On the way back…

We didn’t try to understand the Iraqis, the Afghanis, the Vietnamese and consequently we got the shit kicked out of us. Bush’s “they just hate freedom” is a classic example of not figuring out what the opposition is about. Republicans think that understanding equals agreeing with.

Blind stupid. And “Common sense” is just being able to see things from another point of view.

We’ve all got the message already. It’s been pounded in here for a week now. The Republicans are learning the Error of Their Ways and the sooner they come to the Light, the better. Politico is hitting it particularly hard.

We don’t want to be spoiling Obama’s second term with things like actual political opposition, do we?

I’m talking about you and the Democrats.

You are not addressing Jindal’s comments, you are attacking a straw man–or words you’ve put in a straw man’s mouth. That’s cognitive dissonance.

The point I’m making is that some Republicans are now questioning the rhetoric and their message. They insulted their audience and spoke down to them, their tone was condescending and patronizing. They bullied the voters, both theirs and their opponents. They were arrogant, and they paid the price. And now, when its pointed out to them, they self-righteously dismiss it as simply an attempt to subvert their ideology. This is not an attack on the message. Its an attack on the messenger.

Here’s a commentary on Jindal from Slate.

It’s not enough to be conciliatory to Democrats or to sound reasonable. You have to discard your ideas, your positions, until nothing remains that isn’t basically what Democrats believe.

Jindal is discussing various positions that lie “between.” Matthew Yglesias, a well-known name to me, is saying that’s just not good enough.