Abramoff scandal tars Reed and Norquist

DallasBlog.com | Tom Pauken:

“Hasn't the time come for grassroots conservatives to begin cleaning out the stables and no longer follow the lead of some of these self-proclaimed conservative leaders who have used conservatives to advance their own personal agendas?”

Ed Cognoski responds:

Undoubtedly. Yet, implied in this question is the assumption that conservatism itself is not in question, only the actions of some in the name of conservatism. Jonathan Chait published an essay in The New Republic, republished in The Dallas Morning News, that analyzes this curious attitude. It concludes by quoting Rick Perlstein, who said of the right's mind-set, "Conservatism never fails. It is only failed." Mr Chait was referring to the right's recent conclusion that George W. Bush has betrayed conservative principles. He provides evidence that the critics supported President Bush's policies when he first pushed them through a compliant Congress. Only now that the failures are mounting are the critics deciding that the policies were not conservative after all.

This curious attitude could apply equally well to Mr Pauken's attempt to distance true conservatism from Ralph Reed and Grover Norquist. Mr Chait makes a convincing case that what the right wing actually resents is not ideological impurity, but political failure. With Abramoff off to prison, it's now time to distance conservatism from everything related to Abramoff, including Reed and Norquist. As always, conservatism didn't fail. Conservatism was failed.