I think the JBS was one of the first practical demonstrations of Alinsky tactics to fix a target, isolate it, etc. The very name of the organization has become synonymous with “kook”, and why? What position has the JBS taken that is so far beyond the pale that respectable folks can’t associate with them?

I think the JBS was one of the first practical demonstrations of Alinsky tactics to fix a target, isolate it, etc. The very name of the organization has become synonymous with “kook”, and why? What position has the JBS taken that is so far beyond the pale that respectable folks can’t associate with them?

“I was invited to be the opening speaker at Saturday’s CPAC session. I had accepted but then, to my amazement, I learned that the John Birch Society would be one of many co-sponsors. This takes the big-tent idea many steps too far for me. So, I withdrew. Apparently, others were not so moved. That’s fine. But it wasn’t for me. Bill Buckley and Barry Goldwater, among others, chased the Birchers from the movement decades ago. And they’re not a part of the movement. So, to give them a booth at CPAC was boneheaded.”

“I was invited to be the opening speaker at Saturday’s CPAC session. I had accepted but then, to my amazement, I learned that the John Birch Society would be one of many co-sponsors. This takes the big-tent idea many steps too far for me. So, I withdrew. Apparently, others were not so moved. That’s fine. But it wasn’t for me. Bill Buckley and Barry Goldwater, among others, chased the Birchers from the movement decades ago. And they’re not a part of the movement. So, to give them a booth at CPAC was boneheaded.”

But enough of that.

Derb and Ponnuru? You gotta be freaking kidding me. Derb gets squishy as hell, just when you get used to him standing firm on stuff. And Ramesh Ponnuru, who is at least at intellectually gifted as Charles Krauthammer, is nonetheless an eeyore of the first magnitude. While others in the NR masthead are focusing on the Bright Tomorrows of Reaganism, you’ll typically find the estimable Mr. Ponnuru gloomily pointing out the inconsistencies, the intellectual gaps, and the statistics errors of the home team. All, of course, in an effort to “not look like the other side.”

When you only have two parties (of note), you cannot avoid massive problems associated with Niven’s Law #16. Ramesh should stop with the “own goals.” Or at least cut the practice down to a dull, eeyorish roar.

I love the guy’s service to ideas, but dang!

But enough of that.

Derb and Ponnuru? You gotta be freaking kidding me. Derb gets squishy as hell, just when you get used to him standing firm on stuff. And Ramesh Ponnuru, who is at least at intellectually gifted as Charles Krauthammer, is nonetheless an eeyore of the first magnitude. While others in the NR masthead are focusing on the Bright Tomorrows of Reaganism, you’ll typically find the estimable Mr. Ponnuru gloomily pointing out the inconsistencies, the intellectual gaps, and the statistics errors of the home team. All, of course, in an effort to “not look like the other side.”

When you only have two parties (of note), you cannot avoid massive problems associated with Niven’s Law #16. Ramesh should stop with the “own goals.” Or at least cut the practice down to a dull, eeyorish roar.

I love the guy’s service to ideas, but dang!