The Patriot Post® · Political Infighting

Political Futures

Columnist Jonah Goldberg: “As political scientist Larry Bartels recently observed, the public is ‘more conservative than at any time since 1952.’ That new progressive era liberals promised in 2008? It never happened. The public has grown more conservative during the Obama presidency. The catch: It’s grown less Republican too. … Six months ago, most Tea Party leaders were eager to get rid of the medical device tax under Obamacare. But, in the recent budget battle, getting rid of it was suddenly an ideological betrayal and a sop to big business. A culture war is definitely raging on the right, and a civil war may follow, though I hope not. I’d hate to see the GOP establishment create an ideological rationale for being anti-Tea Party. It’s better for conservatism if the GOP establishment is pulled toward the Tea Party, rather than repelled from it. Likewise, it’s better if the Tea Party sees the GOP as a vehicle for its agenda rather than an obstruction.”