I like Jonah Goldberg and a lot of what he says, but he's floating in ye olde conservative autoplay bubble machine when it comes to the ever-popular mumbo-jumbo about the president not wanting to "infuriate" his base. Today's example is from Cooling on Global Warming where Goldberg writes, on full cruise control,
One suspects that Obama would dearly love to drill a lot for more oil and gas, simply for the political windfall in jobs and economic growth. But after he flipped on offshore drilling, then flopped after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, he cannot flip again without infuriating his base.
What are the elements that form Obama's "easily alienated" base?
Obviously the vast majority of the African-American voting bloc is his forever. To this element, Obama, no matter his lies, flaws, frauds, bastardy, and broken promises, is the apotheosis of Dreams of All Their Fathers, present or skedaddled. His election to the presidency was a life-changing and affirming moment. His failure to be re-elected would be a referendum not only on Obama but on the entire African-American cohort. From this point of view the first black presidency cannot be a failed presidency and the only way to affirm that is to have a second term. Obama does not spend time fretting about this part of his base. It is his to command.
The next significant element of Obama's base are the millions who slurp up the slop in the government trough. This includes those on assistance of one sort or another as well as those who owe their government employment to Obama. All those czars hired little czarinas who hired littler servants and gofers at all levels of the government. Remember that the largest expansion of government workers and government chislers has arisen under the O. Pretty much all of these apparatchiks and bitter clingers know to "Praise O from whom all blessings flow." They also know that if a Republican gets in their checks go out the window. Add to that their knowledge that, outside of a progressive government, they are all pretty much numbered among the hard-core unemployable and you have another large and overlapping part of the base that is also enslaved to the Abominable O-Man.
Who's left in this "base" Goldberg thinks can be offended and estranged? White socialists, white communists, white progressives, and whites convinced they have to do racial penance for wrongs more than a century old; whites for whom being lashed, looted, and lynched for four years is just not enough expatiation. These ideological and racial masochists are never going to leave the O. They are getting off on the pain and can't imagine a satisfying sex life without it. Indeed, the experience of Obama is probably the only sex they're getting. Don't believe me? Just ask America's First Fellator, Andrew Sullivan.
Then there's the never to be misunderestimated soccer moms of America. This cohort, which is not entirely female, but highly testosterone challenged, consists of those who "just want to be nice" and "just want to feel good about themselves." These neuters are legion on the left even if they don't understand politics and policy. They'll vote O just because he seems like such an attractive young man.
Finally, there's the always dependably stupid "youth vote" aka "Obama Zombie Brigade." There may not be as many getting the vapors this time around, but they'll be out there knocking on your door with their new lawn signs reading "Change and Hope, 2012. This Time He Means It!" Given the ongoing intellectual gelding and hysterectomy procedures being performed daily in our secondary schools and colleges, we can count on a few more graduating classes that still believe they can slide by on a grant, a hand-out, or a subsidy for their performance art projects.
Add them all up and the O holds the base that is going no place. What are they going to do? Put in for a brain implant and then vote for West / Palin?
Posted by Vanderleun at April 27, 2011 6:37 AM
Yep.
Posted by: scory at April 27, 2011 7:50 AMJonah Goldberg seems to be little off his oats lately. As an example, see his approval of General Petreaus' violation of Article 133 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice when he blasted Koran burning in the US by US citizens.
To suggest good impulses for the benefit of the country from anyone, Oboma on down,who steamrollered a massive trillion dollar program down the throats of the American people during a recession, and particularly when there was and is, no way of paying for the program other than borrowing, reminds me of the hunter (Republicans) who encountered a bear (Democrats): The bear said, "Can't we come to a mutually satisfactory resolution? What do you want?" The hunter answered, "A fur coat." The bear said, "All I want is a good meal. Let's negotiate." They did. And the hunter got his fur coat and the bear got his meal and was the only one who walked on.
Goldberg is an another example of what happened to National Review even when Buckley was still active. These clowns shilled for McCain early on.
The conservative's need to make things work and the human need to be liked are easy prey to our evil twins on the left, and neocons are the bridge builders to nowhere.
Posted by: james wilson at April 27, 2011 9:13 AMHope springs eternal, though.
Yes his "base" provides him with a "floor" of probably no less than 42-45% of the popular vote, plus another 1-2% for the fraudulent votes from dead people. No matter what. (which is of course pathetic and depressing) However, the Lightworker, and Healer of the World, shining in his brilliance, upon whom millions projected what they wanted to see still only got (if I recall correctly) a total of 53% of the vote last time.
And that was against an old ineffective grump who made no apparent effort to evade being labeled as the Bush Third Term (whose approval rating was in the 30's), and who ran with a candidate who his inept team allowed to be torpedoed and "Dan Quayled" by the establishment media.
We need to swing 3.5-4.5% of the vote. That can be achieved by a few things: A couple of percentage reduction in the TURN-OUT by African Americans, college students, and post-graduate professional cat-owning childless single white women. So yeah he still gets his 94-6% split on the black vote - but maybe several hundred thousand fewer come out this time, simply since it is no longer novel, the bloom is off the rose, the economy is in the tank, etc. Same impact with starry eyed brain-washed nitwits between the ages of 18 and 25.
Combine that with a couple of percentage point shifts in other demographic categories to the "R" candidate. For example, if 56% of all non-African American females voted FOR him last time.....what happens if this time it is instead 54%.
If 52% of all non-African American males voted for the "R" last time....what happens if that jumps to 55% this time?
Among other reasons, we simply cannot have Obama making US Supreme Court appointments to 2016.
Posted by: southernjames at April 27, 2011 9:30 AMGood thinking,southern. Good thinking. From your keyboard to God's eyes.
Posted by: Vanderleun at April 27, 2011 9:47 AMI do recall seeing quite a few Ron Paul signs around the local college campus last election. Perhaps all is not lost yet. Man the ramparts, there's a hell of a battle ahead, and America can't afford us to lose.
PS. Gerard, Is there any chance that you could use that masterful pen of yours to help convince some of the younger crowd of just how vital to their futures it is to stop the spending? Just wondering.
Posted by: Roger Drew Williams at April 27, 2011 7:11 PMOn YouTube search for "Obama: My Plan Makes Electricity Rates Skyrocket".
Watch the video and then make a convincing argument Obama wouldn't advocate high prices on consumers to generate political advantage. Good luck.
Breaking the system is the plan. It's the plan even if you hope it's not the plan. It's the plan even if you wouldn't want that plan. It's the plan, even if you don't understand that plan. It's the plan even if no other POTUS has been re-elected with that plan.
The mainstream conservatives are more comfortable putting epicycles upon epicycles to pretend their opponents just want to increase wealth and liberty than to contemplate the simpler and well-supported idea that breaking the system is the plan.
No matter how many Marxist dictators come to power in this world over the last 100 years the chattering class is determined to pretend each one is an isolated actor with no discernible plan and only a slight possibility of success.
Obama is Chavez. Both are committed Marxists trying to advance the Marxist revolution.
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