LAT via TPM: The real father of Modern Conservatism isn't Goldwater...Its McCarthy

[dkf]

But there is another rendition of the story of modern conservatism, one that doesn't begin with Goldwater and doesn't celebrate his libertarian orientation. It is a less heroic story, and one that may go a much longer way toward really explaining the Republican Party's past electoral fortunes and its future. In this tale, the real father of modern Republicanism is Sen. Joe McCarthy, and the line doesn't run from Goldwater to Reagan to George W. Bush; it runs from McCarthy to Nixon to Bush and possibly now to Sarah Palin. It centralizes what one might call the McCarthy gene, something deep in the DNA of the Republican Party that determines how Republicans run for office, and because it is genetic, it isn't likely to be expunged any time soon.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/246205.php

[jeff30997]

1. I totally agree.

McCarthy must be smiling down there.Replace Communists with Terrorists and History repeats itself.

But this time it's far worst IMHO.:(

[Oak2004]

2. Dead-on analysis

Goldwater's not your daddy, GOP. You're the child of that disgraced, mean-spirited old drunk.

[dkf]

4. And Sarah Palin is its offspring.

That is why they luuuuv her.

[EFerrari]

3. Very true!

[muntrv]

5. Sarah Palin, the daughter of McCarthyism. BLEAH!!

[IDemo]

6. Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Alaska Independence Party?

:hi: