Yet Another Sign Of How The GOP Is Splitting With Conservatives
All Things Consider — By Daniel Strauss on March 25, 2010 at 7:45 pmSpeaking of David Frum, it seems he was laid off again, this time by the American Enterprise Institute. As I’m sure everyone knows from doggedly following the latest news in Washington punditry gossip like I do, Frum already parted ways with National Review a while back.
Frum’s recent pink slip is probably because of this post criticizing the Republican strategy on healthcare, calling it their “Waterloo.” Both the right and the left have been linking to the post a lot, albeit for different reasons.
There are a few strange aspects to this. One is that AEI is of the more technocratic, less partisan, collection of conservative think tanks. One would think they would fight to keep Frum there.
Now, to be fair, this very well could be just a coincidence (Frum himself says he wasn’t fired) but I doubt it. These days the Republican tent is rather small. You either join in the far right yelling or get kicked out. There’s really not much room for pundits or politicians who aren’t following the party line.
Too bad they’re losing Frum who, beyond being perfectly spot on in the aforementioned post, also seems to still be a conservative. I happened to be reading Frum’s autobiographical post last night and it doesn’t sound like someone who’s very liberal, just someone who isn’t happy with the shape of the Republican Party. Read this last part:
I don’t think I’ve changed my mind about fundamental principles. I still champion liberty and individuality, still advocate markets and entrepreneurship, still insist on free trade and open markets. My social preferences remain conservative, and I believe fervently in strong American international leadership.
[...]
The Obama administration is careening toward a more expensive and interventionist government, toward reckless spending and destructive taxation. This is where I came into politics 30 years ago, and I will stand again on the same side I stood then. But now as then, my side will only be successful to the extent it is knowledgeable, to the extent it is public-spirited, to the extent that it is based on evidence and research, to the extent that it advocates the greater good rather than the narrow interests and values of one class or one geographic section.
Doesn’t sound like someone was popping open the champaign bottle when Obama signed the Healthcare Reform bill.
–Jasper Hart
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3 Comments
Wish I could call myself a conservative these days as I am, but it’s gotten a bit tough to use the term, eh? Thanks for this all as it gives me a sense of sanity in the madness. How is it that us of the Land have got to a point that we no longer respect it or the Citizens that stand on it and make it grow???! No more pepper sprayin’ kids who are just sitting around trying to make a point in Our Nation. Enough. Kudos to Frum and Strauss. The World is watching! Every grain. Every chicken. Every apple.
-Silly farm boy w/many friends
@ Anon…I “advisedly” ask you to pound swords into plows, bro. Happy belated Thanksgiving y’all!
Frum’s blog led me to yours – both very interesting. Frum’s current employment situation is a reflection of the blinders that the current conservative movement and Republican leaders are trying to place on people — with a lot of success — to the failures in the past nine years in particular, and really, ever since Reagan.
The inciting to violence and the Tea Party movement, by people like John Boehner, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, and even John McCain, is not only damaging the GOP, but it’s very likely to get some literally killed!
I wish Frum financial success to continue to speak out! The country needs more like him and Colin Powell!
If our Founders had thought (word used advisedly) like Mr. Frum (who’s he?)
this nation would never have come into existence. Real honest to God Republicans stick to their beliefs and always get us back on track when the country follows liberals OFF the track.