Excommunicated Conservative David Frum writes:
The big change in American politics over the past two decades has been the decline of followership. Party members expect the party to serve them -- one major reason that both parties have drifted to the ideological extremes since the 1970s.
That expectation would only be intensified and concentrated in a party convention with Fox News and talk radio whipping and riling the delegates into angry emotionalism.
A decision-making convention in modern times won't submit to the edicts of smoke-filled rooms. The delegates will want their own way.
If Romney fails to win the primaries over the next few months, brace yourself: not for a replay of 1920, when Republican bosses made their coldly calculated deal, but for a replay of 1896, when the Democratic Convention went wild for William Jennings Bryan after one thrilling speech.
Of course, Bryan went on to lose in a landslide.
The poor bastard. They kicked him out of the club. But I do agree with Comrade Frum that the big change in politics can be tied to the democratization of speech and information. The internet has leveled the playing field for speech and information. In some ways this is a good thing. But it also means that any asshole can disseminate crazy shit to the unwashed masses for the hell of it. You see that with the Foxnews and the AM radio.
Ordinary Teabagging Americans know that they are pissed off about something. Agreeing on what they are pissed off about is the hard thing, though. In the old days it would have to be an actual grievance like the price of wheat being too damn low, shitty working conditions in a factory or being robbed blind by a robber baron. If these things actually happened to enough folks, an actual teahad might break out.
Today you don't have to be outraged about a real problem. With the Foxnews and the wingnet, they don't need an actual problem for enough people to declare a teahad. Take the last Teahadist movement. It started a 45 days into Obama's presidency. The Folks were mad but didn't know quite why until the Foxnews told them all that the economic collapse that happened before Obama was elected was actually Obama's fault.
Furthermore, the Foxnews declared that trying to clean up the mess caused by the economic collapse was socialism. That is right. Fighting to save capitalism got you labeled a socialist. This is all bullshit meme that makes good copy for the Foxnews and the Wingnet, but it dupes your voters into living in a fantasy realm.
Here is an example. Say the Governor of Wisconsin is told by the party insiders to send delegates Willard Milton Romney's way at convention:
Beltway Insider 1: "Move all your state delegates to Willard Milton Romney. Santorum scares the shit out of people. Do this punk."
Walker: "The delegates aren't gonna do this just because I say to do it."
Beltway Insider 2: "Tell them Wisconsin will get high speed rail directly to Lambeau Field in Greenbay if they do. Everyone of the dirty sons of bitches can ride the train directly to watch the Packers games. It'll take them 5 seconds to get there."
Walker: "You can't be serious! Everyone knows High Speed Rail will lead to one-world government. That is how the United Nations will invade America - using high speed rail."
Beltway Insider 3: "We made that shit up. Once the GOP is back in power its earmark central time again, baby! Just do it."
Walker: "High Speed Rail? You really don't understand. Our delegates are true believers in party ideology. If I promise them high speed rail, they'll lynch me! Are you trying to get me killed? Sorry buddy, find somebody else."
Yeah, Comrade Frum is likely right. The GOTP voters are so cut off from reality, there may be no Party Insider to bring them back to the fold. If there is a God, Sarah will show up at the Convention and start listing her grievances against the party establishment. See what happens then, baby!
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