David Brooks: Conservative Movement Has "No Leaders," "No Coherent Belief System," In A "World Of Pain"

Conservative columnist David Brooks envisions very tough times ahead for conservatives. On "Face the Nation" this morning, Brooks says the conservative movement has "no leaders," is in a "world of pain," and lacks a "coherent belief system." Watch a clip from the show (via ThinkProgress).

Comments

[Lionsden]

The Conservatives were purged from Republican Party (GOP) leadership (by William F. Buckley nearly 2 decades ago. He did this by purging his magazine (the only national conservative outlet at that time) of it's conservative intellectuals. They are still around but republicans REFUSE to listen to them. (they now operate excellent websites).

Now that the party is shipwreck because of the liberal republicans, will it turn to the purged conservative intellectuals (Peter Brimelow, Paul Gottfried, John O'Sullivan, Patrick Buchanan, Joseph Sobran, Steve Sailer, and etc.) who know what should be done?

Hard to say, they don't call it the stupid party for nothing.

[WowJones]

You actually consider Pat Buchanan an intellectual? Makes the rest of your list highly suspect.

[mandoboy]

Pat's not exactly what you'd call much sharper than a bowling ball...

[Invox]

The Republican party is in a state of decay because it's corrupt. The lack of a belief system and leadership is secondary to its lack of a moral and ethical compass.

[VOTER]

Once the GOP have figured out how to repackage themselves, how long will it
be before Americans believe the NEW GOP BULL?

My Guess: 16 years

Assuming the Dems do a good job. WE must hold them accountable at
each turn. WE will.

[krocklin]

Excellent point.
They need to repackage whatever it is they pretend to represent, which is really the interests of the corporations and the wealthy.
Without Texan oil billionaires, the Republican Party would have been nothing a long time ago. They gave us the Paul Jones scandal, the Swiftboat campaign, the elimination of the Fairness Doctrine, Ronald Reagan and many others.

[fuzzwald]

The Republican belief system is predicated on unlimited growth. However, unlimited growth is unsustainable. The Republicans may not have realized that fact yet, but it's staring them right in the face.

[LeaderofMen]

Exactly. The dramatic rise of energy costs proved that unlimited growth is not only not possible, it will eventually destroy the biosphere.

[ChristianEcon.com]

Conservatives do not "lack a coherent belief system." The problem is, even after its comprehensive and historically disastrous results, they still believe it.

[JohnFromCensornati]

They do have a belief system. The believe in wars, predatory economics, and God (R).

[Grulg]

Sounds like Brooks is just facing facts. Look-in '92 I think everyone thought the Dems were gonna rule for quite awhile. Look what happened-Gingrich '94. GAG. Then look at 10 years later-W is relected by Diebold in S Ohio, Rove is a genius, the GOP has a longlasting permanant majority, etc.

These things change fast. Obama has to take the ball and run w/ it here. I'm hoping he does great and pulls our country to where it needs to go. We'll see.

[JFive]

On "Face the Nation" this morning, Brooks says the conservative movement has "no leaders," is in a "world of pain," and lacks a "coherent belief system."

Comes the dawn.

[AxelDC]

Kudos to David Brooks for his intellectual honesty. Sometimes you have to look at your own belief system, compare it to the facts of the day, and consider whether it is still relevant. The Republican mental models do not match up to the real world challenges of the day.

Reaganomics worked because they addressed a different set of challenges. Tax cuts and deregulation were necessary in 1981. Today, we are 28 years beyond that, a full 7 Presidential terms.

I remember one powerful intellectual who made such an intellectual mind shift when she saw that the Republican Party was drowning in a morass of anti-Clinton bile. She made her views clear on Election Night 1998, and today she is one of the most powerful voices in the Blogosphere.

Thank you, Mrs. Huffington, for your transformation. Perhaps you should call up David Brooks and give him some pointers.

[JDHART]

Cry baby. Maybe he should remember what the conservatives said to Al Gore's supporters in 2000: It's over. Deal with it.

[raymurt]

and yet David Brooks faithfully beats the drums for repugs

[squander123]

I think Brooks is wrong, and that he knows it. The Republicans (or at least, the party cabal who have been in power for the last decade) has a very coherent belief system. It's one based upon the ever-increasing ascendancy of an asset-stripping corporate elite: they are a party based entirely upon the economic interests of a very small, very specific socio-economic class. Nothing else actually matters to them. The evangelical agenda of anti-abortion, anti-science, anti-gay rights etc was only ever window-dressing designed to ensure a sufficiently large coalition of voters who would keep them in power (and when all else failed, of course, they staged a white-collar coup d'etat through the Supreme Court).

