Want to know why conservatism is on the rocks? I claim it is the purity wars where some claim superiority over all others, and emphasize their ‘true conservatism’ by calling their so-called allies names like ‘traitor’ and ‘RINO’. This all stems form the inability to lose one’s case with honor and maturity in a democracy. For example, this kind of crap is not going to unite the conservative coalition, nor is it a way to demonstrate stability and respect for allies who should be aligned to protect this nation and oppose the insanity of liberalism and the progressives:

The failure of the Bush presidency is the dominant fact of American politics today. It has driven every facet of Democratic political strategy since early 2006, when Democrats settled on the campaign themes that brought them their takeover of the House and Senate in November 2006. Nothing–not even the success of the American troop surge in Iraq–has altered or will alter the centrality of George W. Bush and his failed presidency to Democratic planning in the remainder of 2008.

Bush has not failed if you look at his results. From tax cuts to protecting the unborn embryo from being a lab experiment Bush has progressed conservatism quite far. The failure has been those on the right who are too impatient and too obsessed with one subject to admit the country is much better off after Bush than it would have been under Gore or Kerry.

Dems always will oppose Bush so what does it mater if they oppose him now? When did the GOP bow to the opinions of the left? It was those in the conservative coalition who stabbed Bush in the back (and now don’t have the self confidence to admit maybe they over reacted) that keeps Bush from being seen as the success he is. If the historic GOP voters rallied around Bush and said “good job, given all the challenges and forces aligned against you here and abroad” Bush’s ratings would be back above 50%. Won’t happen – it means admitting the hyperbole of the past was misguided, and few folks have the wisdom to admit error.

The failure of the conservative movement is not Bush – it is those who decided they would split the coalition because Bush could not wave a magic wand in a time of war and national threat and (a) stop all abortions or (b) deport all illegals or (c) stop the GOP Congress from over spending. And it is one whopper of a failure since it has led to the real chance Clinton or Obama are being seriously considered to run this country into the ground.

If you start with Bush as a failure you have lost me – I don’t care if it comes from liberals obsessed with surrendering to al-Qaeda instead of standing by our President or from Conservatives in Exile obsessed with diverting our security forces to track down nannies and gardeners. If Bush is a failure because he did not bow down to someone’s demands then that someone is just going to go into another fit of frustration as the nation ignores their personal views under the next President. Reality will never conform to their wishes which means they will always be in a fit of anger – which makes that person too dodgy to ally with or to worry about. Which makes them the failure – not Bush who did change reality and make this country and world a better place.

Addendum: Just wanted to add one last point. If anyone thinks admitting the Dems were right and that Bush was failure will help McCain or any conservative win is seriously misguided. It is admitting Dems are right that gets Dems elected. Duh.