoggles. And all the rest of those unchallenged associations that, unfair or not, will stick to name: Bush for generations.
Then, the GOP doubled down on stupidity, proffering John McCain, then, Mitt Romney. Useless and uninspiring, the nicest I can say about either of “em.
Jeb Bush? Sorry. You couldn’t pay me to cast vote for him, even if his opponent was Marx resurrected.
Enough is enough. The GOP is officially abandoned.
Jeb Bush is just a concept test
nobody seriously thinks he’s presidential material
“We’ve got to start somewhere!!”
Who’s this “we” you are referring too?
“flaws will occur.”
Referred to in the real world as abject failure.
“if you know what I mean.”
No, no I don’t.
No aquarium?
Whither the Merman?
George P. Bush (Jeb’s son) is planning to run for Texas Land Commissioner next year. Oy.
The more so in dynasties.
There’s a whole lot more chaff than wheat.
Indeed, McGehee.
While George P. may be cute and half Spaniard, identity politics is the dem’s schtick. As for the GOP: stick a fork in them.
George P is a new story we’ll have to wait and see
he’s good for Team R in texas and that ain’t no lie