What has changed is that they've lost the support of sufficient numbers of that evangelical voter bloc. I don't foresee a lengthy conservative 'intellectual' debate about their core belief systems in 21stC terms in order to construct a new ideological position. I foresee a red-in-tooth-and-claw battle to try and shore up the far-right base sufficiently to allow the party cabal to regain power.

The longer this goes on, of course, the better for the rest of us. Bring on the long knives and carpets with blood on them!

[AxelDC]

Kleptocracy and plutocratic oligarchy are not functional belief systems. They are just a way for pseudo-intellectual thugs to enrich themselves at the people's expense.

[Buddy McCue]

They believe that they are right in pursuing such policies. They believe that the ABILITY to enrich themselves at the people's expense gives them legitimate cause to do so. Might makes right, in other words (or Social Darwinism, if you like.)

That's a belief system.

[mamacat]

I am not saying that you are wrong, but that what you are describing is not a belief system. Rather, what you have described is a modus operandi for obtaining and holding onto power for all the wrong reasons.

There was a time when the GOP stood for intellectualism. It may not have considered points of view outside the privileged class, but at least it tried to be honest. As you point out, that is not the case with the GOP today. Their leadership is no longer intellectual nor honest.

[realpolitic]

I wonder how Brooks, as a so-called conservative intellectual, feels about belonging to a party where several of the presidential candidates said they believed in the biblical account of creation? I wonder how he feels about belonging to a party that denies climate change and casually dismisses science? How does he feel as a member of a party who wants to teach Intelligent Design in the schools, a "science" without any peer reviews scientific articles to support it? How does he feel when his party nominates a vice-presidential candidate who does not know that Africa is a continent composed of many countries? Conservatives continue to build a bridge to the distant past. Theirs is the party of anti-intellectualism and ignorance conveyed as being next to holy! Just asking, Mr. Brooks.

[NChooseK]

Good point. Both the supposed saviors, Palin and Jindal, have made statements showing them to be Young Earthers, which is as easily debunked scientifically as Flat Earthers. The no science wing in ascendancy is a losing strategy.

[realpolitic]

Yes, someone should ask Palin if the earth is 6,000 years, then where did the oil come from? It takes millions of years to develop, if i am not mistaken?

[cantalopejones14]

David Brooks embarrassed himself during this campaign. It is improper to root for a candidate while in a position that requires subjectivity. Never the less there is breaking news. David Brooks wont touch this. The US Supreme Court has ordered the Obama campaign to turn over his birth certificate by Dec 1. His lawyers are fighting it, inexplicably. The Grandmother is on tape saying she saw him born in Kenya. Obama apologists dismiss the grandmothers confession and try to change the subject. Hold on this may not be over after all.

[realpolitic]

Did a liittle voice in your head tell you the Supreme Court ordered Obama to produce his birth certificate? Perhaps that voice was Captain Nemo.

Is it amazing what conservatives come up with in this time of two wars and a plunging economy!

[Waltb31]

Time for your meds.

[Piatt]

240,000 Americans lost their jobs last month and this is what you're obsessing about? No wonder McCain lost.

[1differentdrummer]

Picking fly specks out of the pepper. Where do you get this garbage?

[Maury66]

Hey can't elope, Brooks is not a reporter, he writes opinions, therefore he is supposed to have one.

[realpolitic]

Cantalope, isn't a columist supposed to have opinions? A column without opinions would be like reading the census.

[cornagainstsorcery]

Wow. I never thought I'd hear those words come from a conservative republican, "I loved Ronald Reagan, but those days are over". End of line.

[IconoclasticYouth]

Speaking sense from a strong conservative? Holy sh !t, change has come to America!

[realpolitic]

Republicans have just realized the Reagan days are long past. People say that Republicans area party that needs an enemy, like in the Cold War days. Only Islamic extremism is a very fluid enemy and backed by different groups for different reasons around the world. It is an enemy better dealt with by our intelligence services and one not to become preoccupied with as Bush did. Republicans have become calcified. It is up to them to make themsleves relevant again. They will likely do it through their usual divisiviness.

[0whole1]

What I don't get is how people think Reagan was a good thing. I mean -- isn't he the guy that started the "tax cuts but government spending increase" crap that saddled us with the debt in the first place?