Sane Conservatives bis!

Over on Marc Ambinder's blog for The Atlantic someone named Chris Good has found the cool calm center of conservatism near the banks of the Potomac.

Mainstream conservatism still exists, despite the prominence to which the right's fringe elements have ascended since Obama took office. And sometimes it takes a mainstream conservative conference in Washington, DC to remind one that, while the infrastucture of conservative interest groups has engaged in heavy flirtation--some would say an outright love affair--with the passion of the protesters, dignified gatherings in hotel ballrooms are still its bread and butter.

Don't take his word for it though, catch this Fox News live broadcast covering the event. Too partisan for you? OK, take a look at what the MSNBC camera crew reported on mainstream conservatism.

They are apparently so sane they don't want any TV coverage of their event.

at last. We have found common ground.

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Weird Car Ad

Yes, it's an ad for a weird car, but it is also one weird little ad. In Spanish.

... and yet another.

Sane conservatives!

They're out there. They really are out there, somewhere. And they seem to be regaining their voice. Here's one, Rod Dreher (thanks to Sullivan):

Watching the school-speech insanity blow up on the right, a friend who has been deeply involved for decades at the top of Republican politics, e-mailed to say that she was done. The conservative movement is hurtling off a cliff – and she was bailing out.

And concludes:

Where can those who wish to think and debate clearly about a serious politics of the right go? The degenerate form of populism now dominant on the right loves to praise "freedom" – but it has no use for freedom of thought, or thinking much at all. In turn, increasing numbers of thoughtful conservatives have no use for it.

Though what their options are right now seems a bit dim to me. The Republican Party? The Democrats? Non-involvement or a third party?

I think they are stuck with the Repubs, which means a long tough slog to regain the levers of power.

oh, well.

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