Crybaby Conservative

Via AMERICAblog, I found this column written by David Keane, chairman of the American Conservative Union, who’s got his nose all out of joint because conservatives who oppose Miers’ nomination are finding themselves at the business end of the administration’s smear gun.

What is most troubling about this whole affair, however, is the way the administration has gone about trying to demonize conservatives who have raised questions about Ms. Miers. It began from day one to attack personally the motives, loyalty and judgment of anyone who questioned the wisdom of the nomination. Since then, the ad hominem attacks on Miers’s conservative critics have been unconscionably heavy-handed and will haunt the president regardless of how the nomination fight turns out.

Welcome to our world, you dosey prick. That’s Tactic #1 for the Bush gang, who have been utilizing it against liberal and moderate dissenters (not to mention their opposition—go ask John McCain) since before they even stepped foot inside the White House. Considering you’ve had no problem with this schoolyard bully strategy all along, I can’t imagine why on earth should anyone else be concerned on your behalf now, just because it’s being used against you. If you had no inclination that at the first sign of stumbling out of lockstep, you’d be treated to the same dishonorable tactics, then you’re not only a hypocrite, but foolish, too.

Most conservatives have stood with Bush from the beginning. Those of us who know him like him. We’ve swallowed policies we might otherwise have objected to because we’ve believed that he and those around him are themselves conservatives trying to do the right thing against sometimes terrible odds. We’ve been there for him because we’ve considered ourselves part of his team.

No more.

Let’s be honest here. You swallowed policies to which you might otherwise have objected because all you care about is criminalizing abortion—and at the zenith of your 30-year movement to do just that, Bush blinked (or so you fear), so now you’re mad. Well, most of America is pro-choice and does not share your view that abortion is more important than war, rampant fiscal irresponsibility, criminal behavior at the highest levels of government, wanton cronyism, jobs, gas prices, etc. The fact that you chose to overlook disastrous governmental failures in the mere hope that Roe would be overturned, thinking, foolishly, that you were “part of his team,” rather than just a pack of rabid dogs to be exploited come election time to help re-elect him, so he could pursue his agenda on behalf of his real team—corporations, the wealthy, and the lobbyists—is something for which you ought to be ashamed. You allowed him to fuck the entire country and gave it your stamp of approval, and only now you’re complaining about the bitter taste in your mouth, because your king hasn’t delivered on the wet dream wish fulfillment you were promised. Tough.

From now on, this administration will find it difficult to muster support on the right without explaining why it should be forthcoming. The days of the blank check have ended because no thinking conservative really wants to be part of a team that requires marching in lock step without question or thought, even if it is headed by the president of the United States.

How insincere can it get? First, it’s reminding the president they have marched in lockstep with him, even going along with policies to which they might otherwise have objected, and now it’s moaning that no one wants to be part of a team which requires marching in lockstep. Again, let’s be honest here. Marching in lockstep was just fine, as long as you thought you were going to get what you thought you were owed. You traded a blank check for criminalized abortion, and now that you’re worried you might not get it, you want your money back. Boo hoo. Do shady business with crooked characters, and you’re gonna get screwed.

I’m not sure from whom Mr. Keane is going to get the sympathy he so clearly desires. The Bush administration doesn’t give a crap about anyone except themselves and their fatcat, no-bid contract friends. Liberals saw through this game long ago and tried to warn those who would sacrifice the rest of us in pursuit of a single issue platform that most Americans don’t support. Moderate Republicans rejected Bush as a genuine conservative long ago and issued warnings of their own. American voters are leaving this guy in droves, seeing him—finally—for the abject failure he is.

Mr. Keane, I’m afraid you’re on your own.